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JMangler -
Load-Time Weaving for Java Class
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Dates:
-
Wed March 19, 16:00 -
17:30
- Thu March 20, 14:00 -
15:30
Presenters:
- Günter Kniesel (University of
Bonn)
- Michael Austermann (SCOOP Software GmbH)
AOSD improves separation of concerns by making it possible to
express crosscutting concerns of a system modularly. However,
modular expression of a concern requires techniques to "weave"
the related code back into the code of all the affected classes.
JMangler is a freely available framework for load-time
transformation of compiled Java programs, that provides a
comprehensive infrastructure for load-time weaving. This means
that an AOSD system can translate its aspects to JMangler
transformer components and let them be applied at load-time.
Alternatively, a knowledgeable programmer can use JMangler
directly to express aspect-like crosscutting transformations of
arbitrary application classes. Yet another option is to inject
at load-time code that enables run-time weaving.
Load-time weaving has many advantages, the smallest being that
it requies no source code and can hence be applied to
third-party libraries. More importantly, it provides the
guarantee that transformations will be applied to every class
that will be executed at run-time, even if the class is created
dynamically or loaded from some possibly remote host. Last, but
not least, load-time weaving inherently processes only classes
relevant to the running application and applies to them only the
adaptations required in that context. It can therefore prevent
static proliferation of adapted program versions that might
never be used.
Unlike simple byte code transformation libraries JMangler
provides a complete solution for hooking into the class loading
process. It does so in a JVM and class loader independent way,
which works also for classes that employ their own custom class
loader. Therefore, it can transform any application classes and
can be used in environments like application servers, which make
heavy use of custom class loaders.
In addition to its general applicability, JMangler provides
another unique feature. It is the only approach for load-time
adaptation that provides a partial solution to the problem of
aspect interference. For a certain class of transformations, it
can guarantee that their joint use will not lead to undesired
effects (interferences) even if the transformations have been
developed independently, unaware of each other.
The demo will consist of two parts that will be presented
piecemeal, in alternation: the introduction of the base concepts
and the demonstration of their practical use. The shown examples
will include, among others, a code coverage tool developed with
JMangler. This is an application that requires transformations
at the level of individual lines of code or individual
statements, hence at a finer granularity than expressible in all
high-level AOSD languages and systems that we know of.
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Contact |
| For additional information, clarifications, questions, or special requirements,
please contact the AOSD 2003 Demonstrations Chair: Mik Kersten (demos@aosd.net). |
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