Scalable model exploration through abstraction and fragmentation strategies

Also published online by CEUR Workshop Proceedings (CEUR-WS.org, ISSN 1613-0073) Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) promotes the use of models to conduct all phases of software development in an automated way. However, for complex systems, these models may become large and unwieldy, and hence difficult to process and comprehend. In order to alleviate this situation, we explore the combination of model fragmentation strategies, to split models into more manageable chunks; and model abstraction and visualization mechanisms, able to provide simpler views of the models. The feasibility of this combination is confirmed based on an evaluation over a synthetic models, and the model sets of the GraBaTs’09 contest.Work supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (TIN2011-24139, TIN2014-52129-R), the EU commission (FP7-ICT-2013-10, #611125) and the Community of Madrid (S2013/ICE-3006

Towards An Analysis Driven Approach for Adapting Enterprise Architecture Languages

Abstract: Enterprise Architecture (EA) modeling languages are increasingly used for various enterprise wide analyses. In most cases one needs to adapt EA languages to an appropriate level of detail. However such an adaptation is not straightforward. Language engineers currently deal with analysis driven language adaptation in an ad-hoc manner, adapting languages from scratch. This introduces various problems, such as a tendency to add uninteresting and/or unnecessary details to languages, while important enterprise details are not documented. Moreover, adding detail increases the complexity of languages, which in turn inhibits a language's communication capabilities. Yet experience from practice shows that architects often are communicators, next to analysts. As a result, one needs to find a balance between a model's communication and analysis capabilities. In this position paper we argue for an approach for assisting language engineers in adapting, in a controlled manner, EA languages for model-driven enterprise analyses. Furthermore, we present the key ingredients of such an approach, and use these as a starting point for a research outlook

Engineering scalable modelling Languages

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Departamento de Ingeniería Informática. Fecha de lectura: 08-11-2019Esta tesis tiene embargado el acceso al texto completo hasta el 08-05-2021Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) aims at reducing the cost of system development by raising the level of abstraction at which developers work. MDE-based solutions frequently involve the creation of Domain-Specific Modelling Languages (DSMLs). WhilethedefinitionofDSMLsandtheir(sometimesgraphical)supportingenvironments are recurring activities in MDE, they are mostly developed ad-hoc from scratch. The construction of these environments requires high expertise by developers, which currently need to spend large efforts for their construction. This thesis focusses on the development of scalable modelling environments for DSMLs based on patterns. For this purpose, we propose a catalogue of modularity patterns that can be used to extend a modelling language with services related to modularization and scalability. More specifically, these patterns allows defining model fragmentation strategies, scoping and visibility rules, model indexing services, and scoped constraints. Once the patterns have been applied to the meta-model of a modelling language, we synthesize a customized modelling environment enriched with the defined services, which become applicable to both existing monolithic legacy models and new models. A second contribution of this thesis is a set of concepts and technologies to facilitate the creation of graphical editors. For this purpose, we define heuristics which identify structures in the DSML abstract syntax, and automatically assign their diagram representation. Using this approach, developers can create a graphical representation by default from a meta-model, which later can be customised. These contributions have been implemented in two Eclipse plug-ins called EMFSplitter and EMF-Stencil. On one hand, EMF-Splitter implements the catalogue of modularity patterns and, on the other hand, EMF-Stencil supports the heuristics and the generation of a graphical modelling environment. Both tools were evaluated in different case studies to prove their versatility, efficiency, and capabilitieEl Desarrollo de Software Dirigido por Modelos (MDE, por sus siglas en inglés) tiene como objetivo reducir los costes en el desarrollo de aplicaciones, elevando el nivel de abstracciónconelqueactualmentetrabajanlosdesarrolladores. Lassolucionesbasadas en MDE frecuentemente involucran la creación de Lenguajes de Modelado de Dominio Específico (DSML, por sus siglas en inglés). Aunque la definición de los DSMLs y sus entornos gráficos de modelado son actividades recurrentes en MDE, actualmente en la mayoría de los casos se desarrollan ad-hoc desde cero. La construcción de estos entornos requiere una alta experiencia por parte de los desarrolladores, que deben realizar un gran esfuerzo para construirlos. Esta tesis se centra en el desarrollo de entornos de modelado escalables para DSML basados en patrones. Para ello, se propone un catálogo de patrones de modularidad que se pueden utilizar para extender un lenguaje de modelado con servicios relacionados con la modularización y la escalabilidad. Específicamente, los patrones permiten definir estrategias de fragmentación de modelos, reglas de alcance y visibilidad, servicios de indexación de modelos y restricciones de alcance. Una vez que los patrones se han aplicado al meta-modelo de un lenguaje de modelado, se puede generar automáticamente un entorno de modelado personalizado enriquecido con los servicios definidos, que se vuelven aplicables tanto a los modelos monolíticos existentes, como a los nuevos modelos. Una segunda contribución de esta tesis es la propuesta de conceptos y tecnologías para facilitar la creación de editores gráficos. Para ello, definimos heurísticas que identifican estructuras en la sintaxis abstracta de los DSMLs y asignan automáticamente su representación en el diagrama. Usando este enfoque, los desarrolladores pueden crear una representación gráfica por defecto a partir de un meta-modelo. Estas contribuciones se implementaron en dos plug-ins de Eclipse llamados EMFSplitter y EMF-Stencil. Por un lado, EMF-Splitter implementa el catálogo de patrones y, por otro lado, EMF-Stencil implementa las heurísticas y la generación de un entorno de modelado gráfico. Ambas herramientas se han evaluado con diferentes casos de estudio para demostrar su versatilidad, eficiencia y capacidade

