Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory A Survey on Transformation Tools for Model-Based User Interface Development Robbie Schäfer – Paderborn University / C-LAB

2 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Outline  Motivation  Transformations in Model-based User Interface Development  Comparison of Transformation Approaches  Conclusion

3 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Different ways to access to the same service (e.g. hotel booking)  Varying interaction modalities  Different devices  Different UI-toolkits  How can different devices and modalities be supported? Motivation – Many Devices When do you arrive? Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

4 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Motivation – Different Users in Varying Contexts User Interfaces have to be adapted to individual preferences and capabilities  How can the user’s capabilities and preferences be captured?  How can the user interfaces be adapted?  How does the context of use control the adaptation? User A can see well… User B can‘t see well… Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

5 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Solution: Model-based User Interface Development Final UI (FUI) Concrete UI (CUI) Abstract UI (AUI) Task & Concepts Describes which steps are needed to reach a goal Independent from specific modality Independent from underlying toolkit Toolkit-dependent User Interface Concrete UI (CUI) Final UI (FUI) When do you arrive? Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

6 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Device ProfileHTML UIML DISL Transformations needed in Model-based User Interface Development Approach  Model Transformations  Transformations of UIDLs  Transformations for optimizations  Profile Conversion and Evolution Final UI (FUI) Concrete UI (CUI) Abstract UI (AUI)WMLVoiceXMLFIPADevice ProfileCC/PP Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

7 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Selection Criteria for Transformation Systems  Large number of transformation systems in computing  Even if constrained to MDA >20 systems  UI-Development (still) has models and transformation systems differing from Software Engineering  Candidates selected because  Allow generic model transformation  And successfully applied for UI transformation  And / or provide useful aspects for UI transformation  Selected Graph Transformation, ATL, TXL, 4DML, UIML peers, XSLT, GAC, RDL/TT Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

8 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer The Selected Canditates (1)  Graph transformations (GT)  Formal approach for UI abstractions which are specified with graphs  Embedded in UsiXML  Allows transformation of almost all levels of abstractions  Atlas Transformation Language (ATL)  Hybrid approach with declarative matching rules (patterns + OCL expressions)  Imperative constructs for matching rules  Works on models only  Rule Description Language for Tree Transformation (RDL/TT)  General XML transformation language  Mainly used for UI adaptation  Simple source matching, target defined with Java-like constructs Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

9 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer The Selected Canditates (2)  TXL  Broad Scope, also used for model transformations  Specification of Structure with BNF  Transformation rules (pattern / replace) and functional programming  Allows for the transformation to concrete UI instance  Four-Dimensional Markup Language (4DML)  General purpose but used for UI adaptation  Transformations between completely different notations  Views Data as n-dimensional structures  Declarative source matching and target definition Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

10 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer The Selected Canditates (3)  User Interface Markup Language (UIML)  UIML is XML-based UI Description language  Allows mapping to target interfaces  Linear transformations  Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT)  XML transformation language  Used for UI transformations e.g. XHTML conversion  Recursive application of template rules and patterns  General Adaptation Component (GAC)  XML transformation language  Developed for adaptation of web content  Transformations described with RDF Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

11 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Comparison of Different Transformation Tools FeatureATLGTTXL4DMLXSLTGACUIMLRDL Declarative Imperative Model Transformation ++(+) XML Transformation --(+) ++-+ Code Transformation --+(+)---- Code Generation --++(+)-+ Complex Mapping Extensible Parameterizable Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

12 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer Conclusion  Looked at several systems for UI transformation  Studied only language features, not real performance  Decision for one approach largely depends on  The modeling tasks  The model representation formats  The targeted application  The developers familiarity with a certain programming model  Transformations working on XML model representations can help to bypass or improve transformations in UI modeling tools Motivation Transformation Comparison Conclusion

13 Cooperative Computing & Communication Laboratory © 2007 Siemens IT Solutions and Services GmbH & Co. OHG und Universität PaderbornRobbie Schäfer