Toward a Semantic Anchoring Infrastructure for Domain-Specific Modeling Languages

Kai ChenJanos SztipanovitsSandeep Neema

Matthew EmersonSherif Abdelwahed

http://www.isis.vanderbilt.edu

Semantic Anchoring Tool Suite

Behavioral Semantic Spec.

SemanticAnchoring Rules

(MA)

TransitionEngine

DSML Metamdoel

(A)

GME Toolset

GReAT Tool

Model Checker

Model Simulator

Test CaseGenerator Mc

XSLT

Semantic UnitSpecification

Instance Generate

Domain Model(C)

AsmL Model(XML Format)

AsmL Metamodel

AsmL Data Model

AsmL Tools

MIC Tools for Metamodeling and Model Transformation

Formal Framework for Semantic Units Specification

MIC Tools: •GME:

A MOF-based metamodel-programmable tool from ISIS, Vanderbilt University. Provide a metamodeling environment and a domain-specific modeling environment.

•GReAT:

A graph transformation tool from ISIS, Vanderbilt University. Build on GME for metamodel to metamodel transformation and support UMT.

Formal Framework: •ASM:

A particular kind of mathematical machine, like the Turing. Can be used to faithfully capture the abstract structure and behavior of systems in wide variety of domains. (Yuri Gurevich)

•AsmL:

An ASM-based formal specification language developed by Microsoft Research. Provide a set of tools to do simulation, model check and validation.

Metamodel for FSM Domain Metamodel for the Semantic Unit

Transformational Rules

TransformationEngine XSLT

FSM Domain Model AsmL Data Model in XML Format

AsmL Data Model

AsmL Abstract Data ModelBehavioral Semantics SpecificationAbstract State Machine (ASM)

IntroductionMetamodeling facilitates the rapid, inexpensive development of domain-specific modeling languages (DSML-s). However, there are still challenges hindering the wide-scale industrial application of model-based design. One of these unsolved problems is the lack of a practical, effective method for the formal specification of DSML semantics. This problem has negative impact on reusability of DSML-s and analysis tools in domain specific tool chains. To address these issues, we propose a formal semantic anchoring framework with supporting tools to anchor the semantics of DSML-s to precisely defined and validated ``semantic units". In our framework, each of the syntactic and semantic DSML components is defined precisely and completely. The main contribution of our approach is that it moves toward an infrastructure for DSML design that integrates formal methods with practical engineering tools. In this research we use a mathematical model, Abstract State Machines, a common semantic framework to define the semantic domains of DSML-s.

Formal DSML Specification

A DSML may have multiple behavioral aspects and be associated different semantic domains.

Semantic Anchoring Infrastructure

• Structural Semantics: Defines a set of all correct structures in a set-valued semantic domain.

• Behavioral Semantics: Describes the evolution of the state of the modeled artifacts along certain timed model

• Semantic Units:

Capture the behavioral semantics of a finite set of basic models of computations, such as FSM, DE, TA and SDF.

Develop a set of simple modeling languages for the semantic units and specify their semantics in a formal semantics framework.

DSML Design Through Semantic Anchoring

Step 1: Specify the DSML <A, C, Mc> by using MOF-based metamodels.

Step 2: Select appropriate semantic units L = < Ai, Ci, MCi, Si, MSi> for the behavioral aspects of the DSML.

Step 3: Specify the semantic anchoring MA = A Ai by using Unified Modeling Transformation Language (UMT). Now, DSML = < A, C, MC, Si, MSiMA > .