README.md

upml - formal verification of UML state machines with Promela and TLA+/PlusCal

A tool to convert (a subset of the whole spec of) an UML state machine/statechart to:

• a Promela model for spin checking.
• a TLA model

The state machine is described in an plantuml file (again, a subset of what plantuml offers) with some additions.

Status

Finite state machines (FSM) should be fully supported. Hierarchical state machines (HSM) are only partially supported currently: only one hierachical level.

Self-transitions (exit state & enter it again) are not supported and are implemented as internal transitions.

Plantuml: @see the plantuml state diagram:

• unsupported: history
• unsupported: fork, join
• idem: choice
• idem: entry/exit point
• idem: pin
• idem: expansion
• unsupported plantuml constructs:
  • state declarations such as:
    • state "long state name" as xxx
    • state ignoredAgain as "long name"
  • json
  • skinparam

Additions:

• comments: //, non-nested /**/. Plantuml will choke on these: if you can, use note instead.
• ltl: these are model artifacts but due to plantuml quirks, the LTL formulas have to be scoped anywhere in a top level state. See the Promela page example:
  • ClosedSystemEnvironment: ltl: ltlFinalStates {[]<>(currentState:ClosedSystemEnvironment == state:CallEnded && currentState:Alice == state:Aterminated && currentState:Bob == state:Bterminated)};
• transition: state --> state : event [guard]/effect ;
  • note the ending ;
  • currently the effect can only be a send or a trace action.
  • guard is an expression e.g. ((x==y) && (z!=1 || z!=2))
  • example: Deploy -1down-> Operation : BYE [((x==y) && (z!=1 || z!=2))] / send event:ACK to state:Bob ;
  • example: Super1 --> Super2 : T1 [g()]/trace t1 foo bar baz; (note the lack of quotes)
• state actions: entry, exit
  • send event from state:
  • example: AInitiated: entry: send event:INVITE to state:Bob ;
• preconditions: state: precondition: expression ;
  • example: BInitiated: precondition: (currentState:Bob != state:AIdle);
• postconditions: state: postcondition: expression ;
• invariants: state: invariant: expression ;
• configuration:
  • config: noInboundEvents: this state receives no events
  • config: progressTag: mark state as normal in an infinite execution cycle for starvation/non-progress loops verifications
• NullEvent: reserved event name to force transitions statements to be executable without an external event
• timeout: WIP (not to be confused with the Promela timeout condition)

Build

Depends on boost (spirit, program_options, filesystem).

Similar tools & various links

• vUML. I could not get my hands on it.
• Translating UML State Machine Diagram into Promela
• An exhausting list of FSL
• SysML
• qhsmtst/qtools