Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit - EclipseCon Europe 2013 |

Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved. | 15 February, 2008.

EclipseModelingProjectasaDSLToolkit

March19,2008

RichardC.GronbackChiefScienEst

BorlandSoGwareCorporaEonWestbrook,CT

richard.gronback@borland.com

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

Agenda•  DSLOverview

•  DevelopingaDSL–  AbstractSyntax(domainmodel)

–  GraphicalConcreteSyntax(diagram)

–  TextualConcreteSyntax•  ModelTransformaEon

–  Model‐to‐ModelusingQVTOML

–  Model‐to‐TextusingXpand•  Demo

•  Summary

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

Domain‐SpecificLanguages

•  DefiniEon–  Alanguagedesignedtobeusefulforaspecificsetoftasks,asopposedtoageneralpurpose

language

•  Syntax–  Abstract:definedusingBNF,EBNF,XSD,MOF,Ecore,etc.–  Concrete:typicallygraphicalortextual

•  Tooling–  Canbelargelygenerated,evenbootstrapped–  Definedusingtheabstractsyntax:

• constraints,validaEon,grammar(textualnotaEon),graphicalnotaEon,model‐to‐modeltransformaEon,model‐to‐textdefiniEon

•  MoEvaEon–  Focusisontheproblemdomain(thepurityofessence)

–  Rigorous,asrequiredbyadheringtotheabstractsyntax•  Downside

–  Model‐centricDSLtoolingrelaEvelyimmature

–  Youmayendupwithsomethingaslarge/complexastheUML

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

EclipseModelingProject•  ARangeofModel‐centricDSLCapabiliEes:

–  EclipseModelingFramework(EMF)•  Core,Query,ValidaEon,TransacEon,Teneo,Net4j,CDO

–  GraphicalModelingFramework(GMF)•  GeneraEvetoolingandrunEmefordiagramming

–  TextualModelingFramework(TMF)•  GeneraEveIDEfortextualmodelinglanguages

–  ModelDevelopmentTools(MDT)•  UML2,OCL,UML2Tools,XSD,...

–  Model‐to‐ModelTransformaEon(M2M)•  ATL,QVT(OML)

–  Model‐to‐TextTransformaEon(M2T)•  Xpand,JET

–  GeneraEveModelingTechnologies(GMT)•  Researchandemergingtechnology

–  AmalgamaEon•  Aimstoimprovepackaging,integraEon,andusability

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

AbstractSyntaxDevelopment

•  EMFisusedtodeveloptheabstractsyntax–  UsingtheEcoremetamodel(similarbut!=EMOF)–  GeneraEoncapabiliEesusingJET/JMerge

•  Modelcode(API),Editcode,Editor,Tests

–  RunEmeprovidesreflecEon,serializaEon,noEficaEon,etc.–  ApplyconstraintswithMDTOCL

•  WritecustomtemplatestoenforceatrunEme

–  Modelquerysupport•  UsingOCLorSQL‐likequerylanguage

–  ModelvalidaEonframework•  UsingOCLorJava,batchand“live”processing

–  ModeltransacEonsupport

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

ObjectConstraintLanguage(OCL)

•  It’sEverywhere(0metolearnit!):–  EMFmodelconstraints,invariants,pre/post‐condiEons,etc.

–  UsedinValidaEonFramework

–  UsedinEMFmodelQuery

–  UsedinGMFforlinkconstraints,iniEalizers,audits,metrics

–  UsedasthebasisofQVTOperaEonalMappingLanguage

–  OCL‐ishlanguagesinMOFScript,Xtend,Xpand

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

GraphicalConcreteSyntax

•  GMFisusedtodevelopagraphicalconcretesyntax–  GMFprovidesthetoolingandrunEme;youprovidethenotaEon

•  ConsideraEons:–  IsyourDSLwellsuitedforgraphicalrepresentaEon?–  DoyouneedediEng,orjustvisualizaEon?–  WhereisthebestplacetomapnotaEontodomain?

•  GMFmappingmodel,orusingQVT?(thinkBPMNandBPEL)

–  ReadTuGehlp://www.edwardtuGe.com•  Yes,IknowI’vedisregardedhisadviceregardingPowerPoint:‐(

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

GMFOverview

Develop Mapping Model

Adjust Generation Parameters

Create GMF Project

Package and Deploy

Domain Model M T

M M

Tooling Definition Graphical Definition

«x»

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

TextualConcreteSyntax

•  TMFwillbeusedtodevelopatextualconcretesyntax•  TextualModelingFramework(TMF)

–  SimilartowhatMarEnFowlercalls“languageworkbenches”–  TargetsEclipseIMP(IDEMetatoolingPlamorm)‐formerly“SAFARI”

•  Abletogeneratehigh‐qualityeditorsforanylanguage•  GrammarcanbeextractedfromanEMFmodel

•  Currently,EmfaEcprovidesatextualsyntaxforEcore•  AvailableonAlphaWorkshlp://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/emfaEc

text

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

ModelTransformaEon

•  Twoforms:Model‐to‐ModelandModel‐to‐Text

•  Usedfor:–  IntegraEons–  CodegeneraEon–  ReporEng–  Modelexchange–  ModelmigraEonandrefactoring

•  ConsideraEons:–  TransformaEonlanguagescanbecomplex(OML)

•  ComplexmetamodelsmakeforcomplextransformaEons

–  TransformtodedicatedmodelforcodegeneraEon•  Or,straighttotemplates?(thinkJava,C#,XHTML,etc.)

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

Model‐to‐ModelTransformaEon

•  QVTcanbeusedforM2MtransformaEons–  ImplementaEonoftheOMG’sQuery/View/TransformaEon–  OperaEonalMappingLanguage(OML)

•  Definesasetofmappingsandqueries–  BasedonextensiontoOCL(+sideeffects)

•  OperatesoninputEMFmodeltoproduceoutputEMFmodel(s)–  Outputcanbethesameasinputforin‐placetransformaEons

–  CoreandRelaEonslanguagesarecoming…•  “Higherlevel”transformaEonlanguages

•  AlternaEvetoQVTisATL–  AnothercomponentwithintheM2Mproject

M M

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

Model‐to‐TextTransformaEon

•  Xpand:atemplateengineforcodegeneraEon–  Straighmorwardsyntax

«IMPORTmeta::model»«EXTENSIONmy::ExtensionFile»«DEFINEjavaClassFOREnEty»«FILEfileName()»package«javaPackage()»;publicclass«name»{ //implementaEon}«ENDFILE»«ENDDEFINE»

–  Aspect‐OrientedcapabiliEes–  UsedextensivelyinGMF

•  AlternaEveisJET(JSP‐likesyntax)–  BothJETandXpandareintheM2Tproject

M T

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

DSLDevelopmentProcess

•  Roles– DomainExpert

•  ProvidesinputonstructureandsemanEcsoftheDSL

– Toolsmith•  Mayalsobethedomainexpert•  DevelopsDSLarEfactsforgeneraEonanddeployment•  AuthorsM2MandM2TtransformaEondefiniEons

– PracEEoner•  The“enduser”

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

DSLToolkitOverview:Toolsmith

•  DevelopmentcenteredonEcore‐baseddomainmodel–  DiagramdefiniEonusingGMFforgraphicalconcretesyntax–  Model‐to‐ModeltransformaEonsusingQVTorATL–  Model‐to‐TexttransformaEonsusingXpandorJET–  TextualconcretesyntaxdefinedusingTMF

Domain Model

M T M M

Diagram Definition

Model-to-Model Transformation

Model-to-Text Transformation

text

Textual Syntax Definition

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

ToolsmithProcessOverview

Develop M2M Transformation(s)

Develop M2T Transformation(s)

Develop Diagram(s)

Develop Domain Model

Develop Textual Syntax

Generate and Test

Create DSL Project

Package and Deploy

emf

gmf

m2m

m2t

tmf

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

DSLToolkitOverview:Toolsmith

•  AnExample:

mindmap.ecore

mindmap.gmfmap

mindmap2requirements.qvto map2csv.xpt

M T M M

mindmap2xhtml.qvto

M M

Class.javajet *

M T

xhtml.ecore

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

DSLToolkitOverview:PracEEoner

<html> ...

</html>

sample.mmd

sample.requirements

<html> ...

</html>

M M M T

M T #proj a,b,c,. x,y,z,.

M M

sample.html

sample.mindmap

mindmap2csv

mindmap2xhtml

mindmap2requirements

sample.csv

requirements2html sample.html

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

Demo

•  Scenario:– ToolsmithtocreateamindmapapplicaEon

•  Graphicalconcretesyntaxonly•  Model‐to‐ModeltransformaEontorequirementsmodel•  Model‐to‐TexttransformaEontoCSVfile

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

Summary

•  DevelopingaDomain‐SpecificLanguageisnotatrivialexercise–  But,therearemanypossibleadvantages

–  Requiresadomainexpert[+atoolsmith]

•  Developingcustomtoolingitnotatrivialexercise–  Butit’sfeasible,usingEMPtechnologies–  ReusepotenEalincommonmodelsandtransformaEons

–  Itshouldonlygeteasier

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

TheEnd

Thankyou!

RichardC.Gronbackrichard.gronback@borland.com

QuesEons?

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

References•  EclipseModelingProjecthlp://www.eclipse.org/modeling/

•  EclipseModelingFramework(EMF)websitehlp://www.eclipse.org/emf

•  GraphicalModelingFramework(GMF)websitehlp://ww.eclipse.org/gmf

•  Model‐to‐ModelTransformaEon(M2M)websitehlp://ww.eclipse.org/m2m

•  Model‐to‐TextTransformaEon(M2T)websitehlp://ww.eclipse.org/m2t

•  ModelDevelopmentTools(MDT)websitehlp://ww.eclipse.org/mdt

•  EclipseModelingFrameworkTechnology(EMFT)websitehlp://www.eclipse.org/emG

•  EmfaEchlp://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/emfaEc

•  MarEnFowleronLanguageWorkbencheshlp://www.marEnfowler.com/arEcles/

languageWorkbench.html

•  Model‐DrivenSoGwareProductLines(KrzysztofCzarnecki)hlp://swen.uwaterloo.ca/

~chpkim/pp46‐czarnecki.pdf

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

SoGwareProductLines

•  LikelythebestapplicaEonofaDSLToolkit–  DSLscanbecustomizedtosuittheneedsofacustomer–  GeneraEonoutput(templates)highlyconfigurable

•  Amature,extensibletargetplamormiskey•  OpEonally,providefullgeneraEon

–  FeaturetreesusedtoselectvariaEons–  Generateonlywhatisrequired

•  AlternaEvely,enableonlywhatisrequired•  ComplementedbyFramework‐SpecificModelingLanguages

(FSMLs)– hlp://gp.uwaterloo.ca/fsmls

Eclipse Modeling Project as a DSL Toolkit | Long Talk, EclipseCon 2008 | Copyright © Borland Software Corp., 2008. All rights reserved.

UML™/MDA®vs.DSL/MDD•  UMLisageneralpurposemodelinglanguage

–  Similartogeneralpurposeprogramminglanguages(e.g.Java)

–  CanbeseenasacollecEonofDSLs

–  CanbeusedtodefineaDSL(i.e.usingprofiles)

•  MDA™isatrademarktheOMG–  AcollecEonofstandards

–  ModelsdefinedinMOForUML,refined/constrained/queried(OCL),transformed(QVT),andusedtogeneratetext(MOF2Text),…

–  MDAisoGensynonymouswithModel‐DrivenDevelopment™(MDD)•  andModel‐DrivenEngineering(MDE),andMDSD,and…

•  TheUMLmetamodelcanbethestarEngpointofyourDSMtool–  Howimportantarestandardstoyou?–  Howmuchcomplexitydoyouneedinametamodelorlanguage?