IDL-Tools

This page provides some tools for working with IDLs and conceptual graphs. The Java applet below allows the translation of CORBA-IDL and DCE-IDL to/from conceptual graphs, as well as testing various subtyping rules. More information about the AI-Trader Project can be obtained at its homepage. Comments on this page can be send to aitrader@informatik.uni-frankfurt.de.

The interface to the IDL-toolset consists of two identical entry forms for IDLs and conceptual graphs (see the right and left hand side of the applet below). The buttons labeled Load Demo IDL i copy some demo IDLs to the IDL-window. The button Convert IDL -> CG translates the IDL in the upper IDL-window to a conceptual graph and copies it to the lower CG-window. The tool automatically recognizes whether the IDL-window contains a CORBA- or a DCE-IDL.

The button Convert CG -> IDL is the inverse operation. It translates a conceptual graph to an IDL. The kind of IDL is determined by the choice button located to the right of the button. Once both IDL-windows contain a valid IDL, the button called Compute Subtypes tests, whether IDL 1 is a subtype of IDL 2. The tools tries three different subtying rule; those of DCE, CORBA and ODP. The results are displayed accordingly.

To get started you might want to try the following steps:

  1. Press the button Load Demo IDL 1 above the IDL 1 window. A small interface specification written in CORBA-IDL is shown in the IDL 1 window.
  2. Press the button Convert IDL -> CG below the IDL 1 window. The window labeled CG 1 shows the translated conceptual graph.
  3. Choose DCE-IDL and press the button Convert CG -> IDL. The conceptual graph in the CG 1 window is translated back to an IDL using the DCE notation. This demonstrates a conversion between CORBA- and DCE-IDL.
  4. Press the button Load Demo IDL 2 on the left side and the button Load Demo IDL 3 on the right hand side. The left IDL-window should show a CORBA-IDL and the right IDL-window a DCE-IDL.
  5. Press the button Compute Subtypes. Only the ODP-subtyping rule recognizes IDL 1 as a subtype of IDL 2 as it is the only rule which checks recursive types including contra- and co-variance of argument types.



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The paper entitled System Support for Knowledge-Based Trading in Open Service Markets of the publication section explains the architechture of the AI-Trader as well as the different subtyping rules found in various infrastructures. If you like to see the implementation of the subtyping rules (written in Prolog), you can visit our graphical user interface to the AI-Trader and choose the menu Edit/Edit matching rules...


mail to: aitrade@vsb.cs.uni-frankfurt.de, 1. Aug 1996