Overview of the Modeler meta model (automation interface)
The Modeler Meta Model defines the item types that can be stored in a Model. For each item type, the Meta Model defines properties it can have, and the relationships it can have with other item types:
• A Modeler item is defined through a Meta Model object.
• A Modeler item property is defined through a Meta Model object attribute
• A Modeler item relationship is defined through a Meta Model object association.
When you use the automation interface, you must use the object, attribute and association names that appear in the Meta Model. Their names are sometimes different from the associated names that appear in Modeler.
Object Type
The object type defines the type of a Modeler item, such as Class, Actor or Use Case.
Typically the Meta Model name of an object's type matches the type name shown in Modeler, for example, the Meta Model Attribute object defines the Modeler Attribute item type. However, the Modeler item type Type Definition is defined through the TypeDef object in the Meta Model. The following Modeler item types do not match their Meta Model object names:
• Data Type is a Class object that has its Is Structure attribute set to TRUE.
• Interface is a Class object that has its Is Interface and Is Abstract attributes set to TRUE.
• Model is named Project through the automation interface.
• Point to Point Connection is named P2P Connection through the automation interface.
• Point to Point Connection Type is named P2P Connection Type through the automation interface.
• Signal is a Class object that has its Is Signal attribute set to TRUE.
• Type Definition is named TypeDef through the automation interface.
Each object type has a topic in the 'Automation Interface > Object attributes and associations (item properties and links)' section of the Modeler Help.
For information about identifying which object type to use for a Modeler item type, click here Identifying Which Object Type To Use For an Item or Diagram Type
Object Attributes
Each object type has attributes that define the properties of the associated Modeler item, such as Name, Visibility and Last Change Date.
Usually the Meta Model name of an object's attribute matches the property name in Modeler, for example, the Modeler property Duration is named Duration as an attribute in the Meta Model. However, the Modeler property Period is named Frequency as an attribute in the Meta Model.
Meta Model attributes can be read/write or read-only. For example, you can change an item's Name, but you cannot change its Type.
For information about identifying which object attribute to use for a Modeler item property, click here Identifying Which Object Type To Use For an Item or Diagram Type
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• Through the automation interface, Meta Model attribute names are case insensitive and any spaces are ignored.
• Each object type topic in the 'Automation Interface > Object attributes and associations (item properties and links)' section of the Modeler Help lists public attributes of interest.
• Almost all Meta Model attributes are strings. If you want to mathematically process a string with a numeric value, you must convert the string to a numeric value.
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Object Associations
Each object type has associations that define the item types its associated item type can link to. Associations are used to model item ownership and linking in Modeler.
For Example:
• In Modeler a Class can own an Operation. In the Meta Model, the Class object can be associated with an Operation object through a Meta Model association named Operation.
• In Modeler an Actor can be linked to a Use Case. In the Meta Model, the Actor object can be associated with a Use Case object through a Meta Model association named Use Case.
• Meta Model associations define the multiplicity of a relationship, typically 0-1, 1 or 0+.
Each object type topic in the 'Automation Interface > Object attributes and associations (item properties and links)' section of the Modeler Help lists public associations of interest.
For information about identifying which object association to use for a Modeler item link or relationship, click here Identifying Which Object Type To Use For an Item or Diagram Type