Abstract
Model management is a central activity in Software Engineering. The most challenging aspect of model management is to keep inter-related models consistent with each other while they evolve. As a consequence, there is a lot of scientific activity in this area, which has produced an extensive body of knowledge, methods, results and tools. The majority of these approaches, however, are limited to binary inter-model relations; i.e. the synchronisation of exactly two models. Yet, not every multi-ary relation can be factored into a family of binary relations. In this paper, we propose and investigate a novel comprehensive system construction, which is able to represent multi-ary relations among multiple models in an integrated manner and thus serves as a formal foundation for artefacts used in consistency management activities involving multiple models. The construction is based on the definition of partial commonalities among a set of models using the same language, which is used to denote the (local) models. The main theoretical results of this paper are proofs of the facts that comprehensive systems are an admissible environment for (i) applying formal means of consistency verification (diagrammatic predicate framework), (ii) performing algebraic graph transformation (weak adhesive HLR category), and (iii) that they generalise the underlying setting of graph diagrams and triple graph grammars.
Highlights
Conceptual models, i.e. abstract specifications of the system under development, are recognised to be of major importance in software engineering [WHR14]
We show that comprehensive systems are a Comprehensive systems: a formal foundation more expressive alternative to the model merging approach and they are able to serve as the formal underpinning for model weaving
Concerning the Epsilon solution in relation to our presentation of Multi-Model Consistency Management: Matching is performed via automatic model comparison, which is controlled by user-defined rules, commonalities are reified in a merged model, consistency verification is implemented via specialized verification means (EVL) and repair is performed in an imperative rule-based manner
Summary
Conceptual models, i.e. abstract specifications of the system under development, are recognised to be of major importance in software engineering [WHR14]. A major change to the conference version is a completely rewritten “state of the art” (Section 3), which provides a more detailed overview of Multi-Model Consistency Management and contemporary tool support This allows to set the contribution of comprehensive systems in a bigger context and to motivate their use case. This opens the door for the application of the well-established GT-framework and represents a substantial extension compared to the conference version.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.