2.4.1 Type import and model import
There
are two main
types of repository content that the system administrator can import into the
repository: types and models. There are also two formats, binary patches and XML
files, each with their own advantages. Before jumping into exporting and
importing, it is worth reading through the rest of this section, plus Section
2.4.3 if you want to update existing
instances, and Section
2.4.4 if your
modeling language uses static ports.
Types, models or a combination
Type exports (.me
t, .mx
t) include only types,
and are made with the Type Manager (see ‘Workbench User’s
Guide’). They include graph type generators and all types’ symbols
and icons, but not library symbols. Library symbols (.mxs
)
can be exported from the Symbol Library Browser (see ‘Workbench
User’s Guide’). Imports of these will update/overwrite an existing
element.
Model exports include instances (design data), either with
their types (metamodels) in the binary
combo patch
(.me
c), or without as just
models in the XML files (.mx
m).
Model exports are made with the Graph Manager (see ‘MetaEdit+ User’s
Guide'). Imports of instances generally create new instances, but binary patches
can also support updating.
Binary patches or XML files
Meta
Edit+ binary patches (.m
et, .m
ec) can
update existing instances (see Section
2.4.3 for how this works), include text
formatting and dialog layout, and always include types. Subgraphs can be
excluded when exporting.
MetaEdit+
XML files (.m
xt, .m
xm,
.m
xs) are in text format, and so can also be edited or created manually.
MXM can also import models without affecting types, and import into a different
metamodel or MetaEdit+ version.
Table of importable file types, extensions and contents
|
|
Types
|
Generators
|
Library symbols
|
Static ports
|
Models
|
symbol library XML
|
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
type XML
|
|
X
|
X
|
|
X
|
|
type patch
|
|
X
|
X
|
|
X
|
|
type & model combo patch
|
|
X
|
X
|
|
X
|
X
|
model XML
|
|
|
|
|
X
|
X
|