Using ATL to define advanced and flexible constraint model transformations

TL;DR

This paper introduces an architecture using ATL for defining advanced, flexible constraint model transformations, enabling efficient rewriting and tuning of models through concept-oriented rules based on hierarchical metamodels.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel architecture leveraging ATL to facilitate flexible, model-driven constraint model transformations with hierarchical metamodel-based rules.

Findings

Enables flexible transformation of constraint models.

Supports concept-oriented rules based on hierarchies.

Improves model tuning efficiency.

Abstract

Transforming constraint models is an important task in re- cent constraint programming systems. User-understandable models are defined during the modeling phase but rewriting or tuning them is manda- tory to get solving-efficient models. We propose a new architecture al- lowing to define bridges between any (modeling or solver) languages and to implement model optimizations. This architecture follows a model- driven approach where the constraint modeling process is seen as a set of model transformations. Among others, an interesting feature is the def- inition of transformations as concept-oriented rules, i.e. based on types of model elements where the types are organized into a hierarchy called a metamodel.