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From: tad@babcock.cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu (Tad Alan Davis)
Newsgroups: comp.object
Subject: Re: Information (Data) Modelling Language NIAM
Message-ID: <1402@babcock.cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu>
Date: 1 Mar 91 19:45:20 GMT
References: <1991Feb27.150803.19241@newcastle.ac.uk>
Sender: news@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu
Distribution: comp
Lines: 28

From article <1991Feb27.150803.19241@newcastle.ac.uk>, by P.K.Chawdhry@newcastle.ac.uk (Dr Pravir K Chawdhry (EDC Data Exch)):

> What we wish to do is to write a compiler to translate NIAM into EXPRESS.
> Although I have a graphical description of the constructs (which may or may 
> not be complete), I want to obtain the BNF/EBNF specifications of NIAM so
> that I can generate a NIAM parser. Does anybody have already written/got
> the BNF specs for NIAM? 

The IPO (IGES/PDES Organization) has a group (Dictionary/Methodology)
which is creating a meta-meta-model, the SUMM (STEP Unification Meta
Model) which is meant to be a model into and out of which EXPRESS,
NIAM, IDEF, and ER can go.  For more information, contact Joan Tyler
at NIST or Peter Eirich at Westinghouse Elect. Systems Group
(Baltimore).

> Someone tells me that McDonald Douglas even wrote a NIAM->EXPRESS compiler:
> does anyone have contact leads to them?

I would be very surprised if this is true as I have never heard it
mentioned at any of the ISO/IPO meetings.  However, they have written
an EXPRESS compiler which is in use by various organization (mine
included), which would be very helpful if you ever plan to go back,
i.e. EXPRESS -> NIAM.


--
					Tad Davis
					Bell Atlantic Knowledge Systems