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A query-retyping approach to model transformation co-evolution

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Abstract

In rule-based approaches, a model transformation definition tells how an instance of a source metamodel should be transformed to an instance of a target metamodel. As these metamodels undergo changes, model transformations defined over these metamodels may get out of sync. Restoring conformance between model transformations and the metamodels is a complex and error-prone task. In this paper, we propose a formal approach to automatically co-evolve model transformations according to the evolution of the metamodels. The approach is based on encoding the model transformation definition as a query-retyping combination and the evolution of the metamodels as applications of graph transformation rules. These rules are used to obtain an evolved query over the evolved metamodel together with a new retyping from the target metamodel. We will identify the criteria which need to be fulfilled in order to make this automatic co-evolution possible. We provide a tool support for this procedure, in which, from a traceability model that represents the original model transformation definition, we derive a co-evolved traceability model that represents the evolved transformation definition. Moreover, we use a case study to evaluate the approach with a set of commonly performed metamodel evolutions.

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Notes

  1. The complete running example, input transformation and resulting traceability models are available at [25].

  2. In \(\textsf {Person2Worker}\)/\(\textsf {Person2Client}\)\(\textsf {p.position =}\)\(\textsf {\#employee/\#client}\) is the concrete syntax for \(\textsf {p.position.emp = employee/client}\), respectively).

  3. We increment these labels and in the following figures and we obey the numbers which are shown in the overview in Fig. 22.

  4. https://anatlyzer.github.io/.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway

    Adrian Rutle

  2. Gran Sasso Science Institute, L’Aquila, Italy

    Ludovico Iovino

  3. FHDW Hannover, Hannover, Germany

    Harald König

  4. McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    Zinovy Diskin

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  1. Adrian Rutle
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  2. Ludovico Iovino
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  3. Harald König
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  4. Zinovy Diskin
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Correspondence to Ludovico Iovino.

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Communicated by A. Pierantonio, A. Anjorin, S. Trujillo, and H. Espinoza.

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Generated log files of co-evolution

Generated log files of co-evolution

1.1 Company2CRM

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1.2 CRM2Company

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1.3 Families2Persons

figure o

1.4 Collaboration2Paper

figure p

1.5 Grafcet2Petrinet

figure q

1.6 Book2Publication

figure r

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Rutle, A., Iovino, L., König, H. et al. A query-retyping approach to model transformation co-evolution. Softw Syst Model 19, 1107–1138 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-020-00805-6

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