Integrating behavior analysis into architectural modeling

Architectural modeling and behavior analysis are two important concerns in the software development. They are often implemented separately, and specified by their own supporting notations. Architectural modeling helps to guarantee the system design to satisfy the requirement, and behavior analysis can ensure the interaction correctness. To improve the trustworthiness, methods trying to combine architectural modeling and behavior analysis notations together have been proposed, e.g., establishing a one-way mapping relation. However, the one-way relation cannot ensure updating one notation specifications in accordance with the other one, which results in inconsistency problems. In this paper, we present an approach to integrating behavior analysis into architectural modeling, which establishes the interoperability between architectural modeling notation and behavior analysis notation by a bidirectional mapping. The architecture is specified by the modeling language, architecture analysis and design language (AADL), and then mapped to behavior analysis notation, Darwin/FSP (finite state process) through the bidirectional transformation. The bidirectional transformation provides traceability, which makes behavior analysis result provided by a model checker can be traced and reflected back to the original AADL specifications. In this way, the behavior analysis is integrated into architectural modeling. The feasibility of our approach is shown by a control system example.     

Cognitive support,UML adherence,and XMI interchange in Argo/UML

Software design is a cognitively challenging task. Most software design tools provide support for editing, viewing, storing, and transforming designs, but lack support for the essential and difficult cognitive tasks facing designers. These cognitive tasks include decision-making, decision ordering, and task-specific design understanding.This paper describes Argo/UML, an object-oriented design tool using the unified modeling language (UML) design notation. Argo/UML supports several identified cognitive needs of software designers. This support is provided in the form of design tool features. We describe each feature in the context of Argo/UML and provide enough detail to enable other tool builders to provide similar support in their own tools. We also discuss our implementation of the UML and XMI standards, and our development approach.     

A UML-based pattern specification technique

Informally described design patterns are useful for communicating proven solutions for recurring design problems to developers, but they cannot be used as compliance points against which solutions that claim to conform to the patterns are checked. Pattern specification languages that utilize mathematical notation provide the needed formality, but often at the expense of usability. We present a rigorous and practical technique for specifying pattern solutions expressed in the unified modeling language (UML). The specification technique paves the way for the development of tools that support rigorous application of design patterns to UML design models. The technique has been used to create specifications of solutions for several popular design patterns. We illustrate the use of the technique by specifying observer and visitor pattern solutions.     

将UML模型转换成SDL模型的方法

提出了一种将UML模型转换成SDL模型的方法.UML是一种优秀的建模语言,使用UML可以为协议建立模型带来很多方便.但是,UML缺乏形式化语义,因此不能满足协议精确性的要求.SDL是一种用于通信软件规格的标准语言,它拥有形式化语义,而且有很多商业软件都支持它.在协议设计和开发中,将UML模型转换成SDL模型可以克服这样的缺点.通过为UML制作适当的profile,并制定严格的转换规则可以实现模型的转换.     

Constructing meta-CASE workbenches by exploiting visual language generators

In this paper, we propose an approach for the construction of meta-CASE workbenches, which suitably integrates the technology of visual language generation systems, UML metamodeling, and interoperability techniques based on the GXL (graph exchange language) format. The proposed system consists of two major components. Environments for single visual languages are generated by using the modeling language environment generator (MEG), which follows a metamodel/grammar-approach. The abstract syntax of a visual language is defined by UML class diagrams, which serve as a base for the grammar specification of the language. The workbench generator (WoG) allows designers to specify the target workbench by means of a process model given in terms of a suitable activity diagram. Starting from the supplied specification WoG generates the customized workbench by integrating the required environments.     

In practice: UML software architecture and design description

The Unified Modeling Language has attracted many organizations and practitioners. UML is now the de facto modeling language for software development. Several features account for its popularity: it's a standardized notation, rich in expressivity; UML 2.0 provides 13 diagram types that enable modeling several different views and abstraction levels. Furthermore, UML supports domain-specific extensions using stereotypes and tagged values. Finally, several case tools integrate UML modeling with other tasks such as generating code and reverse-engineering models from code. Our study focused on UML use and model quality in actual projects rather than on its adequacy as a notation or language.     

