Visual Specification of a DSL Processor Debugger

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Visual Specification of a DSL Processor Debugger

• Tamás Mészáros and Tihamér Levendovszky
• Budapest University of Technology and Economics

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Overview

• Defining the Dynamic Behavior of Graphical DSLs
• Animation Framework
• A Case Study
• Graph transformation debugger

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Building DSLs

• Abstract syntax (rules of the language)
• Metamodeling
• Concrete syntax (visual appearance)
• Annotations to metamodel
• Textual languages
• DSL processing
• Dynamic behavior?

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Defining Dynamic Behavior

• Annotation to metamodel
• Textual programming language constructs
• DSL
• Visual Modeling and Transformation System (VMTS)
  Animation Framework

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The VMTS Animation Framework

• Part I.

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Animation Framework Overview
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VMTS Animation Framework

• Separating animation from model simulation
• The domain knowledge is considered black-box
• Animation logic is described with an event-driven
  state machine
• Integration with an event-driven approach
• The integration is supported with visual modeling
  techniques
• Processing animation models
• Generating skeleton for event handlers
• Generating executable application from animator
  models

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VMTS Animation Framework

• Event handler model
• Event-driven interface for external components
• Elements
• Events
• Entites ( event parameters)
• Ports

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VMTS Animation Framework

• Animator
• Event-driven state machine
• Port-based interface
• States
• Transitions
• Guard expression
• Action expression

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VMTS Animation Framework

• High Level Animation Model
• Event handler
• Animator
• Port
• Event route

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The VMTS Transformation Debugger

• Part II.

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Graph rewriting

• Rewriting rule

• Host graph

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VMTS model transformation engine

• Graph rewriting-based approach
• Rewriting rules
• Searching for graph patterns (LHS graph)
• Replacing matches with a substitue pattern (RHS)
• Control sequence
• Visual Control Flow Language
• Rule application
• Conditional branching
• Exhaustive rule application
• Parameter passing between rules

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Model transformation debugger

• Goals
• Visualization of input and output models
• Animating the Control Flow model
• Visualizing the executed rewriting rule
• Continuous and step-by-step execution,
  breakpoints, jumping in the Control Flow
• Online editing of input and output models

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Model transformation debugger

• Event handler model
• Wrapping the transformation engine

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Model transformation debugger

• High-level animation model
• Event handlers
• UI, GT, Timer
• Animators
• GT, Highlight,hotkey

HighlightGT
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Model transformation debugger

• State machine model (SIM_GT)
• 1) Init
• 2) Idle
• 3) Process start
• 4) Process edge
• Breakpoint
• 5) Process rule node
• 6) Decision node
• 7) End node

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Debugger in action
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Summary
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Thank you for your attention!

• http//vmts.aut.bme.hu