An Infrastructure for UML-Based Code Generation Tools

Abstract

Abstract. The use of Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) techniques in the domain of distributed embedded real-time systems are gain importance in order to cope with the increasing design complexity of such systems. This paper discusses an infrastructure created to build GenERTiCA, a flexible tool that supports a MDE approach, which uses aspect-oriented concepts to handle nonfunctional requirements from embedded and real-time systems domain. GenERTiCA generates source code from UML models, and also performs weaving of aspects, which have been specified within the UML model. Additionally, this paper discusses the Distributed Embedded Real-Time Compact Specification (DERCS), a PIM created to support UML-based code generation tools. Some heuristics to transform UML models into DERCS, which have been implemented in GenERTiCA, are also discussed.

Case study: Modeling a crisis management system using the AMoDE-RT approach and DERAF

“…UMLto-DERCS transformation is performed automatically via a transformation engine used in GenERTiCA [8] and AT4U [10] tools. A detailed discussion is presented in [9]. Additionally, an important issue in MDE approaches is how to deal with specification errors and mistakes.…”

“…It is important to mention that this text only covers the modeling phase of AMoDE-RT, and hence, details on all other subjects presented in this Section are provided in other publications, e.g. [7], [3], [8], [9], [12], [11], and [10].…”

“…Mapping Rules (XML) Sw/Hw Platforms DERAF Aspects Implementation (10) RT-UML Specification + DERAF (5) RT-UML Model Transformation (6) DERCS Model (7) GenERTiCA Code Generation + Aspects Weaving (9) Generated Source Code (12) Code Compilation and Synthesis (11) Distributed Embedded Real-Time System Modeling (4) Requirements (2) Requirements Analysis (1) …”

“…DERCS provides elements to support both the object-and aspect-oriented paradigms. Moreover, UML meta model does not support AOSD; and DERCS meta-model is less ambiguous than the UML one, since the same information on the system behavior can be represented with fewer elements [9]. UMLto-DERCS transformation is performed automatically via a transformation engine used in GenERTiCA [8] and AT4U [10] tools.…”

“…Modeling guidelines define a subset of UML diagrams to be used, as well as rules defining how to specify application elements using these diagrams. On the other hand, transformation rules have been created to transform UML models into the Distributed Embedded Real-time Compact Specification (DERCS) [9], which provides a Platform Independent Model (PIM) suitable to manipulate such high-level information. DERCS provides elements to support both the object-and aspect-oriented paradigms.…”