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Change-driven model transformations

Change (in) the rule to rule the change

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Abstract

In this paper, we investigate change-driven model transformations, a novel class of transformations, which are directly triggered by complex model changes carried out by arbitrary transactions on the model (e.g. editing operation, transformation, etc). After a classification of relevant change scenarios, we identify challenges for change-driven transformations. As the main technical contribution of the current paper, we define an expressive, high-level language for specifying change-driven transformations as an extension of graph patterns and graph transformation rules. This language generalizes previous results on live model transformations by offering trigger events for arbitrarily complex model changes, and dedicated reactions for specific kinds of changes, making this way the concept of change to be a first-class citizen of the transformation language. We discuss how the underlying transformation engine needs to be adapted in order to use the same language uniformly for different change scenarios. The technicalities of our approach will be discussed on a (1) model synchronization case study with non-materialized target models and (2) a case study on detecting the violation of evolutionary (temporal) constraints in the security requirements engineering domain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Measurement and Information Systems, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, Budapest, 1117, Hungary

    Gábor Bergmann, István Ráth & Dániel Varró

  2. Real-Time Systems Lab, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Merckstr. 25, Darmstadt, 64283, Germany

    Gergely Varró

Authors
  1. Gábor Bergmann
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  2. István Ráth
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  3. Gergely Varró
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  4. Dániel Varró
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Correspondence to István Ráth.

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Communicated by Andy Schuerr and Bran Selic.

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Bergmann, G., Ráth, I., Varró, G. et al. Change-driven model transformations. Softw Syst Model 11, 431–461 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-011-0197-9

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