Abstract

This report developes the idea of a visual graphical editor for Epsilon and the process of developing it.
A fully working epsilon workflow builder and visualizer is also presented that helps users to compose Epsilon workflows and construct visual representations from textual ones.

Statement of Ethics

Why EWE ? What is the need ?
Workflow inherently visual - flow of order of tasks.
e.g. BPM tools all provide editors.
MDE is essentially a sequence of steps from start to finish.
Other model management languages, frameworks tools provide it as well. (Atlas, OpenAW, etc)
Therefore Epsilon, needs one too.

Documents the process of building such a tool using MDE techniques and Epsilon itself.

Introduce ALL concepts and technologies that are critical to understanding the tool.
Model driven engineering - tasks involved. Tasks constitute a workflow.
How does Epsilon handle it ? Internal architecture of Epsilon Workflow.
ANT, Java Modules, Eclipse Launch configuration, Working outside Eclipse.
Provide a general introduction to build management, concept of dependency, task ordering, conditional ordering, task failures, transactions.
How ANT provides some of these features as a build tool. How Epsilon uses ANT as an architecture - quote from Epsilon ANT paper.
Introduce idea of domain modeling. Separate the concern of design and architecture. This is the CORE idea.
Eclipse EMF technologies. How EMF supports Domain Modeling. Give a simple Library example.
- Library domain is expressed. An Editor for the domain is generated - but uses unique architecture. e.g. Adapter, Factory and Command patterns - which WE never specified while modeling the domain.
Make sure this concept is well understood. MDE in general and how EMF tools support MDE with practical examples.
Eclipse graphical technologies GEF -> SWT, JFace.
Eclipse GMF as a bridge between GEF and EMF.
How GMF is Model based and Generative
How it fits well for Epsilon since both are based on EMF.
Introduction to EuGENia.

Eclipse vs NonEclipse
EMF in built editor vs (GMF/Graphiti)
GMF vs Graphiti
GMF - EuGENia support (Generate GMF vs manual GMF model creation), in house expertise with GMF models, EuGENia authors based in York, customization.
EuGENia GMF support for EVL and error/warning markers.
ECore metamodel design
- Represeting ANT concepts as GMF nodes for e.g. Project, Target.
- Using concept of depends and follows.
- Accurate modeling of ANT structure - allows operations to be performed at the higher Task level as opposed to lower levels - such as EOLTask etc.