Mike
and others,
Finally
got around to finding this thread…
What’s
really needed to complete the path (UML to DTD/Schema) in a standard way, is a
UML Profile for XML specification from the OMG, the owner of UML. It would
detail the rules and mapping from UML elements (class, association,
stereotypes, etc.) to DTD/Schema. Without that we are left with the sited
Rational document (http://www.rational.com/uml/resources/documentation/index.jsp) or
some other “meta-model”. Also understand that the technology surrounding OMG’s
UML and XMI (IBM, Data Access, Unisys) has solutions to auto generate DTDs of
the UML model. This is somewhat different than modeling a DTD in UML and
autogenerating it. I can go into more details on this if you
like.
In
order to autogenerate a DTD/Schema from a UML model I would need the actual
UML model not the PDF. If you could send it to me, I would be grateful. That
doesn’t mean I will be able to do it in short order since it most likely
doesn’t follow the Rational Document and my solution (skunk works) may not be
robust enough to handle it. However, I plan on taking on the challenge as time
permits. I’ve cleared the major hurdles so it shouldn’t be that bad, plus I
have a flight to Paris this Saturday, lots of uninterrupted time. The
procedure is to first transform the UML model into OMG XMI, then use XSLT on
the XMI to generate a DTD. The main drawback to this approach is that it is
very compute and resource intensive. I’m hoping Moore’s law will help me out
here :). Also, my scripts only generate DTDs, I haven’t done the work yet for
Schemas.
To
satisfy the “doubting Thomas” in you, I wish I could send you a simple example
UML, DTD, XSL scripts and instructions but I need to first clear it with
Lucent’s intellectual property unit, I’m working on it. So you will have to
take my word on it for now. I did attach the simple model, resultant DTD and
helper scripts to give you some level of proof. Just so you know, this exact
methodology has been provided to the OAGI for them to generate DTDs from their
UML model of OAGI BODs (they protect the intellectual
property).
Regards
and I look forward to working on your UML,
________________________________________________________________
Kurt
Kanaskie
Lucent
Technologies
kkanaskie@lucent.com
(610)
778-1069
Note the new number!
-----Original
Message-----
From: Mike
Conroy [mailto:michael.conroy@wanadoo.fr]
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 5:19
PM
To: ebXML Core
Subject: autogeneration of UML to
XML
Ever
since William Kammerer said : "Heck, I haven't even yet seen anyone take a UML
data model and generate schemas from it - and that should be a lot
simpler" theres been a flood of e-mails from people such as Duane Nickull of
XML GLobal Technologies, Arofan Gregory of Commerceone, James Whittle of
e-centre, Philip goatly of Bolero, and Kris KETELS of Swift, have all jumped
into the thread to tell us that they currently have the capability to
"autogenerating from UML" XML schemas.
Well I
for one am most impressed. However, I do have a grain of doubting Thomas, in
my vains. I made a UML class model of the core components, which I am led to
believe is a faithful rendering of the Excel spreadsheet.
Just to
give me, and perhaps many others who are listening in, an idea of how the
autogeneration from UML works, would someone like to demonstrate their
capabilities on the enclosed core components model ? It might help settle a
lot of the dust that has been raised on the subject.
Regards
Mike