p2b: a translation utility for linking promela and symbolic model checking (tool paper)

p2b is a research tool that translates Promela programs to boolean representations of the automata associated with them. These representations conform to the input syntax of the widely used symbolic model checker SMV; it is then possible to verify the automata with SMV, as opposed to enumerative model checking with SPIN, the classical Promela verifier. SMV and SPIN are focussed on verifying branching or linear time temporal properties, respectively, and often exhibit different performance on problems that are expressible within both frameworks. Hence we envisage that p2b will provide the missing link in establishing a verification scenario that is based on Promela as modeling language, and where one chooses different logics and verification methods as needed. The present paper provides an introduction to p2b, a description of how it works and two benchmark examples.