TY - GEN
T1 - On the interaction of inter-relationship constraints
AU - Maraee, Azzam
AU - Balaban, Mira
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - MDE and software evolution call for model-level design support, that includes reasoning capabilities such as query answering, verification and validation, static analysis and model transformation. Automation of all activities requires wellde fined semantics for models. This is particularly important for the class diagram model, which is central in UML. However, since UML specification is verbal and imprecise, the exact meaning of many class diagram constructs and their interaction is still obscure. There are major problems with the inter-association constraints subsets, union, redefinition, as- sociation specialization, association-class specialization and XOR. Although their standard semantics is ambiguous and their interaction unclear, the UML meta-model intensively uses these constraints. Moreover, some of these interactions have been declared in the UML meta-model as variation points. The paper discusses possible semantics of inter-association constraints (subsets, union, redefinition and association-class specialization), analyzes their interaction, and suggests coherent semantics that minimizes contradictions with the metamodel (association specialization and XOR are left out, due to space limitations). The paper also introduces rules that enforce model correctness. This paper is the first to provide an inclusive analysis of all inter-association constraints.
AB - MDE and software evolution call for model-level design support, that includes reasoning capabilities such as query answering, verification and validation, static analysis and model transformation. Automation of all activities requires wellde fined semantics for models. This is particularly important for the class diagram model, which is central in UML. However, since UML specification is verbal and imprecise, the exact meaning of many class diagram constructs and their interaction is still obscure. There are major problems with the inter-association constraints subsets, union, redefinition, as- sociation specialization, association-class specialization and XOR. Although their standard semantics is ambiguous and their interaction unclear, the UML meta-model intensively uses these constraints. Moreover, some of these interactions have been declared in the UML meta-model as variation points. The paper discusses possible semantics of inter-association constraints (subsets, union, redefinition and association-class specialization), analyzes their interaction, and suggests coherent semantics that minimizes contradictions with the metamodel (association specialization and XOR are left out, due to space limitations). The paper also introduces rules that enforce model correctness. This paper is the first to provide an inclusive analysis of all inter-association constraints.
KW - Association-class hierarchy
KW - Consistency
KW - Design
KW - Inter-association constraints
KW - Redefinition
KW - Semantics
KW - Subsetting
KW - Union
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84856820540&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2095654.2095658
DO - 10.1145/2095654.2095658
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84856820540
SN - 9781450309141
T3 - ACM International Conference Proceeding Series
BT - Proc. of the 8th Int. Workshop, MoDeVVa 2011
T2 - 8th International Workshop on Model-Driven Engineering, Verification and Validation, MoDeVVa 2011 - Co-located with the 14th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems, MoDELS
Y2 - 17 October 2011 through 17 October 2011
ER -