Ontolog Forum
General
| Full name of the tool | OntoUML Supporting Tools |
| Description of the tool | [[Description of the tool::Our approach to OntoUML tool support is based on experimental research prototypes and on the extension or customization of production-grade tools.
We have defined an infrastructure for OntoUML model manipulation, which includes an ECORE metamodel which is used as a reference metamodel for all our OntoUML projects at this point in time. See http://code.google.com/p/rcarraretto/ Our experimental research prototype is a (standalone) OntoUML Editor, called OLED. This editor uses the services of the OntoUML infrastructure for syntax verification; for the transformation of OntoUML+OCL to Alloy (for simulation and verification), and from OntoUML to OWL and SBVR. See https://code.google.com/p/ontouml-lightweight-editor/ With respect to production-grade tools, we currently support Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect (EA) 9.0. See https://code.google.com/p/ontouml-lightweight-editor/wiki/EnterpriseArchitect]] |
| Link to the tool | http://nemo.inf.ufes.br/en/ontoumlsupport |
| Tool home page | http://nemo.inf.ufes.br/en/ontoumlsupport |
| Download page | http://nemo.inf.ufes.br/en/ontoumlsupport |
| Author | Ontology and Conceptual Modeling Research Group (NEMO |
| Contact | gguizzardi@inf.ufes.br |
| Institutional sponsor | Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES) |
| Last version | |
| License | GNU GPL v3 |
| Mailing List |
Exploration
| Find ontologies with specific domain coverage | Yes |
| -- comment | The tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. |
| Compare domain coverage across ontologies | Yes |
| -- comment | Idem previous question |
| Assess or characterize breadth of domain coverage of an ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | Idem previous question |
| Assess or characterize depth or detail of domain coverage of an ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | Idem previous question |
| Assess or characterize use considerations of ontology including licensing, training, cost, updating, software requirements, and security | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Assess complexity of concept definitions (necessary and sufficient properties) and use of axioms | Yes |
| -- comment | The tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. |
| Identify number and ratio of concepts, relations, and subclassing | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Identify frequency of use of ontology language features in an ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Identify age and use statistics of an ontology and its versions | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Assess the inferencing power of an ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | The tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. |
| Rate ontologies on their popularity or review feedback | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for exploration phase (describe capability) |
Management
| Distinguish between conceptual and operational ontologies and objectives | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Distinguish between conceptual and operational ontologies and objectives comments::This is a central issue in OntoUML. OntoUML has been created to target the conceptual modeling phase on Ontology Development. From a OntoUML conceptual model, several operational ontologies in different codification languages can be generated satisfying different set of non-functional requirements.]] |
| Generate ontology application and performance requirements | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Generate ontology application and performance requirements comments::From a OntoUML conceptual model, several operational ontologies in different codification languages can be generated satisfying different set of non-functional requirements.]] |
| Organize and track the life cycle requirements and progression of an ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Organize and maintain a collection of related ontologies and ontology modules | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Provide statistics on ontology versioning and use | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide ontology development per a quality assurance methodology | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Guide ontology development per a quality assurance methodology comments::The tool supports conformance to the OntoUML metamodel which, in turn, garantees that the model is consistent to the basic axiomatization of the foundational ontology underlying OntoUML (termed UFO). The tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones.]] |
| Assess the reusability of a planned ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for management phase (describe capability) |
Design
| Does OntoUML Suite guide formulation of ontology requirements? | |
| Guide formulation of domain scope and detail requirements | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide formulation of goodness of design requirements | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide formulation of data and information requirements | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide formulation of semantic and reasoning requirements | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide formulation of interface requirements | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide formulation of level of effort requirements | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Facilitate framing a set of competency questions exemplifying ontology objectives | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Choose metaphysical methodology | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Choose metaphysical methodology comments::OntoUML is a version of UML reengineered to conform to the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO). The modeling primitives in OntoUML reflect the ontological distinctions in UFO and the OntoUML metamodel embeds formal constraints that reflect the basic axiomatization of UFO.]] |
| Does OntoUML Suite allow one to choose an extant ontology for reuse? | |
| Choose extant top ontology for reuse | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Choose extant top ontology for reuse comments::OntoUML is a version of UML reengineered to conform to the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO). The modeling primitives in OntoUML reflect the ontological distinctions in UFO and the OntoUML metamodel embeds formal constraints that reflect the basic axiomatization of UFO.]] |
| Choose extant core ontologies for reuse | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Apply a style of ontological analysis to design | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Apply a style of ontological analysis to design comments::OntoUML is a version of UML reengineered to conform to the Unified Foundational Ontology (UFO). The modeling primitives in OntoUML reflect the ontological distinctions in UFO and the OntoUML metamodel embeds formal constraints that reflect the basic axiomatization of UFO. Moreover, OntoUML is a pattern language - the patterns in the language reflect the microtheories of the underlying foundational ontology.]] |