Automated formal verification of visual modeling languages by model checking

Graph transformation has recently become more and more popular as a general, rule-based visual specification paradigm to formally capture (a) requirements or behavior of user models (on the model-level), and (b) the operational semantics of modeling languages (on the meta-level) as demonstrated by benchmark applications around the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The current paper focuses on the model checking-based automated formal verification of graph transformation systems used either on the model-level or meta-level. We present a general translation that inputs (i) a metamodel of an arbitrary visual modeling language, (ii) a set of graph transformation rules that defines a formal operational semantics for the language, and (iii) an arbitrary well-formed model instance of the language and generates a transitions system (TS) that serve as the underlying mathematical specification formalism of various model checker tools. The main theoretical benefit of our approach is an optimization technique that projects only the dynamic parts of the graph transformation system into the target transition system, which results in a drastical reduction in the state space. The main practical benefit is the use of existing back-end model checker tools, which directly provides formal verification facilities (without additional efforts required to implement an analysis tool) for many practical applications captured in a very high-level visual notation. The practical feasibility of the approach is demonstrated by modeling and analyzing the well-known verification benchmark of dining philosophers both on the model and meta-level.     

Integrating software specifications into intrusion detection

There exist a number of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) that detect computer attacks based on some defined attack scenarios. The attack scenarios or security requirements in some of these IDSs are specified in attack specification languages that are different from software specification languages. The use of two different languages for software specification and attack specification may generate redundant and conflicting requirements. The advantage of using the same language for both functional specifications and attacks specifications is that software designers can address the two different issues without learning two types of languages. We present a method of integrating Abstract State Machine Language (AsmL) and Unified Modeling Language (UML) state charts that are extended finite state machine based software specification languages, with an open source IDS Snort. This work provides AsmL and UML users an IDS that they can use without knowing how to write Snort rules. We automatically translate attack scenarios written in AsmL and UML state charts into Snort rules with context information. The original Snort is modified so that it can use the rules automatically generated by the translator. Adding context information to Snort rules improves the detection capability of Snort. To show the efficacy of the presented approach, we have built a prototype and evaluated it using a number of well-known attack scenarios.     

Static and Dynamic Data Models for the Storage Resource Manager v2.2

We present a conceptual model for the Storage Resource Manager, the standard interface adopted for the storage systems of the Worldwide Large Hadron Collider Computing Grid. This model provides a clear and concise definition of the structural and behavioral concepts underlying the interface specification and is meant to support service and application development. Different languages (natural language, UML diagrams, and simple set-theoretic and logical notation) are used to describe different aspects of the model.     

Automatic Verification of a Behavioural Subset of UML Statechart Diagrams Using the SPIN Model-checker

Statechart Diagrams provide a graphical notation for describing dynamic aspects of system behaviour within the Unified Modelling Language (UML). In this paper we present a translation from a subset of UML Statechart Diagrams - covering essential aspects of both concurrent behaviour, like sequentialisation, parallelism, non-determinism and priority, and state refinement - into PROMELA, the specification language of the SPIN model checker. SPIN is one of the most advanced analysis and verification tools available nowadays. Our translation allows for the automatic verification of UML Statechart Diagrams. The translation is simple, proven correct, and promising in terms of state space representation efficiency. Received September 1999 / Accepted in revised form February 2000     

一种基于对象序列图的组件交互协议设计方法

基于组件的软件开发(component-basedsoftwaredevelopment,简称CBSD)现已成为软件开发的主流范型之一,其关心的核心问题是组件标准化与组件间的互操作性.它在互操作方面被广泛采用的思想是,分离组件的功能与交互特征,使用独立部件-交互协议来协调组件之间的交互.基于这种思想,探讨运用UML(unifiedmodelinglanguage)的对象序列图(objectsequencediagram,简称OSD)方法进行组件交互协议设计的多个方面的研究,其中包括OSD规范的形式定义以及规范的静态和动态形式分析方法,并为开发组件交互协议提出了一个集成OSD可视化建模和形式分析技术的软件工具框架.     

Nautilus, a Concurrent Diagrammatic Specification and Programming Language

Nautilus is a high-level specification and programming language having abstraction mechanisms not commonly found in other programming languages inspired by its semantic domain (a categorial model named Nonsequential Automata). It constitutes an elegant solution for concurrency and non-determinism as well as for synchronization of concurrent systems. The role as specification language highlights the diagrammatic syntax (it was originally text based).The diagrammatic syntax for Nautilus allows complete programs to be written using symbols and graphical diagrams. The graphical notation was elaborated in order to be able to express all the structures in the language, yet trying to improve the visualization of written programs. A brief comparison with UML is included. To support Nautilus as a programming language, a mapping to Java is constructed, setting the basis for an execution environment of Nautilus specifications.     

CSDPL—一种基于CMM的软件过程定义语言

软件过程是人和计算机化的工具交互完成的可能持续长时间的复杂实体。软件过程比商业过程自动化程度要低,因为需要更多的人的参与和软件工具的支持,也有更多不断持续改进的需求。软件过程首先要建模,因此建模语言扮演了一个非常关键的角色。从管理的角度出发,CMM提出了一个软件过程概念框架。既要支持软件过程语言的要求的特性,又要支持CMM,基于CMM的软件过程定义语言必须把这个一般性和特殊性的要求结合起来。本文描述的软件过程定义语言CSPDL采用了图形和XML文本相结合的表示方式。同时,软件过程定义工具是支持建模的必需的支持。要尽量地支持软件过程语言的特性,还需要很多工作要做。     

Implementing associations: UML 2.0 to Java 5

A significant current software engineering problem is the conceptual mismatch between the abstract concept of an association as found in modelling languages such as UML and the lower level expressive facilities available in object-oriented languages such as Java. This paper introduces some code generation patterns that aid the production of Java based implementations from UML models. The work is motivated by a project to construct model driven development tools in support of the construction of embedded systems. This involves the specification and implementation of a number of meta-models (or models of languages). Many current UML oriented tools provide code generation facilities, in particular the generation of object-oriented code from class diagrams. However, many of the more complex aspects of class diagrams, such as qualified associations are not supported. In addition, several concepts introduced in UML version 2.0 are also not supported.The aim of the work presented in this paper is to develop a number of code generation patterns that allow us to support the automatic generation of Java code from UML class diagrams that support these new and complex association concepts. These patterns significantly improve the code generation abilities of UML tools, providing a useful automation facility that bridges the gap between the concept of an association and lower level object-oriented programming languages.     

Use of a formal notation for static semantics in compiler design

Formal notations for the specification of the syntax and the dynamic semantics of languages exist and are of great benefit to the compiler writer. However, formal notations for the static semantics of languages have tended to be tools of the language designer and of little practical significance to the compiler writer. This paper describes how a particular notation was used to assist in the implementation of a Cobol compiler and of an interpreter for a simulation language.     

Automated verification of design patterns: A case study

Representing design decisions for complex software systems, tracing them to code, and enforcing them throughout the lifecycle are pressing concerns for software architects and developers. To be of practical use, specification and modeling languages for software design need to combine rigor with abstraction and simplicity, and be supported by automated design verification tools that require minimal human intervention. This paper examines closely the use of the visual language of Codecharts for representing design decisions and demonstrate the process of verifying the conformance of a program to the chart. We explicate the abstract semantics of segments of the Java package java.awt as a finite structures, specify the Composite design pattern as a Codechart and unpack it as a set of formulas, and prove that the structure representing the program satisfies the formulas. We also describe a set of tools for modeling design patterns with Codecharts and for verifying the conformance of native (plain) Java programs to the charts.     

用UML描述组件规格说明

在基于组件的软件开放方式（CBD）下，软件系统是一些盯互联系的可重用组件的集合，因此需要对系统的每一个组件以及组件之间的相互关系有很好的理解。UML作为一种标准建模语言，不仅可以支持面向对象的分析与设计，而且能够有力地支持从需求分析开始的软件开发全过程。但是UML对组件建模的支持并不理想，这就需要开发一种能很好支持组件建模的方法。本文提出一种用UML描述组件规格说明的方法。将组件规格说明分解成组件接口规格说明。通过对组件的每个接口和组件接口之间的相互关系加以形式描述，从而达到组件规格说明的清晰性和精确性。