28 research outputs found
Formal validation of domain-specific languages with derived features and well-formedness constraints
Despite the wide range of existing tool support, constructing
a design environment for a complex domain-specific language
(DSL) is still a tedious task as the large number of derived
features and well-formedness constraints complementing the
domain metamodel necessitate special handling. Such derived
features and constraints are frequently defined by
declarative techniques (such graph patterns or OCL
invariants). However, for complex domains, derived features
and constraints can easily be formalized incorrectly
resulting in inconsistent, incomplete or ambiguous DSL
specifications. To detect such issues, we propose an
automated mapping of EMF metamodels enriched with derived
features and well-formedness constraints captured as graph
queries in EMF-IncQuery or (a subset of) OCL invariants into
an effectively propositional fragment of first-order logic
which can be efficiently analyzed by back-end reasoners. On
the conceptual level, the main added value of our encoding is
(1) to transform graph patterns of the EMF-IncQuery framework
into FOL and (2) to introduce approximations for complex
language features (e.g., transitive closure or
multiplicities) which are not expressible in FOL. On the
practical level, we identify and address relevant challenges
and scenarios for systematically validating DSL
specifications. Our approach is supported by a tool, and it
will be illustrated on analyzing a DSL in the avionics
domain. We also present initial performance experiments for
the validation using Z3 and Alloy as back-end reasoners
Coupled model transformations for QoS enabled component-based software design
This thesis presents the Palladio Component Model and its accompanying transformations for component-based software design with predictable performance attributes. The use of transformations results in a deterministic relationship between the model and its implementation. The introduced Coupled Transformations method uses this relationship to include implementation details into predictions to get better predictions. The approach is validated in several case studies showing the increased accuracy
Model Transformation Languages with Modular Information Hiding
Model transformations, together with models, form the principal artifacts in model-driven software development. Industrial practitioners report that transformations on larger models quickly get sufficiently large and complex themselves. To alleviate entailed maintenance efforts, this thesis presents a modularity concept with explicit interfaces, complemented by software visualization and clustering techniques. All three approaches are tailored to the specific needs of the transformation domain
A model-driven approach to the conceptual modeling of situations : from specification to validation
A modelagem de situações para aplicações sensíveis ao contexto, também
chamadas de aplicações sensíveis a situações, é, por um lado, uma tarefa chave
para o funcionamento adequado dessas aplicações. Por outro lado, essa também é
uma tafera árdua graças à complexidade e à vasta gama de tipos de situações
possíveis. Com o intuito de facilitar a representação desses tipos de situações em
tempo de projeto, foi criada a Linguagem de Modelagem de Situações (Situation
Modeling Language - SML), a qual se baseia parcialmente em ricas teorias
ontológicas de modelagem conceitual, além de fornecer uma plataforma de detecção
de situação em tempo de execução. Apesar do benefício da existência dessa
infraestrutura, a tarefa de definir tipos de situação é ainda não-trivial, podendo
carregar problemas que dificilmente são detectados por modeladores via inspeções
manuais. Esta dissertação tem o propósito de melhorar e facilitar ainda mais a
definição de tipos de situação em SML propondo: (i) uma maior integração da
linguagem com as teorias ontológicas de modelagem conceitual pelo uso da
linguagem OntoUML, visando aumentar a expressividade dos modelos de situação;
e (ii) uma abordagem para validação de tipos de situação usando um método formal,
visando garantir que os modelos criados correspondam à intenção do modelador.
Tanto a integração quanto a validação são implementadas em uma ferramenta para
especificação, verificação e validação de tipos de situação ontologicamente
enriquecidos.The modeling of situation types for context-aware applications, also called situationaware
applications, is, on the one hand, a key task to the proper functioning of those
applications. On the other hand, it is also a hard task given the complexity and the
wide range of possible situation types. Aiming at facilitating the representation of
those types of situations at design-time, the Situation Modeling Language (SML) was
created. This language is based partially on rich ontological theories of conceptual
modeling and is accompanied by a platform for situation-detection at runtime.
Despite the benefits of the availability of this suitable infrastructure, the definition of
situation types, being a non-trivial task, can still pose problems that are hardly
detected by modelers by manual model inspection. This thesis aims at improving and
facilitating the definition of situation types in SML by proposing: (i) the integration
between the language and the ontological theories of conceptual modeling by using
the OntoUML language, with the purpose of increasing the expressivity of situation
type models; and (ii) an approach for the validation of situation type models using a
lightweight formal method, aiming at increasing the correspondence between the
created models’ instances and the modeler’s intentions. Both the integration and the
validation are implemented in a tool for specification, verification and validation of
ontologically-enriched situation types.CAPE
Model Transformation Languages with Modular Information Hiding
Model transformations, together with models, form the principal artifacts in model-driven software development. Industrial practitioners report that transformations on larger models quickly get sufficiently large and complex themselves. To alleviate entailed maintenance efforts, this thesis presents a modularity concept with explicit interfaces, complemented by software visualization and clustering techniques. All three approaches are tailored to the specific needs of the transformation domain
Ontological foundations for structural conceptual models
In this thesis, we aim at contributing to the theory of conceptual modeling and ontology representation. Our main objective here is to provide ontological foundations for the most fundamental concepts in conceptual modeling. These foundations comprise a number of ontological theories, which are built on established work on philosophical ontology, cognitive psychology, philosophy of language and linguistics. Together these theories amount to a system of categories and formal relations known as a foundational ontolog
An integration framework for managing rich organisational process knowledge
The problem we have addressed in this dissertation is that of designing a pragmatic
framework for integrating the synthesis and management of organisational process
knowledge which is based on domain-independent AI planning and plan representations. Our solution has focused on a set of framework components which provide
methods, tools and representations to accomplish this task.In the framework we address a lifecycle of this knowledge which begins with a
methodological approach to acquiring information about the process domain. We show
that this initial domain specification can be translated into a common constraint-based
model of activity (based on the work of Tate, 1996c and 1996d) which can then be
operationalised for use in an AI planner. This model of activity is ontologically underpinned and may be expressed with a flexible and extensible language based on a
sorted first-order logic. The model combines perspectives covering both the space of
behaviour as well as the space of decisions. Synthesised or modified processes/plans can
be translated to and from the common representation in order to support knowledge
sharing, visualisation and mixed-initiative interaction.This work united past and present Edinburgh research on planning and infused it
with perspectives from design rationale, requirements engineering, and process knowledge sharing. The implementation has been applied to a portfolio of scenarios which
include process examples from business, manufacturing, construction and military operations. An archive of this work is available at: http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~oplan/cpf