Need UML Data Modeling Model in UML

[gwieser]

hi all,

we're doing some MDSD research here, and for one of our customers we need to start with a database reverse engineering of their existings databases. we want to enrich the model generated by EA with some additional information (stereotypes for class and attribute). after that we export the model with a (third party) EA exporter.

but: when we reverse engineer the database model, we don't get a "normal" uml class model. we get a model with stereotypes like "table" or "column" that we can't link with a profile as the profile is built-in.

what we would need is the original UML diagram / eap-file that is used by EA for data modelling so that we can link this metamodel with our model.

anyone an idea how to get this? any input welcome! thanks in advance!

br,
guenther

[thomaskilian]

You would need to construct that manually. The tables are just "shadows on the wall" of the UML classes. Only a human can re-create them.

[speekna]

The data modeling tool ERwin (from Computer Associates) release 7 incorporates the MetaIntegration tool, which transports metadata between CASE tools (see www.metaintegration.com).  

You could reverse engineer any database into an ERwin data model, then export that model to xmi (ERwin lets you choose Sparx EA specifically).  ERwin exports the database diagram as a domain model - i.e., without keys & the other physical db stuff.  i.e., just a class diagram, which is what I think you want.

HTH

Sue.

[thomaskilian]

But remember that the domain model is NOT the class model itself but just another "shadow".

[gwieser]

hi all,

thanx for your replies. we will have a look into the ERwin approach later on, currently we seem to overcome this need by doing model-to-model-transformation within EA (but we need an add-in to have access to all information of the UML database model, but this is already the topic of another thread).

cheers,
g.