A framework to translate UML class generalization into Java Code

Abstract

The concept of generalization used during analysis when building a class diagram has a close relationship with the notion of inheritance included in object-oriented programming languages. However, from the point of view of programming, inheritance is a useful mechanism but not especially conceived to implement the generalization specified in analysis. Thus, generalization should be treated suitably in order to obtain sounded design and code from analysis specifications. In addition, it is known that it does not exist concensus about the interpretation and use of inheritance and each programming language provides its particular vision. Hence, when moving from analysis to design and/or implementation (and normally without using a formal approach) the generalization relationships are prone to misinterpretation. OASIS is a formal approach to specify object-oriented conceptual models. In OASIS generalization is included as a language construct that allows specifying generalization patterns with precise semantic and sintaxis. Although OASIS is a textual formal language, the main aspects of one OASIS specification can be mapped and represented using the UML notation, in particular generalization relationships among classes. In this paper we present OASIS generalization patterns and we show how they can be implemented in Java. We also propose other ways to carry out this implementation.