SMML: Software Measurement Modeling Language

1
SMML Software Measurement Modeling Language

• Beatriz Mora, Félix García, Francisco Ruiz, Mario
  Piattini

Department of Information Technologies
Systems University of Castilla La Mancha
2
Contents

• Introduction
• Software Measurement Framework
• SMMLSoftware Measurement Modeling Language
• Definition of an abstract syntax
• Definition of a concrete syntax
• Definition of the semantics
• Case Study
• To COUNT TABLES in a Relational DDBB
• Conclusions and future works

3
Introduction

• Measurement is an important factor in the process
  life cycle due to the fact that it controls
  issues and lacks during software maintenance and
  development. In fact, measurement has become a
  fundamental aspect of Software Engineering.
• The great diversity in the kinds of entities
  which are candidates for measurement in the
  context of the software processes involves
  providing companies with a suitable and
  consistent reference for the definition of their
  software measurement models along with the
  necessary technological support to integrate the
  measurement of the different kinds of entities.

3
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
4
Introduction

• With the objective of satisfying the exposed
  necessities, it is interesting to consider the
  MDE paradigm in which software measurement models
  (SMM) are the principal elements of the
  measurement process.
• The availability of a language which allows us to
  represent software measurement models might be
  important in decision making and in process
  improvement.
• It is thus of interest to consider the use of
  Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) such as the
  Software Modeling Measurement Language (SMML).

Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
5
Introduction

• Objective
• We present the Software Measurement Modeling
  Language (SMML) which permits software
  measurement models to be created.
• This language has been done by using the Software
  Measurement Metamodel (SMM) (Garcia et al, 2007)
  as the Domain Definition Metamodel (DDMM).
• This language belongs to the Software Measurement
  Framework (SMF). SMF permits to measure any type
  of software entity.

5
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
6
Software Measurement Framework

• The Software Measurement Framework (SMF) permits
  us to measure any type of software entity.
• In this framework, any kind of software entity
  represented by its corresponding metamodel in any
  domain can be measured with a common Software
  Measurement metamodel and QVT transformations.
• SMF has three fundamental elements (these
  elements have all been adapted to the MDE
  paradigm and to MDA)
• conceptual architecture
• technological aspects
• method.

6
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
7
Software Measurement Framework
Conceptual architecture
FMESP
7
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
8
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects Adaptation to MDA
M3
ECORE
Conforms to
Conforms to
Conforms to
Domain Metamodel (1)
Software Measurement Metamodel
QVT Relations Metamodel
M2
Conforms to
Conforms to
Conforms to
Software Measurement Model (3)
QVT Relations Model
Domain Model (2)
Tranformation (4)
M1
Software Measurement Model (target)
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
9
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects QVT Relations
transformation

• The QVT Relations model is the transformation
  needed to perform the measurement.
• Due to the fact that the proposal is about
  generic measurement, it is very important that
  the QVT model is obtained in a generic way. The
  MDE paradigm and MDA technology are applied for
  this reason.
• This transformation is obtained automatically
  from the previous QVT transformation
• The QVT Relations model, called the extended or
  final QVT Relations model, is obtained from a QVT
  transformation, where there are two source
  models the basic or initial QVT Relations model
  (which conforms to the QVT Relations metamodel)
  and the Software Measurement model (previously
  defined).

Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
10
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects QVT Relations
transformation
Basic QVT-Relations Model (.qvt)
Software Measurement Model (Source)
QVT Transformation
Extended QVT-Relations Model (.qvt)
Measurement Execution Transformation
Software Measurement Model (Target)
10
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
11
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects QVT Relations
transformation
Basic transformation
Input
Output
Transformation
SW Measurement Model source
Extended transformation
Domain Model
SW Measurement Model target
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
12
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects Technological enviroment

• MOMENT MOment manageMENT.
• From a functional point of view, MOMENT has two
  components
• OCL query execution (MOMENT-OCL)
• QVT Transformations (MOMENT-QVT).
• In order to carry out a QVT transformation in
  MOMENT, a transformation textual specification
  or, its equivalent QVT Relations model can be
  used. This model conforms to the QVT Relations
  metamodel and it is possible to obtain it by
  parsing the textual specification.

