3.2 Model Checking
The modeling language is the best place for rules that should always hold, and the
DSMtool should offer most of the necessary types of checks that you can customize or
parameterize. Where the DSM tool does not offer the checks you need, it is also
possible to write a generator to check some property of a model and give feedback to
the modeler.
In most aspects the generation of model checking reports is similar to the
con?¬?guration ?¬?les mentioned in the previous section. One difference is that the output
is intended for display to the modeler, rather than for reading by a program, and for use
at design time, rather than compile or run time. These factors favor the integrated
generator facilities, which can then display the results of the checking as live links to
the model elements. For instance in MetaEdit+ clicking on the name of an object in the
generator output will take you to that object in the model, allowing you to correct the
problem reported.
It may be possible to achieve something similar with other generator facilities if the
checking report is output to HTML, and it is possible to make a hyperlink invoke the
modeling tool to show a speci?¬?c object. Some IDE-based DSM tools may also offer
special integration of model checking reports, automatically running them when
saving a model, and showing the results in a separate pane similar to that used for
compiler errors.
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