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International Conference of Electrical, Automation and Mechanical Engineering (EAME 2015) WASFM: A Web Application System Functional Model C.C. Zhu, J.P. Xiu, Z.Q. Yang Beijing...

International Conference of Electrical, Automation and Mechanical Engineering (EAME 2015) WASFM: A Web Application System Functional Model C.C. Zhu, J.P. Xiu, Z.Q. Yang Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Beijing 100876, China Abstract—Web application system is a kind of system relationships between actors and use cases. But when we organization form which is of large scale and complex. want to define a function as adding a new user, we want to Accurate requirements modeling of this kind of system has describe the fields like: the name of the field, the form very important effect on system success. A web functional controller it uses, the initial values and the constraints. But modeling method is raised in this paper called WASFM. The the Use Case Description has no formal specifications; it paper presents the formal description of WASFM and proves can’t describe the functional requirements in details. the efficiency of this model through a web system modeling example. IDEF0 is based on structured analysis method, and adopts the strict top-down way to construct the model step by step. Keywords-web application functional model; formal IDEF0 uses abbreviations, namely ICOM (I for Input, C for language; function type Control, O for Output and M for Mechanism) to refer to the elements of a function. Unlike other notations that only I INTRODUCTION concern information, IDEF0 covers a number of aspects The web application system (WAS) is a kind of network including information, roles and means of actions. But it software which does not need to install client program and cannot describe the details of a function such as the entity the can be accessed by browser, so WAS is also called B/S function corresponds. system. WAS is an advanced system architecture owning some obvious advantages like the economic efficiency in The GTST (Goal-tree Success-Tree) method is based on system development and the flexibility in system extension. the data flowing GTST method, the system is divided into That’s why it has become the trend of e-commerce, e- small goals, the way to the deepest level is called goal tree, government and other life services. The most famous web and the description of the way to realize the base goal is systems include ‘Baidu’, ‘Google’, ‘taobao’, ‘facebook’ and called the success tree. It contains goals, conditions and so on. attributes in its description so people can understand the system well. But it is suitable for the simple system. When it Web application systems are always complicated with a comes to the complicated system, the model is too large; it is large number of functions, so system requirement analysis is not easy to understand the functions through the model. the emphasis and the difficulty in system construction. Clear and detailed definitions of system requirements are very In this paper we use formal language to define the important for system design, development and testing work. functional model for WAS which contains as many function Functional model needs to define the system function type, definitions as possible. This model will guide the page layout, field definitions, handle constraint and business requirement analysis of WAS, lay the fundamental for the logic, etc. This paper is focused on the research of WAS design, shorten the cycle of development, improve the testing functional modeling methods and proposed a formal model efficiency and finally achieve the aim of ensuring the quality named WASFM. of the system. II RESEARCH STATUS III MODEL DEFINITIONS The common function modeling methods include UML Based on study of the existed methods and analysis of a modeling method, IDEF0 modeling method and GTST lot of WAS structures, this paper divides the typical method, etc. functions into three types. They are: UML (Unified Modeling Language) is the standard (1)The catalog function: it corresponds to the navigation modeling language widely used in the field of object-oriented links of WAS to arrange the system contents to different technology, it allows the visual representation of a system’s modules specification at various levels of design, and it is used to (2)The page function: it is a functional link corresponds construct and document the artifacts of an object-oriented to a specific web page in the WAS. software system. There are many modeling tools in UML like Use Case Diagram, Class Diagram, State Diagram, and (3)The button function: it is a functional button Sequence Diagram, etc. The Use Case Model is a kind of corresponds to a specific operation. The common button high level functional modeling tool to display the functions include: add, delete, edit, check, import and export, etc. © 2015. The authors - Published by Atlantis Press 707  WAS is a collection of the three types of functions. As 2) URL is the page access address shown in Figure 1, WAS should include many catalog functions and catalog function should include sub catalog 3) PAF is the parent function. If the PF is the main page, functions or page functions. Page function should contain the PAF value is 0. many operation area in which located many button functions. 4) PC is the Page Contents which describes the contents Button function should start some system process, for that the web page should include. PC is a set of AD. example insert a new user, delete an order, search some goods or pay some account. Definition 5: AD: Area Description is an Σ (ID, Position, AT, AC), where: 1) ID is the area unique identifier in the page 2) Position is the area location in the page. Position is an Σ (Top, Left, Bottom, and Right), where: a) Top is the ordinate of the upper left corner b) Left is the abscissa of the upper left corner c) Bottom is the ordinate of the lower right corner d) Right is the abscissa of the lower right corner 3) AT is the area type. The most common AT collection is summarized as {Static, Navigation, Query, List, Content, Operation, Form, and Page}, where: a) Static: represent the contents of this area are all static b) Navigation: represent the contents of this area are all navigation links FIGURE I. WEB APPLICATION FUNCTION STRUCTURE DIAGRAM. c) Query: represent the contents of this area are In order to describe the function model for WAS conditions for query goal accurately, this paper proposes a formal WAS functional model method called WASFM. The specific contents are as d) List: represent the contents of this area are organized below. in a table Definition 1: WAS: Web Application System is an Σ (FR, e) Content: represent the contents of this area are specific NFR), where: text 1) FR is a set of functional requirements, and FR ≠ Ø f) Operation: represent the contents of this area are operational button or link 2) NFR is a set of non-functional requirements. g) Form: represent the contents of this area are a form Note: The focus of this paper is FR model method, so the NFR model methods won’t be considered. h) Page: represent the contents of this area correspond to another web page Definition 2: FR: Functional Requirements is an Σ (CF, PF, BF), where: 4) AC is the Area Contents which describes the contents of area. Different AT corresponds to different AC description 1) CF is a set of catalog functions methods. Here gives the definitions of different AC. 2) PF is a set of page functions. Definition 6: SAC: Static Area Content is an Σ (CD), 3) BF is a set of button functions. where: Definition 3: CF: Catalog Function is an Σ (Name, Level, 1) CD is the content description which explicit the static PAF), where: content this area should organize. 1) Name is the function name Definition 7: NAC: Navigation Area Content is an Σ (ND, NR), where: 2) Level is the level of the function. 1) ND is the navigation description which explicit what 3) PAF is the parent function. If the function is the top kind of navigation links should appear in this area level, PAF value is 0. 2) NR is the relationship of the navigation. Definition 4: PF: Page Function is an Σ (Name, URL, PAF, PC), where: Definition8: QAC: Query Area Content is an Σ (FD, FR, QT, CL), where: 1) Name is the function name 3) FD is a set of query field description. 708  4) FR is the fields relationships which illustrate the 1) ON is operation name. constraint of different fields, include {And, OR} 2) PF is the ID of corresponding function page. 5) QT is query type, include {Precise query, Fuzzy query}. 3) OL is operation logic which illustrates the operation business rules. If the button function will open a new page, 6) CL is the corresponding list area, which indicates the the value is 0. results display area. Definition 14: FAC: Form Area Content is a set of FD, Definition9: FD: Field Description is an Σ (FN, CT, where: Empty, Value, Default, FL), where: 1) FD is defined in definition 9. 1) FN is the name of the field. Definition 15: PAC: Page Area Content is an Σ (CD), 2) CT is the field control type, the main control types in where: web application include {Text, Checkbox, Radio, Textarea, Select} 1) CD is the content description of the corresponding web page. 3) Empty indicates whether the field is required. Use 0 represents empty is permitted and 1 presents empty is not IV MODEL EXAMPLE permitted. In this section, WASFM will be used in a real web 4) Value defines the field content, for example the Select system modeling. This system is a university information control must include some list options. management system called DMIMS which is used by the teachers and staffs in the school to manage their daily work. 5) Default indicates the default value of the field. This system’s structure is shown in Figure 2 which has five top modules as ‘System Management’, ‘Course 6) FL is the field limit which explains the constraints of Management’, ‘Reservation Management’, ‘Content this field; include length period, character content, Management’ and ‘Achievements Management’. relationship with other field, etc. Definition 10: LAC: List Area Content is an Σ (Col, CSeq, Row, RSeq, Sort, PN, Refresh, RF), where: 1) Col defines the columns which should be shown in the list area. 2) CSeq defines the sequence of the columns in the list. 3) Row defines the default content of the list. 4) RSeq defines the sequence of the rows in the list. 5) Sort defines which columns should provide sort function. 6) PN is page number which defines the row number per page of the list. 7) Refresh defines whether the content of the list need refresh automatically or not. 8) RF is refresh frequency. If the list content need refresh FIGURE II. FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE OF A WAS EXAMPLE. automatically, this item defines the time interval of the refresh. Each module has secondary functions such as ‘System Definition 11: CAC: Content Area Content is an Σ (CD), Management’ module has ‘User Management’, ‘Role where: Management’, ‘Function Management’ and ‘Log Management’ four functions. Each secondary function 1) CD is the content description which explicit the corresponds to a web page which contains several functional content this area should contain. areas. For example, ‘User Management’ functional page has Definition 12: OAC: Operation Area Content is an Σ four areas as ‘Search’, ‘New’, ‘List’, ‘Operations’, etc. Each (OS), where: button function will cause some process of system as ‘add a new user’, ‘edit some course information’, ‘cancel some 1) OS is a set of operation, and each operation is reservation’, etc. When add a new user, there are some fields described as definition 13. to be filled in, so the requirements should clear the fields contents, limitations and default. Definition 13: BF: Button Function is an Σ (ON, PF, OL), where: Obviously, natural language is very difficult to describe the system functions accurately and completely, it is 709 necessary to find some other formal methods to describe the AD6=Σ (AD6,(10,10,200,680),Query,AC1 ) system functional model. Based on the formal WAS functional model WASFM discussed above, we try to define // definition of query area the DMIMS functional model and give formal definitions of AD7=Σ (AD7,(210,10,300,680), Operation, AC2) some important functions as below: AD8=Σ (AD8,(310,10,790,450), List,AC3) DMIMS=Σ (FR,NFR) AD9=Σ (AD9,(460,10,790,680), Operation, AC4 ) FR=Σ (CF,PF,BF) BF= {BF1,BF2,BF3,BF4,BF5,BF6,……} CF={CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, CF5} //definition of button functions //definition of catalog functions BF1=Σ (Add User,PF3,0) CF1=Σ (System Management, 1, 0) PF3=Σ (Add User,/system/user/addUser.jsp, User CF2=Σ (Course Management, 1, 0) Management,PC3) CF3=Σ (Reservation Management, 1, 0) //definition of the add user page CF4=Σ (Content Management, 1, 0) PC3= {AD10, AD11} CF5=Σ (Achievements Management, 1, 0) AD10=Σ (AD10,(10,10,200,680),Form,AC5) PF= {PF1, PF2, PF3, …… } //definition of Form area //definition of page functions AD11=Σ (AD11,(210,10,300,680), Operation, AC6) PF1=Σ (Main, http://10.104.16.2:8080/DMIMS, 0, PC1) //definition of button area //definition of the main page AC5={FD1,FD2,FD3,FD4,FD5,……} PC1= {AD1, AD2, AD3, AD4, AD5} FD1=Σ (UserId,Text,1,Null,Null,’Digital, 20’) //definition of the main page area organization FD2=Σ (Name,Text,1,Null,Null,’Digital, 20’) AD1=Σ (AD1, (10,10,200,1024),Static, ’lay a static FD3=Σ (Role,Select,1,’Admin, Teacher, Student’, picture including the system’s name’) Teacher, Null) //definition of title area FD4=Σ (Title,Select,1,’Lecture, Associate Professor, AD2=Σ (AD, (210, 10, 280, 1024), Navigation, Professor’, Null, Null) (‘level=1’, null)) FD5=Σ (Department,Select,1,’select from database //definition of top navigation area department table’, Null, AD3=Σ (AD3, (290, 10, 800, 300), Navigation, Null) (‘level=2’,’list the next level AC6= {BF7,BF8,BF9} Catalog functions of the each top functions)) BF7=Σ (OK, Null, ’Add the new user information into //definition of second navigation area database’) AD4=Σ (AD4, (290, 10, 800, 300), Page, ‘function page BF8=Σ (Reset, Null, ’Reply to field values as the initial of the AD3’) state’) //definition of functional page area BF9=Σ (Cancel, Null, ’Cancel this operation’) AD5=Σ (AD5, (810, 10, 840, 1024), Static, ‘Copyright …… information’) The definitions above just give a small part description of //definition of copyright area the system, but it is obviously that the functions have been illustrated very clearly. According to this method, we can PF2=Σ (User Management,/system/user/index.jsp, easily complete the definition of each function of the system. System management, With the definition of the web application system, first PC2) we can get a general understanding of the whole system such as how many main modules the system contains and the //definition of the user management page detail functions applied by each second module; secondly PC2={AD6,AD7,AD8,AD9} when to design the database and to develop the modules, we can refer to it to get the detail of each function. It will help //definition of the user management page area the developer to do the work more standardized and reduce organization 710 subsequent modifications; at last, for testing work, it gives constrains so will help the testers to design the cases fully. V CONCLUSION This paper puts forward a new formal WAS functional model WASFM which can describe the web system functions completely and precisely. Formal definitions of the WAS functions have important significance, it can help designer to understand the system requirements accurately, help programmer clear the development task, help the tester grasp the details of the system and make it possible of programming and testing automatically. REFERENCES Dzidek, W. J, Arisholm, E. and Lionel C, A Realistic Empirical Evaluation of the Costs and Benefits of UML in Software Maintenance, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, Vol. 34(3), pp. 407-432, 2008. TANG Shengqun, LIU Wei and MA Jie, Inferring Requirement Goals from Model Implementing by UML, Computer Engineering, Vol. 28(3), pp. 77-79, 2002. Feldmann, Clarence G. The practical guide to business process reengineering using IDEF0. Dorset House Publishing, NY, 1998. Rozilawati Razali, Parnian Najafi, Seyed Hadi Mirisaee: Combining Use Case Diagram and Integrated Definition’s IDEF0 – A Preliminary Study. International Conference on Software Engineering and Data Mining, 2010. 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