Parse in
12
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
13
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects Technological enviroment
Textual Specification (.qvtext)
QVT-Relation Model (.qvt)
13
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
14
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects Method

• The necessary steps to carry out the software
  measurement by using the SMF are explained below.
• Incorporation of domain metamodel the
  measurement is made in a specific domain. This
  domain must be defined according to its metamodel
  (it is situated in the M2 level and it conforms
  to the Ecore meta-metamodel).
• Creation of measurement model the measurement
  model is created according to the Software
  Measurement metamodel which is integrated in SMF.
  This first model is the source model, so the
  results are therefore still not defined, i.e. the
  Measurement Action package from the Software
  Measurement metamodel is still not instantiated.
• Creation of domain model which is defined
  according to its corresponding domain metamodel
  (created in the first step). The domain models
  are the entities whose attributes are measured by
  calculating the measurements defined in the
  corresponding measurement models. Examples of
  domain models are the UML models (use cases,
  class diagrams, etc.), or the E/R models.
• Measurement execution the measurement execution
  is carried out through QVT transformation, in
  which, the measurement model is obtained by
  starting from the two source models (the
  measurement model and the domain model) where the
  results are defined, i.e. the Measurement
  Action package is instantiated. The target
  measurement model is the extension of the source
  measurement model. The measurement results are
  calculated by running OCL queries on the domain
  model.

14
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
15
SMML (Software Measurement Modeling Language)

• SMML is a language which permits software
  measurement models to be built.
• This language has been done by using the Software
  Measurement Metamodel (SMM) as the Domain
  Definition Metamodel (DDMM).
• The task of the SMML is to facilitate the
  definition of software measurement models, which
  is the starting point in the generic software
  measurement process.
• The Software Measurement Metamodel (SMM) which is
  derived from the Software Measurement Ontology
  (SMO) defines the abstract syntax of SMML.
• The Software Measurement Metamodel supports the
  graphical language to represent the software
  measurement models.

15
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
16
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Domain Definition Metamodel

• In order to develop SMML, a Domain Definition
  Metamodel is therefore necessary.
• The Software Measurement Metamodel (SMM) exists,
  which is derived from the Software Measurement
  Ontology (SMO). (Garcia et al, 2006).
• This metamodel is the Domain Definition Metamodel
  used to define the abstract syntax of SMML.
• The Software Measurement Metamodel includes the
  packages which are alignments with the
  sub-ontologies of SMO
• Basic this basic package has been defined in
  order to identify and to establish the general
  features of the constructor necessary to define
  measurement model
• Characterization and Objectives this package
  includes the constructors required to establish
  the scope and objectives of the software
  measurement process
• Measures Software this package includes the
  constructors needed to establish and to clarify
  the key elements in the definition of a software
  measure
• Measurement Approaches this package includes the
  constructors needed to generalize the different
  approaches used by the three kinds of measures
  to obtain their respective measurement results.
• Measurement Action (Not included) this package
  includes the results of the measurement process.

16
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
17
SMML (Software Measurement Modeling Language)
Software Measurement Metamodel
17
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
18
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Domain Definition Metamodel

• All of the elements identified in the ontology
  (Measure, Information need, Measurable concept,
  etc.) are potential elements of the Software
  Measurement Metamodel on which the SMML language
  is based.
• The relationships which exist in the ontology do
  not correspond with the relationships which are
  necessary for the language. All of the
  Measurement Metamodel packages maintain the
  original definition of SMO with the exception of
  the basic package, which has had to be adapted to
  represent the measurement relationships in SMML.

18
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
19
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Domain Definition Metamodel

• 4 types of Measurement Associations have been
  identified association, nonnavigable
  association, aggregation and dependency. These
  relationships have been defined in the Basic
  package.

19
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
20
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Basic package
Basic this basic package has been defined in
order to identify and to establish the general
features of the constructor necessary to define
measurement model
20
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
21
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Characterization and objectives Package
Characterization and Objectives this package
includes the constructors required to establish
the scope and objectives of the software
measurement process
21
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
22
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Software Measures Package
Measures Software this package includes the
constructors needed to establish and to clarify
the key elements in the definition of a software
measure
22
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
23
SMML Definition of an abstract syntax
Measurement Approaches Package.
Measurement Approaches this package includes the
constructors needed to generalize the different
approaches used by the three kinds of measures
to obtain their respective measurement results.
23
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
24
SMML Definition of a concrete syntax
24
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
25
SMML Definition of semantics
25
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
26
Case Study
Example of relational database measurement

1. Incorporation of domain metamodel
2. Creation of domain model

26
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
27
Case Study
Example of relational database measurement

