Modeling the models extensibility and extensions

This section focus on how to make an ECLass extensible by the eMDE mechanism and how to contribute with new extensions

Let take the following example to ilustate all the steps.

The ecore model A contains two EClasses: Project and Component. The first one is the model root element. It contains the containment EReference ownedComponents. That reference will be used to store all the Components of a project. The Ns URI is http://www.polarsys.org/kitalpha/a/
The ecore model B contains the EClass ComponentExtension. The Ns URI is http://www.polarsys.org/kitalpha/b/

Content

1. Making an EClass as extensible
2. Defining an ECLass as an extension to an other one
   1. EAnnotation for the EPackage
   2. EAnnotations for the EClass
   3. Using the Extensibility graphical designer
   4. Example

Making an EClass as extensible

Any EClass can be made extensible by adding emde.ExtensibleElement in it super classes list. To do that, one can uses the Ecore editor provided by EMF.

The steps bellow is an example of making the EClass a.Component extensible.

1. Open the A.ecore model in the ecore editor.
2. Load the eMDE resource (its Ns URI is http://www.polarsys.org/kitalpha/emde/1.0.0).
3. Open the properties view.
4. Select the a.Component EClass.
5. Update the ESuper Types property of the a.Component EClass by adding emde.ExtensibleElement in the list.
6. Save the modifications

Defining an ECLass as an extension to an other one

The definition of an EClass as an eMDE extension in managed by adding:

1. EMF EAnnotations to the EPackage and the EClass to define as an extension
2. emde.ElementExtension as a super type of the EClass to define as an extension

The following sections describe the different EAnotations, the extensibility graphical designer and conclude with an example.

EAnnotation for the EPackage

This EAnnotation concerns the EPackage containing the EClass to be defined as extension. It aims at initializing in the ecore model some required modification to do in the genmodel. That information are stored in the EAnnotation details entries and used by the EMF generation provided by Kitalpha.

The EAnnotation must have the following information:

1. Source: http://www.polarsys.org/kitalpha/emde/1.0.0/extension
2. Detail enties:
   • Key: extensibleProviderFactory, Value: true
   • Key: childCreationExtenders, Value: true
   • Key: useUUIDs, Value: true
   • Key: useIDAttributes, Value: fasle

The EAnnotation for the EPackage must be added only once.

EAnnotations for the EClass

These EAnnotation concerns the EClass to be defined as eMDE extension. There are two EAnnotations. The both provide an URI of the Extensible EClass. The difference between them is that the first one provides an Ns URI based URI and the second one provides a platform based URI.

The first EAnnotation must have the following information:

1. Source: http://www.polarsys.org/kitalpha/emde/1.0.0/constraint
2. Detail enties:
   • Key: ExtendedElement, Value: An Ns URI based URI of the extensible EClass.

The second EAnnotation must have the following information:

1. Source: http://www.polarsys.org/kitalpha/emde/1.0.0/constraintMapping
2. Detail enties:
   • Key: Mapping, Value: A platform based URI of the extensible EClass.

Using the Extensibility graphical designer

Kitalpha provides a Sirius diagram allowing end-users to define easily the EAnnotation for EPackages and EClasses.

To use that graphical designer, first, a Sirius representation should be created on the concerned ecore model. The steps are listed bellow:

1. Select the concerned Ecore model in the Project Explorer
2. Create a representation file by using the menu "File -> New -> Other ... Sirius -> Representation File" and press "Next" button
3. In the next page, make sure that the option "Initialize from semantic resource" is selected and pressing the "Finish" button
4. In the Viewpoint selection dialog:
   • Checking the viewpoint Extensibility
   • Pressing the Ok button
5. Right click on the created representation file (.aird)
6. Select the "Create Representation" menu item
7. In the "Create Representation Wizard", select Extensibility -> Extensibility Description and press the "Next" button
8. In the next page, select the EPackage containing the EClass to define as an Extension
9. Press the "Finish" button
10. In the displayed input dialog, provide the name of the new diagram and press "OK" button

Once the diagram created, the EAnnotation for the EPackage is automatically created.

Example

Lets define the EClass b.ComponentExtension as an extension to the EClass b.ComponentExtension. The picture bellow shows an Extensibility diagram created on the EPackage b.

Step 1

The tool Define Extension Element allow to display the EClass b.ComponentExtension on the diagram (see picture bellow). Concretely, this tool add the ECLass emde.ElementExtension as a super type of the EClass b.ComponentExtension and the diagram display only EClasses that inherit from the EClass b.ComponentExtension.

Step 2

Second, the tool Extend Model allows to defines the EAnnotations to make the EClass b.ComponentExtension an extension to the EClass b.ComponentExtension. This tool end-user to select an extensible EClass and add the EAnnotations. The result on the diagram is shown in the picture bellow.

Result

The pictures bellow show the B.ecore model before (left side) and after (right side) adding the required EAnnotation to define the EClass b.ComponentExtension as an extension of the class a.Component.