Framework for defining model language metamodels for CASE tools

This paper presents a framework for defining metamodels. The main goal of this framework is to achieve the model interchange among CASE tools. This framework adds the CASE tools issues to the definitions of the model languages. The presented framework contains four internal metamodels. Firstly, a metamodel specifies the abstract syntax of the model language. Secondly, another metamodel specifies the particular elements for the connection-based languages. Thirdly, a metamodel specifies the spatial information. At last, a metamodel defines the necessary elements for the CASE tools. Each internal metamodel can be changed without having effect on the others. These four internal metamodels can be combined in several ways (denoted as configurations). Each configuration has its particular scope. The presented framework has been already used for defining the INGENIAS language and modernising the INGENIAS Development Kit (IDK). The presented framework is compared to the UML Diagram Interchange (UML-DI) specification and other relevant works.