Bridging proprietary modelling and open-source model management tools: the case of PTC Integrity Modeller and Epsilon

Abstract

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

Runtime translation of OCL-like statements on Simulink models: Expanding domains and optimising queries

“…Similarly, model-to-model transformation and other model management programs may also result in the generation or modification of Simulink models. From our experiments, it is unclear the performance impact and completeness of the EMF-to-Simulink transformation although it is likely to have similar costs to the import procedure and similar issues to those found in other tools such as those mentioned for the ReqIF requirements imported by MATLAB [ 29 ] or the XMI models exported by PTC [ 49 ]. Our on-the-fly approach does not need to incur in round-trip engineering costs as it directly acts on the models themselves.…”

“…Additionally, MATLAB has a full-fledged language to manage its model elements that PTC does not, which allowed us to implement query optimisations. As in this work, one of the findings of [ 49 ] is that where performance is of essence, it is best to use the native tooling. In [ 49 ], the driver is evaluated against the native approach to manage the models by the tool, i.e.…”

“…In [ 12 ], a spreadsheet driver was introduced to enable the manipulation of spreadsheets as models where element types were resolved from spreadsheet names, elements from rows and properties from columns while enabling flexible rules to resolve element references or change these conventions. Our approach is closer to that used by the PTC-IM driver presented in [ 49 ], where an interface with the PTC is used to manage the models. One difference with the PTC driver is that in MATLAB the API is not consistent and required commands to be built on demand.…”

“…to protect their intellectual property. However, when they do export them, sometimes they do so partially—like PTC with partial exports [ 49 ] and Simulink with ReqIF, which can make the round-trip engineering prohibitive (e.g. [ 49 ]) or complex (e.g.…”

“…XML) or used to produce documentation. Similarly, a number of works have been written on transformations that produce Simulink models from SysML models [ 3 , 32 , 39 , 49 ]. In this particular scenario, several approaches achieve the transformation by generating MATLAB programs that produce the Simulink models on execution.…”