The Toolset

TOPO is really a collection of tools to help in design with . Every tool is conformant to IS 8807, the ISO standard, and deals with full unless explicitly stated. The tools are:

• syntax checker

• pretty printer (warning: no comments)

• static semantics checker

• C and Ada code generation for data and behaviour TOPO defines virtual machines for data and behaviour, before actual code generation.

• data types analysis (hierarchies, and so ...)

• objects cross reference listing

• data type annotating tool, to link data objects to external ones (C libraries, Ada packages, ...)

• data interpreter, for debugging

• behaviour interpreter library (to build symbolic tools) (warning: basic )

• data types test suite specification language, and translator

• lotos behaviour test generator (warning: basic )

• generation of CR (Common Representation) as defined by the ESPRIT project LOTOSPHERE

Several `standard libraries' are provided. The one in the ISO annex is bulky and has some flaws. Users may easily define their own library, so this is an open list of alternatives.

• minimal (only booleans)

• bool_int (only booleans and integers)

• is (as defined in ISO IS 8807)

• mod_is (as modified by LOTOSPHERE)

• ditupm (an alternative with more realistic types - a matter of taste?)

The tools may be accessed individually or under a shell interface that may be customised to concrete user needs. The full toolset is:

• LOLA (LOtos LAboratory): symbolic simulator, expansion tool, test execution tool

• TLOTOS (Lotos with time extensions): for performance analysis, and time dependencies validation

• GLD (GraphicaL Designer): tool for graphical editing. It uses two different formalism G- and DART (can be mixed).

• GLA (GraphicaL Animator): a simulator of the behaviour of the specification, using graphical views from the DART specification.