Forschungsprojekt feasiPLe

Viewer and Editor for Variant Models

Variant models can be used to describe a concrete product configuration. Combined with the mapping of features to artefacts of the solution space the form they input for an automated instantiation of a product. The validity of a variant model is tested against the variability constraints specified in the corresponding feature model.

Thus, tools for feature modelling typically include editors to build product configurations.

Variant Configuration with pure::variants

Pure::variants provides a tree based editor to develop variant models. The selection/deselection of a specific feature for a concrete product is described using check boxes. This triggers a dynamic evaluation of the current configuration in regard to the variability constraints described in the corresponding feature model. If through feature dependencies (implication, mutual exclusion) an impact on following configuration steps is caused, then the variant model is adapted. This prohibits the creation of product configurations which conflict with the variability constraints in the feature model.

pure::variants

Extension of the Variant Configuration

An extension of the concepts in feature models requires a co-adaptation of the tools for variant creation. When feature cardinalities are introduced, the variant editor needs to provide means for multiple feature instantiation. In the same way feature references, feature templates or OCL-based feature constraints need to be considered during the creation and validation of variant models.

Our variant configuration prototype generates for a given feature model an equivalent variant metamodel, which specifies some kind of DSL for variant description. This step allows for a product configuration though the instantiation of the variant metamodel. Thus, existing tools, which test the well-formedness of a model with respect to its metamodel and additional well-formedness rules (OCL constraints), can be used to validate variant models.

This is demonstrated in the following screencast.

Watch the screencast

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