EMFText Java Behavior4UML

Ken Webb 2010-04-17T13:14:17Z

TOPCASED UML models can be automatically transformed into Xholon applications that can then be immediately executed. As described in the Xholon with TOPCASED HelloWorld Tutorial, fragments of Java code can be added to classes and to state transitions. This code becomes part of the Xholon application.

MagicDraw UML models can also be automatically transformed into executable Xholon applications, as described in the Xholon with MagicDraw HelloWorld Tutorial.

A major problem with using these UML tools at the time (2006-2007) was that they offered no help in writing the Java code. The only tools were built-in generic text boxes with no knowledge of Java syntax.

EMFText, one of the Dresden projects, offers a Java extension called Java Behavior4UML. It provides the ability to open a Java edit window in Eclipse while editing a UML class diagram. I don't know yet which UML tools it's designed to work with. This EMFText language extension might provide the help that was missing in 2006-2007.

A commercial tool that offers something similar is described in an article called Combining Code Development, Modeling, and Simulation with Eclipse.

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