Applying MDE tools to defining domain specific languages for model management

In the model driven engineering (MDE), modeling languages play a central role. They range from the most generic languages such as UML, to more individual ones, called domain-specific modeling languages (DSML). These languages are used to create and manage models and must accompany them throughout their life cycle and evolution. In this paper we propose a domain-specific language for model management, to facilitate the user's task, developed with techniques and tools used in the MDE paradigm.Fil: Pérez, Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Informática. Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada; ArgentinaFil: Irazábal, Jerónimo. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Informática. Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pons, Claudia Fabiana. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Informática. Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Giandini, Roxana Silvia. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Informática. Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada; Argentin

Practical verification strategy for refinement conditions in UML models

This paper presents an automatic and simple method for creating refinement condition for UML models. Conditions are fully written in OCL, making it unnecessary the application of mathematical languages which are in general hardly accepted to software engineers. Besides, considering that the state space where OCL conditions are evaluated might be too large (or even infinite), the strategy of micromodels is applied in order to reduce the search space. The overall contribution is to propitiate the performing of verification activities during the model-driven development process.1st International Workshop on Advanced Software Engineering: Expanding the Frontiers of Software Technology - Session 2: Software ModelingRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Practical verification strategy for refinement conditions in UML models

This paper presents an automatic and simple method for creating refinement condition for UML models. Conditions are fully written in OCL, making it unnecessary the application of mathematical languages which are in general hardly accepted to software engineers. Besides, considering that the state space where OCL conditions are evaluated might be too large (or even infinite), the strategy of micromodels is applied in order to reduce the search space. The overall contribution is to propitiate the performing of verification activities during the model-driven development process.1st International Workshop on Advanced Software Engineering: Expanding the Frontiers of Software Technology - Session 2: Software ModelingRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

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

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

Low cost computer based system for quality evaluation and preservation of grains stored in silobags

Grain growers in Latin America are concerned on how to ensure the quality and safety of the storage method for their crops. This concern is derived from the fact that the storage conditions strongly influence both the quality of the food that people consume and the profits that growers can obtain from their production. To preserve the quality of the grains, the storage strategy must fulfill several requirements e.g. to protect grains against bad weather, to diminish the badly effect produced by insects and microorganisms and to maintain for the longer time as possible the initial quality conditions in which grains have been received. In addition to those requirements, in the last years, some factors have leaded the growers, specially small and medium ones, to develop ad-hoc strategies for the storage and quality assurance of their grains. For example, most small farmers cannot afford the cost of traditional storage methods (such as galvanized silos), there is an insufficiency (and in some cases an absence) of suitable routes or railroads to send out the production to the storage places, the market conditions are subjected to significant variations that make it more convenient for farmers to sell their crop not close to harvest time. In this context, we observe a great expansion in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile of an ad-hoc low-cost storage technique named “harvest bags” that consists in keeping the grains into hermetic polyethylene bags which are stored in the same field of crop (on-farm). The term “harvest bags” is colloquial and other terms are often used, e.g. “silobags”. In Argentina the most common term is “silobolsas”.Eje: Innovación en Sistemas de SoftwareRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Low cost computer based system for quality evaluation and preservation of grains stored in silobags

Grain growers in Latin America are concerned on how to ensure the quality and safety of the storage method for their crops. This concern is derived from the fact that the storage conditions strongly influence both the quality of the food that people consume and the profits that growers can obtain from their production.\nTo preserve the quality of the grains, the storage strategy must fulfill several requirements e.g. to protect grains against bad weather, to diminish the badly effect produced by insects and microorganisms and to maintain for the longer time as possible the initial quality conditions in which grains have been received.\nIn addition to those requirements, in the last years, some factors have leaded the growers, specially small and medium ones, to develop ad-hoc strategies for the storage and quality assurance of their grains. For example, most small farmers cannot afford the cost of traditional storage methods (such as galvanized silos), there is an insufficiency (and in some cases an absence) of suitable routes or railroads to send out the production to the storage places, the market conditions are subjected to significant variations that make it more convenient for farmers to sell their crop not close to harvest time.\nIn this context, we observe a great expansion in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile of an ad-hoc low-cost storage technique named “harvest bags” that consists in keeping the grains into hermetic polyethylene bags which are stored in the same field of crop (on-farm). The term “harvest bags” is colloquial and other terms are often used, e.g. “silobags”. In Argentina the most common term is “silobolsas”.Eje: Innovación en Sistemas de Softwar

Aplicando restricciones en un datawarehouse temporal utilizando UML/OCL

Un datawarehouse es una colección de datos no volátiles, variables en el tiempo y orientado a un tema específico utilizado para tomar decisiones. La necesidad de registrar valores que permitan evaluar tendencias, variaciones, máximos y mínimos, justifican considerar en el diseño la evolución temporal de atributos o interrelaciones. La determinación de restricciones que permitan mantener la consistencia de los datos almacenados e impidan los solapamientos de rangos temporales, permiten conservar la integridad de la base de datos. En la etapa de modelado la determinación de estas restricciones se realizan de manera informal.\nEstablecer sin ambigüedad las mismas no es posible sin un lenguaje apropiado.\nProponemos determinar restricciones en el modelo de datos transformando el esquema multidimensional temporal a UML y emplear OCL para documentar dichas limitaciones.Eje: Ingeniería de Software y Bases de Datos (ISBD

Model evolution and system evolution

In this paper we define an evolution mechanism with formal semantics using the metamodeling methodology [Geisler et al.98] based on dynamic logic. A remarkable feature of the metamodeling methodology is the ability to define the relation of intentional and extensional entities within one level, allowing not only for the description of structural relations among the modeling entities, but also for a formal definition of structural constraints and dynamic semantics of the modeled entities. While dynamic semantics on the extensional level means run-time behavior, dynamic semantics on intentional level describes model evolution in the system life cycle.Eje: Ingeniería de softwareRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Una propuesta de marco de trabajo orientado al dominio del procesamiento transaccional

La ingeniería de software establece que la construcción de programas debe ser encarado de la misma forma que los ingenieros construyen otros sistemas complejos. Los sistemas de procesamiento transaccional no son la excepción. Para lidiar con algunos de los desafíos de construir estas soluciones, se desarrolló una propuesta de marco de trabajo, que propone la construcción de una base de conceptos comunes, obtenidos del análisis de soluciones preexistentes, y de experiencias del equipo que desarrolla esta propuesta. Esta recolección de factores comunes se hace de forma iterativa, y se capitaliza en elementos del framework que aquí se introduce. Ese marco de trabajo tendrá como objetivos aumentar la reusabilidad, disminuir los costos de mantenimiento, y fomentar la comunicación entre los desarrolladores. Para tal fin, se pretende implementar una metodología MDD (DSM) que permita facilitar el uso del marco de trabajo a otros usuarios ajenos al desarrollo de esta propuesta. La implementación específica DSM será a través de un lenguaje de dominio específico que concentre en elementos de dominio, la experiencia concentrada en el framework.Eje: Ingeniería de Softwar