AToM [1] [2] is a tool for modeling,
meta-modeling and simulation. It is developed by Prof. Hans
Vangheluwe at the MSDL (Modeling, Simulation and Design Lab) of
McGill University in Canada in close collaboration with Prof. Juan de
Lara at the Autonomous University of Madrid. It allows building and
dynamically loading meta-models in its graphical environment. When a
meta-model is loaded, the graphical environment is modified according
to the allowed entities of the formalism. The user can design models
according to the syntax of the formalism. Transformations between
models of different formalisms are handled with graph grammars, a
powerful formalism to specify transformations in a graphical
form. With the support of a simulation engine that implements the
semantics of the loaded formalism, AToM can also be used as a
simulation environment.
Figure 1.3 shows the main window of AToM with the
Entity-Relationship diagrams meta-model loaded in it. The left panel
of AToM shows only the buttons of allowed entities. In this case,
``entity'' and ``relation'' are two different kinds of entities in an
Entity-Relationship diagram.
Figure 1.4 and Figure 1.5 show the
AToM environment with the PetriNet meta-model and the statecharts
meta-model loaded in it, respectively. The buttons shown on the left
panel vary with the loaded meta-models.
Simulation in AToM is discussed later.
