Skip to main content
Book cover

IFM’99 pp 335–352Cite as

Specifying Interactive Systems in Object-Z and CSP

  • Conference paper

Abstract

In this paper we use a semantic integration of Object-Z and CSP to formally specify interactive systems. Interactive systems can be viewed as composed of functionality, presentation and interaction with different notations appropriate to each aspect. A model-based notation such as Object-Z can be used for defining functionality and presentation but a behaviour-based notation such as CSP is required for explicit definition and analysis of operation traces. We present an example of using Object- Z and CSP together in this way. We are developing a framework for using such integrated specifications as a basis for testing interactive systems.

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

Buying options

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

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. G. D. Abowd and A. J. Dix. Integrating status and event phenomena in formal specifications of interactive systems. In Foundations of Software Engineering (SIGSOFT94), pages 44–52, 1994. In SIGSOFT-SE Notes 7:5.

    Google Scholar 

  2. G.D. Abowd. Agents: Communicating interactive processes. In International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (INTERACT’90), pages 143–148, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  3. R. Büssow and M. Weber. A steam-boiler control specification with Statecharts and Z. In J.-R. Abrial, E. Börger, and H. Langmaack, editors, Formal Methods for Industrial Applications, volume 1165 of LNCS, pages 109–128. Springer-Verlag, 1996.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. J. Coutaz. PAC, an object-oriented model for dialog design. In International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (INTERACT’87), pages 431–436, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  5. J.S. Dong and B. Mahony. Active objects in TCOZ. In International Conference on Software Engineering, pages 16–25, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  6. D. Duke and M. Harrison. Abstract interaction objects. Computer Graphics Forum, 12:25–36, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. D. J. Duke and M. D. Harrison. Mapping user requirements to implementations. Software Engineering Journal, 10(1): 13–20, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. R. Duke and G. Rose. Formal Object-Oriented Specification and Design Using Object-Z. Software Verification Research Centre, University of Queensland, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  9. R. Duke, G. Rose, and G. Smith. Object-Z: A specification language advocated for the description of standards. Computer Standards & Interfaces, 17:511–533, 1995.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. E. A. Edmonds, editor. The Separable User Interface. Academic Press, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  11. A. Evans. An improved recipe for specifying reactive systems in Z. In Z User Meeting (ZUM97), volume 1212 of LNCS, pages 275–294. Springer, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  12. C. Fischer. CSP-OZ: a combination of Object-Z and CSP. In Formal Methods for Open Object-based Distributed Systems (FMOODS97), volume 2, pages 423–438, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  13. J.D. Foley, A. van Dam, S.K. Feiner, and J.F. Hughes.Computer Graphics: Principles and Practise. Addison-Wesley, 2nd edition, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  14. A.J. Galloway and W.J. Stoddart. An operation semantics for zccs. In ICFEM97 [19], pages 272–282.

    Google Scholar 

  15. M. Green. Report on dialogue specification tools. In Proceedings of the Workshop on User Interface Management Systems, pages 9–20. Springer- Verlag, 1983. Also published in Computer Graphics Forum, 1984, 3, 305- 313.

    Google Scholar 

  16. M. Harrison and H. Thimbleby, editors.Formal Methods in Human-Computer Interaction. Cambridge University Press, 1990.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. C. A. R. Hoare.Communicating Sequential Processes. Prentice-Hall, 1985.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  18. A. Hussey and D. Carrington. Specifying a Web browser interface using Object-Z. In Formal Methods in Human-Computer Interaction, chapter 8, pages 157–174. Springer, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  19. International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods (ICFEM97), 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  20. IEEE. Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology. In IEEE Software Engineering Standards Collection. IEEE, 1990. Std 610.12–190.

    Google Scholar 

  21. W. Johnston. A type checker for Object-Z. Technical Report 96–24, Software Verification Research Centre, The University of Queensland, July 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  22. G. E. Krasner and S. T. Pope. A Cookbook for Using the Model-View-Controller User Interface Paradigm in Smalltalk-80. Journal of Object-Oriented Programming, l(3):26–49, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  23. I. MacColl and D. Carrington. Extending the Test Template Framework for specification-based testing of interactive systems. In Australasian Computer Science Conference (ACSC99), pages 372–381. Springer, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  24. B. Mahony and J.S. Dong. Blending Object-Z and Timed CSP: An introduction to TCOZ. In International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods (ICFEM98), pages 95–104. IEEE, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Z. Manna and A. Pnueli. The temporal logic of reactive and concurrent systems, volume 1. Springer, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  26. G. Smith. A semantic integration of Object-Z and CSP for the specification of concurrent systems. In Formal Methods Europe (FME97), volume 1313 of LNCS, pages 62–81, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  27. G. Smith and J. Derrick. Refinement and verification of concurrent systems specified in Object-Z and CSP. In ICFEM97 [19], pages 293–302.

    Google Scholar 

  28. J. M. Spivey.The Z Notation: A Reference Manual. Prentice Hall, 2nd edition, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  29. B. Sufrin and J. He. Specification, analysis and refinement of interactive processes. In Harrison and Thimbleby [16], chapter 6, pages 153–200.

    Google Scholar 

  30. K. Taguchi and K. Araki. The state-based CCS semantics for concurrent Z specification. In ICFEM97 [19], pages 283–292.

    Google Scholar 

  31. R. Took. Putting design into practice: Formal specification and the user interface. In Harrison and Thimbleby [16], chapter 3, pages 63–96.

    Google Scholar 

  32. UIMS92. A metamodel for the runtime architecture of an interactive system. SIGCHI Bulletin, 24(l):32–37, 1992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. M. Weber. Combining Statecharts and Z for the design of safety-critical control systems. In Formal Methods Europe (FME96), volume 1051 of LNCS, pages 307–326, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  34. J. M. Wing. A specifier’s introduction to formal methods.Computer, 23(9):8–24, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. P. Zave and M. Jackson. Where do operations come from? A multi-paradigm specification technique. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 22(7):508–528, 1996.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer-Verlag London Limited

About this paper

Cite this paper

MacColl, I., Carrington, D. (1999). Specifying Interactive Systems in Object-Z and CSP. In: Araki, K., Galloway, A., Taguchi, K. (eds) IFM’99. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0851-1_18

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-0851-1_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-85233-107-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-0851-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics