MARTE — MARTE-AADL Issue 5

The representation of AADL properties with UML Notes, does not provide the AADL capabilities of the Properties language. Annotations in notes are not formal, as users use a free-text zone without any constraints for the annotated elements, and syntax checking. Furthermore, most of the AADL Properties defined in the Predeclared Property Set annex (AADL spec.) are already existing in MARTE stereotype attributes. The more appropriate way is to use these attributes to model AADL properties. However, additional problems rise from this approach: a) Not all the AADL properties exist in MARTE. b) Some enumeration types existing in MARTE do not contain the options supported by AADL. c) Stereotype attributes are not always annotated in the same model elements (according to the mapping MARTE-AADL at the conceptual level). This aspect can be solved in at least two ways: 1) We add the required stereotype attributes in the MARTE spec. 2) New stereotypes are created in this annex only to support AADL. While the first option could not be in the scope of MARTE (we cannot align MARTE to all other language in the domain!), the second one requires to follow a set of formal rules to create the new stereotypes (naming, extended UML metaclasses, etc.) A third option is to create stereotypes for all the AADL concepts, but inheriting from MARTE concepts. An optimal solution should be evaluated with regard to criteria such as: tool reusability, automation of model transformations, timelines, etc. The third option goes along with the question of having an explicit profile for AADL, with AADL stereo type (or at least AADL profile label for MARTE stereo types that are identical to AADL). Do we need to introduce a new stereo type just because we have to add some properties to a MARTE stereo type? AADL allows users to introduce new properties through property sets. In MARTE terminology, users can introduce new stereo types that carry properties specific to an analysis framework. Those we need to be able to associate with the base concepts of describing an embedded architecture (what we call core language). What would be a good approach and guidance for doing so? In that sense there are two issues: 1) describe what mechanisms are available to allow users to extend the base modelling language of AADL/MARTE – in essence meta modelling capabilities). In AADL we have an explicit textual representation in addition to extending the meta model of AADL, while in MARTE it is solely done through meta modelling. 2) capture specific sets of standardized (and not yet standardized sets of properties).

According to the implicit MARTE modeling process where modeling and analysis features are modeled by distinct features in separate diagrams, most (80%) of the AADL pre declared properties found their equivalent in MARTE. The complementary part will be explicitly modeled by the end user using the "Nfp" concept. The following table presents the mapping between the AADL pre-declared property set and their equivalent in MARTE.