Specifying Ada tasking using patterns of behavior

Abstract

TLS-1 is a language for specifying sequences of tasking events occurring in the execution of concurrent Ada programs. Such specifications are intended primarily for testing and debugging of Ada tasking programs. They can also be applied in the design of programs. TSL-1 specifications are included in Ada programs as formal comments. They express constraints to be satisfied by the sequences of actual tasking events. An overview is presented of TSL-1 as an annotation and specification language. The features of the language are described informally, using the alternating-bit protocol as an example. The main goal is to show how to express the patterns of desirable and undesirable behavior as well as the circumstances under which the patterns must or must not happen.<>