Combining feature modeling and Object Oriented concepts to manage the software variability

Abstract

Feature modeling is a key technique for capturing and explicit documenting the software product line variability. Object Oriented (00) concepts have been frequently used to encapsulate and reuse software resources in large scale systems. To improve the possibilities of combination and derivation between distinct feature models, this paper defines the Object Oriented Feature Modeling (OOFM) approach. It is a combination of Object Oriented concepts and Feature Modeling techniques that allows the declaration of feature classes and its derivation methods, and the instantiation of feature objects with their encapsulated informations. As a result, the integration and the production of multiple product lines, by the definition of feature frameworks, combining distinct feature classes according to the domain interest, can be applied.

Systems Variability Modeling: A Textual Model Mixing Class and Feature Concepts

“…Graphical feature modeling consists of tree hierarchy that shows the variable feature as the head node and the variant features as children nodes [10]. Designers do not prefer to use graphical representation for more than one reason [16]: firstly, designing feature models using graphical representation is considered a very boring process and does not reflect the real semantic of system components.…”

“…These approaches designed the variability and commonalities between variants of a product based on features with feature model, and implement these variations in class model. The mixing was done using several techniques like constraints additions [8,12], relation definition [7,10] and references links [11]. These approaches defined the way for instantiating objects (configuration) that provides the final product (release) from selecting objects based on fixed features and resolving constraints and relations among them.…”

“…Approaches that used object-oriented paradigm [5,6] to model variability described system architecture by package diagrams that used class diagrams. Several approaches [7][8][9][10][11] mix feature models with class models to present software product line engineering process. These approaches designed the variability and commonalities between variants of a product based on features with feature model, and implement these variations in class model.…”

A Feature-Based Environment for Digital Games

“…The representation of game features are performed by FeatureClass structures [5]. They are created for each main feature of the respective NESI and GDS models (game feature containers), presenting feature methods that prepare each featureModel and respective featureConfigurations for games.…”

“…Analyzing the digital game domain, it is possible to verify multiple examples of game genres and categories presenting common features among them [1], distinct modeling approaches able to represent digital games [2,3], and a great influence of game engines during game design and implementation activities [4]. This paper proposes the Object Oriented Feature Modeling (OOFM) [5] usage in the digital games domain. It aims to manage distinct game features provided by NESI [2] and GDS [3] models in a specialized OOFM structure, providing the game logic, rules and goals (the G-Factor [4]) in a parameterized and hierarchical way.…”