Developing VDM ++ operations from UML diagrams

The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is widely accepted as the standard notationfor Object-Oriented methods. However, one of its major problem is itslack of formal semantics. The development of the Object Constraints Language(OCL) in the last few years seems to be the answer to this problem, but someargue that it is difficult to use. In addition, inadequate information and lackof precise definitions of UML models [31] are the two main reasons why currentexisting OO supporting tools do not emphasis on the standard input syntax orformat used with UML models.On the other hand, Formal Methods (FM) are seen as a rigourous way todevelop software specification, but they are difficult and expensive to use. Theintegration of OO and FM attempts to gain the ease of use of OO methods andthe rigour of FM. However, current work on the integration of OO methods andFM and the available supporting tools are still ineffective.In this thesis, the author attempts to provide answers to some of these questionsby developing a set of transformation rules from UML to VDM++ andthen develops an architecture for a CASE tool to support the transformationprocess. The author first increments the UML models by the missing informationrequired to produce full VDM++ specifications, and uses an intermediateExtensible Markup Language (XML) representation to save the UML models.Later, a set of translation rules are defined and based on these rules, VDM++specifications are generated by mapping the tag values of the XML representationto the corresponding elements of VDM+-f- specifications.The prototype tool (FOTool] that supports this transformation process hasbeen developed. It emphasises the syntax and the format of the input to the UMLmodels and the mandatory fields, which are essential for generating completeVDM++ specifications.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral (Level 8)

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Mit, E

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1337013

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1337013