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Transformation of UML datatypes

In this section are specified transformation rules for UML datatypes and enumerations. Overview of transformation rules for UML datatypes provides an overview of the section coverage.

Table 1. Overview of transformation rules for UML datatypes
UML element	Rules in core ontology layer	Rules in data shape layer	Rules in reasoning layer
Primitive datatype	Example D.01
Structured datatype	Example D.02
Enumeration	Example D.03		Example D.04
Enumeration item	Example D.05	Example D.06

Primitive datatype

The UML primitive type defines a predefined datatype without any substructure. The UML specification [uml2.5] predefines five primitive types: String, Integer, Boolean, UnlimitedNatural and Real. Here we extended those to the list provided in Mapping of UML primitive types to XSD datatypes.

Figure 1. Visual representation of a UML Datatype (on the left) and an OWL Datatype (on the right)

Example D.01. Datatype — in core ontology layer

Specify datatype declaration axiom for UML datatype as follows:

UML primitive datatypes are declared as the mapped XSD datatype in Mapping of UML primitive types to XSD datatypes.
XSD and RDF(S) datatypes are declared as such.
Model specific datatypes are declared as such.

Ideally, in the implementation, this rule would be combined with the relevant rules (those for the core ontology layer) in the Transformation of UML descriptors section, to provide labels and documentation for the datatype at the time of its creation.

Table 2. Mapping of UML primitive types to XSD datatypes
UML datatype	XSD datatype
Boolean	xsd:boolean
Float	xsd:float
Integer	xsd:integer
Char	xsd:string
String	xsd:string
Short	xsd:short
Long	xsd:long
Decimal	xsd:decimal
Real	xsd:float
Date	xsd:date
Numeric	xsd:integer
Text	xsd:string

UML primitive datatype declaration (String) in Turtle syntax

xsd:string a rdfs:Datatype .Turtle

UML primitive datatype declaration (String) in RDF/XML syntax

<rdfs:Datatype rdf:about = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string">
</rdfs:Datatype>XML

XSD and RDF(S) datatype declaration in Turtle syntax

xsd:boolean a rdfs:Datatype .Turtle

XSD and RDF(S) datatype declaration in RDF/XML syntax

<rdfs:Datatype rdf:about = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#boolean">
</rdfs:Datatype>XML

Model specific datatype declaration in Turtle syntax

:DatatypeName a rdfs:Datatype .Turtle

Model specific datatype declaration in RDF/XML syntax

<rdfs:Datatype rdf:about = "http://base.onto.uri/DatatypeName">
</rdfs:Datatype>XML

Structured datatypes

The UML structured datatype [uml2.5] has attributes and is used to define complex data types. The structured datatypes should be treated as classes.

Example D.02. Structured Datatype — in core ontology layer

Specify OWL class declaration axiom for UML structured datatype.

See applicable rules in Section on Class Rules.

Enumeration

UML Enumerations [uml2.5] are kinds of datatypes, having zero or more values that correspond to one of user-defined literals. They are transformed into SKOS [skos-spec] concept schemes comprising enumeration values represented as SKOS concepts.

Two possible cases of UML enumerations can be identified:

enumeration without items: such an enumeration is used as a reference to an externally defined controlled list.
enumeration with items: such an enumeration serves as a complete representation of a controlled list defined within the UML model.

Figure 2. Visual representation of a UML Enumeration without items

Figure 3. Visual representation of a UML Enumeration with items

Figure 4. Visual representation of a SKOS concept scheme with concepts

Normally, the controlled list represented by UML Enumerations will be defined externally and represented as an enumeration without items in the UML model. In order to be able to validate some data against the generated SHACL shapes, these controlled lists need to be imported. Moreover, the restriction module should be also imported into the SHACL module, alongside the OWL core module.

Example D.03. Enumeration — in core ontology layer

Specify SKOS concept scheme instantiation axiom for a UML enumeration.

Concept scheme instantiation in Turtle syntax

:EnumerationName a skos:ConceptScheme .Turtle

Concept scheme instantiation in RDF/XML syntax

<skos:ConceptScheme rdf:about = "http://base.onto.uri/EnumerationName">
</skos:ConceptScheme>XML

The tool does not generate SHACL shapes for concept schemes (skos:ConceptScheme) used to represent controlled lists. It is recommended to download the SHACL shapes for SKOS [skos-shacl] and use these for validation purposes.

Example D.04. Enumeration — in reasoning layer

For a UML enumeration, specify an equivalent class restriction covering the set of individuals that are skos:inScheme of this enumeration.

In-scheme equivalent class in Turtle syntax

@prefix skos: <http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core#> .
:EnumerationName a owl:Class ;
  owl:equivalentClass [
    rdf:type owl:Restriction ;
    owl:allValuesFrom :EnumerationName ;
    owl:onProperty skos:inScheme ;
  ] ;
  rdfs:subClassOf skos:Concept;
.Turtle

In-scheme equivalent class in RDF/XML syntax

<owl:Class rdf:about = "http://base.onto.uri/EnumerationName">
    <owl:equivalentClass>
        <owl:Restriction>
            <owl:onProperty rdf:resource = ".../02/skos/core#inScheme"/>
            <owl:hasValue rdf:resource = "http://base.onto.uri/EnumerationName"/>
        </owl:Restriction>
    </owl:equivalentClass>
    <rdfs:subClassOf rdf:resource = ".../02/skos/core#Concept"/>
</owl:Class>XML

Example D.05. Enumeration items — in core ontology layer

Specify SKOS concept instantiation axiom for each UML enumeration item.

Concept scheme items instantiation in Turtle syntax

:itemA a skos:Concept ;
  skos:inScheme :EnumerationName ;
.

:itemB a skos:Concept ;
  skos:inScheme :EnumerationName ;
.Turtle

Concept scheme items instantiation in RDF/XML syntax

<skos:Concept rdf:about = "http://base.onto.uri/itemA">
    <skos:inScheme rdf:resource = "http://base.onto.uri/EnumerationName"/>
</skos:Concept>

<skos:Concept rdf:about = "http://base.onto.uri/itemB">
    <skos:inScheme rdf:resource = "http://base.onto.uri/EnumerationName"/>
</skos:Concept>XML

Example D.06. Enumeration item — in data shape layer

Specify a restrictive SHACL NodeShape for items of an enumeration for each UML Enumeration in the defining mode (based on the constraint level set for the UML Enumeration as defined in rule:enumeration-constraint-level). The URIs of the node shape is deterministically generated from the UML Enumeration name. Set a constraint for the enumeration item belonging to a concept scheme represented by the enumeration URI.

Restrictive shape in Turtle syntax

@prefix sh: <http://www.w3.org/ns/shacl#> .
@prefix skos: <http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core#> .

@prefix : <http://base.onto.uri/> .
@prefix shape: <http://base.shape.uri/> .

shape:EnumName-itemShape a sh:NodeShape ;
    sh:property [
        sh:path skos:inScheme ;
        sh:hasValue :EnumName ;
    ] .Turtle

Restrictive shape in RDF/XML syntax

<rdf:Description rdf:about = "http://base.shape.uri/EnumName-itemShape">
  <rdf:type rdf:resource = "http://...shacl#NodeShape"/>
  <sh:property rdf:parseType = "Resource">
    <sh:path rdf:resource = "http://...skos/core#inScheme"/>
    <sh:hasValue rdf:resource = "http://base.onto.uri/EnumName"/>
  </sh:property>
</rdf:Description>XML

Transformation of UML datatypes

Primitive datatype

Structured datatypes

Enumeration

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