Journal of Applied Sciences1812-56541812-5662Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jas.2008.3139.3147SanatnamaH. GhaniA.A.A. YapN.K. SelamatM.H. 122008818Component-based software development is an approach
that has many benefits, such as improving application developer productivity,
reducing costs and complexity by reusing of existing code. Programming
in this approach is like assembling (i.e., composing software out of prefabricated
components) rather than development, which reduces skill requirements
and lets expertise focuses on domain problems. Component model is the
cornerstone of any CBSD methodology, which defines what components are,
how they can be constructed and specifies the standards and conventions
that are needed to enable composition of independently developed components.
The current component models focus on the specification and packaging
of components but provide almost no support for the easy composition.
Component composition techniques used in these models apply either direct
or indirect message passing as connection schemes, which lead to tight
coupling (i.e., components mix computation with control). Therefore, we
propose the mediator connector which is similar to a communication hub.
It initiates method calls and manages the returns and also provides loose
coupling. Mediator connector is a framework and can be reused without
any modification. The major contribution of this research is we have successfully
defined no explicit connector and direct message passing between components
and components are loaded into the framework dynamically during runtime
based on the attachment. The attachment is the compositional configuration
that defines the interaction between components, which is similar to Component
Definition Language (CDL) in Koala component model or Architecture Definition
Language (ADL). We illustrate the feasibility of mediator connector by
building a simple bank system and evaluate the loose coupling by applying
Coupling Between Objects (CBO) metrics.]]>Achermann, F., M. Lumpe, J.G. Schneider and O. Nierstrasz,20012001pp: 403-426pp: 403-426Beazley, D.M.,1996++.]]>1996pp: 15Chidamber, S.R. and C.K. Kemerer,199420476493Fenton, N.,199420199206Gamma, E., R. Helm, R. Johnson and J.M. Vlissides,19942nd Edn.,Heineman, G.T. and H.M. Ohlenbusch,19991999Lau, K.K. and Z. Wang, 20052005pp: 8895Lau, K.K., P. Velasco Elizondo and Z. Wang,20052005pp: 90106Lumpe, M., J.G. Schneider, O. Nierstrasz and F. Achermann,19971997pp: 178187Mehta, N.R., N. Medvidovic and S. Phadke,20002000pp: 178187Microsystems, S., 20012001Oscar, N. and T.D. Meijler,19951995pp: 147161Ousterhout, J.K.,1998312330Purtilo, J.M.,199416151174Van Ommering, R., F. van der Linden, J. Kramer and J. Magee, 2000337885Shaw, M. and D. Garlan, 19961st Edn.,Selamat, M.H., H. Sanatnama, A.A.A. Ghani and R. Atan,20077135147Szyperski, C., D. Gruntz and S. Murer,20022nd Edn.,Sommerville, I.,20047th Edn.,Wall, L., T. Christiansen and J. Orwant,20003rd Edn.,Weerawarana, S., F. Curbera, M.J. Duftler, D.A. Epstein and J. Kesselman,20012001pp: 173187