Custom Annotations: Handling Meta-Information in Modelica

Abstract

Annotations and attributes form an important part of the Modelica language. They are used to include various meta-information such as documentation, external C-code, compilation hints, etc. Given the increasingly wide field of potential applications the set of useful annotations becomes too large to be included in the language specification. Hence we present a proposal how a Modelica modeler may define his own annotations and how such custom annotations can be organized within Modelica libraries. In the long term, the goal is to move the definition of standardized annotation, as well as of attributes, from the Modelica specification to a standard library.

Continuous Development and Management of Credible Modelica Models

“…The parameter handling of Modelica should be improved to better support the formal definition of credible models. In principle, extensions could be introduced via Custom Annotations (Zimmer, Otter, and Elmqvist 2014), but large scale usage is currently not user-friendly. Furthermore, a standardized solution is needed, supported by all the Modelica tools.…”

Psychological aspects of equation-based modelling

“…A notation cannot highlight every aspect of information at once, but a good notation makes obscured (non-highlighted) information more visible [23]. This is especially relevant when looking at the ongoing discussion regarding custom annotations in Modelica [24].…”

Equation-Based Modeling with Modelica – Principles and Future Challenges

“…This format can be used to import or export meta-information for the corresponding models. Enhancements of the Modelica standard enable to include this or other metainformation directly within Modelica models [15]. In combination this allows advanced model-based methods to be performed using multiple tools.…”