Abstract
In this paper, we show how the OMG's metamodelling approach to domain-specific language definition can be exploited to infer
human-usable textualnotations (concrete syntaxes) from the conceptualization provided by metamodels (abstract syntaxes). We
give general rules to derive a context-free EBNF(Extended Backus-Naur Form) grammar from a MOF-compliant metamodel, and we
show how to instruct a parser generator by these rules for generating a compilerwhich is able to parse the grammar and to
transfer information about models into a MOF-based instance repository. The approach is exemplified for the AbstractState
Machines Metamodel (AsmM), a metamodel for the Abstract State Machine (ASM) formal method, by illustrating the derivation
of a textual notationto write ASM specifications conforming to the AsmM, and the process to input ASM models into a MOF repository.
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