Simulation and Animation of Visual Languages based on Typed Algebraic Graph Transformation

In recent years, visual models represented by graphs have become very popular in systems development, as the wide-spread use of UML and Petri nets proves. While visual modelling techniques provide a precise way to model the structure and behaviour of systems, visual models tend to be complex and are not always adequate for behaviour validation. The main objective of this doctoral thesis is to improve the validation process for visual behavioural models by providing a formal framework and tool support for simulation and animation based on typed algebraic graph transformation. To attain this goal, the thesis proposes to use animation views for simulation instead of the notation of abstract modelling languages. Animation views allow for simulating model behaviour in the layout of the application domain, at a freely chosen level of abstraction. Thus, they provide better insights of model behavior and lead to an earlier detection of inconsistencies and possible missing requirements in the model. A visual behavioural model is mapped to an animation view by so-called Simulation-to-Animation transformation (S2A transformation). Formal graph transformation properties allow for ensuring semantic equivalence of a model and its animation view. A prototypical tool environment supports simulation, animation view definition, S2A transformation and animation based on graph transformation. Animation scenarios can be visualized in animation views as smooth movements instead of discrete simulation steps.