• 3. Creation of software measurement model.
• Quality Model ISO 9126
• Measurable concept Maintainability
• Information need To know Shemes Maintainability
• Entity Class Relational Schema
• Attribute Size
• Base measure NT (Number of tables)
• Unit tables
• Scale Integers from zero to infinite
• Measurement method Number of Tables in the Scheme

27
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
28
Case Study
Example of relational database measurement

• Definition of software measurement model with
  SMML

28
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
29
Case Study
Example of relational database measurement

• 4. Measurement execution

Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
30
Case Study
Measurement model of PDQM (Portalweb Data Quality
Model)
30
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
31
Conclusions

• SMML permits software measurement models to be
  defined in a manner which is easy and intuitive
  for the user.
• SMML is a complete language, with a clear
  syntactic and semantic definition and a solid
  ontological base. It, moreover, fulfils the
  following requirements of a DSL it is usable, it
  conforms, and it is orthogonal, supportable and
  simple.
• SMML allows users to represent measurement models
  in various domains.
• This language plays a fundamental role in SMF as
  it allows users to define the measurement models
  which are the input for the software measurement
  process. The visual representation of the
  measurement models mean that SMF is a more usable
  and intuitive framework for the user. In other
  words, it makes the measurement process more
  comfortable.

Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
32
Future work

• Among related future works, one important work is
  that of the extension of SMMM with the
  Measurement Approach package hierarchy included
  in the Software Metrics Meta-Model 25 (OMG).
• Now, a DSL editor (by using GMF) is created, a
  future work is to integrate the editor with the
  SMF in order to obtain an automatic process by
  using only one tool (Software Measurement Tool).
• We shall, moreover, test the usability of the
  language through a series of experiments based on
  the ISO 9126 standard. Our study will focus on
  usability and maintainability. Our idea is to
  select a group of modeling experts and to test
  the usability of this new language on them in
  order to define measurement models.

Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
33
Thank you

• http//alarcos.inf-cr.uclm.es/
• Beatriz.mora_at_uclm.es

34
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects QVT Relations
transformation

• The extended QVT Relations model extends the
  basic QVT Relations model with the following
  aspects
• Transformation Model? this label indicates the
  source models
• Measurement model this model is already defined
  in the basic QVT-Relation model, Because is
  always the same.
• Domain model this model needs to be defined.
  This information is taken from the Software
  Measurement model which contains all the
  measurement information.
• Relation Domain ? it is necessary to define the
  checkonly domain rules. There are two, one for
  each source model
• Software Measurement model The checkonly domain
  of the measurement model is already defined in
  the basic QVT Relations model.
• Domain model It is only necessary to define
  checkonly domain of the domain model.
• Function this contains the necessary OCL queries
  to carry out the measurement. These OCL queries
  are the implementations of the Measurement
  Action package defined in the Software
  Measurement Metamodel.

Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
35
Example
Example of relational database measurement

• The extended QVT Relations model was needed to
  carry out the fourth step. This transformation is
  obtained automatically The extended elements are
  detailed below
• Transformation Model the target model is the
  relational databases domain model.
• Relation Domain the checkonly domain of the
  relational schema domain is indicated

35
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
36
Example
Example of relational database measurement
36
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
37
Example
Example of relational database measurement

• Function this contains the OCL queries with
  which to perform the measurement, in this case,
  the queries necessary to implement the count
  element of type X measurement method where X is
  Table.

37
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
38
Example
Example of relational database measurement
38
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
39
Software Measurement Framework
Technological aspects QVT Relations
transformation
Textual Specification (.qvtext)
QVT-Relation Model (.qvt)
Transformation
Parse in
39
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
40
QVT-Relations
QVT-Relations Metamodel
40
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language
41
Transformación QVT-Relations

• Transformation Model los modelos de entrada.
• el modelo de medición (incluido en QVT-Relation
  básico)
• el modelo del dominio atributos name y uri del
  modelo.
• Relation Domain checkonly domain de la
  transformación, uno por cada modelo de entrada
• Sólo hay que indicar el checkonly domain del
  modelo de dominio ya que el del modelo de
  medición ya está definido en el modelo
  QVT-Relation básico.
• Function función que contiene las consultas OCL
  necesarias para la ejecución de la medición.

41
Alarcos Group. OOPSLA2008. DSM. SMML Software
Measurement Modeling Language