Finding Reusable UML Sequence Diagrams Automatically

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Finding Reusable UML Sequence Diagrams
Automatically
By William N. Robinson and Han G. Woo From
IEEE Software (September/October
2004) Presented by Ruth Miller
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Reusing Code

• art - Artifact a piece to reuse, the function
  must match
• µ - determines the best match
• m Is your design in the library
• L m µ(art, L)

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Artifact

• Hard to find a function that matches correctly.
• Use Cases are very hard
• You need to compare the narratives

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Two ways to Reuse

• A. Concept Matching
• B. Relationship Matching

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Concept Matching

• Facet-based classification system
• Syntactic Similarity
• Focus on Event flows
• Semantics

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Relationship Matching

• Uses concepts and relationships
• Looks at the structure and calculates whole graph
  similarity
• a. Concepts vertices
• b. Relationships edges

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Relationship Matching

• Several reusing tools for UML already out there,
  but they require extra notes attached to the
  diagrams to work.
• This isnt the best for the user, it also limits
  your matches.
• Authors propose that matching with a library of
  designs is best (Using Structural Relationships).

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Reuse by Structural Relationships

• Select an artifact library
• Reuser calculates scores for the library
• It calculates the score on a partial structure
  and returns best matches
• Adapt the artifact to your current program
  context
• (Can be used w/any UML tool that uses directed
  graphs.)

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Example
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Text Strings of Objects
Prefixes- a. INS instance b.
MSG Messages c. CLS Class d.
ATR attributes e. MTH method f.
ASC Associations g. STR - Stereotypes
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Example
Fig a shows a Use Case Diagram w/goals Fig b
shows a sequence Diagram for the Use
Case Together forms an artifact fragment which
Can be used to query the library
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REUSER used Directed Graphs of UML Models

• UML metamodel associations become edges
  (associations, links)
• Other UML metamodel elements become vertices
  (classes, objects, messages, stereotypes)

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Examples

• Vertices
• a. ATR
• b. MTH
• c. ASC
• d. STR
• Edges (metamodel relationships)
• Support the vertices.

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A. Sequence Diagram B. Reuser graph format
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Subdue Algorithm
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Automated Matching

• 1 node label must match
• (Can use a label synonym list you provide.)
• Should have structure-limiting constraints
• Finds repetitive interesting substructures
• Replaces repeating structures
• w/pointers to make it quicker

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Summary

• Analysis of Tool

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QUESTIONS??