yakindu/plugins/org.yakindu.sct.doc.developer/help/02_Getting_Started/getting_started.textile

h1. Developer Getting started

h2. Yakindu Xpand Generator Project

In the context of model driven software development generators play an important role. The generator transforms the model to either another model or text like code. Yakindu generators support multiple transform languages. One is Xpand. By clicking *File* > *New* > *Other...* > *YAKINDU Xpand Generator Project* you create a project optimized for writing a generator in Xpand. For more details regarding Xpand see: "Xpand documentation":PLUGIN_ROOT/org.eclipse.xpand.doc/help/index.html.

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All you need to do is to give it a speaking name and click *Finish*. The setting *Configure for Plugin Export* is an option for plugin developers.

The newly created project has a package with an Xpand starting point: the _Main.xpt_. This file the includes the needed metamodels. It has the entrance Xpand statement that iterates all states in the model and prints the names in a text file.

h2. Yakindu Xtend2/Java Generator Project

The generator that transforms the state machine model into code or documentation can be written in Xtend2 and Java. Find a detailed description on Xtend2 in the "Xtend2 documentation":PLUGIN_ROOT/org.eclipse.xtext.doc/contents/01-Xtend_Introduction.html. Yakindu comes with a predefined project setting for such projects. To create such a project click *File* > *New* > *Other...* > *YAKINDU Xtend2/Java Generator Project*. 

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Give the project a speaking full qualified name and name also the generator java class with a full qualified name. If you also want to use Xtend select *Use Xtend*. The result is a new project with an initial Xtend file and java class.