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A Role-Based Approach towards Modular Language Engineering

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Software Language Engineering (SLE 2009)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNPSE,volume 5969))

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Abstract

Modularisation can reduce the effort in designing and maintaining language specifications. Existing approaches to language modularisation are typically either focused on language syntax or on language semantics. In this paper, we propose a modularisation approach covering both syntax and semantics. We propose defining composition rules on the level of abstract syntax, making it the central artefact in a language module. To enable clean interfaces for such language modules—effectively making them language components—we use role-modelling at the metamodel level.

We discuss how role-based metamodelling supports the aspectual modularisation of language semantics and can also be integrated with concrete syntax specifications to build self-contained language components. We present the implementation of our approach in the LanGems language compositions system and show how it can be used to provide a modularised definition of the Object Constraint Language.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Software- und Multimediatechnik, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Christian Wende & Nils Thieme

  2. Computing Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

    Steffen Zschaler

Authors
  1. Christian Wende
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  2. Nils Thieme
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  3. Steffen Zschaler
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science, Software Engineering and Technology, Univeristy of Eindhoven, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Mark van den Brand

  2. School of Computing and Information Systems, Athabasca University, 1 University Drive, T9S 3A3, Athabasca, AB, Canada

    Dragan Gašević

  3. Department of Computer Science, University of Alabama, P.O. Box 870290, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Jeff Gray

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Wende, C., Thieme, N., Zschaler, S. (2010). A Role-Based Approach towards Modular Language Engineering. In: van den Brand, M., Gašević, D., Gray, J. (eds) Software Language Engineering. SLE 2009. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5969. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12107-4_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12107-4_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-12106-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-12107-4

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