Is there a way to validate metamodels?

[motivatedgorilla]

If i have a metamodel, is there a way to validate the elements being created in a particular model?

[qwerty]

What do you mean by "validate"?

I once used a script to check model consistency. There is also some build-in model validation but I have not used that a lot.

q.

[motivatedgorilla]

What i should have used instead is "verify"? How do i verify that the modelers or users are conforming to a standard i.e a node represents a server, an actor a person, etc and they are not using non-conventional constructs? Can this be done automatically?

[qwerty]

See my reply above :-)

q.

[Ian Mitchell]

I know of three approaches to this.
1. There's an addin called Model Guardian from Terry Merriman in the USA, which lets you define a MM (just like an MDF would) but then ENFORCE its use. It's not a simple tool, but very powerful, and would need some investment to make it work well - but what you're asking for isn't simple either.
2. I think our The Sparx Central Europe/Lieber Lieber colleagues have done some work in writing bespoke scripts to validate models - best to contact them directly
3. We use mostly eaDocX documents, with added conditional formatting to check that the MM rules are being obeyed. For example, if the rules say that every Requirement must connect to a Stakeholder, create a document which looks for this, and highlights where there is a missing link.

Not a simple problem in the general case, but most people seem to be OK with a small MM and a small set of rules.