Challenges and Directions in Formalizing the Semantics of Modeling Languages

Computer Science and Information Systems

Robert B. France¹  Jeff Gray²  Barrett R. Bryant³  Marjan Mernik⁴  Gabor Karsai⁵  Peter J. Clarke⁶ 

[1] Computer Science Department, Colorado State University;Department of Computer Science, University of Alabama;Department of Computer and Information Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham;Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor;Institute for Software-Integrated Systems, Vanderbilt University;School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University

关键词: model-based tools;    modeling languages;    semantics.;   

DOI  :  10.2298/CSIS110114012B

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Computer Science and Information Systems

【 摘 要 】

Developing software from models is a growing practice and there exist many model-based tools (e.g., editors, interpreters, debuggers, and simulators) for supporting model-driven engineering. Even though these tools facilitate the automation of software engineering tasks and activities, such tools are typically engineered manually. However, many of these tools have a common semantic foundation centered around an underlying modeling language, which would make it possible to automate their development if the modeling language specification were formalized. Even though there has been much work in formalizing programming languages, with many successful tools constructed using such formalisms, there has been little work in formalizing modeling languages for the purpose of automation. This paper discusses possible semantics-based approaches for the formalization of modeling languages and describes how this formalism may be used to automate the construction of modeling tools.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC-ND