A document-like software visualization method for effective cognition of c-based software systems

It is clear that maintenance is a crucial and very costly process in a software life cycle. Nowadays there are a lot of software systems particularly legacy systems that are always maintained from time to time as new requirements arise. One important source to understand a software system before it is being maintained is through the documentation, particularly system documentation. Unfortunately, not all software systems developed or maintained are accompanied with their reliable and updated documents. In this case, source codes will be the only reliable source for programmers. A number of studies have been carried out in order to assist cognition based on source codes. One way is through tool automation via reverse engineering technique in which source codes will be parsed and the information extracted will be visualized using certain visualization methods. Most software visualization methods use graph as the main element to represent extracted software artifacts. Nevertheless, current methods tend to produce more complicated graphs and do not grant an explicit, document-like re-documentation environment. Hence, this thesis proposes a document-like software visualization method called DocLike Modularized Graph (DMG). The method is realized in a prototype tool named DocLike Viewer that targets on C-based software systems. The main contribution of the DMG method is to provide an explicit structural re-document mechanism in the software visualization tool. Besides, the DMG method provides more level of information abstractions via less complex graph that include inter-module dependencies, inter-program dependencies, procedural abstraction and also parameter passing. The DMG method was empirically evaluated based on the Goal/Question/Metric (GQM) paradigm and the findings depict that the method can improve productivity and quality in the aspect of cognition or program comprehension. A usability study was also conducted and DocLike Viewer had the most positive responses from the software practitioners

A User-Defined Approach for Reverse Engineering Tool to Visualize, Understand and Re-document Existing Software Systems (UDARE)

Pemahaman sesuatu perisian sedia ad~khususnya sistem legasLialah satu tugas~rumit.-Pembangun-atau pengemaskini perisian perlu mempelajari kod sumber sebelum menukar program terlibat dengan bantuan mana-mana dokumen atau tanpa dokumen. Banyak produk CASE (Kejuruteraan Peri sian Berbantukan Komputer) atau alat telah muncul untuk membantu pengemaskini perisian yang menghadapi ketiadaan dokumentasi atau ia tidak terkemaskini terutamanya dokumen reka bentuk yang menyediakan maklumat paling terperinci mengenai sistem perisian. Understanding an existing software system particularly a legacy system is a tedious task. Software developers or maintainers need to study the source codes prior to changing the affected programs with the aid of any documents or even without any document. Many CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) products or tools have emerged to assist software maintainers who are confronted with absence of documentation or outdated documentation particularly design document that provides the most detail information about a software system

System Development: What, Why, When And How CASE Tools Should Support Novice Software Engineers.

Novice software engineers particularly computer science students need to be trained with theoretical knowledge and practical skills in system developments. The knowledge and skills may encompass the activities involve in all phases of system development including analysis, design, coding, testing and maintenance