Common model guidelines within an organization are important in order for the developers to be able to read and understand each other’s models. Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to understand model guidelines, as they consist of model structure, name conventions, restrictions in the use of relations, stereotype definitions, element properties etc.
MetaModelAgent offers an alternative and complementary user interface to the modeling facilities in RSA and Papyrus UML, making it simpler to comply with organization specific guidelines, saving time and money.
MetaModelAgent uses organization-defined model guidelines expressed in a so called metamodel. A MetaModelAgent metamodel is an UML-model which describes the guidelines for a specific kind of UML-model. The metamodel expresses all model constructions that should be valid in a model.
By expressing the model guidelines as a metamodel, unambiguous model guidelines are achieved and the risk for inconsistence is minimized. A metamodel is normally developed once, in a project or organization, and can thereafter be used by everyone that has access to MetaModelAgent.
The value of using MetaModelAgent depends highly on the quality of the metamodels. Well defined and documented metamodels are the key to achieve a high value of using MetaModelAgent.
The Rational Software Architect Workbench extended with MetaModelAgent UI additions. The workbench in Papyrus UML will look almost the same.
The MetaModelAgent Add Wizard is a guideline and context sensitive wizard for adding new elements. By using the MetaModelAgent Add Wizard you will get support in filling in the correct values of significant properties, you may also add mandatory nested elements in consecutive wizard pages.
MetaModelAgent provides advanced model analysis capabilities; Property tables, relationship matrices, Traceability trees and interactive charts.
MetaModelAgent provides a web publishing feature that generates a web site of your user models with an extensive set of cross reference hyperlinks and useful serach mechanisms. The generated web site will also have hyperlinks to web generated guidelines based on your DSML-definition.
Both web sites are portable, does not need deployment on a web server and can be publiches on an intranet without any need of additional licenses.
MetaModelAgent product Sheet
A one page product sheet of the main features of MetaModelAgent
MODPROD 2012: Turning a standard UML-modeling tool into a domain-specific modeling tool
This is a presentation held at the MODPROD conference in Linköping Sweden in February 2012
UML-Based Domain-Specific Modeling using MetaModelAgent
A short paper on the concept of MetaModelAgent
Master Thesis: Meta-Model Guided Error Correction for UML Models
A master thesis about automatic meta-model based error correction
Introduction to Metamodels
A presentation of the concept of metamodels for representing UML Modeling Guidelines
What is MetaModelAgent?
MetaModelAgent is an add-on to IBM Rational Software Architect and Papyrus UML that make it possible to define, deploy and use UML-based Domain-specific Modeling Languages.
How does MetaModelAgent work?
MetaModelAgent uses domain-specific modeling guidelines, defined as a metamodel in UML. MetaModelAgent parses those guidelines and provide additional domain-specific features to the original modeling tool.
What is required to use MetaModelAgent?
MetaModelAgent requires IBM Rational Software Architect, v8.0 or later, any edition or Papyrus UML, version 1.x (Luna Release).
Who is the typical user of MetaModelAgent?
Anyone engaged in UML-modeling with ambition to develop well-defined, high quality models based on UML. MetaModelAgent is usable for developers unfamiliar with UML as well as experienced developers.
How long time does it take to master MetaModelAgent?
As an end user, you will be up and running after a short introduction. If you have the role to produce domain-specific guidelines and develop metamodels, it takes a couple of days.
Do we need to have our own domain-specific modeling guidelines to use MetaModelAgent?
MetaModelAgent comes with general UML guidelines that makes it easier to understand and use standard UML.
By defining and deploying our own domain-specific guidelines you will achieve an effective modeling tool for your specific modeling tasks.
Do MetaModelAgent force us to change our processes?
MetaModelAgent is process-agnostic. There are no built in rules that force you to use some specific development process. The rules you may add yourself will only be focusing on the resulting model quality not the process create the model.
Can we define and manage the domain-specific modeling guidelines ourselves?
Anyone in an organization can be assigned to define and manage domain-specific modeling guidelines. MetaModelAgent comes with complete documentation on how to define a metamodel for your domain-specific modeling guidelines.
MetaModelAgent is available for free download. Limited FREE licenses or EVALUATION licenses can be requested after installation.
Public update site to be used within your running Papyrus or RSA workbench: http://metamodelagent.com/update.
For detailed information installation instruction, see Get Started.
Please visit our dedicated website for MetaModelAgent www.metamodelagent.com to learn more about:
- The concept of MetaModelAgent
- How to download and Install MetaModelAgent
- License comparison
- How to request your own license
- New features, open and resolved bugs
- Demos, examples and extra materials
