Formalize UML 2 Sequence Diagrams

Abstract

Abstract-UML 1 sequence diagrams have been widely employed for modeling software requirements and design. UML 2 introduced many new features, such as Combined Fragments, to make sequence diagrams more expressive than UML 1. However, the lack of formal semantics descriptions of these features makes it difficult for practitioners and tool builders to construct and analyze sequence diagrams that specify high assurance systems. In previous work, we presented a formalism, template semantics, for describing the operational semantics of behavioral notations. In this paper, we adapt template semantics to describe the combined fragments and other constructs of sequence diagrams. We believe that formalizing the semantics of sequence diagrams is an important step towards synthesizing multiple sequence diagrams into behavioral models (i.e., state machines) and formally analyzing them.

The many meanings of UML 2 Sequence Diagrams: a survey

“…The CombinedFragments and the basic fragments in the diagram are identified (Störrle, P-UMLaut, Hammal, Thread-tag, CPN, Template semantics); some approaches even build a syntax tree from the elements of the diagram based on an abstract syntax (STAIRS, Cengarle & Knapp, Knapp & Wuttke). Usually, the parsing from a diagram's concrete syntax to this intermediate representation is not given in detail (some rules can be found in [12] or in [41] based on maximal independent sets). After the parsing, the semantics is computed by recursively unfolding the fragments and gluing them together based on rules defined for each of the operators.…”

“…In [41] a formalization using template semantics is proposed for UML 2 Sequence Diagrams. The formalization is described in more detail in the technical report [42].…”

“…The formalization is described in more detail in the technical report [42]. The approach gives an operational semantics for which the basic computation model is hierarchical transition systems (HTS).…”

Evolution of the UML Interactions Metamodel

“…Störrle presented a formal specification of UML Interactions and a comparison of UML 2.0 and UML 1.4 Interactions [11] and [12]). A similar work was done by Knapp and Cengarle ([13] and [14]), Li and Ruan [15] and Shen et al [16]. Special attention was set to the semantics of assert and negative CombinedFragments ( [17] and [18]), though.…”

Approach to Formalizing UML Sequence Diagrams

“…In order to make the UML have accurate and formalized semantics, many researchers have tried all kinds of formalized methods and have achieved remarkable success [3][4][5]. Among these methods, description logics (DLs) stand out because of their excellent properties.…”