Solving the instance model-view update problem in AADL

Abstract

The Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) is a rich language for modeling embedded systems through several constructs such as component extension and refinement to promote modularity of component declarations. To ease processing AADL models, OSATE, the reference tool for AADL, defines another model (namely 'instance' model) computed from a base 'declarative' model/s. An instance model is a simple object tree where all information from the declarative model is flattened so that tools can easily use this information to analyze the system. However for modifications, they have to make changes in the complex declarative model since there is no automated backward transformation (deinstantiation) from instance to declarative models. Since the instance model is a 'view' of the declarative model, this is a view-update problem. In this paper, we propose the OSATE Declarative-Instance Mapping Tool (OSATE-DIM1), an Eclipse plugin for deinstantiation of AADL models implementing a solution of this view-update problem. We evaluate OSATE-DIM with a benchmark of existing AADL model processing tools and verify the correctness of our deinstantiation transformations. We also discuss how our approach could be useful for decompilation of Object-Oriented languages' intermediate representations.