Jumbala — An Action Language for UML State Machines

Reference:

Jori Dubrovin. Jumbala — an action language for UML state machines. Research Report A101, Helsinki University of Technology, Laboratory for Theoretical Computer Science, Espoo, Finland, March 2006.

Abstract:

UML 2.0 is a language for modeling complex software systems. A UML model may describe the dynamic aspects of software as well as the static structure. We concentrate on models of reactive systems, such as embedded controllers or telecommunications switches. The behavior of such systems is modeled using UML state machines. Although UML defines the structure of state machines, it leaves open the choice of an action language, which is the language used to specify how the transitions of a state machine affect the configuration of the underlying model.

A UML action language named Jumbala is introduced. The language has been designed as part of a project where the goal is to formally analyze behavioral UML models. Jumbala is based on the Java programming language. It has nearly the same syntax and semantics for statements and expressions as Java. Some new programming constructs have been added to facilitate state machine modeling. Jumbala also supports object-oriented programming with classes and inheritance.

An interpreter that parses and executes Jumbala programs has been developed. The interpreter will be part of a prototype tool set for analyzing the behavior of reactive computer systems modeled in UML.

Keywords:

action language, behavioral modeling, interpreter, Java, object-oriented, UML

Suggested BibTeX entry:

@techreport{HUT-TCS-A101,
    address = {Espoo, Finland},
    author = {Jori Dubrovin},
    institution = {Helsinki University of Technology, Laboratory for Theoretical Computer Science},
    month = {March},
    number = {A101},
    pages = {70},
    title = {{Jumbala} --- An Action Language for {UML} State Machines},
    type = {Research Report},
    year = {2006},
}