Web-Based Tracing for Model-Driven Applications

Logging still is a core functionality used to understand the behavior of programs and executable models. Yet, modeling languages rarely consider logging as a first-level activity that is manifested in the language through modeling elements or their behavior. When logging is part of the code generated for the respective models or the corresponding runtime environment only, it must be generic, as the modeler cannot influence, through the models, what and when logging takes place. To enable modelers to log model behavior, we devised a method based on language extension and smart code generation that can integrate logging into arbitrary textual modeling languages. Based on this method, log entries can be produced, traced, and presented through a web application. This method and its infrastructure can facilitate lifting logging to the model level and, hence, improve the understanding of executable models.