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The following reports can be downloaded from

   http://www.ifi.unizh.ch/techreports/OTHER.html

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Title: 
Attempto Controlled English (ACE)

Authors:
Norbert E. Fuchs, Rolf Schwitter
Department of Computer Science
University of Zurich
{fuchs, schwitter}@ifi.unizh.ch

Abstract:
Attempto Controlled English (ACE) allows domain specialists to
interactively formulate requirements specifications in domain concepts.
ACE can be accurately and efficiently processed by a computer, but is
expressive enough to allow natural usage. The Attempto system translates
specification texts in ACE into discourse representation structures and
optionally into Prolog. Translated specification texts are incrementally
added to a knowledge base. This knowledge base can be queried in ACE for
verification, and it can be executed for simulation, prototyping and
validation of the specification.

To be presented at CLAW 96, First International Workshop on Controlled
Language Applications, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 26-27 March 1996

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Title:
Controlled English for Requirements Specifications

Authors:
Norbert E. Fuchs, Rolf Schwitter
Department of Computer Science
University of Zurich
{fuchs, schwitter}@ifi.unizh.ch

Abstract:
Controlled English - a subset of English with a restricted grammar and a
domain-specific vocabulary - allows domain specialists to interactively
formulate requirements specifications in domain concepts. Controlled
English can be accurately and efficiently processed by a computer, but is
expressive enough to allow natural usage. Controlled English has a
principled structure: declarative sentences are combined by constructors
(e.g. negation, if-then, and-lists, or-lists) to powerful phrases, while
certain forms of anaphora and ellipsis render the language concise and
natural. We have developed the Attempto system that translates complete
specification texts in Controlled English into discourse representation
structures � a structured form of first-order predicate logic � and
optionally into Prolog. Translated specification texts are incrementally
added to a knowledge base. This knowledge base can be used to answer
queries in Controlled English about the specification, and it can be
executed for simulation, prototyping and validation of the specification.
Tools like a paraphraser, a lexical editor, a spelling checker, and an
inference engine for query answering and execution complement Attempto.
Using Attempto we have successfully processed the non-trivial Controlled
English specification of a simple automated teller machine.

Submitted to IEEE Computer, Special Issue on Interactive Natural Language
Processing, July 1996

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Title: 
Attempto - Controlled Natural Language for Requirements Specifications 

Authors:
Norbert E. Fuchs, Rolf Schwitter
Department of Computer Science
University of Zurich
{fuchs, schwitter}@ifi.unizh.ch


Abstract:
Writing specifications for computer programs is not easy since one has to
take into account the disparate conceptual worlds of the application
domain and of software development. To bridge this conceptual gap we
propose controlled natural language as a declarative and
application-specific specification language. Controlled natural language
is a subset of natural language that can be accurately and efficiently
processed by a computer, but is expressive enough to allow natural usage
by non-specialists. Specifications in controlled natural language are
automatically translated into Prolog clauses, hence become formal and
executable. The translation uses a Definite Clause Grammar (DCG) enhanced
by feature structures. Inter-text references of the specification, e.g.
anaphora, are resolved with the help of Discourse Representation Theory
(DRT). The generated Prolog clauses are added to a knowledge base. We have
implemented the prototypical specification system Attempto that
successfully processes the specification of a simple automated teller
machine.

Presented at Seventh ILPS '95 Workshop on Logic Programming Environments,
Portland, Oregon, December 1995

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Title: 
Prolog Program Development via Enhanced Schema-Based Transformations

Authors:
Wamberto W. Vasconcelos
Department of Artificial Intelligence
University of Edinburgh
wamb@aisb.ed.ac.uk

Norbert E. Fuchs
Department of Computer Science
University of Zurich
fuchs@ifi.unizh.ch

Abstract:
We describe state-of-the-practice results in integrating a program
transformation approach to a program development environment. We propose a
formalisation for a specific kind of programming knowledge, the
programming techniques. Our proposal employs program schemata, generic
descriptions of programs addressing portions of predicate definitions in
an economical manner, allowing important features to be highlighted and
irrelevant details to be disregarded. This formalisation of programming
techniques is employed in the definition of a program development
framework which supports the preparation of individual predicates, and
additionally provides a supervising facility which checks inter-procedural
relations for possible efficiency improvements.

Presented at Seventh ILPS '95 Workshop on Logic Programming Environments,
Portland, Oregon, December 1995

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Title: 
An Opportunistic Approach for Logic Program Analysis and Optimisation
using Enhanced Schema-Based Transformations

Authors:
Wamberto W. Vasconcelos, Norbert E. Fuchs
Department of Computer Science
University of Zurich
fuchs@ifi.unizh.ch

Abstract:
We propose an opportunistic approach for performing program analysis and
optimisation: opportunities for improving a logic program are
systematically attempted, either by examining its procedures in an
isolated fashion, or by checking for conjunctions within clauses that can
be used as joint specifications. Opportunities are represented as enhanced
schema-based transformation, generic descriptions of inefficient
programming constructs and of how these should be altered in order to
confer a better computational behaviour on the program. The programming
constructs are described in an abstract manner using an enhanced schema
language which allows important features to be highlighted and irrelevant
details to be disregarded.

Presented at LOPSTR '95, Fifth Workshop on Logic Programming Synthesis and
Transformation, Utrecht, Netherlands, September 1995

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Norbert E. Fuchs                 Telephone   +41-1-257 43 13
Department of Computer Science   Fax         +41-1-363 00 35
University of Zurich             Email    fuchs@ifi.unizh.ch
CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland      WWW        www.ifi.unizh.ch
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