BindingTime : public class
Created: 2007-01-15 13:51:18
Modified: 2010-04-29 13:24:15
Project:
Advanced:
<p>The motivation for attributing features and variable elements with binding times is that binding times encapsulate important information about the variability under view.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Variability that must be bound (determined, decided) very early in the system development may not be visible in one single feature model but only in comparison with different feature models in the context of multi-level feature trees; late bound variability is variability providing the driver with choices for current equipment configuration.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Binding times are important because they describe if the variability must be decided during system development or if the variability is determined by a customer or if the variability itself is part of the product features that are sold to the customer. Possible binding times are:<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>- SystemDesignTime<br/></p><p>- CodeGenerationTime<br/></p><p>- PreCompileTime<br/></p><p>- LinkTime<br/></p><p>- PostBuild<br/></p><p>- Runtime<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Note that a binding time is never a particular point in time such as April 2nd, 2011, but always a certain stage in the overall development, production and shipment process as represented by the above values.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Each feature must have a binding time (association requiredBindingTime) and may have one further binding time (association actualBindingTime).<br/></p><p><br/></p><p>The required binding time describes the binding time that the feature is intended to have. But due to technical conditions it may occur that the actually realized binding time of the feature differs from the originally intended binding time. In this case one has to provide information about the actual binding time. In the rationale it must be described by what the required binding time is motivated by and what the reasons are for a (different) actual binding time.<br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>Extension:<br/></p><p>Class.<br/></p>
Attribute Details
public BindingTimeKind
  kind
Initial: systemDesignTime
Notes: The kind of the binding time, see enumeration BindingTimeKind for specification of binding times.
Element Source Role Target Role Details
«atpStructureElement» Feature
Class  
Name:  
 
Name: requiredBindingTime
The required binding time could possibly deviate from the actual binding time. The attribute reflects the intended binding time, and actual binding time can be later adapted to this required binding time, if surrounding constraints allow a change. Each feature/variation point must have a required binding time attribute.
 
«atpStructureElement» Feature
Class  
Name:  
 
Name: actualBindingTime
The actual binding time, independent of the required binding time. Due to technical conditions it may occur that the actually realized binding time of the feature/variation point differs from the originally intended binding time. In this case one has to provide information about the actual binding time. In the rationales it must be described what the reasons are for a (different) actual binding time.
 
VariableElement
Class  
Name:  
 
Name: requiredBindingTime
Required binding time attribute. Each feature/variation point must have a required binding time attribute. The required binding time describes the binding time that the feature is intended to have.
 
VariableElement
Class  
Name:  
 
Name: actualBindingTime
Actual binding time attribute. Due to technical conditions it may occur that the actually realized binding time of the feature/variation point differs from the originally intended binding time. In this case one has to provide information about the actual binding time. In the rationales it must be described what the reasons are for a (different) actual binding time.
 
Object Type Connection Notes
«atpStructureElement» Feature Class Weak  
«atpStructureElement» Feature Class Weak  
VariableElement Class Weak  
VariableElement Class Weak  
EAElement Class Generalization