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Cédric Brun

Build open-source technologies to enable mission critical tools for complex domains.

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EcoreTools 2.0 — The Making Of (EclipseCon Europe 2013)

In this talk I open the hood on EcoreTools 2.0 - the “making-of” of a modeling workbench. I start from the Ecore metamodel itself (EClass, EAttribute, EReference, …) and show how those foundations drive the UX: personas, semi-synchronized class diagrams, documentation/validation layers, smarter palettes and editing, and a revamped look. I then connect the dots in the Eclipse stack (Sirius, GMF/GEF, EMF, Acceleo, EEF) and explain how viewpoints, diagram definitions, and styles map cleanly back to your .ecore and model instances.

From there, I get practical: synchronization policies, low-coupling queries, a simple action language for tooling, concise label-editing syntax, and an extensible documentation layer. I close with the engineering side of the house, consistency tests, profiling before optimizing, build/test metrics, and the release cadence, plus a nod to community sessions around Sirius/Luna. It’s the full arc: from metamodel anatomy to the habits and tooling that keep a modeling product fast, usable, and shippable.

Key points

  • Theme: “The Making Of” EcoreTools 2.0—behind-the-scenes design and engineering choices.
  • Foundations: Deep dive into the Ecore metamodel and why its structure shapes the tool’s UX.
  • Personas & UX: Customer-driven prototyping; focused diagrams; strong documentation and collaborative reviews.
  • Demo highlights: Semi-synchronized class diagrams, documentation & validation layers, per-element import, redesigned visuals, shortcuts, smarter palette/editing, documentation tables.
  • Architecture: EcoreTools 2.0 on Sirius atop EMF/GEF/GMF/Acceleo/EEF within the Eclipse IDE.
  • Viewpoints & diagrams: Clear linkage from domain models (.ecore) → viewpoints → diagram definitions → model instances (.xmi).
  • Styling system: Conditional styles (containers, shapes, images) for consistent visual semantics.
  • Synchronization: Per-mapping policies; query-based (OCL/Acceleo/Java) low coupling to semantic models.
  • Tooling language: Declarative actions (create/update/delete, reconnect, DnD, edit, popup) and variables/conditions at runtime.
  • Label editing: Compact syntax to change name, type, cardinality, derivation, and default values—wired to programmatic edits.
  • Documentation layer: Extensible mappings, tools, and styles to enrich model documentation.
  • Quality & performance: Parameterized tests to enforce consistency; profile first, then optimize queries and updates.
  • Build & releases: Tycho builds, JUnit/SWTBot tests, codebase metrics; iterative Luna milestones and Sirius integration.
  • Community: BOF/booth sessions to gather feedback and keep the loop tight between users and maintainers.

Context

EcoreTools 2.0 — The Making Of (EclipseCon Europe 2013) was published on .