The ORM Foundation

Hi,

  Any thoughts on adding XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language), to the NORMA tool functionality?  Attended a MSDN event today, saw the central role it plays in several .Net framework 3.0 core foundation components.  In the MS WF (Work Flow (foundation)), XAML can be both generated by, and used to generate declarative work flow model diagrams.  Being already part of the VS 2005 .Net 3.0 extension package, it seems a natural for bringing ORM 2   modeling to state based WF generation using VS. With the extensions already having a rules engine (with the rules specified in XAML), how about NORMA to specify the rules?

  My understanding is that XAML is an open standard - so that shouldn't limit future platform choices for NORMA.  More to look at, and more to learn.  BRN..

i don't understand. xaml is an xml language for screen/ui description, kind of like html but with much richer support for layout, typography, 3d, animation, etc. it is used by the screen rendering code in Vista and .NET 3.0 applications. i'm not sure how xaml applies to ORM. microsoft also has a XAML-based technology that is used to describe the printed page, like PDF. it would be useful to have a norma output format that puts the diagram in this format, so people who don't have Visual Studio can see it, but i'm sure this is low priority for the norma team.

Hi,
  Thanks for the reply.  Not having worked with it myself, I based the comments about XAML on the information provided during a presentation on MS Workflow Foundation.  The characterization of the markup language is as you described (as in it's use in WPF and the paper specification MS is putting up to compete with PDF).

  What was also attributed to XAML was its use in specifying the Workflow Foundation models themselves.  My interpretation was that the work flow, not just the diagram, is described in XAML; and that XAML could be used to input the specifications for a work flow model.  I see that they have the materials for the presentation I attended available online, and I'll go over these to see if that gives more detail.

  I'll take a look at this and some other links on work flow and BPM specification, and see if I can put my thoughts on the integration with NORMA in a more coherent form.  BRN..