Analysis of extended feature models with constraint programming


Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Computer Engineering, Turkey

Approval Date: 2010

Thesis Language: English

Student: Ahmet Serkan Karataş

Supervisor: MEHMET HALİT S. OĞUZTÜZÜN

Abstract:

In this dissertation we lay the groundwork of automated analysis of extended feature models with constraint programming. Among different proposals, feature modeling has proven to be very effective for modeling and managing variability in Software Product Lines. However, industrial experiences showed that feature models often grow too large with hundreds of features and complex cross-tree relationships, which necessitates automated analysis support. To address this issue we present a mapping from extended feature models, which may include complex feature-feature, feature-attribute and attribute-attribute cross-tree relationships as well as global constraints, to constraint logic programming over finite domains. Then, we discuss the effects of including complex feature attribute relationships on various analysis operations defined on the feature models. As new types of variability emerge due to the inclusion of feature attributes in cross-tree relationships, we discuss the necessity of reformulation of some of the analysis operations and suggest a revised understanding for some other. We also propose new analysis operations arising due to the nature of the new variability introduced. Then we propose a transformation from extended feature models to basic/cardinality-based feature models that may be applied under certain circumstances and enables using SAT or BDD solvers in automated analysis of extended feature models. Finally, we discuss the role of the context information in feature modeling, and propose to use context information in staged configuration of feature-models.