Applying the CDIF standard in the construction of CASE design tools

This paper proposes a new, integrated development approach to the construction of CASE design tools using the CDIF standard for repository data interchange. The research is based on the authors' practical experience of constructing CASE tools using both RDBMS and meta-CASE technologies. An example object-based, graphical design method and notation is used to illustrate these different approaches to CASE tool construction, and CASE tools implemented with these technologies are described. The proposed integrated approach combines meta-CASE with RDBMS technologies within a unified development environment using CDIF tools to exchange repository data. Results from prototype CDIF tools are presented, and directions for future research in this area are suggested.