DSM EA

[vladisld]

Hello EA Team!

In our project we are use basically using two different tools for modeling. All the subsystems and support libraries are modeled using EA and concrete application(s) is/are modeled using set of DSM tools ( GME and some proprietry metaobject repository). This is pretty big project ( over 9 MLOC with over 95 Mb of code with 82% of it being generated from the DSM model)

We are very satisfied with EA as UML modeling tool but it's much more easier to use DSM tools for domain specific modeling, so we are forced to use the another tool for actual application modeling and code generation.

No need to say that supporting two sets of tools is not what we want.

So the question is: do you guys have plans to move the EA to DSM arena ( UML profiles is not an option for us ) ?

Thanks.
Vlad.

[Martin Terreni]

Hi Vlad
We have also DSM internal tools (lots of them) creating a lot of code. Right now we plan to have our design in EA ("one source of truth"). For the DSM we are exporting files (kind of specially transformed class and so) to the DSM tools to generate the code.
This way we both have one design repository and still ca generate code from the DSM tools.

[vladisld]

Thanks for reply!

The problem is that we are using the DSM tool to actually design the application and not only for code generation (EA is not used at this stage). Our application metamodel is much different from UML metamodel - so simulating our model in UML even with the help of UML Profiles is problematic (we actually tried the UML profiles before evaluating different DSM tools and failed ). Saying this, I don't see how we could use your advice to export the files from EA to DSM tools

Since the EA was only used to design supporting libraries ( we call it basic software) - we don't actually use it actively anymore - which is pity since we were used to its UI and editing capabilities and we are missing them very much. Current DSM tools (MetaEdit+, GME, Eclipse plugins or even Microsoft DSL tools) lack such sofisticated UI.

Thanks
Vlad.

[Martin Terreni]

I find it hard to imagine what kind of DSM model could not be replicated by specific profiles,pallets and tagged values.
I looked at GME and MetaEdit+ and found nothing that special.
Obviously DSM tools might be better then EA for DSM, but I prefer to pay the price of using a tool which might be less comfortable then DSM tool, and keep all my model in one repository.

I don't know how much more work it means for you to work on EA instead of DSM tools or how large is your SW team. I'm talking about close to a hundred designers (and hundreds of developers) so for me sending them to "hunt" models in different tools implies risks I'd rather not take...

I guess if I had a much smaller team and the DSM tools could save me a significant amount of work comparing to EA, I might have dropped EA.