Model-driven approach for verifying conformity of models in the presence of constraints

This paper presents a model-driven approach for the systematic development of tools for checking the conformity of models when the domain formalization does not only consist of a meta-model but also on a set of constraints enhancing it. The strategy is built on top of the idea of representing the result of the verification as a model which gathers all the constraint violations found in the model, formulating them in a way that allows their later detailed manifestation, automatic correction or any other potential processing. With that aim, a meta-model for supporting those models describing constraints violations has been designed. The verification is applied by means of an M2M transformation that takes as input the model to verify and generates a model conforming to the designed meta-model. This methodology constitutes the way to accomplish the final objective: designing a strategy for the development of a generic tool for verification, regardless any particular meta-model or constraints set. This is performed through the duality of a model transformation as a processing program but also as a processed artefact (model), by means of the Higher Order Transformation (HOT) technique.