Pending Evolution of Grammars

The classic approach to grammar manipulation is based on instant processing of grammar edits, which limits the kinds of grammar evolution scenarios that can be expressed with it. Treating transformation preconditions as guards poses limitations on concurrent changes of the same grammar, on reuse of evolution scripts, on expressing optionally executed steps, on batch processing and optimization of them, etc. We propose an alternative paradigm of evolution, where a transformation can be scheduled for later execution based on its precondition. This kind of extreme evolution can be useful for expressing scenarios that are impossible to fully automate within the classic or the negotiated transformation paradigms

A Study of the Texture Measurement Definition Problem (Image Analysis).

The problem of texture measurement definition is studied. A theory is presented in order to overcome the problem. This theory includes a conceptual framework for the general measurement definition problem. This framework is based on the concepts of a perceptual transform, a perceptual space, a measurement transform and a similarity transform. Using this conceptual framework and a particular choice for the similarity transform, a set of requirements are defined. These requirements can be used to create a formal method for defining measurements off the GLC matrices. The formal procedure is based on preserving perceptual relationships among textures. To apply this technique a perceptual norm, a least-squares procedure and a synthesis procedure are needed. Each of these components are investigated and the motivation for selecting each of the methods used is presented. Individually, these components are tested in order to see if they are appropriate for use with our technique. Finally, a feasibility study is discussed to demonstrate the possibility of using this technique to solve for measurements. The problem was to define measurements given a limited number of textures. The defined measurements are studied in order to establish their contributions. It is shown that the newly defined measurements are gauging the periodicity and the symmetry of patterns, perceptual entities that have been demonstrated to be important in the human vision system

Framework-Specific Modeling Languages

Framework-specific modeling languages (FSMLs) help developers build applications based on object-oriented frameworks. FSMLs formalize abstractions and rules of the framework's application programming interfaces (APIs) and can express models of how applications use an API. Such models, referred to as framework-specific models, aid developers in understanding, creating, and evolving application code. We present the concept of FSMLs, propose a way of specifying their abstract syntax and semantics, and show how such language specifications can be interpreted to provide reverse, forward, and round-trip engineering of framework-specific models and framework-based application code. We present a method for engineering FSMLs that was extracted post-mortem from the experience of building four such languages. The method is driven by the use cases that the FSMLs under development are to support. We present the use cases, the overall process, and its instantiation for each language. The presentation focuses on providing concrete examples for engineering steps, outcomes, and challenges. It also provides strategies for making engineering decisions. The presented method and experience are aimed at framework developers and tool builders who are interested in engineering new FSMLs. Furthermore, the method represents a necessary step in the maturation of the FSML concept. Finally, the presented work offers a concrete example of software language engineering. FSML engineering formalizes existing domain knowledge that is not present in language form and makes a strong case for the benefits of such formalization. We evaluated the method and the exemplar languages. The evaluation is both empirical and analytical. The empirical evaluation involved measuring the precision and recall of reverse engineering and verifying the correctness or forward and round-trip engineering. The analytical evaluation focused on the generality of the method

Programming Language Evolution and Source Code Rejuvenation

Programmers rely on programming idioms, design patterns, and workaround techniques to express fundamental design not directly supported by the language. Evolving languages often address frequently encountered problems by adding language and library support to subsequent releases. By using new features, programmers can express their intent more directly. As new concerns, such as parallelism or security, arise, early idioms and language facilities can become serious liabilities. Modern code sometimes bene fits from optimization techniques not feasible for code that uses less expressive constructs. Manual source code migration is expensive, time-consuming, and prone to errors. This dissertation discusses the introduction of new language features and libraries, exemplifi ed by open-methods and a non-blocking growable array library. We describe the relationship of open-methods to various alternative implementation techniques. The benefi ts of open-methods materialize in simpler code, better performance, and similar memory footprint when compared to using alternative implementation techniques. Based on these findings, we develop the notion of source code rejuvenation, the automated migration of legacy code. Source code rejuvenation leverages enhanced program language and library facilities by finding and replacing coding patterns that can be expressed through higher-level software abstractions. Raising the level of abstraction improves code quality by lowering software entropy. In conjunction with extensions to programming languages, source code rejuvenation o ers an evolutionary trajectory towards more reliable, more secure, and better performing code. We describe the tools that allow us efficient implementations of code rejuvenations. The Pivot source-to-source translation infrastructure and its traversal mechanism forms the core of our machinery. In order to free programmers from representation details, we use a light-weight pattern matching generator that turns a C like input language into pattern matching code. The generated code integrates seamlessly with the rest of the analysis framework. We utilize the framework to build analysis systems that find common workaround techniques for designated language extensions of C 0x (e.g., initializer lists). Moreover, we describe a novel system (TACE | template analysis and concept extraction) for the analysis of uninstantiated template code. Our tool automatically extracts requirements from the body of template functions. TACE helps programmers understand the requirements that their code de facto imposes on arguments and compare those de facto requirements to formal and informal specifications

