Customizable modeling and code generation tool MetaEdit+ 4.0 released

MetaCase has released version 4.0 of its customizable modeling and code generation environment, MetaEdit+, aimed at the expert developer looking to gain productivity by generating full code directly from models. 

Release 4.0 provides enhanced modeling and reuse support, an API and XML import/export for tool integration and connectivity, extended metamodeling capabilities, better usability via new editors and extended platform support. Customers with a valid unbroken maintenance agreement qualify for a free upgrade. The evaluation version of 4.0 is available to download.

MetaEdit+ 4.0 features in a nutshell:

API based on .NET/SOAP/WebServices standard

• Based on a global W3G standard, supported by Microsoft, Sun, IBM etc., and overtaken CORBA, COM etc. in active development
• Accessible from all major languages (Java, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Perl etc.) & platforms (Windows, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris etc.)
• API interface allows you to create, read and update model information; Log in, open projects, run reports; Open diagrams, select objects
• API offers many possible uses:

Simulation: animate models in MetaEdit+ while running code (see example)

Model transformations: update all models with similar changes

Diff: compare models and databases (see example)

Build: unattended code generation from many databases

Model checking & guidance

XML import and export

• Export full conceptual model details to XML
• Import conceptual models from any source that can generate XML following our simple schema  

Enhanced modeling support with ports

• Support component-oriented development: A component can reveal its interface without implementation details. Provide more precision and flexibility to modeling.
• Individual component objects can specify what can connect to them. The metamodeler defines rules for legal component use, the component developer specifies the interface for a component, the modeler uses the component through its interface.
• Improve quality by reducing developer errors, e.g. cannot connect 240V port directly to 5V port.
• Better visual feedback of what connections can be made, e.g. during relationship creation possible ports are visualized for selection.

Enhanced reuse support

• Alternative copy-paste mechanisms
• Replace functionality enabling the modeler to replace reused model elements using various criteria
• Component selection history

New Diagram Editor

• Easier to use, faster modeling operations
• Support for Sequence Diagrams, port elements etc.
• Undo; shared among all tools for modeling  
• Autolayout
• Adds new, more efficient & Windows standard ways of working. These include easier selection of relationships and roles, freely moving point where role attached to object, symbol display updates during resize and move, relationship creation by dragging from one object to another etc. Note that old ways of working are still supported.

New Symbol Editor

• New kinds of symbol elements: Bitmaps, Symbol elements that are built by running a report (report label)
• Connection points replaced by connection paths, Symbol can have many connection paths and each path can have its own port with its own semantics and target point for role lines
• Full range of fonts
• Windows standard graphical editing behavior
• Old symbols automatically converted

Extended platform support

• Support added for Windows 2000, Windows XP. Also still Windows 98, NT 4, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris etc.
• GUI look & feel for Windows platforms up to and including XP

Command-line parameters

• Pass commands to login and access MetaEdit+ data from the command line (e.g. generate code for build integration).

Improved performance

• 50% faster on maths operations (e.g. role line calculation on redraw)
• 25% faster on database proxy operations (e.g. loading object)
• 85% faster on socket operations (e.g. database locks, control)
• Many times faster on relationship checking rules (n-ary)

+ dozens of other improvements: enhanced browsers, new main window, fewer dialogs etc.  

The evaluation version of 4.0 is available to download.