Using Bonds for Describing Method Dispatch in Role-Oriented Software Models

Abstract. Role-oriented software modeling is an approach to objectoriented software engineering which provides a stricter encapsulation by separating the type behavior from the object into so-called roles. This role behavior can dynamically be accessed in certain situations and extends or alters the original type behavior. The process of extending or altering type behavior in object-oriented systems is realized by so-called method dispatch which controls message sending and routing. It is thus essential to guarantee the correct execution of the model. In this paper we present a context-based construction to describe the method dispatch via special formal contexts containing bonds. It turns out that the bond-induced morphisms serve well for determining the role method which is bound to a certain base method during runtime. This formal context can also be used to check the role model and determine whether base and role methods are bound correctly