M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 1 A 3-level approach for Control Systems GUI modeling with COOPN M. Risoldi

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 2 Outline Introduction to the problem 3 levels of modeling –System model –Logical model –Visual model Levels interaction and transformation Status and outlook

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 3 Problem Modeling a GUI for a control system using COOPN. Control system: a system used to monitor the state of a hardware apparatus, sending commands to and retrieving responses from its components. Components can be organized in a hierarchy. Commands can be sent to components, with or without parameters, to change or poll their state. Components can send messages to the interface notifying their state. External events can change component states independently from the interface. The communication between the interface and the system is subject to failures. Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 4 Different aspects of the problem There are 3 aspects to this problem: –Modeling the objects and their hierarchy –Modeling the interface logical aspects –Modeling the interface visual aspects Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook System model Logical model Visual model User Each can be taken into account with a level of modelization: A system model level A logical model level A visual model level

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 5 System model level In the system model level we model the objects and their hierarchy. The objects themselves are represented by classes. This allows for different objects, and different types inside an object. Objects have methods and gates which express “low level” behavior and properties pertaining to the single object. Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook MyObject method1 method2 _ gate1 _ state s s s t method1 will read the internal state of the object and make it available on gate1 method2 will change the internal state of the object and make it available on gate1

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 6 System model level The hierarchy of objects is attained through the use of contexts associated to objects. Contexts can be nested to express a composition of objects. Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook MyObject MyObjectContext method1 method2 _ gate1 _ MyObject MyObjectContext method1 method2 _ gate1 _ OtherObjectContext OtherObject OtherObjectContext OtherObject

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 7 Logical model level Focuses on interaction at the level of the interface (but not considering the nature of the interface). At this level, objects are mapped to their logical representation, i.e. they acquire methods and properties which can be (in an abstract way) pertaining to a GUI object. Example: toggle, show details, show children objects… Must interact with the System model by translating actions to corresponding actions on objects. Must also retain abstract information about the “visual status” of an object, such as visibility, or a state indication. How this will be represented in the GUI is a task for the visual model level. Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 8 Logical model level Similarly to the System model level, the Logical model level has: classes representing the GUI control contexts enclosing classes which allow interaction with other levels and hierarchy of controls Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook MyLogObj MyLogObjContext method1 gate1 _ MyObjectContext MyObject

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 9 Visual model level This is attaining the actual visual representation of objects in the interface. It should couple logical objects with an avatar, their visual projection, which can be of different nature (tree node, icon, 3d model, widget…). The avatar must allow interaction with the logical object (i.e. show its methods and properties). Also, it should probably add actions related to the used visual paradigm (e.g. open a tree node…). At this level, visual behavior of objects should be modeled (e.g. show all children should move the visualization down one level, whatever this means), giving a visual follow-up to abstract actions of the logical level. Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 10 Interaction of levels System model Logical model Visual model User Properties notification Physical objects methods Methods on interface objects Properties & Return values in abstract format Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook Logical and Visual levels have some methods/properties which stop at that level, and others which are sent/taken from the levels above and below. MyLogObj MyLogObjContext method1 gate1 _ MyObjectContext MyObject Interaction between Logical and System model

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 11 Modeling failures Failures have to be taken into account that can be of different nature: Physical failures in an object Physical failures in the control of an object Communication failures between levels … (others?) These have to be modeled for simulation. It can be done with additional states/variables and conditions appropriate methods and gates to simulate failures/repairs Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 12 Climbing levels System model Classes: objects properties & behavior Contexts: hierarchy Logical model Classes: interface controls actions Contexts: interaction b/w objects and with System Visual model Classes: objects avatar + archive of representations Contexts: interaction with Logical level Mapping function Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 13 Why two levels for interface? Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook The logical interface model is “stable”; once defined the nature of the interaction, it is independent on the visual paradigm adopted. The visual level is incidental; in principle, a logical interface can be remapped to any (reasonable) visual paradigm. Possible outcome: use code “bricks” that can be assembled to automatically generate a GUI from the logical model. Have a Logical  Visual interface which allows to: understand the type of interaction with the control associate a widget to it This could be “skinnable” – different visual paradigms could be selected, and generate different interfaces for the same Logical model

M. Risoldi – SMV Group - Université de Genève 14 Status and Outlook Currently, the System and Logical model have been modeled and simulated in CoopnBuilder using a very simple example (a switch and light bulb control system). Upcoming work: Model and simulate failures Model and simulate hierarchy (more complex system) Verify scalability Prototype a visual model in CoopnBuilder Consider automatic code generation from the model Target scenario: Have a methodology which, from a Control System specification, can translate (automatically?) to COOPN and generate a GUI for it. Introduction 3 levels System Logical Visual Interaction & Transform. Status & Outlook