Skip to main content

Towards Enabling Domain-Specific Modeling Language Exchange Between Modeling Tools

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Advances in Model and Data Engineering in the Digitalization Era (MEDI 2023)

Abstract

Domain-specific modeling languages (DSMLs) enable various stakeholders in solving complex modeling problems that are related to their domains. However, as challenges in domain-specific modeling grow in complexity, consistent exchange of domain-specific information between various stakeholders across projects becomes a challenge, as such stakeholders often use a variety of modeling tools suited for their needs. Stakeholders often live within specific modeling tools relevant for developing and using their DSMLs, therefore there is little consideration for generalizing these domain-specific concepts across modeling tools. Further, there also exists a certain lack of exchanging domain-specific constructs effectively for such tools. To solve this challenge, we propose a bi-directional exchange mechanism between Enterprise Architect (EA) and MagicDraw, two commercially established modeling, that allows exchanging individually created DSMLs and their constructs, essential in promoting tool interoperability. As DSMLs represent domain-specific peculiarities within a single area, the proposed exchange mechanism evaluates with a simple illustrative example the applicability of DSML information exchange by extracting and translating these peculiarities across modeling tools. The approach is demonstrated by developing individual extensions to the mentioned tools that support the seamless exchange of domain-specific constructs. Ultimately, the paper presents a first step towards enabling DSML exchange between all the concerned stakeholders and fosters the engineering of DSMLs across modeling tools.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Extensible Markup Language (XML) (2023). https://www.w3.org/XML/

  2. Model Interchange Wiki (2023). https://www.omgwiki.org/model-interchange/doku.php

  3. XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) (2023). https://www.omg.org/spec/XMI/

  4. Bézivin, J.: Model driven engineering: an emerging technical space. In: Generative and Transformational Techniques in Software Engineering: International Summer School, GTTSE 2005, Braga, Portugal, 4–8 July 2005, pp. 36–64 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bézivin, J., Brunelière, H., Cabot, J., Doux, G., Jouault, F., Sottet, J.S.: Model driven tool interoperability in practice. In: 3rd Workshop on Model-Driven Tool & Process Integration (co-located with ECMFA 2010), pp. 62–72 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Binder, C., Neureiter, C., LĂĽder, A.: Towards a domain-specific approach enabling tool-supported model-based systems engineering of complex industrial internet-of-things applications. Systems 9(2) (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Böhm, W., Broy, M., Klein, C., Pohl, K., Rumpe, B., Schröck, S. (eds.): Model-Based Engineering of Collaborative Embedded Systems. Springer, Cham (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Brunelière, H., Cabot, J., Clasen, C., Jouault, F., Bézivin, J.: Towards model driven tool interoperability: bridging eclipse and Microsoft modeling tools. In: Kühne, T., Selic, B., Gervais, M.-P., Terrier, F. (eds.) ECMFA 2010. LNCS, vol. 6138, pp. 32–47. Springer, Heidelberg (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13595-8_5

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Butting, A., Jansen, N., Rumpe, B., Wortmann, A.: Translating grammars to accurate metamodels. In: International Conference on Software Language Engineering (SLE 2018), pp. 174–186. ACM (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cheng, B.H.C., Combemale, B., France, R.B., Jézéquel, J.-M., Rumpe, B.: On the globalization of domain-specific languages. In: Cheng, B.H.C., Combemale, B., France, R.B., Jézéquel, J.-M., Rumpe, B. (eds.) Globalizing Domain-Specific Languages. LNCS, vol. 9400, pp. 1–6. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26172-0_1

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  11. Clark, T., van den Brand, M., Combemale, B., Rumpe, B.: Conceptual model of the globalization for domain-specific languages. In: Cheng, B.H.C., Combemale, B., France, R.B., Jézéquel, J.-M., Rumpe, B. (eds.) Globalizing Domain-Specific Languages. LNCS, vol. 9400, pp. 7–20. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26172-0_2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  12. Dalibor, M., et al.: Mind the gap: lessons learned from translating grammars between MontiCore and Xtext. In: International Workshop on Domain-Specific Modeling (DSM 2019), pp. 40–49. ACM (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Dalibor, M., Jansen, N., Michael, J., Rumpe, B., Wortmann, A.: Towards sustainable systems engineering-integrating tools via component and connector architectures. In: Jacobs, G., Marheineke, J. (eds.) Antriebstechnisches Kolloquium 2019: Tagungsband zur Konferenz, pp. 121–133. Books on Demand (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Diallo, P.I., Champeau, J., Lagadec, L.: A model-driven approach to enhance tool interoperability using the theory of models of computation. In: Erwig, M., Paige, R.F., Van Wyk, E. (eds.) SLE 2013. LNCS, vol. 8225, pp. 218–237. Springer, Cham (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02654-1_12

