This paper describes MATA (Modeling Aspects Using a Transformation Approach), a UML aspect-oriented modeling tool that uses graph transformations to specify and compose aspects. Graph transformations provide a unified approach for aspect modeling. The methods presented here can be applied to any modeling language with a well-defined metamodel. This paper, however, focuses on UML class diagrams, sequence diagrams and state diagrams. MATA takes a different approach to aspect-oriented modeling since there are no explicit joinpoints. Rather, any model element can be a joinpoint and composition is a special case of model transformation. We illustrate MATA on structural and behavioral models for a cellphone example.
Jon Whittle, Praveen K. Jayaraman