UML-MAST

Visual Modeling and Analysis Suite for Real-Time Applications with UML

Table of Contents

Introduction

UML-MAST is a metodology and a set of tools for modeling and analizing object oriented real-time systems expressed in UML. It is based on the concept of the "Mast RT View" of the system, which describes in a qualitative and quantitative way the timing behavior, the real-time performance constraints and relevant implementation parameters from the real-time perspective. The use of a real-time view allows the designer building the real-time system model gradually according to the evolution of the development process, feeding the analysis tools, and bringing back into the model the relevant timing responses. Therefore UML-MAST follows the model processing paradigm.

UML-MAST evolves from and relies on the Modeling and Analysis Suite for Real-Time Applications (see the MAST page for details) and takes advantage of its modeling capabilities and the analysis tools it offers; but it is also subject to the restrictions under which it can be applied.

The UML modeling tool used to host UML-MAST in this version is Rational Rose 2000 enterprise edition. It works like a pseudo Add-In which enhances the use of this UML graphical design and development suite by including a modeling framework which incorporates the "Mast RT View" of the object oriented system inside the system model. It also configures into the Rose menus the necesary tools for building the Mast RT View, validating the UML-MAST model components used, compiling the model into the Mast-File format, calling the traditional Mast analysis tools, recovering the results, and finally getting them back into the UML model.

Other relevant aspects that can be found in UML-MAST are the following:

  • An enhaced model of the real-time system is used. Like MAST it supports event-driven models in which complex dependence patterns among the different tasks can be established but also includes other concepts like Jobs and parametric operations invocation which can help reducing the gap between "normal" object oriented software design and the abstractions used to analize real-time constraints on that software.

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  • A formal UML Metamodel for the proposed conceptual entities is provided and any component in the UML-MAST Metamodel is invoked in the Mast RT View of the user model through the use of the corresponding selected stereotyped entity. A "wizard" tool helps in this. Consequently the assembly of the Mast RT View is assisted by an automatic component insertion tool which minimizes the typing of information to the minimum possible, hence shortening the debugging process. In addition, UML-MAST stereotypes are already inserted within the modeling tool available stereotypes.

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  • The MAST file generation, the analysis tools,the textual display of results, and its feedback into the UML model are called and managed directly from inside the UML tool menus, thus hiding as much as possible the low-level aspects of the analysis proccess.

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  • Since the supporting UML modeling tool is Rational Rose 2000e, it is necessary to have this version of Rose previously installed, to be able to install and use the current version of UML-MAST.

    • Documents

    The following documents describing the UML-MAST environment are available:

    Downloading

    To download, right-click on the link and choose "Save link as"

    Mast Page

    You can visit the MAST Home Page to get a closer look at what you can do with this tool.
     

    If you have any comment or suggestion about this tool, please feel free of
    getting in contact with us.

    Authors : medinajl ut unican.es, drakej ut unican.es, mgh ut unican.es
    (please change " ut " by the @ symbol for sending e-mails)
    Grupo de Computadores y Tiempo-Real
    Departamento de Electrónica y Computadores
    Universidad de Cantabria - Spain