Howto CDDs

(1) Description

CDDs (Coarse Design Diagrams) define the coarse structure of a Mulan MAA (multi-agent application). In the fashion and adopting the syntax of Use Case Diagrams the tool allows to depict agent roles as actors and interactions as cases. Thus the tool defines the coarse matrix of roles and interaction for an MAA, i.e. structure and behavior. In addition to the generation of a folder structure for the specified MAA the tool also offers the export of the matrix to a table (latex) and to produce a html image map output for the diagram.

Note that the tool is in a highly prototypical state, it is called UseCaseComponents?, as the name was chosen in early stages of development and the drawing elements are designed using the concept of Net Components.

(2) Embedment in the PAOSE Development Process

(3) Usage

Start Renew and activate the palette for the diagram tools (Tools >> Net Components >> Use Case Components). The tools functions with net drawings: File >> New Net Drawing (Ctrl-N). With the drawing tools from the palette actors, interactions (cases) and arcs (no arrow tip) can be drawn. These drawing elements (actually Net Components) already provide a standard inscription, which can be adapted easily (right-click to edit).

The tool allows to generate the folder structure for a Mulan MAA (multi-agent application) in the form of a standard Renew plugin.

Generator

The Generator of the UseCase plugin generates skeletons for the system. It facilitates Velocity templates for that cause. Following parts are generated:

• Folder structure of the plugin with source code structure for
  • Interactions (. . . /interactions/)
  • Roles (. . . /roles/)
  • Ontology (. . . /ontology/)
  • Knowledge bases (KB) and Roles/Dependencies? Diagram (. . . /agents/)
• Ant build-Script (build.xml)
• Plugin configuration (plugin.cfg)
• Start scripts (start.sh, sartCapa.rnw, startKBE.sh)
• Skeleton: Roles/Dependencies? Diagram and a Project-File (RolesDependencies.mad, projects.xml)
• Protégé: Ontology file skeletons (<name>.pprj, <name>.pons, <name>.pint)
• FS Ontology: Concept Diagram skeleton as an alternative to Protégé
• Skeletons: AIPs for all Interactions, containing role names of all Participants. (<interaction>.aip)

Generation

The name and the location for the created files have to be defined when generating files. The generator will prompt you for both, the name and the location. Alternatively, the name can be defined in a configuration file ending on .plg. The property name is appName. It has to be defined in a Java Properties style (e.g. appName=MyApplication?).

Setting-Up Generator:

• Draw a Use Case Diagram with the elements from the tool palette. Use actors for agent roles and cases for interactions.
• Use the Create Folder Structure (or the Create Agentlet) Command to start the generation process.
• Select a plugin.cfg (*optional*). You can skip this and instead in the next step...
• Choose a (new) name for your Application (Plugin). Use camel case, start with a capital and abide to Java conventions (e.g. do not use \_).
• Choose a location. This should be a repository that is prepared for the compilation of plugins (e.g. Mulan, CAP). Be careful, Java folder selection is tricky. Double-clicks might not work as expected (i.e. select CAP in the folder above CAP and confirm by pressing the button).
• Some log output concerning the created files will be promted.

After generation the plugin compiles with ant fsdist (or ant dist, ant fsdist-nosns,...), it can be deployed through a repository (subversion) and the domain specific design of the system starts.

(4) Inscriptions (Actors, Interactions):

(to be done)