Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sketching concepts and computational model of TROLL light

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Design and Implementation of Symbolic Computation Systems (DISCO 1993)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 722))

Abstract

The specification language TROLL light is intended to be used for conceptual modeling of information systems. It is designed to describe the Universe of Discourse (UoD) as a system of concurrently existing and interacting objects, i.e., an object community.

The first part of the present paper introduces the various language concepts offered by TROLL light. TROLL light objects have observable properties modeled by attributes, and the behavior of objects is described by events. Possible object observations may be restricted by constraints, whereas event occurrences may be restricted to specified life-cycles. TROLL light objects are organized in an object hierarchy established by sub-object relationships. Communication among objects is supported by event calling.

The second part of our paper outlines a simplified computational model for TROLL light. After introducing signatures for collections of object descriptions (or templates as they are called in TROLL light) we explain how single states of an object community are constructed. By parallel occurrence of a finite set of events the states of object communities change. The object community itself is regarded as a graph where the nodes are the object community states reachable from an initial state and the edges represent transitions between states.

Work reported here has been partially supported by the CEC under Grant No. 6112 (COMPASS) and BMFT under Grant No. 01 IS 203 D (KorSo).

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. E. Astesiano and G. Reggio. Algebraic Specification of Concurrency. In M. Bidoit and C. Choppy, editors, Recent Trends in Data Type Specification — Proc. 8th Workshop on Specification of Abstract Data Types, pages 1–39. Springer, Berlin, LNCS 655, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  2. G. v. Bochmann, M. Barbeau, M. Erradi, L. Lecomte, P. Mondain-Monval, and N. Williams. Mondel: An Object-Oriented Specification Language. Département d'Informatique et de Recherche Opérationnelle, Publication 748, Université de Montréal, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. Broy, C. Facchi, R. Grosu, R. Hettler, H. Hussmann, D. Nazareth, F. Regensburger, and K. StØlen. The Requirement and Design Specification Language SPECTRUM — An Informal Introduction (Version 0.3). Technical Report TUM-I9140, Technische Universität München, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  4. D. Bjorner, C.A.R. Hoare, and H. Langmaack, editors. VDM'90: VDM and Z — Formal Methods in Software Development. Springer, LNCS 428, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  5. M. Bidoit, H.-J. Kreowski, P. Lescanne, F. Orejas, and D. Sannella, editors. The Compass Working Group: Algebraic System Specification and Development. Springer, Berlin, LNCS 501, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R. Breu. Algebraic Specification Techniques in Object Oriented Programming Environments. Springer, LNCS 562, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  7. S. Conrad, M. Gogolla, and R. Herzig. TROLL light: A Core Language for Specifying Objects. Informatik-Bericht 92–02, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  8. J.-F. Costa, A. Sernadas, and C. Sernadas. OBL-89 Users Manual (Version 2.3). Internal report, INESC, Lisbon, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  9. O.-J. Dahl and O. Owe. Formal Development with ABEL. Technical Report 159, University of Oslo, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  10. H. Ehrig, W. Fey, and H. Hansen. ACT ONE: An Algebraic Specification Language with Two Levels of Semantics. Technical Report 83-03, Technische Universität Berlin, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  11. H.-D. Ehrich, M. Gogolla, and U.W. Lipeck. Algebraische Spezifikation abstrakter Datentypen — Eine Einführung in die Theorie. Teubner, Stuttgart, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  12. H.-D. Ehrich, J.A. Goguen, and A. Sernadas. A Categorial Theory of Objects as Observed Processes. In J.W. de Bakker, W.P. de Roever, and G. Rozenberg, editors, Foundations of Object-Oriented Languages (Proc. REX/FOOL Workshop, Noordwijkerhood (NL)), pages 203–228. Springer, LNCS 489, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  13. H. Ehrig and B. Mahr. Fundamentals of Algebraic Specification 1: Equations and Initial Semantics. Springer, Berlin, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  14. H. Ehrig and B. Mahr. Fundamentals of Algebraic Specification 2: Modules and Constraints. Springer, Berlin, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  15. H. Ehrig, F. Parisi-Presicce, P. Boehm, C. Rieckhoff, C. Dimitrovici, and M. Gro\e-Rhode. Combining Data Type and Recursive Process Specifications Using Projection Algebras. Theoretical Computer Science, 71:347–380, 1990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. P. Gabriel. The Object-Based Specification Language II: Concepts, Syntax, and Semantics. In M. Bidoit and C. Choppy, editors, Recent Trends in Data Type Specification — Proc. 8th Workshop on Specification of Abstract Data Types, pages 254–270, Berlin, 1993. Springer, LNCS 655.

    Google Scholar 

  17. M.-C. Gaudel. A First Introduction to PLUSS. Technical Report, Université de Paris-Sud, Orsay, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  18. J.A. Goguen and T. Winkler. Introducing OBJ3. Research Report SRICSL-88-9, SRI International, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  19. R. Hull and R. King. Semantic Database Modelling: Survey, Applications, and Research Issues. ACM Computing Surveys, 19(3):201–260, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. C.A.R. Hoare. Communicating Sequential Processes. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (NJ), 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  21. C.B. Jones. Systematic Software Developing Using VDM. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (NJ), 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  22. R. Jungclaus, G. Saake, T. Hartmann, and C. Sernadas. Object-Oriented Specification of Information Systems: The TROLL Language. Informatik-Bericht 91-04, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  23. R. Jungclaus, G. Saake, and C. Sernadas. Formal Specification of Object Systems. In S. Abramsky and T. Maibaum, editors, Proc. TAPSOFT'91, Brighton, pages 60–82. Springer, Berlin, LNCS 494, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  24. G. Kappel and M. Schrefl. Object/Behavior Diagrams. In Proc. 7th Int. Conf. on Data Engineering, Kobe (Japan), pages 530–539, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  25. J. Meseguer. A Logical Theory of Concurrent Objects and its Realization in the Maude Language. In G. Agha, P. Wegener, and A. Yonezawa, editors, Research Directions in Object-Based Concurrency. MIT Press, 1992. To appear.

    Google Scholar 

  26. J. Meseguer. Conditional Rewriting as a Unified Model of Concurrency. Theoretical Computer Science, 96(1):73–156, 1992.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. R. Milner. A Calculus of Communicating Systems. Springer, Berlin, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  28. G. Reggio. Entities: An Institution for Dynamic Systems. In H. Ehrig, K.P. Jantke, F. Orejas, and H. Reichel, editors, Recent Trends in Data Type Specification, pages 246–265. Springer, LNCS 534, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  29. W. Reisig. Petri Nets: An Introduction. Springer, Berlin, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  30. A. Sernadas and H.-D. Ehrich. What is an Object, after all? In R.A. Meersman, W. Kent, and S. Khosla, editors, Object-Oriented Databases: Analysis, Design & Construction (DS-4), Proc. IFIP WG 2.6 Working Conference, Windermere (UK) 1990, pages 39–70. North-Holland, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  31. C. Sernadas, P. Gouveia, J. Gouveia, A. Sernadas, and P. Resende. The Reification Dimension in Object-Oriented Database Design. In D. Harper and M.C. Norrie, editors, Proc. Int. Workshop on Specification of Database Systems, pages 275–299. Springer, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  32. S. Shlaer and S.J. Mellor. Object Life Cycles: Modeling the World in States. Yourdon Press computing series, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (NJ), 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  33. C. Sernadas, P. Resende, P. Gouveia, and A. Sernadas. In-the-large Object-Oriented Design of Information Systems. In F. Van Assche, B. Moulin, and C. Rolland, editors, Proc. Object-Oriented Approach in Information Systems, pages 209–232. North Holland, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  34. A. Sernadas, C. Sernadas, and H.-D. Ehrich. Object-Oriented Specification of Databases: An Algebraic Approach. In P.M. Stocker and W. Kent, editors, Proc. 13th Int. Conf. on Very Large Data Bases (VLDB), pages 107–116. Morgan-Kaufmann, Palo Alto, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  35. A. Sernadas, C. Sernadas, P. Gouveia, P. Resende, and J. Gouveia. OBLOG — Object-Oriented Logic: An Informal Introduction. Technical report, INESC, Lisbon, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  36. D.T. Sannella and A. Tarlecki. Extended ML: An Institution-Independent Framework for Formal Program Development. In Proc. Workshop on Category Theory and Computer Programming, pages 364–389. Springer, LNCS 240, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  37. N. Viachantonis, R. Herzig, M. Gogolla, G. Denker, S. Conrad, and H.-D. Ehrich. Towards Reliable Information Systems: The KORSO Approach. In C. Rolland, editor, Proc. 5th Int. Conf. Advanced Information Systems Engineering. Springer, LNCS Series, 1993. To appear.

    Google Scholar 

  38. R. Wieringa. Equational Specification of Dynamic Objects. In R.A. Meersman, W. Kent, and S. Khosla, editors, Object-Oriented Databases: Analysis, Design & Construction (DS-4), Proc. IFIP WG 2.6 Working Conference, Windermere (UK) 1990, pages 415–438. North-Holland, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  39. M. Wirsing. Algebraic Specification. In J. Van Leeuwen, editor, Handbook of Theoretical Computer Science, Vol. B, pages 677–788. Elsevier, North-Holland, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Informatik, Abt. Datenbanken, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Postfach 3329, D-38023, Braunschweig, Germany

    Martin Gogolla, Stefan Conrad & Rudolf Herzig

Authors
  1. Martin Gogolla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stefan Conrad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rudolf Herzig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Alfonso Miola

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1993 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Gogolla, M., Conrad, S., Herzig, R. (1993). Sketching concepts and computational model of TROLL light. In: Miola, A. (eds) Design and Implementation of Symbolic Computation Systems. DISCO 1993. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 722. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0013165

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0013165

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-57235-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-47985-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation