Opening a modeling environment


Before doing anything, let's clarify important concepts when we are modelying in AToM3:

Opening a model will load a previously created model in a given formalism
Opening a meta-model will load a formalism for creating a new model in that formalism.

AToM3 is able to generate user defined formalisms from models designed in the entity-relationship formalism.

Now we are almost ready to create our first Finite state automata (FSA) model with ATOM3 built-in FSA meta-model!

First, lets just familiarize ourselves with Opening and Closing formalisms. Right-Click to bring up the popup men, then File Menu, then Open/Close meta-model. If you choose "Close meta-model" a new popup will appear where you can select either EntityRelationshipV3 or TransformationToolbar. There is no need to close them for this tutorial (unless you hate clutter!). You can configure which formalisms are opened when AToM3 starts by changing it in Options (shown in the image below, shortcut is F1 or the AToM3 logo in the top left).

 

Now, we are ready to open the FSA meta-model. Click on "file", then on "open meta-model" (or press F3):

 

Choose "Central Fromalism Dir", then double-click on the directory "FSAModels":  

 

Finally, you load the file FiniteStateAutomata.py (this is the buttons model that loads the formalism):

 

Now, we have loaded a formalism (FSA) in an environment for creating new models.