UML-F: A Modeling Language for Object-Oriented Frameworks

The paper presents the essential features of a new member of the UML language family that supports working with object-oriented frameworks. This UML extension, called UML-F, allows the explicit representation of framework variation points. The paper discusses some of the relevant aspects of UML-F, which is based on standard UML extension mechanisms. A case study shows how it can be used to assist framework development. A discussion of additional tools for automating framework implementation and instantiation rounds out the paper.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figure

Executable Documentation of Template-Hook Interactions in Frameworks using JML

Object-oriented frameworks are an important technique for capturing design expertise. However, the learning curve for a framework is usually quite steep and can be the biggest obstacle in its adoption. We propose an executable and yet readable method for framework documentation using the Java Modelling Language (JML), based on the specification of the interaction between a framework\u27s template methods and its customizable hooks. This method is geared toward allowing the developers to quickly instantiate a prototype application from the framework, which can be later tweaked using some other detailed and usually non-executable documentation. We use flow-based assertions to specify the hook method preconditions and template method postconditions. The flow-based precondition for a particular hook serves as a modular documentation of when and how that hook is called in the framework\u27s overall call-sequence. Similarly, the flow-based postcondition of a template method tells the possible sequences of hook invocations that its execution may cause. Flow-based assertions are written using a few types, which we precisely specify. We also briefly describe a case study that uses our technique to document a Model-View-Controller framework

A reusable application framework for context-aware mobile patient monitoring systems

The development of Context-aware Mobile Patient Monitoring Systems (CaMPaMS) using wireless sensors is very complex. To overcome this problem, the Context-aware Mobile Patient Monitoring Framework (CaMPaMF) was introduced as an ideal reuse technique to enhance the overall development quality and overcome the development complexity of CaMPaMS. While a few studies have designed reusable CaMPaMFs, there has not been enough study looking at how to design and evaluate application frameworks based on multiple reusability aspects and multiple reusability evaluation approaches. Furthermore, there also has not been enough study that integrates the identified domain requirements of CaMPaMS. Therefore, the aim of this research is to design a reusable CaMPaMF for CaMPaMS. To achieve this aim, twelve methods were used: literature search, content analysis, concept matrix, feature modelling, use case assortment, domain expert review, model-driven architecture approach, static code analysis, reusability model approach, prototyping, amount of reuse calculation, and software expert review. The primary outcome of this research is a reusable CaMPaMF designed and evaluated to capture reusability from different aspects. CaMPaMF includes a domain model validated by consultant physicians as domain experts, an architectural model, a platform-independent model, a platform-specific model validated by software expert review, and three CaMPaMS prototypes for monitoring patients with hypertension, epilepsy, or diabetes, and multiple reusability evaluation approaches. This research contributes to the body of software engineering knowledge, particularly in the area of design and evaluation of reusable application frameworks. Researchers can use the domain model to enhance the understanding of CaMPaMS domain requirements, thus extend it with new requirements. Developers can also reuse and extend CaMPaMF to develop various CaMPaMS for different diseases. Software industries can also reuse CaMPaMF to reduce the need to consult domain experts and the time required to build CaMPaMS from scratch, thus reducing the development cost and time

Reading the documentation of invoked API functions in program comprehension

Comprehending an unfamiliar code fragment requires an awareness of explicit usage directives that may be present in the documentation of some invoked functions. Since it is not practical for developers to thoroughly investigate every call, directives may be missed and errors may occur. We previously reported on a tool called eMoose, which high-lights calls to methods with associated directives, and on a controlled comparative lab study in which eMoose users were more successful at fixing bugs in given code fragments. In this paper we attempt to shed light on the factors behind these differences with a detailed analysis of videos from the study. We argue that information foraging theory may explain the subjects ’ reading choices and the impact of our tool. We also suggest ways to structure documentation to increase the prospects of knowledge acquisition. 1

OO-IP hybrid language design and a framework approach to the GIPC

Intensional Programming is a declarative programming paradigm in which expressions are evaluated in an inherently multidimensional context space. The Lucid family of programming languages is, to this day, the only programming languages of true intensional nature. Lucid being a functional language, Lucid programs are inherently parallel and their parallelism can be efficiently exploited by the adjunction of a procedural language to increase the granularity of its parallelism, forming hybrid Lucid languages. That very wide array of possibilities raises the need for an extremely flexible programming language investigation platform to investigate on this plethora of possibilities for Intensional Programming. That is the purpose of the General Intensional Programming System (GIPSY), especially, the General Intensional Programming Compiler (GIPC) component. The modularity, reusability and extensibility aspects of the framework approach make it an obvious candidate for the development of the GIPC. The framework presented in this thesis provides a better solution compared to all other techniques used to this day to implement the different variants of intensional programming. Because of the functionality of hybrid programming support in the GIPC framework, a new OO-IP hybrid language is designed for further research. This new hybrid language combines the essential characteristics of IPL and Java, and introduces the notion of object streams which makes it is possible that each element in an IPL stream could be an object with embedded intensional properties. Interestingly, this hybrid language also brings to Java objects the power which can explicitly express context, creating the novel concept of intensional objects, Le. objects whose evaluation is context-dependent, which are therein demonstrated to be translatable into standard objects. By this new feature, we extend the use and meaning of the notion of object and enrich the meaning of stream in IPL and semantics of Java. At the same time, during the procedure to introduce intensional objects and this OO-IP hybrid language, many factors are considered. These factors include how to integrate the new language with the GIPC framework design and the issues related to its integration in the current GIPSY implementation. Current semantic rules show that the new language can work well with the GIPC framework and the GIPSY implementation, which is another proof of the validity of our GIPC framework design. Ultimately, the proposed design is put into implementation in the GIPSY and the implementation put to test using programs from different application domains written in this new OO-IP languag

Evaluating the GO Programming Language with Design Patterns

GO is a new object-oriented programming language developed at Google by Rob Pike, Ken Thompson, and others. GO has the potential to become a major programming language. GO deserves an evaluation. Design patterns document reoccurring problems and their solutions. The problems presented are programming language independent. Their solutions, however, are dependent on features programming languages provide. In this thesis we use design patterns to evaluate GO. We discuss GO features that help or hinder implementing design patterns, and present a pattern catalogue of all 23 Gang-of-Four design patterns with GO specific solutions. Furthermore, we present GoHotDraw, a GO port of the pattern dense drawing application framework JHotDraw. We discuss design and implementation differences between the two frameworks with regards to GO

Agendamento de protocolos de tratamento

Estágio realizado na Glintt-Hs e orientado pelo Eng.º Nuno RibeiroTese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200