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  15. Drux, F., Jansen, N., Rumpe, B., Schmalzing, D.: Embedding textual languages in MagicDraw. In: Modellierung 2022 Satellite Events, pp. 32–43. Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Enterprise Architect (2023). https://sparxsystems.com/

  17. Golra, F.R., Beugnard, A., Dagnat, F., Guerin, S., Guychard, C.: Using free modeling as an agile method for developing domain specific modeling languages. In: Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE 19th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems, pp. 24–34 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Greifenberg, T., Look, M., Roidl, S., Rumpe, B.: Engineering tagging languages for DSLs. In: Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems (MODELS 2015), pp. 34–43. ACM/IEEE (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Grönniger, H., Ringert, J.O., Rumpe, B.: System model-based definition of modeling language semantics. In: Lee, D., Lopes, A., Poetzsch-Heffter, A. (eds.) FMOODS/FORTE -2009. LNCS, vol. 5522, pp. 152–166. Springer, Heidelberg (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02138-1_10

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Grönniger, H., Rumpe, B.: Modeling language variability. In: Calinescu, R., Jackson, E. (eds.) Monterey Workshop 2010. LNCS, vol. 6662, pp. 17–32. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21292-5_2

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  21. Gupta, R., Jansen, N., Regnat, N., Rumpe, B.: Design guidelines for improving user experience in industrial domain-specific modelling languages. In: Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems: Companion Proceedings. ACM (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Gupta, R., Kranz, S., Regnat, N., Rumpe, B., Wortmann, A.: Towards a systematic engineering of industrial domain-specific languages. In: 2021 IEEE/ACM 8th International Workshop on Software Engineering Research and Industrial Practice (SE &IP), pp. 49–56. IEEE (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hölldobler, K., Rumpe, B.: MontiCore 5 Language Workbench Edition 2017. Aachener Informatik-Berichte, Software Engineering, Band 32, Shaker Verlag (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hölldobler, K., Rumpe, B., Wortmann, A.: Software language engineering in the large: towards composing and deriving languages. Comput. Lang. Syst. Struct. 54, 386–405 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  25. IBM Rhapsody (2023). https://www.ibm.com/products/systems-design-rhapsody/

  26. Jouault, F., Allilaire, F., Bézivin, J., Kurtev, I., Valduriez, P.: ATL: a QVT-like transformation language. In: Companion to the 21st ACM SIGPLAN Symposium on Object-Oriented Programming Systems, Languages, and Applications, pp. 719–720 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Kern, H.: Study of interoperability between meta-modeling tools. In: 2014 Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, pp. 1629–1637. IEEE (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  28. MagicDraw Enterprise (2023). https://www.3ds.com/products-services/catia/products/no-magic/magicdraw/

  29. Maoz, S., Ringert, J.O., Rumpe, B.: Semantically configurable consistency analysis for class and object diagrams. In: Whittle, J., Clark, T., Kühne, T. (eds.) MODELS 2011. LNCS, vol. 6981, pp. 153–167. Springer, Heidelberg (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24485-8_12

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. MDG Technologies (2023). https://sparxsystems.com/resources/mdg_tech/

  31. Mustafiz, S., Denil, J., Lúcio, L., Vangheluwe, H.: The FTG+PM framework for multi-paradigm modelling: an automotive case study. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Multi-paradigm Modeling, pp. 13–18 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Odukoya, K.A., Whitfield, R.I., Hay, L., Harrison, N., Robb, M.: An architectural description for the application of MBSE in complex systems. In: 2021 IEEE International Symposium on Systems Engineering (ISSE), pp. 1–8. IEEE (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Ozkaya, M.: Are the UML modelling tools powerful enough for practitioners? A literature review. IET Softw. 13(5), 338–354 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Rumpe, B.: Modeling with UML: Language. Concepts, Methods, Springer, Cham (2016)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  35. Gupta, R., Jansen, N., Regnat, N., Rumpe, B.: Implementation of the SpesML workbench in MagicDraw. In: Modellierung 2022 Satellite Events, pp. 61–76. Gesellschaft für Informatik (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Tolvanen, J.P.: MetaEdit+ integrated modeling and metamodeling environment for domain-specific languages. In: Companion to the 21st ACM SIGPLAN Symposium on Object-Oriented Programming Systems, Languages, and Applications (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Zachman, J.A.: The Zachman framework for enterprise architecture. Primer for Enterprise Engineering and Manufacturing.[si]: Zachman International (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Zusane, U.I., Nikiforova, O., Gusarovs, K.: Several issues on the model interchange between model-driven software development tools (2015)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rohit Gupta .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Gupta, R. et al. (2024). Towards Enabling Domain-Specific Modeling Language Exchange Between Modeling Tools. In: Mosbah, M., et al. Advances in Model and Data Engineering in the Digitalization Era. MEDI 2023. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 2071. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55729-3_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-55729-3_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-55728-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-55729-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics