Traceability in a modeling environment

• US 20080098349A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Aldrich, William, Tuschner, Kai, Pillarisetti, Aravind, Lin, Xiaocang
• Granted Patent: US 8,104,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3696 Methods or tools to render software testable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/137 Hierarchical processing, e.g. outlines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/355 Round-trip engineering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/73 Program documentation

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments employ a mapping among entities that are related to each other. The entities may include a graphical model, generated code, a generated report, a requirements document and/or an intermediate representation. The mapping may facilitate graphical identifications between parts of one entity that maps to part of another entity. The graphical identification may occur based on a selection of a part in one of the entities.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of entities having relationships therebetween, the plurality of entities comprising at least one of a graphical model, generated code, a generated report, a requirements document or an intermediate representation;

accessing a first entity from the plurality of entities;

accessing a second entity from the plurality of entities; and

mapping the first entity to the second entity to facilitate graphical identification of a first part of the first entity that is bi-directionally mappable to a second part of the second entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part is a portion of the graphical model and the second part is a segment of the generated code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

creating a deployable representation that facilitates generated code inspection in a first environment that is independent of a second environment used to develop the graphical model.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the deployable representation comprises a web deployable format.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

searching the graphical model for the portion; and

relating the segment with the portion graphically.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

replacing the portion with another portion; and

updating the segment to reflect the replacing.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

updating an inferred property of the portion; and

implementing the inferred property as a specified property related to the portion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

indicating that the specified property cannot be modified; and

preventing the specified property from being modified.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

searching the generated code for the segment; and

relating the segment with the portion graphically.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

replacing the segment with another segment; and

updating the portion to reflect the replacing.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion represents an interface for an element and the segment represents at least part of a function related to the interface.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion of the graphical model represents a user specified element.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping is performed by generating tracing information that associates the first part with the second part.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

generating an independent representation comprising the tracing information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a programmable application program interface (API) that programmatically identifies the first part or the second part based on the independent representation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second entity is the generated code and the programmable API allows a user to use an external browser to browse the generated code.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second entity is the generated code and the programmable API allows a user to use an external code debugger to debug the generated code.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first entity is the graphical model and the method further comprises:

synchronizing a graphical model debugger with the external code debugger prior to debugging the graphical model or the generated code.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the graphical model and the generated code are debugged simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first part is related to a plurality of parts related to the second entity or the second part is related to a plurality of parts related to the first entity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the identifying further comprises:

identifying members of the plurality of parts related to the first entity or members of the plurality of parts related to the second entity using unique graphical identifiers.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the second part is a section of the generated report.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying the section based on selection of the first part, the identifying performed graphically.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying the first part based on selection of the section, the identifying performed graphically.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the generated report is one of a coverage report, a model checking report, a code generation report or a profiling report.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the generated report comprises at least one of a partial listing of the generated code, information related to a process used to generate the generated code, or information related to an execution of the generated code or the graphical model.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated report is a model coverage report and the method further comprises:

converting the model coverage report to a code coverage report based on the mapping.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated report is a code coverage report and the method further comprises:

converting the code coverage report to a model coverage report based on the mapping.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity is the graphical model and the method further comprises:

associating undisplayed aspects of the graphical model with the second part;

selecting the second part; and

displaying the undisplayed aspects based on the selecting.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity is the graphical model and the method further comprises:

specifying a scope for aspects in the graphical model, the aspects related to graphically identifying the second part as at least one segment that is within the scope that is specified.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the first part to graphically identify the second part with a graphical identifier.

32. A computing system, comprising:

a code generator for producing generated code that corresponds to at least part of a graphical model, the generated code comprising one or more segments; and

an integrated environment for bi-directionally mapping content related to the graphical model to the one or more segments, the integrated environment further allowing identification of the content mapped to the one or more segments or allowing identification of the one or more segments mapped to the content.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the integrated environment facilitates simultaneous viewing of the graphical model and the generated code.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the integrated environment generates tracing information to associate the content with the one or more segments.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the integrated environment generates a deployable representation for code inspection, the deployable representation comprising the graphical model, the generated code, or the tracing information.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the deployable representation is used for code inspection external to the integrated environment.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the integrated environment generates tracing information and generates an independent representation comprising the tracing information.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the system further comprises:

a programmable application program interface (API) to programmatically identify the one or more segments or the content based on the independent representation.

