1   Abstract

This specification defines MetaData Based MetaProgramming System (MDBMPS), a concept for all coding languages.

2   Introduction

Computer software is [usually] really nothing more than a series ofinstructions in a machine readable format generally called"machine language" (A great deal of this
infomation will be familiar toMIS/IT personnel. It is included only for completness, though in greatlyoversimplified format.). Machine language can be thought of as hundreds,thousands, millions, billions and even more of a series of 1's and 0's.Originally
programmers created applications directly in
machine language,a tedious approach for sure. Further complicating matters is that variouscomputer system have their own

machine language.

As time went on, programmers began to notice repeating patterns in the codethat they created. So they would save and then reuse these patterns.Eventually from this process, the concept of the
compiler was born.A
compiler takes instructions written in a human readable language andconverts it or compiles it, into

machine language, then the program canbe run many times thereafter. An
interpreter functions similarly, exceptthat it translates the program into
machine language each time it is run.A further advantage of
compilers and
interpreters is that the humanreadable version of a program is often transferable from one kind ofcomputer system to another. Programs became portable.

Compilers and

interpreters dramatically increased the efficiency ofcreating software programs. Still, Systems Analysts, Programmers, andCoders are always looking for tools which increase their efficiency evenmore, while also reducing errors. As occured when programming
inmachine language, we have noticed that we'll write repeating patterns inhuman readable programming languages. So often we will save these assnippets
for reuse throughout the many programs that we will design.Alternatively, a
template can provide a skeleton for an entire program,so that the programmer only has to fill in certain parts of the
templatewith code unique to the application he is working on (perhaps withsnippets
as well).

Two of the most efficient tools at a programmer's disposal are programsdesigned for

metaprogramming and for managing
metadata.Metaprogramming is simply writing software, which writes software.Metadata is data,
or information, about data, such as the layout ofdata structures. While there have been efforts to combine these twoconcepts, often the resulting systems stop just short of a complete,cohesive unit.

The MetaData Based MetaProgramming System (MDBMPS) proposes to take the extra steps necessary to create afully workable and complete unification of these two processes. TheMDBMPS will be a system of tools and procedures which will enablea programmer to create
his own templates and snippets, use those of othersand combine these in ways which will speed and ease his development cycle.

This paper will explain MetaData, MetaProgramming, CASE Tools, Templates,Snippets, Embedded Code and other factors needed to begin coding theMDBMPS. At the paper's end, a skilled MIS/IT individual or teamshould have enough information to begin formally planning
the system'sconstruction.

3   Meta Data

Metadata (meta data, or sometimes metainformation) is "data about other data",of any sort in any media. An item of metadata may describe an individualdatum, or content item, or a collection of data including multiple contentitems and hierarchical levels,
for example a database schema. In dataprocessing, metadata is definitional data that provides information aboutor documentation of other data managed within an application or environment.The term should be used with caution as all data is about something,
andis therefore metadata.

For example, metadata would document data about data elements or attributes,(name, size, data type, etc) and data about records or data structures(length, fields, columns, etc) and data about data (where it is located,how it is associated, ownership, etc.).
Metadata may include descriptiveinformation about the context, quality and condition, or characteristicsof the data. It may be recorded with high or low granularity