Abstract
Model-driven Engineering requires efficient powerful methods for verifying model correctness and quality. Class Diagram is the central language within UML. Its main problems involve correctness problems, which include the consistency and the finite satisfiability problems, and quality problems, which include the redundancy and incomplete design problems. Two central constraints in class diagrams are the multiplicity and the aggregation/composition constraints. They are essential in modeling configuration management, features, biology, computer-aided design and database systems.
The contribution of this paper involves efficient algorithms for tightening multiplicity constraints that cannot be realized, and for identification of correctness problems that are caused by aggregation/composition constraints. The algorithms are analyzed, and their soundness and completeness properties are proved. We show that these constraints are inter-related, and that the combination of these algorithms strengthens their results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Costal, D., Gómez, C.: On the use of Association Redefinition in UML Class Diagrams. In: Embley, D.W., Olivé, A., Ram, S. (eds.) ER 2006. LNCS, vol. 4215, pp. 513–527. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Feinerer, I., Salzer, G., Sisel, T.: Reducing Multiplicities in Class Diagrams. In: Whittle, J., Clark, T., Kühne, T. (eds.) MODELS 2011. LNCS, vol. 6981, pp. 379–393. Springer, Heidelberg (2011)
Balaban, M., Maraee, A.: Finite Satisfiability of UML Class Diagrams with Constrained Class Hierarchy. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, SEM (to appear)
Maraee, A., Balaban, M.: Inter-association Constraints in UML2: Comparative Analysis, Usage Recommendations, and Modeling Guidelines. In: France, R.B., Kazmeier, J., Breu, R., Atkinson, C. (eds.) MODELS 2012. LNCS, vol. 7590, pp. 302–318. Springer, Heidelberg (2012)
Feinerer, I., Salzer, G.: Numeric Semantics of Class Diagrams with Multiplicity and Uniqueness Constraints. Software and Systems Modeling, SoSyM (2013)
Balaban, M., Jelnov, P., Maraee, A., Sturm, A.: A Pattern-Based Approach for Improving Model Design Quality (submitted)
Maraee, A.: UML Class Diagrams–Semantics, Correctness and Quality. PhD thesis, Ben Gurion University of the Negev (2012)
OMG: UML 2.4 Superstructure Specification. Specification Version 2.4.1. Object Management Group (2011)
Kleppe, A., Rensink, A.: On a Graph-Based Semantics for UML Class and Object Diagrams. In: Ermel, C., Lara, J.D., Heckel, R. (eds.) Graph Transformation and Visual Modelling Techniques. Electronic Communications of the EASST, vol. 10. EASST (2008)
Berardi, D., Calvanese, D., Giacomo, D.: Reasoning on UML Class Diagrams. Artificial Intelligence 168, 70–118 (2005)
Lenzerini, M., Nobili, P.: On the Satisfiability of Dependency Constraints in Entity-Relationship Schemata. Information Systems 15, 453–461 (1990)
BGU Modeling Group: UML Class Diagram Anti-Patterns (2010), http://www.cs.bgu.ac.il/~cd-patterns/
Alexander, E.: Automated Abstraction of Class Diagrams. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, TOSEM 11, 449–491 (2002)
Shoval, P., Danoch, R., Balaban, M.: Hierarchical ER diagrams (HERD)–the Method and Experimental Evaluation. Advanced Conceptual Modeling Techniques, 264–274 (2003)
Queralt, A., Teniente, E.: Verification and Validation of UML Conceptual Schemas with OCL Constraints. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology T 21, 13:1–13:41 (2012)
Kaneiwa, K., Satoh, K.: On the Complexities of Consistency Checking for Restricted UML Class Diagrams. Theor. Comput. Sci. 411, 301–323 (2010)
Thalheim, B.: Entity Relationship Modeling, Foundation of Database Technology. Springer (2000)
Calvanese, D., Lenzerini, M.: On the Interaction between ISA and Cardinality Constraints. In: The 10th IEEE Int. Conf. on Data Engineering (1994)
Hartmann, S.: Coping with Inconsistent Constraint Specifications. In: Kunii, H.S., Jajodia, S., Sølvberg, A. (eds.) ER 2001. LNCS, vol. 2224, p. 241. Springer, Heidelberg (2001)
Boufares, F., Bennaceur, H.: Consistency Problems in ER-schemas for Database Systems. Information Sciences, 263–274 (2004)
Shaikh, A., Clarisó, R., Wiil, U., Memon, N.: Verification-driven Slicing of UML/OCL Models. In: Proceedings of the IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering, pp. 185–194. ACM (2010)
Alanen, M., Porres, I.: A Metamodeling Language Supporting Subset and Union Properties. Software and Systems Modeling 7, 103–124 (2008)
Hartmann, S.: On the Implication Problem for Cardinality Constraints and Functional Dependencies. Annals of Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence 33, 253–307 (2001)
BGU Modeling Group: FiniteSatUSE – A Class Diagram Correctness Tool (2011), http://sourceforge.net/projects/usefsverif/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Balaban, M., Maraee, A. (2013). Simplification and Correctness of UML Class Diagrams – Focusing on Multiplicity and Aggregation/Composition Constraints. In: Moreira, A., Schätz, B., Gray, J., Vallecillo, A., Clarke, P. (eds) Model-Driven Engineering Languages and Systems. MODELS 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 8107. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41533-3_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41533-3_28
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-41532-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-41533-3
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)