System and method of model-driven development using a transformation model

• US 20060064667A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jose D.E. Freitas
• Original Assignee: Jose D.E. Freitas
• Inventors: Freitas, Jose de
• Application Number:
  US10/944,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064667A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven

Abstract

A system and method for model-driven development reduces the complexity of graphical models and permits the generation of code from both UML models and XML schemas. An intermediate model builder engine generates a standardized, intermediate model for input to a transformation model builder engine and creates a transformation model comprising a hierarchy of zero or more domains, technical categories, transformer element sets, transformer elements, and transformation model elements correlating transformers with elements of the intermediate model. A transformation engine uses the transformation model to carry out model transformations, and an output generation engine receives the output of the transformation engine to generate source code or other output.

Claims

1. A system for generating source code from an originating model or schema, comprising:

an intermediate model builder engine for receiving an originating model or schema and generating a standardized representation of the model or schema, the standardized representation comprising a minimum set of intermediate model elements;

a transformation model builder engine for receiving the standardized representation and generating a transformation model comprising at least one transformation model element associated with at least one of the intermediate model elements and with at least one transformer;

a transformation engine for executing transformers associated with a selected transformation model element to generate transformation output;

an output generation engine for receiving the transformation output and generating source code.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transformation model element is grouped into at least one technical category.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transformation model element is associated with at least one transformer by a transformer element comprising zero or more parameters.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the at least one transformer elements is grouped into at least one set of transformer elements.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein at least one transformer is associated with the at least one technical category.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one technical category is grouped into at least one domain.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the transformation engine is further configured to execute transformers associated with a selected one of the at least one technical category.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the transformation engine is further configured to execute transformers associated with a selected one of the at least one technical category only if no transformer is associated with a transformation model element that is grouped into said technical category.

9. A method for generating source code from an originating model or schema, the originating model or schema comprising elements, comprising the steps of:

generating a transformation model from an originating model or schema for defining the structure of source code to be generated from the originating model or schema, the transformation model comprising;

at least one technical category comprising zero or more transformation model elements, each transformation model element corresponding to at least one element of the originating model or schema, at least one of each technical category or transformation model element being associated to zero or more transformers;

if a selected transformation model element from the zero or more transformation model elements is associated with at least one transformer, running the at least one associated transformer with the selected transformation model element to create transformation output;

if a selected transformation model element from the zero or more transformation model elements is not associated with at least one transformer, running the at least one transformer associated with the technical category corresponding to the selected transformation model element, with the selected transformation model element to create transformation output;

passing the transformation output to an output generator to generate the source code.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of generating a transformation model comprises the steps of generating an intermediate model comprising at least one intermediate model element from the originating model or schema, and iterating through the intermediate module to create a transformation model comprising at least one transformation model element corresponding to at least one intermediate model element.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the transformation model comprises a hierarchy of at least one hierarchical element selected from the set of transformation model root elements, domains, technical categories, and transformation model elements.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of associating the at least one technical category or transformation model element with zero or more transformers using zero or more transformer elements.

13. A method for generating source code from an originating model or schema, the originating model or schema comprising elements defining the structure of source code to be generated, comprising the steps of:

generating an intermediate model from an originating model or schema, the intermediate model comprising at least a minimum set of intermediate elements corresponding to elements of the originating model or schema;

generating a transformation model from the intermediate model, the transformation model comprising a set of transformation model elements associated with the set of intermediate elements;

transforming at least a selected one of the set of transformation model elements in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters to produce transformation output; and

generating source code using the transformation output.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of grouping at least a subset of the set of transformation model elements within at least one domain.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of grouping at least a subset of the set of transformation model elements within at least one technical category.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of grouping at least one technical category within a domain.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of transforming at least a selected one of the set of transformation model elements comprises the step of transforming the transformation model elements grouped within a selected one of the at least one technical category in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters associated with the said transformation model elements to produce transformation output.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of transforming at least a selected one of the set of transformation model elements further comprises the step of transforming the transformation model elements grouped within a selected one of the at least one technical category in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters associated with the selected one of the at least one technical category to produce transformation output.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of transforming the transformation model elements grouped within a selected one of the at least one technical category in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters associated with the selected one of the at least one technical category is executed only when no pre-defined parameters associated with the said transformation model elements exist.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of creating an originating model or schema.

21. A method for generating source code from an originating model or schema, the originating model or schema comprising elements defining the structure of source code to be generated, comprising the steps of:

generating an intermediate model from an originating model or schema, the intermediate model comprising at least a minimum set of intermediate elements corresponding to elements of the originating model or schema;

generating a transformation model from the intermediate model, the transformation model comprising at least one transformation model element to correspond with the set of intermediate elements;

transforming at least one transformation model element in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters to produce transformation output; and

generating source code using the transformation output.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of grouping at least one transformation model element within at least one domain.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of grouping at least one transformation model element within at least one technical category.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of generating a transformation model further comprises the step of grouping at least one technical category within a domain.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of transforming at least one transformation model element comprises the step of transforming the transformation model elements grouped within at least one technical category in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters associated with the at least one transformation model element to produce transformation output.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of transforming at least one transformation model element further comprises the step of transforming the transformation model elements grouped within at least one technical category in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters associated with the technical category to produce transformation output.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of transforming the transformation model elements grouped within the at least one technical category in accordance with a set of pre-defined parameters associated with the technical category is executed only when no pre-defined parameters associated with the said transformation model elements exist.

28. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of creating an originating model or schema.