A Web-based animator for validating object specifications

One of the central tasks in developing information systems is the specification of desired system properties. We use the object specification language TROLL light to formalize the conceptual model of a system. A TROLL light specification describes structural as well as dynamic characteristics of objects representing real world entities. For validating specifications, we have developed an animation tool, allowing us to reflect structural properties and dynamic behaviour. The main concepts of the animator are illustrated by a working example. We present a simple specification of a car rental company and describe some of the steps performed during a typical animation session. The animation allows us to check whether desired properties are fulfilled by the given object descriptions. Finally, some design and implementation issues regarding the utilized persistent programming environment and the Web based user interface are discussed.