39. The system of claim 32, further comprising a programmable API allows a user to apply an external code debugger to the generated code.

40. The system of claim 32, further comprising a programmable API allows a user to apply an external code browser to the generated code.

41. The system of claim 32, further comprising a programmable API that synchronizes a graphical model debugger with an external code debugger to debug the graphical model and the generated code.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the graphical model and the generated code are debugged simultaneously.

43. The system of claim 32, further comprising a programmable API that maps an external requirements document to at least one of the generated code or the graphical model using tracing information, the requirements document comprising a requirement that corresponds to the one or more segments and the content, the mapping facilitating graphically identifying at least one of the content or the one or more segments when the requirement is selected.

44. The system of claim 32, wherein the integrated environment allows a user to modify the one or more segments to update the content in the graphical model.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the integrated environment allows a user to specify a property that cannot be modified, the specifying prohibiting the property from being modified.

46. The system of claim 32, wherein the viewing is performed simultaneously with respect to the graphical model and the generated code.

47. The system of claim 32, wherein the integrated environment associates an undisplayed aspect of the graphical model with the one or more segments, and displays the undisplayed aspect of the graphical model when the one or more segments of the code are selected.

48. A medium for use on a computing device, the medium holding instructions executable using the computing device, the instructions for:

identifying a plurality of entities having relationships therebetween, the plurality of entities comprising at least one of a graphical model, generated code, a generated report, a requirements document or an intermediate representation;

accessing a first entity from the plurality of entities;

accessing a second entity from the plurality of entities; and

mapping the first entity to the second entity to facilitate graphical identification of a first part of the first entity that is bi-directionally mappable to a second part of the second entity.

49. The medium of claim 48, wherein the first part is a portion of the graphical model and the second part is a segment of the generated code.

50. The medium of claim 49, wherein the medium comprises instructions for:

creating a deployable representation that facilitates generated code inspection in a first environment that is independent of a second environment used to develop the graphical model.

51. The medium of claim 50, wherein the deployable representation comprises a web deployable format.

52. The medium of claim 49, wherein the medium comprises instructions for:

searching the graphical model for the portion; and

relating the segment with the portion graphically.

53. The medium of claim 49, wherein the medium comprises instructions for:

searching the generated code for the segment; and

relating the segment with the portion graphically.

54. The medium of claim 53, wherein the medium comprises instructions for:

replacing the segment with another segment; and

updating the portion to reflect the replacing.

55. The medium of claim 49, wherein the portion represents an interface of an element and the segment represents at least part of a function related to the interface.

56. The medium of claim 49, wherein the portion of the graphical model represents a user specified element developed in textual code.

57. The medium of claim 48, wherein the mapping is formed by generating tracing information that associates the first part with the second part.

58. The medium of claim 57, wherein the medium comprises instructions for:

generating an independent representation comprising the tracing information.

59. The medium of claim 58, wherein the medium comprises instructions for:

identifying a programmable application program interface (API) that programmatically identifies the first part or the second part based on the independent representation.

60. The medium of claim 48, wherein the first part is related to a plurality of parts related to the second entity or the second part is related to a plurality of parts related to the first entity.

61. The medium of claim 60, wherein the identifying further comprises:

identifying members of the plurality of parts related to the first entity or members of the plurality of parts related to the second entity using unique graphical identifiers.

62. The medium of claim 48, wherein the second part is a section of the generated report and the medium comprises instructions for:

identifying the section based on selection of the first part, the identifying performed graphically.

63. The medium of claim 48, wherein the second part is a section of the generated and the medium comprises instructions for:

identifying the first part based on selection of the section, the identifying performed graphically.

