A meta-modeling approach to specifying patterns
Date
2004
Authors
Kim, Dae-Kyoo, author
France, Robert B., advisor
Bieman, James M., committee member
Ghosh, Sudipto, committee member
Turk, Daniel E., committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
A major goal in software development is to produce quality products in less time and with less cost. Systematic reuse of software artifacts that encapsulate high-quality development experience can help one achieve the goal. Design patterns are a common form of reusable design experience that can help developers reduce development time. Prevalent design patterns are, however, described informally (e.g., [35]). This prevents systematic use of patterns. The research documented in this dissertation is aimed at developing a practical pattern specification technique that supports the systematic use of patterns during design modeling. A pattern specification language called the Role-Based Metamodeling Language (RBML) was developed as part of this research. The RBML specifies a pattern as a specialization of the UML metamodel. The RBML uses the Unified Modeling Language (UML) as a syntactic base to enable the use of UML modeling tools for creating and evolving pattern specifications. We used the RBML to develop specifications for design patterns in the Design Patterns book [35] including Abstract Factory, Bridge, Decorator, Observer, State, Iterator, and Visitor. We also used the RBML to define a large application domain pattern for checkin-checkout systems, and used the resulting specification to develop UML designs for a library system and a car rental system. In addition, we used the RBML to specify access control mechanisms as patterns including Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Mandatory Access Control (MAC), and a Hybrid Access Control (HAC) that is a composition of RBAC and MAC. The RBML is currently used at NASA for modeling pervasive requirements as patterns. NASA also uses the RBML in the development of Weather CTAS System that is a weather forecasting system. To determine the potential of the RBML to support the development of tools that enable systematic use of patterns, we developed a prototype tool called RBMLPattern Instantiator (RBML-PI) that generates conforming UML models from RBML pattern specifications.
Description
Department Head: L. Darrell Whitley.