Skip to main content

A Prospective-Value Semantics for the GSL

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 3455))

Abstract

We present a prospective-value (pv) semantics for the Generalised Substitution Language. Whereas wp semantics captures the meaning of a computation in terms of the weakest precondition that must be fulfilled for a generalised substitution S to establish any given postcondition Q, pv semantics expresses the meaning of a computation in terms of the value any expression E would take were the computation to be carried out. To integrate non-termination we formulate improper bunch theory, an extended version of Hehner’s bunch theory where each type is augmented with an improper bunch. Algebraic simplification laws for the pv expression transformer are presented, and proved to be sound. Iteration is treated as a fixed-point in expressions, and a corresponding theorem is presented allowing us to infer the pv effect of the while-loop construct.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abrial, J.-R.: The B-Book: Assigning Programs to Meanings. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1996)

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Back, R.-J., von Wright, J.: Refinement Calculus: A Systematic Introduction. Graduate Texts in Computer Science. Springer, Heidelberg (1998)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  3. Dunne, S.: A theory of generalised substitutions. In: Bert, D., P. Bowen, J., C. Henson, M., Robinson, K. (eds.) B 2002 and ZB 2002. LNCS, vol. 2272, pp. 270–290. Springer, Heidelberg (2002)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Hehner, E.C.R.: Bunch theory: A simple set theory for computer science. Information Processing Letters 12(1), 26–30 (1981)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Hehner, E.C.R.: A Practical Theory of Programming. Texts and Monographs in Computer Science. Springer, Heidelberg (1993)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Morris, J.M., Bunkenburg, A.: A theory of bunches. Acta Informatica 37(8), 541–561 (2001)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Stoddart, W.J., Zeyda, F.: Expression transformers in B-GSL. In: Bert, D., P. Bowen, J., King, S. (eds.) ZB 2003. LNCS, vol. 2651, pp. 197–215. Springer, Heidelberg (2003)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Tarski, A.: A lattice-theoretical fixed-point theorem and its applications. Pacific Journal of Mathematics 5, 285–309 (1955)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2005 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Zeyda, F., Stoddart, B., Dunne, S. (2005). A Prospective-Value Semantics for the GSL. In: Treharne, H., King, S., Henson, M., Schneider, S. (eds) ZB 2005: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B. ZB 2005. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3455. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11415787_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11415787_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-25559-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-32007-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics