Abstract: Use of declarative constraints in an error validation framework of a graphical modeling tool. The declarative constraints define one or more rules that objects of a graphical model should adhere to. When enforced against the graphical model, objects that do not conform to the rules may be identified. A declarative relationship between the non-conforming object and its visual representation in a graphical diagram may be used to allow for visually identifying the visual representation in the graphical diagram.

Abstract: Source code of a graphical designer application may be generated from a definition of graphical elements that can be employed to develop graphical models using the graphical designer application, a definition of one or more object types that can be represented in graphical models developed using the graphical designer application, and a definition of a mapping between the one or more object types and the graphical elements. One or more of these definitions may be stored within a file formatted in accordance with a markup language such as SGML or XML. The graphical designer application may be customized and extended by modifying one or more of the definitions and regenerating the source code and/or by modifying the source code itself. One or more of the definitions may be generated based on a graphical designer template corresponding to a particular model domain.

Abstract: The reuse of one or more shared components of graphical modeling tools amongst multiple graphical modeling tools. Graphical designers, or graphical modeling tools, allow for the construction of graphical representations of models in which objects, object properties, and object interrelationships may be visualized. Thus, a variety of graphical modeling tools may be supported and populated with portions of other graphical modeling tools.