Generalizing Consistency Checking between Software Views

Inconsistencies between software views are a source of errors for software systems. In this paper we present a general approach that aids in finding inconsistencies between different views. This approach supports both intra phase consistency checking and inter phase consistency checking. The approach is suitable for detecting consistency problems between, for example, multiple diagrams in a UML design as well as between a design and an implementation. The approach is based on verification of rules using relation partition algebra. In this paper, we present two types of rules: obligations and the more commonly used constraints, which can be viewed as lower bounds and upper bounds, respectively. To check consistency between views, rules are derived from one view, the so-called prevailing view, and imposed on another view, the so-called subordinate view. Because our approach does not prescribe which views are prevailing, it can be used in any arbitrary process. Violations to rules can be expressed in terms of either the prevailing view or the subordinate view. Exceptions to rules are easiliy embedded in our general approach to consistency checking.