Transformation As Search

In model-driven engineering, model transformations are con- sidered a key element to generate and maintain consistency between re- lated models. Rule-based approaches have become a mature technology and are widely used in different application domains. However, in var- ious scenarios, these solutions still suffer from a number of limitations that stem from their injective and deterministic nature. This article pro- poses an original approach, based on non-deterministic constraint-based search engines, to define and execute bidirectional model transforma- tions and synchronizations from single specifications. Since these solely rely on basic existing modeling concepts, it does not require the intro- duction of a dedicated language. We first describe and formally define this model operation, called transformation as search, then describe a proof-of-concept implementation and discuss experiments on a reference use case in software engineering

Automated verification of model transformations based on visual contracts

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10515-012-0102-yModel-Driven Engineering promotes the use of models to conduct the different phases of the software development. In this way, models are transformed between different languages and notations until code is generated for the final application. Hence, the construction of correct Model-to-Model (M2M) transformations becomes a crucial aspect in this approach. Even though many languages and tools have been proposed to build and execute M2M transformations, there is scarce support to specify correctness requirements for such transformations in an implementation-independent way, i.e., irrespective of the actual transformation language used. In this paper we fill this gap by proposing a declarative language for the specification of visual contracts, enabling the verification of transformations defined with any transformation language. The verification is performed by compiling the contracts into QVT to detect disconformities of transformation results with respect to the contracts. As a proof of concept, we also report on a graphical modeling environment for the specification of contracts, and on its use for the verification of transformations in several case studies.This work has been funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) under grant P21374-N13, the Spanish Ministry of Science under grants TIN2008-02081 and TIN2011-24139, and the R&D programme of the Madrid Region under project S2009/TIC-1650

A formal framework for model management

El Desarrollo de Software Dirigido por Modelos es una rama de la Ingeniería del Software en la que los artefactos software se representan como modelos para incrementar la productividad, calidady eficiencia económica en el proceso de desarrollo de software, donde un modelo proporciona una representación abstracta del código final de una aplicación. En este campo, la iniciativa Model-Driven Architecture (MDA), patrocinada por la OMG, está constituida por una familia de estándares industriales, entre los que se destacan: Meta-Object Facility (MOF), Unified Modeling Language (UML), Object Constraint Language (OCL), XML Metadata Interchange (XMI), y Query/Views/Transformations (QVT). Estos estándares proporcionan unas directrices comunes para herramientas basadas en modelos y para procesos de desarrollo de software dirigidos por modelos. Su objetivo consiste en mejorar la interoperabilidad entre marcos de trabajo ejecutables, en automatizar el proceso desarrollo de software de software y en proporcionar técnicas que eviten errores durante ese proceso. El estándar MOF describe un marco de trabajo genérico que permite definir la sintaxis abstracta de lenguajes de modelado. Este estándar persigue la definición de los conceptos básicos que son utilizados en procesos de desarrollo de software dirigidos por modelos: que es un modelo, que es un metamodelo, qué es reflexión en un marco de trabajo basado en MOF, etc. Sin embargo, la mayoría de estos conceptos carecen de una semántica formal en la versión actual del estándar MOF. Además, OCL se utiliza como un lenguage de definición de restricciones que permite añadir semántica a un metamodelo MOF. Desafortunadamente, la relación entre un metamodelo y sus restricciones OCL también carece de una semántica formal. Este hecho es debido, en parte, a que los metamodelos solo pueden ser definidos como dato en un marco de trabajo basado en MOF. El estándar MOF también proporciona las llamadas facilidades de reflexión de MOF (MOF ReflectiBoronat Moll, A. (2007). A formal framework for model management [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/1964Palanci

Well-formed Model Co-evolution with Customizable Model Migration

Model-driven engineering (MDE) is a software engineering discipline which focuses on models as the primary artifact of the software development process while programs are mainly generated by means of model-to-code transformations. In particular, modeling languages tailored to specific domains promise to increase the productivity and quality of software. Nevertheless due to e.g. evolving requirements, modeling languages evolve and existing models have to be migrated. Corresponding manual model migration is tedious and error-prone, therefore tools have been developed to (partly) automate this process. We follow the idea of considering such modeling language and model co-evolutions as related graph transformations ensuring a correct and unique typing of migrated models. In this paper, we present a general and formal construction of well-formed model migration schemes that are able to co-adapt any model of a given modeling language to a performed meta-model change. We show how appropriate model migration schemes can be constructed and discuss how they may be customized

Graph Modelling and Transformation: Theory meets Practice

In this paper, we focus on the role of graphs and graph transformation for four practical application areas from software system development. We present the typical problems in these areas and investigate how the respective systems are modelled by graphs and graph transformation. In particular, we are interested in the usefulness of theoretical graph transformation results and graph transformation tools in order to solve these problems. Finally, we characterize concepts and tool features which are still missing in practice to solve the presented and related problems even better. Keywords: graph modelling, graph transformation, graph transformation tool

Model repair and transformation with Echo

Models are paramount in model-driven engineering. In a software project many models may coexist, capturing different views of the system or different levels of abstraction. A key and arduous task in this development method is to keep all such models consistent, both with their meta-models (and the respective constraints) and among themselves. This paper describes Echo, a tool that aims at simplifying this task by automating inconsistency detection and repair using a solver based engine. Consistency between different models can be specified by bidirectional model transformations, and is guaranteed to be recovered by minimal updates on the inconsistent models. The tool is freely available as an Eclipse plugin, developed on top of the popular EMF framework, and supports constraints and transformations specified in the OMG standard languages OCL and QVT-R, respectively.This work is funded by ERDF - European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE Programme (operational programme for competitiveness) and by national funds through the FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020532. The first author is also sponsored by FCT grant SFRH/BD/69585/2010

RONs Revisited: General Approach to Model Reconfigurable Object Nets based on Algebraic High-Level Nets

Reconfigurable Object Nets (RONs) have been implemented in our group to support the visual specification of controlled rule-based transformations of marked place/transition (P/T) nets. RONs are high-level nets (system nets) with two types of tokens: object nets (P/T nets) and net transformation rules. System net transitions can be of different types to fire object net transitions, move object nets through the system net, or to apply a net transformation rule to an object net. The disadvantage of the RON approach and tool is the limitation of object nets to P/T nets and the limitation of the underlying semantics of RONs due to the fixed types for system net transitions. Often, a more general approach is preferred where the type of object nets and the behavior of reconfigurations may be defined in a more flexible way. In this paper, we propose to use Algebraic High-Level nets with individual tokens (AHLI nets) as system nets. In this more general approach, tokens may be any type of Petri nets, defined by the corresponding algebraic signature and algebra. To support this general approach, a development environment for AHLI nets is currently implemented which allows the user to edit and simulate AHLI nets. We present the formalization of RONs as special AHLI nets and describe the current state of the AHLI net tool environment

A Lightweight Approach for the Semantic Validation of Model Refinements

Model Driven Engineering proposes the use of models at different levels of abstraction. Step by step validation of model refinements is necessary to guarantee the correctness of the final product with respect to its initial models. But, given that accurate validation activities require the application of formal modeling languages with a complex syntax and semantics and need to use complex formal analysis tools, they are rarely used in practice. In this article we describe a lightweight validation approach that does not require the use of third-party (formal) languages. The approach makes use of the standard OCL as the only visible formalism, so that refinements can be checked by using tools that are fully understood by the MDE community. Additionally, for the efficient evaluation of the refinement conditions a hybrid strategy that combines model checking, testing and theorem proving is implemented. Correctness and complexity of the proposal are empirically validated by means of the development of case studies and a comparison with the Alloy analyzer.Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzad