The standard AWM modelling capabilities already enable you to specify complex workflow. In addition to the standard modelling capabilities AWM provides several Eclipse extension points which enable you, and third-party tool providers, to integrate your own custom tools and functionality. AWM also provides interfaces to its basic methods which are exposed through an API that can be used when implementing an AWM extension.
The following chapter sets out how you can develop your AWM functionality by extending an AWM extension point and using the AWM API. This chapter focuses on the AWM model extension point which is the most important extension point provided by AWM.
Extending the AWM model extension point creates a new function package which can contain new linked element types, linked properties, and additional tools. When the additional function package is installed in the Eclipse workbench, those linked element types, linked properties, and tools are available for use in the model editor. Linked element types and properties are typically references to resources and attributes of the application to be integrated into AWM. Tools wrap functions of the application that are to be integrated into AWM so that they can be used in an AWM model.
Taking this approach means that you are not limited in the scope of how you want to extend your modeling capability. Providing and using additional function packages offers you wide-ranging possibilities, such as, defining communication between separate applications, integrating remote systems or Web applications, accessing other Eclipse plug-ins, creating your own dialogs, and so on.
This chapter requires basic knowledge of the Java programming language and Eclipse plug-in development.