64. The medium of claim 48, wherein the first entity is the graphical model and the medium further comprises instructions for:

associating undisplayed aspects of the graphical model with the second part;

selecting the second part; and

displaying the undisplayed aspects based on the selecting.

65. The medium of claim 48, wherein the first entity is the graphical model and the medium further comprises instructions for:

specifying a scope for aspects in the graphical model, the aspects related to graphically identifying the second part as at least one segment that is within the scope that is specified.

66. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

accessing generated code corresponding to at least portion of a graphical model; and

identifying a first graphical affordance in the graphical model that corresponds to a first segment of the generated code, the identifying performed graphically.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the method further comprises:

generating tracing information for associating the first graphical affordance with the first segment of the code.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the method further comprises:

generating an independent representation that comprises the tracing information.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein the method further comprises:

mapping a requirements document to the generated code using tracing information; and

identifying a requirement in the requirements document that corresponds to the first segment, the identifying performed graphically.

70. The method of claim 66, wherein the method further comprises:

updating an inferred property in the first graphical affordance; and

implementing the inferred property as a specified property.

71. The method of claim 66, wherein the first segment corresponds to a plurality of graphical affordances and the method further comprises:

identifying members of the plurality of graphical affordances in the graphical model using unique graphical identifiers.

72. The method of claim 66, wherein the method further comprises:

searching the generated code for the first segment;

identifying the first graphical affordances in the graphical model corresponding to the first segment, the identifying performed graphically;

replacing the first segment with another segment; and

updating the graphical model to reflect the replacing.

73. The method of claim 66, wherein the method further comprises:

associating undisplayed aspects of the graphical model with the first segment; and

displaying the undisplayed aspects when the first segment is specified.

74. A medium for use on a computing device, the medium holding instructions executable using the computing device, the instructions for:

interacting with code generated on behalf of at least part of a graphical model, the generated code comprising at least a first segment; and

identifying a first graphical affordance in the graphical model that corresponds to the first segment, the identifying performed graphically.

75. The medium of claim 74, wherein the medium further comprises instructions for:

generating tracing information for associating the first graphical affordance with the first segment.

76. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

accessing code generated corresponding to at least a portion of a graphical model; and

identifying a first segment in the generated code, the first segment corresponding to a first graphical affordance in the graphical model, the identifying performed graphically.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein the first graphical affordance corresponds to a plurality of segments in the generated code the method further comprising:

identifying members of the plurality of segments using a unique graphical identifier.

78. The method of claim 77, wherein members of the plurality of segments are in two or more files.

79. The method of claim 76, wherein the method further comprises:

generating tracing information that associates the first graphical affordance with the first segment in the code.

80. The method of claim 76, wherein the method further comprises:

mapping an external requirements document to the generated code; and

identifying a requirement in the requirements document that corresponds to the graphical affordance, the identifying performed graphically.

81. The method of claim 76, wherein the method further comprises:

specifying a scope related to aspects of the first graphical affordance for identifying the segment as at least one segment that is within the scope.

82. A medium for use on a computing device, the medium holding instructions executable using the computing device, the instructions for:

accessing code generated corresponding to at least part of a graphical model; and

identifying a first segment in the generated code corresponding to a first graphical affordance, the identifying performed graphically.

83. The medium of claim 82, wherein the first graphical affordance corresponds to a plurality of segments in the generated code, the medium further comprising instructions for:

identifying each of the plurality of segments in the code with a unique graphical identifier.

84. The medium of claim 82, wherein the medium further comprises instructions for:

searching the graphical model for a recurring graphical affordance;

identifying segments in code that correspond to the recurring graphical affordance, the identifying performed graphically;

replacing the recurring graphical affordance in the graphical model with another graphical affordance; and

updating sections based on the replacing.

85. The medium of claim 82, wherein the medium further comprises instructions for:

generating tracing information that associates the first graphical affordance with the first segment in the code.

86. The medium of claim 85, wherein of the medium further comprises instructions for:

mapping an external requirements document to the generated code using the tracing information; and

identifying a requirement in the requirements document that corresponds to the graphical affordance, the identifying performed graphically.