=ADD=
=reftype=
14
=number=
99-10
=url=
ftp://ftp.risc.uni-linz.ac.at/pub/techreports/1999/99-10.ps.gz
=year=
1999
=month=
04
=author=
Caruso; Fabrizio + Schneider; Carsten + Van De Weyer; Geert + Schreiner; Wolfgang
=title=
A Student Dictionary System
=abstract=
In this paper we present a detailed case study of formal systems
specification with the aid of the term rewriting system cafeOBJ. The
software system we use for this case study is a rather straightforward
and uncomplicated system that we call a "Student Dictionary
System". This is basically an electronic dictionary that has some
functions allowing its users to test their knowledge of the vocabulary
of a certain language.

We demonstrate, using this example, how an informal notion of the
functionality of a software system is translated into a formal
formulation of the functionality of this software system using notions
from the theory of formal systems specification. Furthermore, we
demonstrate how implementing this formal specification in a term
rewriting language helps the software designer to test the current
functionality of his or her system and in that way helps him or her to
resolve ambiguities in the initial design of the system.
=keywords=
algebraic specifications, formal methods, software engineering, cafeOBJ