On Propagation-Based Concurrent Model Synchronization

in Electronic Communications of the EASST (2013), 57

Model transformations based on triple graph grammars (TGGs) have been applied in several practical case studies and they convince by their intuitive and descriptive way of specifying bidirectional model ... [more ▼]

Model transformations based on triple graph grammars (TGGs) have been applied in several practical case studies and they convince by their intuitive and descriptive way of specifying bidirectional model transformations. Moreover, fundamental properties have been extensively studied including syntactical correctness, completeness, termination and functional behaviour. But up to now, it is an open problem how domain specific properties that are valid for a source model can be preserved along model transformations such that the transformed properties are valid for the derived target model. In this paper, we analyse in the framework of TGGs how to propagate constraints from a source model to an integrated and target model such that, whenever the source model satisfies the source constraint also the integrated and target model satisfy the corresponding integrated and target constraint. In our main new results we show under which conditions this is possible. The case study shows how this result is successfully applied for the propagation of security constraints in enterprise modelling between business and IT models. [less ▲]

First International Workshop on Bidirectional Transformations (BX 2012): Preface

in Electronic Communications of the EASST (2012), 49

Bidirectional transformations (bx) are a mechanism for maintaining the consistency of two (or perhaps more) related sources of information. Such sources can be databases, software models, documents, or ... [more ▼]

Bidirectional transformations (bx) are a mechanism for maintaining the consistency of two (or perhaps more) related sources of information. Such sources can be databases, software models, documents, or their abstract models like graphs or trees. BX are an emerging topic in a wide range of research areas with prominent presence at top conferences in different fields. The methodologies used for bx range from classical program transformation to graph transformation techniques, from ad-hoc techniques for data synchronization to the development of domain-specific languages and their integration. The First International Workshop on Bidirectional Transformations (BX 2012) established a dedicated venue for bx in all relevant areas. It was initiated by the participants of the Dagstuhl Seminar "Bidirectional Transformations" (bx) in Germany 2011, which continued the GRACE International Meeting on Bidirectional Transformations held in Japan 2008. The workshop BX 2012 took place at the Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia on the 25th of March 2012, as a satellite event of ETAPS 2012, the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software. [less ▲]

Propagation of Constraints along Model Transformations Based on Triple Graph Grammars

in Electronic Communications of the EASST (2011), 41

Specification and Verification of Model Transformations

in Electronic Communications of the EASST (2010), 30

Model transformations are a key concept within model driven development and there is an enormous need for suitable formal analysis techniques for model transformations, in particular with respect to ... [more ▼]

Model transformations are a key concept within model driven development and there is an enormous need for suitable formal analysis techniques for model transformations, in particular with respect to behavioural equivalence of source models and their corresponding target models. For this reason, we discuss the general challenges that arise for the specification and verification of model transformations and present suitable formal techniques that are based on graph transformation. In this context, triple graph grammars show many benefits for the specification process, e.g. modelers can work on an intuitive level of abstraction and there are formal results for syntactical correctness completeness and efficient execution. In order to verify model transformations with respect to behavioural equivalence we apply well-studied techniques based on the double pushout approach with borrowed context, for which the model transformations specified by triple graph transformation rules are flattened to plain (in-situ) graph transformation rules. The potential and adequateness of the presented techniques are demonstrated by an intuitive example, for which we show the correctness of the model transformation with respect to bisimilarity of source and target models. [less ▲]

Completeness and Correctness of Model Transformations based on Triple Graph Grammars with Negative Application Conditions

in Electronic Communications of the EASST (2009), 18

Model transformations are a key concept for modular and distributed model driven development. In this context, triple graph grammars have been inves- tigated and applied to several case studies and they ... [more ▼]

Model transformations are a key concept for modular and distributed model driven development. In this context, triple graph grammars have been inves- tigated and applied to several case studies and they show a convenient combination of formal and intuitive speci?cation abilities. Especially the automatic derivation of forward and backward transformations out of just one specified set of rules for the integrated model simplifies the specification and enhances usability as well as consistency. Since negative application conditions (NACs) are key ingredient for many model transformations based on graph transformation we embed them in the concept of triple graph grammars. As a first main result we can extend the composi- tion/decomposition result for triple graph grammars to the case with NACs. This allows us to show completeness and correctness of model transformations based on rules with NACs and furthermore, we can extend the characterization of information preserving model transformations to the case with NACs. The presented results are applicable to several model transformations and in partic- ular to the well known model transformation from class diagrams to relational data bases, which we present as running example with NACs. [less ▲]

From Model Transformation to Model Integration based on the Algebraic Approach to Triple Graph Grammars

in Electronic Communications of the EASST (2008), 10

Success and efficiency of software and system design fundamentally relies on its models. The more they are based on formal methods the more they can be automatically transformed to execution models and ... [more ▼]

Success and efficiency of software and system design fundamentally relies on its models. The more they are based on formal methods the more they can be automatically transformed to execution models and finally to implementation code. This paper presents model transformation and model integration as specific problem within bidirectional model transformation, which has shown to support various purposes, such as analysis, optimization, and code generation. The main purpose of model integration is to establish correspondence between various models, especially between source and target models. From the analysis point of view, model integration supports correctness checks of syntactical dependencies between different views and models. The overall concept is based on the algebraic approach to triple graph grammars, which are widely used for model transformation. The main result shows the close relationship between model transformation and model integration. For each model transformation sequence there is a unique model integration sequence and vice versa. This is demonstrated by a quasi-standard example for model transformation between class models and relational data base models. [less ▲]