Implementing Consistency Management Techniques for Conceptual Modeling

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Implementing Consistency Management Techniques
for Conceptual Modeling

• R. Haesen M. SnoeckK.U.Leuven
  Belgiumraf.haesen_at_econ.kuleuven.ac.be

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Overview

• UML diagrams
• Merode views
• Consistency management
• Implementation of consistency rules

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UML Diagrams

• Different views on
• information system
• Each view defined by
• meta-model and rules
• Only implicit inter-view consistency rules

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Merode views

• One model
• Three views
• Formalized by means of (process) algebra

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Merode views EDG
Existence Dependency Graph

• Static aspects
• Inheritance
• Existence Dependency

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Merode views OET
Object-Event Table

• Object
• Event
• Method

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Merode views FSM
Finite State Machines

• Behavioral model

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Consistency Management

• Consistency by analysis
• Freely construct the different views
• Run algorithm to spot inconsistencies/incompletene
  ss
• Consistency by monitoring
• Check new specification against existing
  specifications
• Model constantly consistent
• Consistency by construction (or by generation)
• Automatically complete specifications
• Model constantly consistent

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Consistency by monitoring

• Where?
• All manipulations of the meta-model
  objectsCreation, Modification, Deletion
• How?
• Preconditions for atomic commands

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Consistency by construction

• Where?
• Passive keep the three views consistent
• Active complete specifications
• How?
• Observer pattern
• Complex commands

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Consistency by analysis

• Why?
• Inconsistencies unavoidable
• Educational purposes check specifications
• Where?
• Finite State Machine analysis
• Inaccessible states
• Non-determinism
• Object-Event Table analysis
• Completeness and correctness for all methods

b
a
c
a
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Questions
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