Specification-driven test generation for model transformations

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30476-7_3Proceedings of 5th International Conference, ICMT 2012, Prague, Czech Republic, May 28-29, 2012Testing model transformations poses several challenges, among them the automatic generation of appropriate input test models and the specification of oracle functions. Most approaches to the generation of input models ensure a certain level of source meta-model coverage, whereas the oracle functions are frequently defined using query or graph languages. Both tasks are usually performed independently regardless their common purpose, and sometimes there is a gap between the properties exhibited by the generated input models and those demanded to the transformations (as given by the oracles). Recently, we proposed a formal specification language for the declarative formulation of transformation properties (invariants, pre- and postconditions) from which we generated partial oracle functions that facilitate testing of the transformations. Here we extend the usage of our specification language for the automated generation of input test models by constraint solving. The testing process becomes more intentional because the generated models ensure a certain coverage of the interesting properties of the transformation. Moreover, we use the same specification to consistently derive both the input test models and the oracle functions.Work funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (TIN2011-24139) and by the R&D programme of Madrid Region (S2009/TIC-1650

A Model-Driven approach for functional test case generation

Test phase is one of the most critical phases in software engineering life cycle to assure the final system quality. In this context, functional system test cases verify that the system under test fulfills its functional specification. Thus, these test cases are frequently designed from the different scenarios and alternatives depicted in functional requirements. The objective of this paper is to introduce a systematic process based on the Model-Driven paradigm to automate the generation of functional test cases from functional requirements. For this aim, a set of metamodels and transformations and also a specific language domain to use them is presented. The paper finishes stating learned lessons from the trenches as well as relevant future work and conclusions that draw new research lines in the test cases generation context.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2013-46928-C3-3-

Testing M2T/T2M Transformations

Presentado en: 16th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems (MODELS 2013). Del 29 de septiembre al 4 de octubre. Miami, EEUU.Testing model-to-model (M2M) transformations is becoming a prominent topic in the current Model-driven Engineering landscape. Current approaches for transformation testing, however, assume having explicit model representations for the input domain and for the output domain of the transformation. This excludes other important transformation kinds, such as model-to-text (M2T) and text-to-model (T2M) transformations, from being properly tested since adequate model representations are missing either for the input domain or for the output domain. The contribution of this paper to overcome this gap is extending Tracts, a M2M transformation testing approach, for M2T/T2M transformation testing. The main mechanism we employ for reusing Tracts is to represent text within a generic metamodel. By this, we transform the M2T/T2M transformation specification problems into equivalent M2M transformation specification problems. We demonstrate the applicability of the approach by two examples and present how the approach is implemented for the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF). Finally, we apply the approach to evaluate code generation capabilities of several existing UML tools.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Proyecto TIN2011-2379

Requirements traceability in model-driven development: Applying model and transformation conformance

The variety of design artifacts (models) produced in a model-driven design process results in an intricate relationship between requirements and the various models. This paper proposes a methodological framework that simplifies management of this relationship, which helps in assessing the quality of models, realizations and transformation specifications. Our framework is a basis for understanding requirements traceability in model-driven development, as well as for the design of tools that support requirements traceability in model-driven development processes. We propose a notion of conformance between application models which reduces the effort needed for assessment activities. We discuss how this notion of conformance can be integrated with model transformations

Metamodel Instance Generation: A systematic literature review

Modelling and thus metamodelling have become increasingly important in Software Engineering through the use of Model Driven Engineering. In this paper we present a systematic literature review of instance generation techniques for metamodels, i.e. the process of automatically generating models from a given metamodel. We start by presenting a set of research questions that our review is intended to answer. We then identify the main topics that are related to metamodel instance generation techniques, and use these to initiate our literature search. This search resulted in the identification of 34 key papers in the area, and each of these is reviewed here and discussed in detail. The outcome is that we are able to identify a knowledge gap in this field, and we offer suggestions as to some potential directions for future research.Comment: 25 page

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

Incorporating Security Behaviour into Business Models Using a Model Driven Approach

There has, in recent years, been growing interest in Model Driven Engineering (MDE), in which models are the primary design artifacts and transformations are applied to these models to generate refinements leading to usable implementations over specific platforms. There is also interest in factoring out a number of non-functional aspects, such as security, to provide reusable solutions applicable to a number of different applications. This paper brings these two approaches together, investigating, in particular, the way behaviour from the different sources can be combined and integrated into a single design model. Doing so involves transformations that weave together the constraints from the various aspects and are, as a result, more complex to specify than the linear pipelines of transformations used in most MDE work to date. The approach taken here involves using an aspect model as a template for refining particular patterns in the business model, and the transformations are expressed as graph rewriting rules for both static and behaviour elements of the models

XRound : A reversible template language and its application in model-based security analysis

Successful analysis of the models used in Model-Driven Development requires the ability to synthesise the results of analysis and automatically integrate these results with the models themselves. This paper presents a reversible template language called XRound which supports round-trip transformations between models and the logic used to encode system properties. A template processor that supports the language is described, and the use of the template language is illustrated by its application in an analysis workbench, designed to support analysis of security properties of UML and MOF-based models. As a result of using reversible templates, it is possible to seamlessly and automatically integrate the results of a security analysis with a model. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Employing Classifying Terms for Testing Model Transformations

This contribution proposes a new technique for developing test cases for UML and OCL models. The technique is based on an approach that automatically constructs object models for class models enriched by OCL constraints. By guiding the construction process through so-called classifying terms, the built test cases in form of object models are classified into equivalence classes. A classifying term can be an arbitrary OCL term on the class model that calculates for an object model a characteristic value. From each equivalence class of object models with identical characteristic values one representative is chosen. The constructed test cases behave significantly different with regard to the selected classifying term. By building few diverse object models, properties of the UML and OCL model can be explored effectively. The technique is applied for automatically constructing relevant source model test cases for model transformations between a source and target metamodel.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech