Experimentation of a Graphical Concrete Syntax Generator for Domain Specific Modeling Languages

Graphical Domain Specific Modeling Languages (DSML) are alternatives to general purpose modeling languages e.g. UML or SysML. They describe models with concepts and relations specific to a domain. Defining such languages consists of defining an abstract syntax and a graphical concrete syntax accompanied by a correspondence mappingsyntax and a graphical concrete syntax accompanied by a correspondence mapping between the elements of each one. Such process is composed of two phases: the abstract syntax definition and the concrete syntax definition. This paper describes concepts and mechanisms allowing to guide and to assist an expert from any engineering domain to define and formalize the concrete syntax of a graphical DSML considered as relevant in this domain. We define multiple classifications of the abstract syntax elements based both on the abstract syntax and on the concrete syntax. Grounded on those classifications, we presentsyntax and on the concrete syntax. Grounded on those classifications, we present how a part of the concrete syntax can be generated automatically from an abstract syntax by a graphical role election.