Tool Descriptor

A tool is an executable program that can communicate with the client application via input/output parameters. The prerequisites for the attachment of tools are the implementation of interfaces for the tool call-up and the communication with the target system.

A tool is defined in the AWM model by a Tool Descriptor. Every tool in an AWM model is part of a function package. The attributes of a tool descriptor depend on the attributes defined in the AWM model extension for this tool.

A tool descriptor describes a tool in such a way that the model interpreter can execute it and can react to its outputs.

The following are standard attributes defined in a tool descriptor:

• The tool identifier
• Resource operations (for example, Insert element into View)
• Input parameters
• Output parameters
• File parameters

These standard attributes can be extended by attributes defined by the AWM model extension for this tool.

Tool Descriptor (top) and its relationships (dashed boxes, center) to Properties, which are interpreted as input or output parameters.