Creating MOF metamodel instances

[vladisld]

According to Cephas review, the EA 6 doesn't supports creating instances of MOF metamodels. (http://www.cephas.cc/dldeng/redirect.php?dlid=8&ENGINEsessID=0e6aa5656053936d6f7da57220af2649))

Is it still true for EA 7 ?

Are you considering adding such support in next versions ?

Is it possible to simulate such instansiations anyway - considering that such instances could not be easily expressed by standard UML model nor UML profiles?

I'm new to EA and MDA, so if my question is not relevant, please excuse.

Thanks.
Vlad

[RoyC]

See

http://www.sparxsystems.com.au/EAUserGuide/index.html?mof.htm

HTH

Roy

[vladisld]

Actually I've read that already (even several times). It may be my mental limitations, but I still don't understand how to create the instances of the metaclass ( defined in my metamodel, which is level M2 according to OMG specification ) such that they will appear in my model (level M1 according to OMG ) with all the constrains and structure defined in M2 level metamodel.

The documentation says that the MOF metamodels could be exported in XMI 1.4 form in order to be used in the other tools - that is great - but it still doesn't say that it is possible to actually use such metamodel inside the EA.

Thanks.
Vlad.

[«Midnight»]

If memory serves, after you export it, you need to import it as a profile.

You can move these around as profiles or reference data (I don't remember which apply).

[vladisld]

Thanks for reply.

Unfortunately this didn't worked for me. Importing the MOF metamodel as UML profile fails. Actually this is expected, since those two formats aren't supposed to be compatible.

AFAIU, generally you can't use the metamodel as a profile - MOF is supposed to be much more vesatile and powerfull mechanism which is used where the simple profiles are not enough to represent the domain models.

Vlad.

[«Midnight»]

Somehow I think we're talking about two different things. I was referring to the EA function that allows you to export a metamodel developed within EA and then import it as a profile in another EA project.

If you are referring to something like importing and XMI model in MOF (versus UML) format, that's a different thing altogether.

MOF and UML use (slightly) different dialects of XMI. However, they are quite close. Sometimes you can 'trick' EA into accepting a MOF XMI file by changing the XMI header in the file. Your results will vary, depending on the specific file. Search the forum for some additional information on this, since several people have tried this tweak.

David