Abstract
The basic ingredients of a domain-specific modeling language (DSML) are its syntax and semantics. For defining the abstract syntax in terms of metamodels, MOF constitutes a standardized language. For specifying the behavioral semantics, however, no standardized language exists, which hampers the emergence of model execution facilities, such as debugging and simulation support. The contribution of this paper is an integrated approach for specifying the abstract syntax and behavioral semantics of DSMLs based exclusively on standardized modeling languages. In particular, we integrate fUML, a standardized executable subset of UML, with MOF leading to a new metamodeling language xMOF. Moreover, we propose a methodology for developing executable DSMLs fostering the separation of abstract syntax and behavioral semantics. To evaluate our approach, we provide an EMF-based implementation and report on lessons learned from performing three case studies in which we implemented executable DSMLs using xMOF.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bryant, B.R., Gray, J., Mernik, M., Clarke, P.J., France, R.B., Karsai, G.: Challenges and directions in formalizing the semantics of modeling languages. Computer Science and Information Systems 8(2), 225–253 (2011)
Chen, K., Sztipanovits, J., Abdelwalhed, S., Jackson, E.: Semantic anchoring with model transformations. In: Hartman, A., Kreische, D. (eds.) ECMDA-FA 2005. LNCS, vol. 3748, pp. 115–129. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)
Clark, T., Evans, A., Sammut, P., Willans, J.: Applied Metamodelling: A Foundation for Language Driven Development. Ceteva, Sheffield (2004)
Ducasse, S., Gîrba, T.: Using Smalltalk as a Reflective Executable Meta-language. In: Wang, J., Whittle, J., Harel, D., Reggio, G. (eds.) MoDELS 2006. LNCS, vol. 4199, pp. 604–618. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Engels, G., Hausmann, J.H., Heckel, R., Sauer, S.: Dynamic Meta Modeling: A Graphical Approach to the Operational Semantics of Behavioral Diagrams in UML. In: Evans, A., Caskurlu, B., Selic, B. (eds.) UML 2000. LNCS, vol. 1939, pp. 323–337. Springer, Heidelberg (2000)
Grönniger, H., Ringert, J.O., Rumpe, B.: System Model-Based Definition of Modeling Language Semantics. In: Lee, D., Lopes, A., Poetzsch-Heffter, A. (eds.) FMOODS 2009. LNCS, vol. 5522, pp. 152–166. Springer, Heidelberg (2009)
Kats, L.C.L., Visser, E.: The Spoofax language workbench. In: Companion to the 25th Annual ACM SIGPLAN Conference on Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications (OOPSLA), pp. 237–238. ACM (2010)
Kolovos, D.S., Paige, R.F., Polack, F.A.C.: The Epsilon Object Language (EOL). In: Rensink, A., Warmer, J. (eds.) ECMDA-FA 2006. LNCS, vol. 4066, pp. 128–142. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Kühne, T.: Matters of (Meta-)Modeling. Software and System Modeling 5(4), 369–385 (2006)
Kühne, T., Mezei, G., Syriani, E., Vangheluwe, H., Wimmer, M.: Explicit Transformation Modeling. In: Ghosh, S. (ed.) MODELS 2009. LNCS, vol. 6002, pp. 240–255. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)
Kurtev, I., Bézivin, J., Aksit, M.: Technological Spaces: An Initial Appraisal. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Distributed Objects and Applications, DOA (2002)
Lai, Q., Carpenter, A.: Defining and verifying behaviour of domain specific language with fUML. In: Proceedings of the 4th Workshop on Behaviour Modeling - Foundations and Applications (BM-FA) @ ECMFA 2012, pp. 1–7. ACM (2012)
Langer, P., Wieland, K., Wimmer, M., Cabot, J.: EMF Profiles: A Lightweight Extension Approach for EMF Models. Journal of Object Technology 11(1), 1–29 (2012)
Mayerhofer, T., Langer, P., Kappel, G.: A runtime model for fUML. In: Proceedings of the 7th Workshop on Models@run.time (MRT) @ MoDELS 2012, pp. 53–58. ACM (2012)