| Guide design to optimize normalization, factoring, and simplicity of ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | This is achieved by the higher-granularity building blocks of the language which are ontological design patterns that reflect the microtheories of the underlying foundational ontology. |
| Guide application of open world or closed world semantics | No |
| -- comment | not sure what exactly is meant by the question |
| Guide ontology design to achieve inferencing requirements | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Guide ontology design to achieve inferencing requirements comments::The metamodel of OntoUML embbeds formal requirements which reflect the basic axiomatization of the foundational ontology underlying the language (UFO). This axiomatization is preserved in the mapping to operational ontologies - sometimes partially preserved given the difference in expressivity of source and target languages. Besides that, the tool supports the inclusion of domain constrains in the OCL language.]] |
| Guide ontology design to achieve scalability requirements | No |
| -- comment | [[Guide ontology design to achieve scalability requirements comments::From a OntoUML conceptual model, several operational ontologies in different codification languages can be generated satisfying different set of non-functional requirements. Scalability is one of the NFRs considered in these alternative mappings.]] |
| Enable adjustable query and inference performance | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Does OntoUML Suite offer design patterns based on current ontology or design context? | |
| Offer application patterns based on current ontology or design context | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Offer ontology language patterns based on current ontology or design context | Yes |
| -- comment | OntoUML is a pattern language. The language is structured in higher-granularity modeling primitives which are ontological design patterns. These design patterns reflect ontological microtheories from the underlying foundational ontology. |
| Offer methodology patterns based on current ontology or design context | No |
| -- comment | idem to previous response |
| Offer other patterns based on current ontology or design context | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Offer other patterns based on current ontology or design context comments::The language also supports Analysis Patterns (patterns to analyze properties of the models), transformation patterns (patterns for mapping OntoUML models to operational ontologies in different languages) and automatic detection of anti-patterns.]] |
| Integrate selected design patterns into an ontology design | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Integrate selected design patterns into an ontology design comments::OntoUML is a pattern language. The language is structured in higher-granularity modeling primitives which are ontological design patterns. These design patterns reflect ontological microtheories from the underlying foundational ontology. In one of the modes of operations of the tool, building models in OntoUML is done in an inductive manner by connecting ODPs and building blocks.]] |
| Assess correctness or performance of an ontology design | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Assess correctness or performance of an ontology design comments::The tools support formal verification and validation of OntoUML models.]] |
| Guide and facilitate modularization of ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Guide and facilitate modularization of ontology comments::A basic modularion mechanism of the OntoUML approach is the set ontology design patterns embedded in the language. Moreover, as an extension of UML, OntoUML support packages as a basic syntactic modularization mechanism.]] |
| Guide ontology design for visualization | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Guide ontology design for visualization comments::As an extension of UML, OntoUML uses an extension of the UML visual concrete syntax. Moreover, the tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation. The possible models of the ontology are visualized in a possible world structure.]] |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for design phase (describe capability) | |
Build
General Development
| Does OntoUML Suite allow one to choose an ontology language? | |
| Choose ontology language | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Choose ontology language comments::This is a central issue in OntoUML. OntoUML has been created to target the conceptual modeling phase on Ontology Development. From an OntoUML conceptual model, several operational ontologies in different codification languages can be generated satisfying different set of non-functional requirements (including Alloy and different mapping approaches to OWL).]] |
| Choose formal logic language | Yes |
| -- comment | see previous response |
| Choose RDF support | Yes |
| -- comment | see previous response |
| Mix ontology languages | Yes |
| -- comment | see previous response |
| Generate ontology code from requirements specification | Yes |
| -- comment | see previous response |
| Generate or enforce selected design patterns in ontology code | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Generate or enforce selected design patterns in ontology code comments::OntoUML is a pattern-based language that has been created to target the conceptual modeling phase on Ontology Development. From an OntoUML conceptual model, several operational ontologies in different codification languages can be generated satisfying different set of non-functional requirements (including Alloy and different mapping approaches to OWL).]] |
| Feedback on consistency of granularity and regularity of domain ontology structure | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Feedback on consistency of granularity and regularity of domain ontology structure comments::As a pattern language, the models in OntoUML reflect the regular structure of these patterns. The granularity of the basic building blocks is also tunned by these patterns.]] |
| Manage lexical naming and annotation of ontology elements | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Manage lexical naming and annotation of ontology elements comments::The modeling primitives in OntoUML are distinguished by a number of ontological meta-properties (e.g., rigidity, unity, dependence). In fact, the ontological theory underlying OntoUML subsumes and extends the ontology of universals underlying Ontoclean]] |
| Ensure proper use and coding of RDF and Web resources | No |
| -- comment | not sure what is exactly meant by the question |
| Enforce proper use and coding of URIs | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Produce the current terminological inferences of an ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Optimize query and inference performance | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Detect violations of domain, referential, or semantic integrity | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Detect violations of domain, referential, or semantic integrity comments::As an extension of UML, OntoUML is a typed language - so domain and referential integrity is guaranteed by design. Semantic integrity is guaranteed by the formal checking of constraints in the metamodel of the language and by the domain dependent constraints in OCL.]] |
| Overall, detect and correct coding errors or inconsistencies | No |