Composite Modeling based on Distributed Graph Transformation and the Eclipse Modeling Framework

Model-driven development (MDD) has become a promising trend in software engineering for a number of reasons. Models as the key artifacts help the developers to abstract from irrelevant details, focus on important aspects of the underlying domain, and thus master complexity. As software systems grow, models may grow as well and finally become possibly too large to be developed and maintained in a comprehensible way. In traditional software development, the complexity of software systems is tackled by dividing the system into smaller cohesive parts, so-called components, and let distributed teams work on each concurrently. The question arises how this strategy can be applied to model-driven development. The overall aim of this thesis is to develop a formalized modularization concept to enable the structured and largely independent development of interrelated models in larger teams. To this end, this thesis proposes component models with explicit export and import interfaces where exports declare what is provided while imports declare what it needed. Then, composite model can be connected by connecting their compatible export and import interfaces yielding so-called composite models. Suitable to composite models, a transformation approach is developed which allows to describe changes over the whole composition structure. From the practical point of view, this concept especially targets models based on the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF). In the modeling community, EMF has evolved to a very popular framework which provides modeling and code generation facilities for Java applications based on structured data models. Since graphs are a natural way to represent the underlying structure of visual models, the formalization is based on graph transformation. Incorporated concepts according to distribution heavily rely on distributed graph transformation introduced by Taentzer. Typed graphs with inheritance and containment structures are well suited to describe the essentials of EMF models. However, they also induce a number of constraints like acyclic inheritance and containment which have to be taken into account. The category-theoretical foundation in this thesis allows for the precise definition of consistent composite graph transformations satisfying all inheritance and containment conditions. The composite modeling approach is shown to be coherent with the development of tool support for composite EMF models and composite EMF model transformation

Flexible Graphical Editors for Extensible Modular Meta Models

In model-driven software development, graphical editors can be used to create model instances more effciently and intuitively than with pure XML code. These graphical editors rely on models created on the basis of a meta-model. If such a meta-model is extended invasively not only its code has to be re-generated but also the graphical editor needs to be adapted. When developing multiple extensions, the meta-model as well as the corresponding graphical editor tend to get complex and error-prone. One way of coping with this complexity is to use modular meta-models and extending them noninvasively. However, having multiple meta-model fragments providing extended features is only half the job as equivalent graphical editors are needed as well. This master’s thesis therefore analyzes different types of extensions for meta-models as well as on graphical editor level. Next, a short analysis of extension mechanisms follows. These mechanisms are used for different realizations of extension types. Like the extension types, the mechanisms are also analyzed for both meta-models and for graphical editors. While the classiffcation of extensions resembles one part of this thesis’ concept, their mapping from meta-model level to graphical editor level marks the second part. This mapping is done in order to show possible impacts of a meta-model extension to its corresponding graphical editor. To validate this concept, the analyzed mappings are implemented exemplarily in two different frameworks. Furthermore, the two prototypes show the different possibilities each framework has to offer when it comes to their capabilities of extension. Therefore, this thesis can also be seen as guideline for extending a given graphical editor

Polyphonic structures : modular models and modular forms (a creative investigation of mobile musical architectures)

Polyphonic Structures: Modular models and modular forms is a creative research project that 1 exploits the relations between independent pieces, structures and sonic events as self-contained moments. The dissertation describes a number of general and particular compositional strategies, techniques and constructivist explorations which are intimately related to the compositions included in the portfolio as a single body of work. The doctoral research includes a portfolio of the following compositions; Apposition (figures of disorder), Archipiélago, 24-Modular Cells, Free Module Study nº1, Systematic Double Bind and Within Modular Objects. Combining different pieces as polyphonic structures, in part or in total, to create new works, and the development of novel compositional strategies through interrelated pieces, have been explored by many composers. The most influential of these is Karlheinz Stockhausen. His ideas to interconnect pieces within a distinctive variety of compositional procedures have been the prime musical concepts from which the research dissertation and original works germinated. However the exploration of the ideas develop by Iannis Xenakis in theory of grains of sounds and Curtis Roads in Microsound has been crucial to define the modularity. Ultimately, the conception of Brian Ferneyhough’s figure and gesture has been crucial to incorporate micro-modules as self-contained singularities. Moreover, the research is an attempt to establish methodological linkages between self-contained and self-sufficient units. In this manner, the study of Bertrand Russell’s logical atomism help me to define the smaller unit in a musical context. Accordingly, modularity has been used as a key element to define the structural and analytical method throughout the dissertation. Furthermore, Gilles Deleuze and Pierre-Félix Guattari’s rhizome theory turned out to provide a valuable framework to establish a conceptual link generator.Thus, the commentary summarises a personal approach to some of the principal issues related to contextual discontinuity and multi-layer structuralism. However, no matter how vital rhizome theory has been, the use of dichotomies and the linear process has not been completely avoided.The inquiry into new forms of interaction has led the research to map possible strategies to break the traditional binary thinking and linear unidirectional processes. The documentation of the compositional techniques, concepts and structures presented in the following dissertation has the sole intention of defining a particular and personal methodological framework