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XML Model Files

For each ElementClass, the metamodel-expanders will generate an XMLReader and XMLWriter to read and write the models.

<dataChart/>

Attributes​

Attributes can be defines as children of the root tag. Attributes called name, however, should be defined as an XML attribute.

<dataChart name="SpaceshipDataChart">
  <description>My first DataChart</description>
  <refresh>true</refresh>
</dataChart>

Associations​

Association References are defined as children of the root tag. Each ElementClass that is a target of a association Reference should define one or more identifier attributes. These will be used in the XML to refer to an instance of that ElementClass.

<dataChart name="SpaceshipDataChart">
  <type name="PieChart"/>
</dataChart>
<dataChartType name="PieChart"/>

When referencing an element that is part of a composition hierarchy, the identifiers of the parent have to be included.

<dataChart name="SpaceshipDataChart">
  <dataElement component="space" name="Spaceship"/>
</dataChart>

Composition​

Composition References appear in XML models as nested elements.

<dataChart name="SpaceshipDataChart">
  <filters>
    <dataChartFilter name="filterByType">
      <filter>type</filter>
    </dataChartFilter>
    <dataChartFilter name="filterByLocation">
      <filter>location</filter>
    </dataChartFilter>
  </filters>
</dataChart>

If the Cardinality of the Composition Reference is 0-1 or 1-1, the child element will be nested directly in the parent tag.

<dataChart name="SpaceshipDataChart">
  <caption>
    <text>Number of Spaceships in orbit</text>
  </caption>
</dataChart>

For children of a module ElementClass, the ElementClasses should be placed in directories with the name of the elementClass + "s". This directory can be modified by customizing the XMLReader class (find the custom-model-subdir anchor).

Opposite References

Opposite references are not represented in the XML, since the information is already known by looking at the hierarchy.

Extensions​

Extension References to a module or program, like Component or Application, work as if the owner of the Reference has is a composite child of the target. Place the XML files of the ElementClass in a directory under the module/program directory.

components
└── space
    ├── model
    .   ├── space.xml
        └── dataCharts
            └── SpaceshipDataChart.xml

For extension References to a regular element, the file should be place in a directory <parent.name>/<element.name>s/ next to the XML of the parent.

components
└── space
    ├── model
    .   ├── space.xml
        └── dataElements
            ├── Spaceship.xml
            └── Spaceship
                └── dataCharts
                    └── SpaceshipDataChart.xml