| -- comment | see previous response |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for build phase (describe capability) | |
Concept Development
| Ensure proper separation and coding of concepts and facts | Yes |
| -- comment | OntoUML is a schema-level language. Facts are automatically generated for the purpose of validation via visual simulation. |
| Ensure kind-of nature and consistency of subclassing | Yes |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide subclass versus class individual determinations | No |
| -- comment | [[Guide subclass versus class individual determinations comments::OntoUML is a schema-level language. Therefore, there are no individuals directly represented in OntoUML models.]] |
| Monitor depth of subclassing consistency across a domain ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Generate prototypical instances (individuals) to help verify class intent and class subsumption | Yes |
| -- comment | This is one of the main features of ontology validation via visual simulation of instances across possible worlds. |
| Detect and guide use of multiple inheritance | Yes |
| -- comment | This is guaranteed to be corrected by design in the language. |
| Guide use of disjointness axioms | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide use of necessary and sufficient properties in concept definitions | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Guide use of existential versus universal quantification in class restrictions | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Enforce proper use of conjunctions versus disjunctions | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
Relationship Development
| Ensure proper use and coding of relations | Yes |
| -- comment | In particular, the language embedds a theory of relations distinguising formal and material relations and guiding the use of different relations between relations (association subsetting, association redefinition and association subtyping). |
| Ensure proper use and coding of data types | Yes |
| -- comment | OntoUML has a extensive theory of Datatypes based on Gardenfors' theory of Conceptual Structures and Semantic Reference Spaces |
| Assess and enforce consistency and completeness of range and domain constraints | No |
| -- comment | The tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. |
| Assess and enforce consistency and completeness of inverse relations | No |
| -- comment | not applicable |
| Ensure proper use and coding of transitive relations | Yes |
| -- comment | In particular, for part-whole relations, the language contains a number of visual patterns for isolating the scope of transitivity of part-whole relations |
Validation
| Verify that ontology requirements are met | Yes |
| -- comment | The tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. In this manner, the tool allows for the detection of both over- and underconstraining. |
| Can OntoUML Suite assess query performance? | |
| Assess query precision and recall performance | Yes |
| -- comment | see previous response |
| Assess query time performance | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Can OntoUML Suite assess inference performance? | |
| Assess inferencing time performance | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Assess inferencing completeness performance | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Generate characteristic queries and tests | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Accept validation test sets or inputs | No |
| -- comment | In one sense, since the tool does automatic detection of modeling anti-patterns |
| Can OntoUML Suite assure computability of ontology? | |
| Assure semantically adequate computability of ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | The tool automatically checks for logical consistency and allows for finite satisfiability checking. Moreover, the tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. |
| Assure mathematically complete computability of ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Verify that two ontologies are interoperable | Yes |
| -- comment | It does check if the integration of two ontologies creates and logically consistent (via OCL constraint checking) and finetely satisfiable model (via mapping to Alloy) |
| Validate the intended functionality of software using the ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Validate instance data conforming to an ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Assess accuracy, correctness, and completeness of ontology terminological content | No |
| -- comment | The tool automatically checks for logical consistency and allows for finite satisfiability checking. Moreover, the tool employs an approach of model validation via visual simulation which aims at detecting differences between the intended logical models of an ontology and the possible ones. |
| Guide or adjust ontology in accord with validation results | Yes |
| -- comment | For instance, it allows for proactive detection and rectification of modeling anti-patterns |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for validation phase (describe capability) | |
Integration and Use
| Export ontology in different languages | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Export ontology in different languages comments::From an OntoUML conceptual model, several operational ontologies in different codification languages can be generated satisfying different set of non-functional requirements (e.g., Alloy, OWL).]] |
| Integrate ontology with other ontologies | Yes |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Integrate ontology with other information system resources | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Integrate ontology with other information system resources comments::OntoUML is a ontology-driven modeling language for conceptual modeling, in general, and domain ontology engineering, in particular. Thus, the tool allows for the integration of any two OntoUML models
(the enterprise architect extension).]] |
| Assess or track user experience with ontology | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Enable user to modify or extend ontology to address deficiencies | Yes |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Create mappings from ontologies to and from data and data sources | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for integration and use phase (describe capability) |
Maintenance
| Promote reuse of ontology | Yes |
| -- comment | [[Promote reuse of ontology comments::The question is ambiguous. If what is meant is "development with reuse", than the tool offers support to the extent that existing models (e.g., seed models) can be integrated (in the enterprise architect version). If instead what is mean is "development for reuse", the formal ontological foundations and the pattern-based approach of OntoUML can be said to incentive the construction of more general reusable (as opposed to application specific) models.]] |
| Capture ontology errors during use | No |
| -- comment | not sure what exactly is mean by the question |
| Profile use of ontology elements during use | No |
| -- comment | not sure what exactly is mean by the question |
| Compare and map between ontologies | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Track ontology changes and control versions | No |
| -- comment | Optional remarks |
| Other ontology quality and fitness support for maintenance phase (describe capability) |