Query models

Abstract

The need for querying software artifacts is a new emerging design issue in modern software development. Novel techniques such as Model-Driven Architecture or Aspect-Oriented Software Development heavily depend on powerful designation means to allocate elements in software artifacts, which are then either modified by transformation or enhanced by weaving processes. In this paper we present a new modeling notation for representing queries using the UML. We introduce special symbols for common selection purposes and specify their OCL selection semantics, which may be executed on existing UML models in order to allocate all selected model elements therein. By doing so, we aim to give forth the advantages of modeling to query design: Our query models facilitate the specification of queries independent from particular programming languages, ease their comprehension, and support their validation in a modeling context. © Springer-Verlag 2004.