Checking Model Consistency Using Data-Flow Testing

In model-driven development, requirements are captured as a specification model, from which a conforming implementation is automatically generated. Model consistency, with respect to requirements, is a primary concern. If the various structural and integrity constraints are inconsistent, then either the model will admit no implementation, or the implementation produced will not behave according to the intended requirements. We present an approach, based upon data-flow testing, to helping developers inspect their models for inconsistency. System models contain classes, attributes, invariants, and methods specified as first-order predicates. We identify for every attribute its intra-method usages. We construct accordingly call sequences demonstrating its inter-method usages. We derive from each call sequence a Boolean constraint, as a test case, ensuring both the execution of the corresponding inter-method usage and the maintenance of invariants. Developers may examine this test suite and compare against their original understandings about the requirements.