Language and gender in the Saudi Shura Council

The Saudi Shura Council (SSC) is the consultative assembly of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Its members debate proposals for new laws, scrutinise the operations of the civil service, and advise the King of legislative matters. In 2013, women joined the Council for the first time. This thesis offers a first account of the linguistic practices of the Saudi Shura Council as a whole, and more narrowly, focusses on the linguistic performance of female members and considers ways in which it diverges from the established practices of male members of the council. I do this by investigating the constraints placed on speakers in this quasi-parliamentary setting and by analysing the macro-functions of the council in general before conducting microanalyses of individual contributions of debates in the Council. The thesis takes a pragma-rhetorical approach to the analysis of two particular linguistic features of debates, namely: questions and pronouns. These features were chosen for more scrutiny through an emergent, bottom-up process after the transcription and close analysis of 16 sessions of the Council’s business amounting to 11.93 hours (and 76,096 words). In looking at both pronouns and questions, the tensions between form and function are explored, as are the rhetorical uses of these features. I seek to apply developments in parliamentary discourse analysis in the emerging Western tradition to a new setting, that of a deliberative, non-executive institution in Saudi Arabia. I discuss the challenges this presents.In this setting, questions do not have obvious recipients and are used for persuasive purposes rather than having a clear interrogative function. Female members pose twice as many questions as men and these are qualitatively different from those asked by men. The questions posed by women are often highly critical of the processes and procedures of the Council. Female members appear to be setting themselves apart from the ‘business as usual’ of the Council. The lack of political parties in Saudi Arabia likely accounts for the fact that more first-person singular pronouns are used in this setting than has been found in Western parliaments. Female members use first person plural pronouns to signal their (collective) gender identity and to build the persuasiveness of their arguments

Generative agent-based architectural design computation : behavioral strategies for integrating material, fabrication and construction characteristics in design processes

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the generative potential of agent-based systems for integrating material and fabrication characteristics into design processes. This generative agent-based system reflects the significance of behavioral strategies in computational design and construction. This work presents a generative behavioral approach for integrating fabrication processes with material specifications. The development of a computational framework facilitates this integration via an agent-based system. A series of experiments with related case studies emphasizes behavioral strategies within the processes of formation and materialization. This research proposes the integration of material and fabrication processes through an agent-based system. The utilization of this system reflects a theoretical framework in developing an integrative computational method. The implementation of this theoretical framework in practical studies demonstrates the applicability of this research. The practical developments highlight the importance of behavioral strategies to establish integral design computation. Chapter 1 introduces the extended behavioral strategies to integration design. Chapter 2 provides a study about integrative design computation to abstract the main drivers of design integration through agent-based modeling. Chapter 3 presents agent-based systems in architectural design, specifically, in regards to material, fabricational, and environmental principles. Chapter 4 explores experiments and case studies to adjust the development of a generative agent-based system for integrating material and fabrication characteristics in design processes. Chapter 5 explains procedures for setting-up a generative agent-based design computation. Chapter 6 discusses the significance of behavioral strategies to develop different behavioral layers within a generative agent-based architectural design. Chapter 7 concludes the integral behavioral strategies by proposing trends to minimize the gap between formation and materialization through coalescing computational and physical agent-based systems.Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die generativen Potentiale von Agenten-basierten Systemen zur Integration von Material- und Fertigungseigenschaften im Entwurfsprozess zu untersuchen. Diese generative, Agenten-basierten Systeme spiegeln die Bedeutung von Regel- und Verhaltens-basierten Strategien für das digitale Entwerfen, Planen und Konstruieren wider. Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit stellt einen generativen Ansatz zur Integration der Charakteristika von Material und Fertigung dar. Dies erfolgt über die Entwicklung einer digitalen Methode, die die Integration in ein Agent-basiertes System ermöglicht, was an einer Reihe von Experimenten und Fallstudien und der dazugehörigen Verhaltensstrategien für die Formgenerierung und Materialisierung erprobt wurde. Das operative Potential des theoretischen Rahmens wird in diesen praktischen Studien demonstriert und belegt die Anwendbarkeit der Forschung. Die theoretischen und praktischen Entwicklungen zeigen die Bedeutung von Verhaltensstrategien für das architektonische Entwerfen und einen ganzheitlichen digitalen Gestaltungs- und Bildungsprozess

Micropatterns In Grammars

International audienceMicropatterns and nanopatterns have been previously demonstrated to be useful techniques for object-oriented program comprehension. In this paper, we use a similar approach for identifying structurally similar fragments in grammars in a broad sense (contracts for commitment to structure), in particular parser specifications, metamodels and data models. Grammatical micropatterns bridge the gap between grammar metrics, which are easy to implement but hard to assign meaning to, and language design guidelines, which are inherently meaningful as stemming from current software language engineering practice but considerably harder to formalise