Generative software techniques typically transform components or codefragments, instantiate patterns etc. in some way or another to generate new code fragments, components or programs. Often this needs software support beyond that of existing compilers, i.e., some kind of system which takes software as inputs and produces software as output.

Software transformation systems are tools which are built for such transformations. They range from specific tools for one purpose, via simple pattern matching systems, to general transformation systems which are easily programmed to do any reasonable transformation. Thus the more general tools may be treated as meta-tools for generative programming.

This workshop is designed to investigate the use of software transformation tools as tools to support generative programming. We want to look at various generative techniques and suggest how these may be supported by various general purpose transformation tools. This may lead to a more general understanding of common principles for supporting generative methods.

One line of thought may be the use of formal methods as basis for generative techniques, and how this may be supported by general tools. Some examples of formally definable generative techniques are templates (=generation by instantiation of class/method names), signature morphisms (=generation by substitution of class/method names), coordination (=generation by merging components given specifications of their interaction), which all may be handled by a context sensitive substitution mechanism.

Workshop format

The workshop will have a small number of participants, around 20, selected on the basis of short position papers submitted to the organisers. The aim is to let people with different perspectives meet in order to allow fruitful interaction. The workshop will start with short presentations of the background of the participants. Then pointed presentations of the various generative techniques, followed up with discussions on how software transformation systems may aid in supporting the techniques. If the discussions converge, a small collection of joint papers may be written as a result of the workshop.

Submittal of intent to participate

If you find this workshop interesting you should send an e-mail to stsw04@ii.uib.no with your intent and your area of expertise/interest. We also need a short, max 2 page position paper, but this may be submitted later. All material must be received by the end of June 2004. We prefer plain ISO or UTF-8 documents (txt), but latex (only use standard packages) and pdf formats are also acceptable.

Registration

Workshop participants who only wish to participate in the workshop should register for any of the one-day conference offered. The badge will let you attend your workshop on Sunday as well as one day of the conference.