Skip to main content

Dynamic and Generic Manipulation of Models: From Introspection to Scripting

  • Conference paper
Book cover Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems (MODELS 2006)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 4199))

Abstract

Model introspection is a powerful feature of existing modeling frameworks like Java Metadata Interface or Eclipse Modeling Framework. It allows a program to work with any model by querying its structure dynamically at runtime. Applications of model introspection are model transformation engines and generic models editor. We show that mechanisms for model introspection are complex to use. To address this problem, we propose the notion of model scripting which uses introspection to automatically and dynamically expose any kind of model to program control through a compact and high-level notation. In this paper, we present several principles for general model scripting. Scripting languages built with these principles can be used for numerous model driven activities, such as interactive model testing and rapid development of scripts to process models and metamodels.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Modelware Information Society Technologies Project, European Commission

    Google Scholar 

  2. Object Management Group. MOF 2.0 Specification, OMG Document/01-01-06

    Google Scholar 

  3. Object Management Group. MOF QVT Specification, OMG Document/05-11-01

    Google Scholar 

  4. Porres, I.: A Toolkit for Model Manipulation. Journal on Software and Systems Modeling 2(4) (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Porres, I., Alanen, M.: Generic Deep Copy Algorithm for MOF-Based Models. In: Model Driven Architecture, European MDA Workshops: Foundations and Applications, University of Twente (July 2003)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Czarnecki, K., Helsen, S.: Classification of model transformation approaches. In: In Proceedings of the OOPSLA 2003 Workshop on Generative Techniques in the Context of MDA (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ousterhout, J.K.: Scripting: Higher-level Programming for the 21st Century. IEEE Computer 31(3) (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Maes, P., Nardi, D.: Meta-Level Architectures and Reflection. Elsevier, Amsterdam (1988)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Budinsky, F., Steinberg, D., Merks, E., Ellersick, R., Grose, T.: Eclipse Modeling Framework. Addison Wesley, Reading (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Studer, D., Vojtisek, P., Drey, Z., Pollet, D., Fondement, F., Drey, F.Z., Pollet, D., Muller, P.A., Fleurey, F., Jézéquel, J.M.: On executable meta-languages applied to model transformations. In: Model Transformations In Practice Workshop, Jamaica (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Java Community Process. Java Metadata Inferface (JMI) Specification

    Google Scholar 

  12. Fraleigh, S., Riehle, D., Bucka-Lassen, D., Omorogbe, N.: The Architecture of a UML Virtual Machine. In: Proceedings of OOPSLA 2001, ACM Press, New York (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rahm, E., Melnik, S., Bernstein, P.A.: Rondo: A programming platform for generic model management. In: Proceedings of SIGMOD 2003 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Schneider, J., Nierstrasz, O.: Components, scripts and glue. In: Software Architectures - Advances and Applications, Springer, Heidelberg (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Peltonen, J., Siikarla, M., Selonen, P.: Combining OCL and Programming Languages for UML Model Processing. In: Proceedings of the Workshop, OCL 2.0 – Industry Standard or Scientific Playground (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ho, W.-M., Le Guennec, A., Sunye, G., Pennaneac’h, F., Jezequel, J.-M.: Using Uml Action Semantics for Executable Modeling and Beyond. In: Dittrich, K.R., Geppert, A., Norrie, M.C. (eds.) CAiSE 2001. LNCS, vol. 2068, Springer, Heidelberg (2001)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Tombelle, C., Vanwormhoudt, G. (2006). Dynamic and Generic Manipulation of Models: From Introspection to Scripting. In: Nierstrasz, O., Whittle, J., Harel, D., Reggio, G. (eds) Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems. MODELS 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4199. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11880240_28

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11880240_28

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-45772-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45773-2

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics