A WYSIWYG approach for configuring model layout using model transformations

Abstract

Model transformation is a core technology in Domain-Specific Modeling (DSM). While a number of model transformation languages and tools have been developed to support model transformation activities, the layout of visual models in the transformation process is not often considered. In many cases, after a transformation is performed the layout of the resulting model must be manually rearranged, which can be time consuming. The automatic layout arrangement features provided by some modeling tools usually do not take a user's preferences or the semantics of the model into consideration, and therefore could potentially alter the desired layout in an undesired manner. This paper describes a new approach to enable users to specify the model layout in a model transformation. We applied the Model Transformation By Demonstration (MTBD) approach and extended it to let users specify the layout information using the concept of "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG), so that the complex layout specification can be simplified.