What is the difference between the DSL toolkit and the .sdm sdk?

Why are there two tools?

Why aren't they integrated into one model?

How are they related to each other?

I want to design custom objects (e.g. a Remotable Application) for the Distributed System Designers. These objects must generate/synchronise code. (Apparently you can neither generate nor synchronise code with the .sdm models) Perhaps the DSL tools can do the job?

Thanks.

Hi Jean-Pierre,

The DSL Tools make it possible for you to create graphical designers that integrate with Visual Studio. You can create designers that are customized for the domain that you are working in.

If you haven't seen these yet, here are links for more information:

DSL Tools @MSDN: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/DSLTools/

DSL Tools Forum: http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/showforum.aspx?forumid=61&siteid=1

In contrast, the SDM SDK makes it possible for you to create custom application, endpoint, and logical server types that you can use with the Distributed System Designers. So, I think you need the SDM SDK. However, you also need to generate and synchronize with code. I believe you can use the VS SDK and custom VS project templates to add this functionality. When you have created your custom project template, you can assign that custom project template using the Project property of an application. For more information, see the topic, "Application Types and Prototypes for Defining Applications" at the following link: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/ms181834.aspx or in the documentation.

Let me know if you need more information. I can forward your post to the product team for more advice.

Thanks!

Great. Thanks. That's a very helpful start.

It seems that both DSL's and the .sdm SDK allow you to create graphical designers that are integrated with VS, whereas the the sdm SDK is specific to creating DSD objects.

DSL toolkit allows you to generate code as part of the DSL toolkit, whereas you should create code using the VS SDK if using the sdm SDK to create objects.

Stilll, I am a little baffled as to why there are TWO design tools to create Graphical Designers that are integrated with VS.

Thank you for your assistance.