Computer Method and Apparatus for Improving Programming Modeling With Lightweight Stereotypes

• US 20090007059A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Leroux, Daniel Donat, Gutz, Steve John, Hussey, Kenneth Earle
• Granted Patent: US 8,196,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source

Abstract

Computer method and apparatus provides lightweight stereotypes in a programming model. An alternative to applied profiles is disclosed. A keyword list or list of strings is recorded as an annotation to a model element. The keywords are indicative of applied stereotypes of the model element, where the stereotypes are empty or are used as labels. The list of strings effectively augments the collection of applied stereotypes of the model element.

Claims

1. A computer method for providing lightweight stereotypes in a programming model, comprising the steps of:

given a model element having a collection of applied stereotypes, storing keywords indicative of the applied stereotypes, said storing being in a manner that provides correspondence between the stored keywords and the model element and in a manner that replaces use of applied profiles of the applied stereotypes; and

interpreting the stored keywords and generating therefrom a model that implements the applied stereotypes.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the applied stereotypes are empty or used as domain-specific labels.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of interpreting and generating employs EMF (Eclipse Modeling Framework).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of storing includes recording a keyword list as an annotation to the model element.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of storing includes:

augmenting the collection of applied stereotypes by a list of strings; and

attaching the list of strings to the model element using a metamodel reference.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the metamodel reference is an annotation to the model element.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of storing includes removing requirement of applied profiles.

8. A computer program product for implementing lightweight stereotypes, the computer program product comprising:

a computer useable storage medium having embodies therewith computer readable code for controlling a processor to implement lightweight stereotypes by carrying out the steps of;

in response to a model element having a collection of applied stereotypes, storing keywords indicative of the applied stereotypes, said storing being in a manner that provides correspondence between the stored keywords and the model element; and

interpreting the stored keywords and generating therefrom a model that implements the applied stereotypes.

9. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the applied stereotypes are empty or used as domain-specific labels.

10. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of interpreting and generating employs EMF (Eclipse Modeling Framework).

11. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of storing includes recording a keyword list as an annotation to the model element.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of storing includes:

effectively augmenting the collection of applied stereotypes by a list of strings; and

attaching the list of strings to the model element using a metamodel reference.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 12 wherein the metamodel reference is an annotation to the model element.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the steps of storing and interpreting effectively provide an alternative to applied profiles.

15. A computer system for implementing lightweight stereotypes in a target code, comprising:

modeling means for providing a program model element having one or more of applied stereotypes;

means for storing keywords indicative of the applied stereotypes; and

an interpreter for interpreting the stored keywords and generating target code therefrom that implements the applied stereotypes, said means for storing and the interpreter providing an alternative to applied profiles.

16. The computer system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the modeling means includes a UML (Unified Modeling Language) model, and the interpreter employs EMF (Eclipse Modeling Framework).

17. The computer system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the target code is Java.

18. The computer system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the applied stereotypes are empty or used as domain-specific labels.

19. The computer system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the means for storing include annotations to the model element.

20. The computer system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the keywords include a list of strings effectively augmenting the applied stereotypes, the list of strings being stored as an annotation to the model element.