Component generation technology for semantic tool integration

The problem of tool integration often occurs in the design and implementation of large computer-based systems that rely on software-based engineering tools. Each specialized tool contributes to a crucial step in the engineering process. It would be beneficial to capture the information in the context of one tool and use it in a different tool. However, differences in file formats and variations in the method of user interaction can make the integration of tools a formidable challenge. This paper presents a new approach to the tool integration problem and describes the framework and process that has been used to successfully integrate the data models of several tools. The technique is centered on generators that create "componentized" semantic translators.