Platform Independent Specification Of Simulation Model Components

Abstract

Simulation model composability is a highly debated issue, especially the specific requirements of model components as compared to software components. Selected software component techniques are reviewed and adapted according to simulation models needs. Standard technologies like UML and XML are exploited to form the basis for a specification layer that wraps model definitions. This layer accounts for explicit dependencies, compositions, and parametrization of simulation models. Thereby, the specification of model components can be done in a platform and simulation system independent manner. For the purpose of simulation a mapping to a concrete modeling formalism becomes necessary. This is here done on the example of the Parallel DEVS formalism.

Component-Based Models and Simulations for Supporting Valid Multi-Agent System Simulations

“…Based on XML descriptions, models can be specified in a componentoriented manner (Röhl 2006). Provided and required interfaces of each model component have to be explicitly specified.…”

Composing Simulations from XML-Specified Model Components

“…In a second step the declarative models are transformed to executable ones that can be simulated by James II. Please refer to Röhl (2006) for the details of the first transformation step and to Röhl and Uhrmacher (2005) for the second.…”

“…Schema Definitions mainly define the syntax of an XML document and thereby provide the means for rendering XML documents valid or invalid. The entity that provides access to XML documents holding component data is bound to the XML Schema given in Röhl (2006). As such it comprises accessors to a set of parameters, a reference to a parameter mapper, a set of ports, a set of sub components, a set of connections (between sub components), and a reference to a model definition.…”

“…The paper concludes with a discussion of related work. Figure 1 shows the four stages that make up the conceptual "cornerstones" for composing simulation models (Röhl 2006 As much as possible of compositions should be specifiable by XML Documents. Declarative specifications ease database integration, readability by users, and the development of graphical user interfaces.…”

“…Based on the concepts discussed in (Röhl 2006) we present a framework for composing simulation models from XML specifications. In a first step, consistency of compositions is checked on a syntactical level.…”