Exploiting Meta-Model Structures in the Generation of Xtext Editors

Jörg Holtmann, Jan-Philipp Steghöfer, Weixing Zhang

2023

Abstract

When generating textual editors for large and highly structured meta-models, it is possible to extend Xtext’s generator capabilities and the default implementations it provides. These extensions provide additional features such as formatters and more precise scoping for cross-references. However, for large metamodels in particular, the realization of such extensions typically is a time-consuming, awkward, and repetitive task. For some of these tasks, we motivate, present, and discuss in this position paper automatic solutions that exploit the structure of the underlying metamodel. Furthermore, we demonstrate how we used them in the development of a textual editor for EATXT, a textual concrete syntax for the automotive architecture description language EAST-ADL. This work in progress contributes to our larger goal of building a language workbench for blended modelling.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Holtmann J., Steghöfer J. and Zhang W. (2023). Exploiting Meta-Model Structures in the Generation of Xtext Editors. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Model-Based Software and Systems Engineering - Volume 1: MODELSWARD, ISBN 978-989-758-633-0, pages 218-225. DOI: 10.5220/0011745900003402

in Bibtex Style

@conference{modelsward23,
author={Jörg Holtmann and Jan-Philipp Steghöfer and Weixing Zhang},
title={Exploiting Meta-Model Structures in the Generation of Xtext Editors},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Model-Based Software and Systems Engineering - Volume 1: MODELSWARD,},
year={2023},
pages={218-225},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0011745900003402},
isbn={978-989-758-633-0},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Model-Based Software and Systems Engineering - Volume 1: MODELSWARD,
TI - Exploiting Meta-Model Structures in the Generation of Xtext Editors
SN - 978-989-758-633-0
AU - Holtmann J.
AU - Steghöfer J.
AU - Zhang W.
PY - 2023
SP - 218
EP - 225
DO - 10.5220/0011745900003402