Agent-Based Model Transformations and the Supported Software ODAMTransformer

The model-driven development(MDD) technology can effectively improve the quality and efficiency of software development by establishing and transforming various abstract level models.The paper attempts to introduce the model driven development technology to agent-oriented software engineering,investigates the agent-based model transformation technology,and integrates it into the agent-oriented methodology ODAM.ODAM supports the model-driven development and adopts the organization-based models as a platform-independent models,and the models established on specific platfrom as a platform-dependent models.The paper takes JADE as a platform that is dependent on specific implementation techniques,establishes the relationship between the ODAM meta-model and the JADE meta-model,and further presents a number of model transformation rules that support the transformation between the ODAM models and the JADE models,and the transformation between the JADE models and the source codes.A software tool called ODAMTransformer is developed to support the model transformation and ODAM.Finally,a case is studied to demonstrate our approach and manifest its effectiveness.