Extending xADL with statechart behavioral specification

Abstract

Architecture-based analysis and testing of systems plays a key role in increasing their dependability. In order to perform those activities, both structural and behavioral architecture descriptions are needed. In most ADLs, support for representing dynamic behavior at the architectural level is either unavailable or is available only using the particulars of that ADL, thereby limiting its usefulness. xADL, an XML-based architecture representation, provides only structural architectural descriptions, not enough to perform analysis of dynamic behavior. This paper builds upon xADL and an existing analysis tool (Argus-I) to create an approach to xADL's current structural description features, augmenting it with behavioral specifications, namely statecharts. We believe that architectural analysis tools should be independent of their ADLs. Adding explicit support for behavioral description in xADL is the first step toward proper integration of flexible representations of architectures with flexible capabilities for their analysis and test.

Extending Architecture Description Languages With Exchangeable Component Behavior Languages

“…However, most C&C ADLs disregard integration of component behavior DSLs [11]. To the best of our knowledge, similar integration is supported by AADL [12] and xADL [13] only. Both consider syntactic integration only, whereas MontiArcAutomaton also supports symbolic integration, reuse of well-formedness rules, and code generator composition [4] to translate integrated models into GPL artifacts.…”

Tailoring the MontiArcAutomaton Component & Connector ADL for Generative Development

“…It is based on the xArch 3 meta model for XML-based ADLs, shares many features with MontiArcAutomaton (such as atomic and composed component types, instantiation, component behavior models). Extension in xADL focuses on language extension on the meta model level and does neither support black-box language integration, nor integration of language processing infrastructure [19]. Also, xADL does not consider code generator composition.…”

Supporting Reliability Modeling and Analysis for Component-Based Software Architecture: An XML-Based Approach

“…xADL is an XML-based architecture description language defined at UC Irvine and Carnegie Mellon University with the goal of being an open, highly extensible and modular language. Besides the ability to support the fundamental architectural constructs, such as components, connectors and interfaces, xADL has been enhanced by other add-on These add-on modules have been developed by either the authors of the language themselves or third-party contributors, such as [17] that supports the modeling of component and connector behavior using state-charts, and [18] that describes security properties by applying access control model into software architectures.…”