Abstract. Academic and commercial approaches to software product line development have concentrated on the rapid instantiation of source code assets to minimise product time to market. Generative programming and model-based software engineering approaches have been suggested as effective ways of achieving this. However, for high-integrity software systems the instantiated product source code has to be accompanied by development process assets that demonstrate and support the product assurance arguments. This paper describes an approach to the model-based development of software product lines that is specifically designed to address the needs of high-integrity software systems. The approach consists of a reference architecture model and component-based development style, supported by model transformations to instantiate the project-specific components and associated development assets.
While the majority of research on Model-Based Software Engineering revolves around open-source modelling frameworks such as the Eclipse Modelling Framework, the use of commercial and closed-source modelling tools such as RSA, Rhapsody, MagicDraw and Enterprise Architect appears to be the norm in industry at present. This technical gap can prohibit industrial users from reaping the benefits of state-of-the-art research-based tools in their practice. In this paper, we discuss an attempt to bridge a proprietary UML modelling tool (PTC Integrity Modeller), which is used for model-based development of safetycritical systems at Rolls-Royce, with an open-source family of languages for automated model management (Epsilon). We present the architecture of our solution, the challenges we encountered in developing it, and a performance comparison against the tool's built-in scripting interface. In addition, we use the bridge in a real-world industrial case study that involves the coordination with other bridges between proprietary tools and Epsilon.Keywords Model-driven engineering · Model management · Open-source Communicated by Mr. Vinay Kulkarni.
B Athanasios Zolotas
Abstract-While the majority of research on Model-Based Software Engineering revolves around open-source modelling frameworks such as EMF, the use of commercial and closedsource modelling tools such as RSA, Rhapsody, MagicDraw and PTC Integrity Modeller appears to be the norm in industry at present. This technical gap can prohibit industrial users from reaping the benefits of state-of-the-art research-based tools in their practice. In this paper, we discuss an attempt to bridge a proprietary UML modelling tool (PTC Integrity Modeller), which is used for model-based development of safety-critical systems at Rolls-Royce, with an open-source family of languages for automated model management (Epsilon). We present the architecture of our solution, the challenges we encountered in developing it, and a performance comparison against the tool's built-in scripting interface.
Generative programming and model transformation techniques are becoming widely used for the development of software components for product lines. The ability to develop components with identified common and variable parts, and rapidly instantiate product-specific versions is key to many software product line approaches. However if this approach is to be truly cost effective for high assurance applications, the instantiation process must be property-preserving; any verification evidence acquired on the product-line component must be demonstrably applicable to the instantiated component. In this paper we outline an approach that uses static analysis techniques and the SPARK language that can potentially demonstrate the correctness of model transformations.
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