Semantic Variability
Semantically Configurable Consistency Analysis for Class and Object Diagrams
S. Maoz, J.O. Ringert, and B. Rumpe
Checking consistency between an object diagram (OD) and a class diagram (CD) is
an important analysis problem. However, several variations in the semantics of
CDs and ODs, as used in different contexts and for different purposes, create a
challenge for analysis tools. To address this challenge in this paper we
investigate semantically configurable model analysis. We formalize the
variability in the language's semantics using a feature model: each
configuration that the model permits induces a different semantics. Moreover, we
develop a parametrized analysis that can be instantiated to comply with every
legal configuration of the feature model. Thus, the analysis is semantically
configured and its results change according to the semantics induced by the
selected feature configuration.
The ideas are realized using a parametrized transformation to Alloy and are
implemented in a prototype tool. The work can be viewed as a case study example
for a formal and automated approach to handling semantic variability in modeling
languages.
References:
- S. Maoz, J.O. Ringert, and B. Rumpe.
Semantically Configurable Consistency Analysis for Class and Object Diagrams
In: Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems (MODELS 2011), Wellington, New Zealand. pp. 153-167, LNCS 6981, 2011. (pdf)
Received Best Paper Award and ACM Distinguished Paper Award at the MODELS 2011 Conference
Supporting materials:
- CDODSemVarConsistency plug-in prototype implementation (download as feature for Eclipse 3.6 and 3.7, tested only on Windows)
- CDODSemVarConsistency plug-in readme and installation instructions
- Example CDs, ODs and configurations as Eclipse project for import in workspace
- CD and OD semantics feature model as FeatureIDE project (requires FeatureIDE)