CHAPTER 22

XML Metadata Interchange

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In This Chapter

  • Understanding XMI
  • Examining XMI
  • Exploring XML basics
  • Using XMI to exchange information between modeling tools
  • Understanding the diagram interchange specification

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The XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) is a specification created by the OMG and intended to enable easy interchange of information between modeling tools supporting the UML metamodel, and also any metadata repositories that are based on the Meta Object Facility (MOF).

XMI is based on the Extensible Markup Language (XML) of the W3C, which has become the industry standard format for information exchange across distributed environments.

Its primary objective is to enable, for the first time, exchange of UML models between modeling tools. Moreover, third-party vendors can use XMI output from any UML modeling tool that can be manipulated external to the tool, to create code (Java, Visual Basic, and so forth). XMI does not only pertain to UML, it can interchange information based on any MOF-based metamodel, such as the Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM). In this chapter, you will receive an overview of XMI, be presented with the core information you need to know about XML, and take a look at the underlying UML architecture and how XMI is generated. You will examine a case study ...

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