From DAML-S to Executable Code

This paper analyses the specification of agent control and agent knowledge in DAML-S and its conversion into executable code. Instead of the usual XML syntax, we propose a S-Expression syntax of DAML-S, which facilitates introducing two extensions in DAML-S specification: concrete definitions of concepts used in DAML-S service descriptions, which were not defined in the DAML-S specification; and logic-programming constructs that may be used in service description. Two approaches are discussed with respect to the generation of executable code. Both of them contain a first step in which the DAML-S service-description is parsed into an appropriate computer program data structure, called the DAML-S description parse tree. The first approach converts the DAML-S description parse tree into source files that must be compiled and linked in order to create the executable agent. The second approach relies on the run-time interpretation of the DAML-S description parse tree.