Mayerhofer, T., Langer, P., Wimmer, M.: Towards xMOF: Executable DSMLs based on fUML. In: Proceedings of the 12th Workshop on Domain-Specific Modeling (DSM) @ SPLASH 2012, pp. 1–6. ACM (2012)
Mernik, M., Heering, J., Sloane, A.M.: When and how to develop domain-specific languages. ACM Computing Surveys 37(4), 316–344 (2005)
Muller, P.-A., Fleurey, F., Jézéquel, J.-M.: Weaving Executability into Object-Oriented Meta-languages. In: Briand, L.C., Williams, C. (eds.) MoDELS 2005. LNCS, vol. 3713, pp. 264–278. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)
Object Management Group. Action Language for Foundational UML (Alf), Version Beta 1 (October 2010), http://www.omg.org/spec/ALF/1.0/Beta1
Object Management Group. OMG Meta Object Facility (MOF) Core Specification, Version 2.4.1 (August 2011), http://www.omg.org/spec/MOF/2.4.1
Object Management Group. Semantics of a Foundational Subset for Executable UML Models (fUML), Version 1.0 (February 2011), http://www.omg.org/spec/FUML/1.0
Paige, R., Brooke, P., Ostroff, J.: Specification-driven development of an executable metamodel in Eiffel. In: Proceedings of the 3rd Workshop in Software Model Engineering (WiSME) @ UML 2004 (2004)
Rivera, J.E., Durán, F., Vallecillo, A.: On the Behavioral Semantics of Real-Time Domain Specific Visual Languages. In: Ölveczky, P.C. (ed.) WRLA 2010. LNCS, vol. 6381, pp. 174–190. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)
Scheidgen, M., Fischer, J.: Human Comprehensible and Machine Processable Specifications of Operational Semantics. In: Akehurst, D.H., Vogel, R., Paige, R.F. (eds.) ECMDA-FA. LNCS, vol. 4530, pp. 157–171. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)
Soden, M., Eichler, H.: Towards a model execution framework for Eclipse. In: Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Behaviour Modeling - Foundations and Applications (BM-FA) @ ECMFA 2009, pp. 1–7. ACM (2009)
Sprinkle, J., Rumpe, B., Vangheluwe, H., Karsai, G.: Metamodelling - State of the Art and Research Challenges. In: Giese, H., Karsai, G., Lee, E., Rumpe, B., Schätz, B. (eds.) Model-Based Engineering of Embedded Real-Time Systems. LNCS, vol. 6100, pp. 57–76. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)
Steinberg, D., Budinsky, F., Paternostro, M., Merks, E.: EMF: Eclipse Modeling Framework, 2nd edn. Addison-Wesley Professional (2008)
Strembeck, M., Zdun, U.: An approach for the systematic development of domain-specific languages. Software: Practice and Experience 39(15), 1253–1292 (2009)
Sunyé, G., Guennec, A.L., Jézéquel, J.-M.: Using UML Action Semantics for model execution and transformation. Information Systems 27(6), 445–457 (2002)
Sunyé, G., Pennaneac’h, F., Ho, W.-M., Le Guennec, A., Jézéquel, J.-M.: Using UML Action Semantics for Executable Modeling and Beyond. In: Dittrich, K.R., Geppert, A., Norrie, M. (eds.) CAiSE 2001. LNCS, vol. 2068, pp. 433–447. Springer, Heidelberg (2001)
van den Bos, J., Hills, M., Klint, P., van der Storm, T., Vinju, J.J.: Rascal: From Algebraic Specification to Meta-Programming. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Algebraic Methods in Model-based Software Engineering (AMMSE). EPTCS, vol. 56, pp. 15–32 (2011)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mayerhofer, T., Langer, P., Wimmer, M., Kappel, G. (2013). xMOF: Executable DSMLs Based on fUML. In: Erwig, M., Paige, R.F., Van Wyk, E. (eds) Software Language Engineering. SLE 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 8225. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02654-1_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02654-1_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-02653-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-02654-1
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)