Abstracts of Seminar Presentations

Title: Recognition of Patterns in Designs Models through Logic Inferences

Abstract:

Design patterns are codified reusable knowledge of the solutions of recurring design problems. They play an increasingly important role in software development. In this talk I will report some of our recent work on the formal specification of design patterns in formal logic and the development of automated software tools to recognise design patterns at design level through logic inferences.

The talk is based on the following papers.

[1]   L. Shan and H. Zhu. A formal descriptive semantics of UML. Proc. of ICFEM’09, pp375–396.

[2] H. Zhu, I. Bayley, L. Shan and R. Amphlett, Tool Support for Design Pattern Recognition at Model Level, Proc. of COMPSAC'09, July 2009.

[3] L. Shan and H. Zhu, Semantics of Metamodels in UML, Proc. of  TASE’09, Aug. 2009

[4] H. Zhu, L. Shan, I. Bayley and R. Amphlett, A Formal Descriptive Semantics of UML And Its Applications, in UML 2 Semantics and Applications, Kevin Lano (Eds.), John Wiley & Sons, pp95-123, Nov. 2009. 

[5] Ian Bayley and Hong Zhu, Formal Specification of the Variants and Behavioural Features of Design Patterns, Journal of Systems and Software Vol. 83, No. 2, Feb. 2010, pp 209–221

Title: Data Mutation: A Method for Automated Generation of Structurally Complex Test Cases
Abstract:
Generation of adequate test cases is difficult and expensive, especially for testing software systems whose input is large and structurally complex. This talk will present an approach called data mutation to generating a large number of test data from a few seed test cases. The talk will present the idea of data mutation, its testing process and measurement of success. It will report a case study in its application to a modelling tool to demonstrate its effectiveness to test complicated systems. We will also discuss its potential applications in various types of applications as well as the perspective on the integration of data mutation testing method with other black box testing techniques such as metamorphic testing and algebraic testing techniques.
The talk will be based on the following paper:
[1] Lijun Shan and Hong Zhu, Generating Structurally Complex Test Cases by Data Mutation: A Case Study of Testing an Automated Modelling Tool, The Computer Journal, Aug. 2009; Vol. 52, No. 5: pp571-588; doi:10.1093/comjnl/bxm043.

Title: On the Theoretical Foundation of Meta-Modelling in Graphically Extended BNF
Abstract:
Meta-modelling plays an important role in model driven software development methodology. In this talk, I will present a graphic extension of BNF (GEBNF) for meta-modelling. From a GEBNF syntax definition, predicate logic languages can be induced so that meta-modelling can be performed formally by specifying a predicate on the domain of syntactically valid models. Therefore, it can be used to define the abstract syntax of graphic modelling languages, to specify constraints on existing meta-models, and to extend existing meta-models. In this talk, I will report the investigation of the theoretical foundation of this formal meta-modelling approach. I will first formally define the semantics of GEBNF syntax definitions as algebras that contain no junk and satisfy constraints derived from GEBNF syntax rules. The semantics of the induced logic is then formally defined by regarding such algebras as models. I will then formally prove that well-formed syntax definitions together with syntax morphisms form a category, where syntax morphisms represent the translations between modelling languages. The models (i.e. algebras) in a modelling language and the homomorphisms between them also form a category. Finally, we prove that the functors from GEBNF syntax definitions to the categories of models and to sentences in the induced first order logic form an institution, which is a theory proposed by Goguen and Burstall for the integration of formal specification and programming languages. Therefore, GEBNF and its induced logics form a valid formal specification language for models.
The talk will be based on the following paper:
[1] Hong Zhu, On The Theoretical Foundation of Meta-Modelling in Graphically Extended BNF and First Order Logic, Proc. of TASE 2010, Taipei, Taiwan, 24-27 August, 2010, IEEE CS.

Title: A Calculus of Design Patterns
Abstract:
In real applications, design patterns are almost always to be found composed with each other. Correct application of patterns therefore relies on precise definition of these compositions. In this talk, I will propose of a set of operators on patterns that can be used in such definitions. These operators are restriction of a pattern with respect to a constraint, superposition of two patterns, and a number of structural manipulations of the pattern's components. I will also report a case study on the pattern compositions suggested informally in the Gang of Four book in order to demonstrate the expressiveness of the operators. Finally, I will present a set of algebraic laws of pattern compositions and demonstrate the applications of the laws in equational proofs of the equivalence between pattern compositions.
The talk will be based on the following papers:
[1] Ian Bayley and Hong Zhu, A Formal Language of Pattern Compositions, Proc. of PATTERNS'10, Nov. 2010, In press
[2] Hong Zhu and Ian Bayley, Laws of Pattern Composition, Proc. of ICFEM'10, Nov. 2010. In press.