Summary
Scope / Objective
Message Sequence Chart is a graphical and textual language for the description and specification of the interactions between system components. The purpose of the formal definition of the semantics is to provide for an unambiguous interpretation of Message Sequence Charts.
Coverage
The document presents a formal definition of the semantics of Message Sequence Charts. Examples are added to explain the formal definitions.
Application
The formalization of the semantics of Message Sequence Charts serves several purposes. For users it will help in order to obtain a clear understanding of Message Sequence Charts and in order to further a har-monization of the use. Tool builders can use the semantics for derivation of prototypes directly from the definitions provided or they can base their computer applications on these definitions. Validation and com-parison of tools may be based on the formal semantics. Finally, the developers of the Message Sequence Chart language can benefit because the semantics may show overlap of features and may guide in unification of features.
Status / Stability
The semantics described here is a formalization of the semantics informally explained in the main text of the
Recommendation. This interpretation of Message Sequence Charts is fairly stable. This annex describes the semantics of a Message Sequence Chart, a High-level Message Sequence Chart and a Message Sequence Chart document. Substructure references and substitution are not covered in this semantics.
Associated work
Recommendation Z.120: Message Sequence Charts (MSC).