Show in Frame No Frame
Previous Next Title Page Index Contents Search

9.1 MetaEdit+ API Tool
9.2 Using the API from a client program
9.3 API Types Reference
9.4 API Methods Reference

9 API

In this chapter we discuss the most powerful integration mechanism provided by MetaEdit+: the API. API usage is described from both the MetaEdit+ and client program point of view.

The main idea of an API is to provide users with a way to access MetaEdit+ design data and functions from within their own applications. The API interface in MetaEdit+ is implemented as a SOAP Web Service server. Thus, an application interfacing with the MetaEdit+ API must implement a SOAP client that takes care of establishing the connection and making calls to MetaEdit+. As SOAP is a widely supported and open standard, there are many frameworks already available that handle these aspects transparently. This makes MetaEdit+ functions easily accessible with almost any programming language, platform or environment.

What can you do with the API, then? Basically you can use the API to access and change conceptual elements (Graphs, Objects, Relationships, Roles, Properties and Ports) and representational elements (diagrams, matrices, tables and their elements) within MetaEdit+. It is not possible, however, to access or change metamodel elements. Also, because API functions operate at a lower level than normal user-interface operations, and with the API there is normally no possibility for feedback, functions that create or modify data do not generally check that the data is legal according to the current metamodel.

In addition to these data-centric functions, MetaEdit+ provides some additional features that can be accessed or controlled by the API, like highlighting or animating diagram elements for simulation or tracing purposes.

Show in Frame No Frame
Previous Next Title Page Index Contents Search