Specification issues and verification in a Pascal-like language

Abstract

The effectiveness of very complex, expensive and highlysensitive computer applications depends largely on the correctness of the softwarein use.

We have tried in this thesis to emphasise the role of thespecifications as a first step in the design of the verifiable softwareproducts. Two techniques for writing formal specifications are described. Oneof them constructs an abstract state-machine, and the other defines an algebra bymeans of axioms. Extending an implementation language to accommodate specificationshas also proven to be very useful to the verification process, giving birth tolanguages such as Gypsy and Euclid, both based on Pascal.

A sub-set of Pascal, called Pascal-Minus, was chosen, and atranslator from it into the Functional Description Language (FDL) of the Departmentwas developed, to check the conformity of the programs written in Pascal-Minusin relation to their specification in the form of Boolean expressions, usingthe existing facilities in the Department.

An example is given to illustrate the use and thecapabilities of the system which can be extended to incorporate other controland specification constructs, thus increasing its power of expression.

More information

Identifiers

Catalogue record

Export record

ASCII CitationAtomBibTeXData Cite XMLDublin CoreDublin CoreEP3 XMLEndNoteHTML CitationHTML CitationHTML ListJSONMETSMODSMPEG-21 DIDLOpenURL ContextObjectOpenURL ContextObject in SpanRDF+N-TriplesRDF+N3RDF+XMLRIOXX2 XMLReferReference ManagerSimple Metadata