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A testing framework for DEVS formalism implementations

Published: 03 April 2011 Publication History

Abstract

The Discrete-Event system Specification (DEVS) is a widely used formalism for discrete-event modelling and simulation. A variety of DEVS modelling and simulation tools have been implemented. Diverse implementations with platform-specific characteristics and often tailored to specific problem domains need to be tested to ensure their compliance with the precise and formal DEVS formalism specification. Such compliance allows for meaningful exchange and re-use of models. It also allows for the correct comparison of simulator implementation performance and hence of specific implementation optimizations. In this paper, we focus on testing correctness and preciseness of DEVS implementations and propose a testing framework. Our testing framework combines black-box and white-box testing approaches and uses a standard XML representation for event- and state-traces (also known as segments). We apply our testing framework to Python-DEVS and DEVS++, two concrete implementations of the Classic DEVS formalism. Analysis of the test results reveals candidate items for improvement of the two tools. Finally, insights gained into DEVS standardization are discussed.

References

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B. P. Zeigler, H. Praehofer, and T. G. Kim. Theory of Modeling and Simulation: Integrating Discrete Event and Continuous Complex Dynamic Systems, 2nd Edition. Academic Press, New York, 2000.
[2]
DEVSSG. DEVS standardization group. http://cell-devs.sce.carleton.ca/devsgroup/.
[3]
B. P. Zeigler and H. S. Sarjoughian. Introduction to DEVS Modeling and Simulation with JAVA: Developing Component-based Simulation Models. Technical report, 2003.
[4]
Moon Ho Hwang. DEVS++, v.1.4.2 edition, April 2009. http://odevspp.sourceforge.net/.
[5]
Jean Sébastien Bolduc and Hans Vangheluwe. The modelling and simulation package PythonDEVS for classical hierarchical DEVS. MSDL technical report MSDL-TR-2001-01, McGill University, June 2001.
[6]
Victorino Sanz, Alfonso Urquia, François E Cellier, and Sebastian Dormido. System modeling using the Parallel DEVS formalism and the Modelica language. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 18(7):998--1018, 2010.
[7]
Kyung Min Seo, Change Ho Sung, and Tag G. Kim. Realization of the DEVS Formalism in MATALB/Simulink. June 2008.
[8]
B. P. Zeigler, G. Ball, H. Cho, J. Lee, and H. Sarjoughian. Implementation of the DEVS Formalism over the HLA/RTI: Problems and Solutions. In 1999 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop, Orlando, FL, March 1999.
[9]
Yonglin Lei, Weiping Wang, Qun Li, and Yifan Zhu. A transformation model from DEVS to SMP2 based on MDA. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 17(10):1690--1709, 2009.
[10]
Hongyan Song. Infrastructure for DEVS Modelling and Experimentation. Master's thesis, McGill University, 2006.
[11]
S. Purcell. PyUnit Testing Framework, v.1.4.1 edition, 2001. http://pyunit.sourceforge.net.

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      TMS-DEVS '11: Proceedings of the 2011 Symposium on Theory of Modeling & Simulation: DEVS Integrative M&S Symposium
      April 2011
      300 pages

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      • SCS: Society for Modeling and Simulation International

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      Society for Computer Simulation International

      San Diego, CA, United States

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      Published: 03 April 2011

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      Author Tags

      1. DEVS implementation testing framework
      2. DEVS standardization
      3. DEVS standardized trace representation
      4. DEVS tools

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      SpringSim '11
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      SpringSim '11: 2011 Spring Simulation Multi-conference
      April 3 - 7, 2011
      Massachusetts, Boston

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