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Validating UML Models and OCL Constraints

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Book cover ≪UML≫ 2000 — The Unified Modeling Language (UML 2000)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1939))

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Abstract

The UML has been widely accepted as a standard for modeling software systems and is supported by a great number of CASE tools. However, UML tools often provide only little support for validating models early during the design stage. Also, there is generally no substantial support for constraints written in the Object Constraint Language (OCL). We present an approach for the validation of UML models and OCL constraints that is based on animation. The USE tool (UML-based Specification Environment) supports developers in this process. It has an animator for simulating UML models and an OCL interpreter for constraint checking. Snapshots of a running system can be created, inspected, and checked for conformance with the model. As a special case study, we have applied the tool to parts of the UML 1.3 metamodel and its well-formedness rules. The tool enabled a thorough and systematic check of the OCL well-formedness rules in the UML standard.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. FB 3, Computer Science Department, University of Bremen, Postfach 330440, D-28334, Bremen, Germany

    Mark Richters & Martin Gogolla

Authors
  1. Mark Richters
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  2. Martin Gogolla
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of York, Y010 5DD, Heslington, York, UK

    Andy Evans

  2. Computing Laboratory, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK

    Stuart Kent

  3. Rational Software Inc., 340 March Road, Kanata, K2K,2E4, Ontario, Canada

    Bran Selic

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Richters, M., Gogolla, M. (2000). Validating UML Models and OCL Constraints. In: Evans, A., Kent, S., Selic, B. (eds) ≪UML≫ 2000 — The Unified Modeling Language. UML 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1939. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-40011-7_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-40011-7_19

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-41133-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-40011-0

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