1. Domain Specific Product Description Exchange
Dr Andy Evans
Xactium Limited
Contact:

2. Product Descriptions
Large engineering projects need the ability to be able to capture and interchange product descriptions
Examples: maintenance logs, test descriptions, vehicle configurations, and so on
Although there is some commonality across products, there are often significant features that are specific to each domain. How do we manage these situations?
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3. Capturing Product Data
We use languages to capture product data
The following types of language are commonly used:
General-purpose, low-level languages like XML, or other common lowest denominator data representation
Specialised ‘product description’ languages like AP233, SEDRES, SysML
General purpose modelling languages, i.e. UML
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4. Languages - Pros and Cons
General purpose languages, e.g. XML
Product description languages, e.g. SysML
Un-restricted: can capture any type of data
More intuitive, visual, semantically richer
Semantically weak, difficult to maintain
Fixed set of concepts that is hard to extend
Uses general purpose concept types, e.g. component
Stereotypes are a weak form of specialisation
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5. Domain Specific Languages
A Domain Specific Language (DSL) is a language designed for a specific problem domain
DSL’s directly capture domain concepts, e.g. maintenance logs, vehicle configurations, weapon trajectories
Example:
A language that allows you to visually model specific vehicle configurations, test them and generate specific component API’s.
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6. Benefits of DSL’s
Engineers work with concepts that closely match the problem domain:
E.g. user-interfaces are modelled using visual user-interface modelling languages
More intuitive representation of problem domain to stakeholders:
Stakeholders understand the models because they match their way of thinking about the problem
Semantics of concepts can be fully described in a very focused way
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7. Managing and interchanging DSL’s
We need a way of being able to rapidly construct DSL’s and provide support for them in tools
We need a common denominator way of representing and interchanging DSL product descriptions as models
We also need a way to make the DSL definitions themselves open and interchangeable
©Xactium Limited, 2005

8. Components of DSL’s Domain Concepts Semantics Visual/ Textual Syntax
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9. DSL’s as Models DSL’s can be modelled (just as we can model systems)
Provide a model of domain concepts, visual/textual syntax, and semantics
Key point: the languages used to model DSL’s are modelled themselves:
Can therefore deploy DSL tools on other platforms by constructing tool mappings
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10. XMF-Mosaic
XMF
Engine
MOF
Runs on
A platform for modelling, executing and deploying languages and their associated tools
Based on MDA and associated meta-data standards (MOF)
Everything is modelled, including the XMF-Mosaic platform itself
DSL
Modelling
Language
Model of
Language
Model of
Product
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11. Advantages
As models, the DSL definitions are fully transparent and interchangeable
Models written in the language can be interchanged between any pair of tools that understand the DSL model
Alternatively, we can define mapping rules to generate XML representations of models and DSL’s.
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12. Example
Language for capturing specific classes of events (i.e. specialised event based view of a product)
Compulsory events
Optional events
Internal and external actors
Process:
Model domain concepts
Model diagram syntax
Model semantics
Model a mapping to another language (forms based language)
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13. Model of Domain Concepts
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14. Model of Diagram Syntax
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15. Model a Specific Product
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16. Map to a Forms Language
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17. Model of Semantics
Validate model
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18. Semantics
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19. Construct Mappings to Interchange formats
Model of XML
Mapping
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20. Summary Product descriptions are written using languages
Benefits from being able to use domain specific product description languages (DSL’s)
XML and standards like SysML don’t facilitate this
Can provide an open an transparent way of describing DSL’s by modelling them using meta-data standards like MOF
Interchange capabilities provided through meta-data and standards like MDA
XMF-Mosaic a fully integrated model-driven development environment that supports the modelling, execution and deployment of DSL’s
©Xactium Limited, 2005