A Suite of Metamodels as a Basis for a Classification of Visual Languages

Abstract

Metamodeling frameworks for the definition and management of visual languages allow the implementation of visual environments based on some abstract notion of visual entity and of relations among them. We propose a suite of metamodels able to accommodate most commonly used visual paradigms, built as progressive specialisation of a root meta-meta model. This approach facilitates the design and implementation of new, general purpose as well as domain specific, visual languages by allowing the progressive construction of language-independent service layers.