Semantic Intensity Based Decomposition of Software Systems

• US 20100242019A1
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moshkovich, Dany, Rubinstein, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/443 Optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/77 Software metrics

Abstract

A computer-implemented technique for analysis of software, is carried out using a semantic intensity calculation module, a coupling calculation module, and a software decomposition module. Software elements are identified in a computer program code, and respective roles of the software elements established. With the semantic intensity calculation module respective semantic intensity metrics are calculated for the software elements according to the roles thereof. With the coupling calculation module semantic intensity metrics are calculated to determine coupling factors between different software elements. With the software decomposition module the software elements are organized into distinct software components according to the coupling factors therebetween. Then, an optimized computer program code is generated from the software components.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for analysis of software, comprising the steps of:

providing a computer system, wherein the system comprises distinct software modules embodied on a computer-readable medium, the distinct software modules comprising at least a semantic intensity calculation module, a coupling calculation module, and a software decomposition module;

identifying software elements in a computer program code;

establishing respective roles of the software elements in the program code;

with the semantic intensity calculation module calculating respective semantic intensity metrics for the software elements according to the roles scopes thereof;

with the coupling calculation module correlating the semantic intensity metrics of the software elements to determine coupling factors between different ones of the software elements;

with the software decomposition module organizing the software elements into an arrangement of distinct software components according to the coupling factors therebetween;

preparing an optimized computer program code responsively to the arrangement; and

writing the optimized computer program code as computer-readable instructions onto a tangible medium.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating respective semantic intensity metrics comprises assigning respective weights to the roles, and for each one of the software elements determining a sum of products of the roles of the one element and the respective weights thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein organizing the software elements comprises assigning pairs of the software elements to a common software component when the coupling factor therebetween exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the software elements comprise variables, class definitions, packages, procedure definitions, function definitions, and attributes.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein preparing the optimized computer program code comprises:

detecting complex code segments wherein at least a portion of the semantic intensity metrics thereof exceed a predetermined threshold; and

defining simplified code segments within the complex code segments.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distinct software components form a project, the method further comprising the steps of:

identifying a set of distinct software components that include semantically coupled software elements;

modifying at least a portion of the semantically coupled software elements; and

thereafter constructing the project by rebuilding only the set of distinct software components.

7. A method for configuring a computer-readable medium comprising:

forming transitions in a first tangible computer-readable medium, the transitions comprising digital patterns that are interpretable by a first computer as first instructions, which first instructions, when executed by the first computer, cause the first computer to perform a method of software analysis by;

identifying software elements in a computer program code;

establishing respective roles for the software elements in the program code;

calculating respective semantic intensity metrics for the software elements according to the roles thereof, correlating the semantic intensity metrics of the software elements to determine coupling factors between different ones of the software elements, and organizing the software elements into an arrangement of distinct software components according to the coupling factors therebetween;

responsively to the arrangement preparing an optimized computer program code comprising second instructions that are executable by a second computer; and

writing the second instructions onto a second tangible computer-readable medium.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein calculating respective semantic intensity metrics comprises assigning respective weights to the roles, and for each one of the software elements determining a sum of products of the roles of the one element and the respective weights thereof.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein organizing the software elements comprises assigning pairs of the software elements to a common software component when the coupling factor therebetween exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the software elements comprise variables, class definitions, packages, attributes, procedure definitions, and function definitions.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein preparing the optimized computer program code comprises:

detecting complex code segments wherein at least a portion of the semantic intensity metrics thereof exceed a predetermined threshold; and

simplifying the complex code segments.

12. A computer software product for analysis of software, including a computer storage medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions are organized as distinct software modules, the distinct software modules comprising at least a semantic intensity calculation module, a coupling calculation module, and a software decomposition module;

and when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of;

identifying software elements in a computer program code;

establishing respective roles for the software elements in the program code;

with the semantic intensity calculation module calculating respective semantic intensity metrics for the software elements according to the roles thereof;

with the coupling calculation module correlating the semantic intensity metrics of the software elements to determine coupling factors between different ones of the software elements;

with the software decomposition module organizing the software elements into an arrangement of distinct software components according to the coupling factors therebetween;

preparing an optimized computer program code responsively to the arrangement; and

writing the optimized computer program code as computer-readable instructions onto a tangible medium.

13. The computer software product according to claim 12, wherein calculating respective semantic intensity metrics comprises assigning respective weights to the roles, and for each one of the software elements determining a sum of products of the roles of the one element and the respective weights thereof.

14. The computer software product according to claim 12, wherein organizing the software elements comprises assigning pairs of the software elements to a common software component when the coupling factor therebetween exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. The computer software product according to claim 12, wherein the software elements comprise variables, class definitions, packages, attributes, procedure definitions, and function definitions.

16. The computer software product according to claim 12, wherein preparing the optimized computer program code comprises:

detecting complex code segments wherein at least a portion of the semantic intensity metrics thereof exceed a predetermined threshold; and

simplifying the complex code segments.

17. A data processing system for analysis of software, comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor storing programs and data objects therein, the programs including at least a semantic intensity calculation module, a coupling calculation module, and a software decomposition module, wherein execution of the programs cause the processor to perform the steps of;

identifying software elements in a computer program code;

establishing respective roles for the software elements in the program code;

with the semantic intensity calculation module calculating respective semantic intensity metrics for the software elements according to the roles thereof;

with the coupling calculation module correlating the semantic intensity metrics of the software elements to determine coupling factors between different ones of the software elements;

with the software decomposition module organizing the software elements into an arrangement of distinct software components according to the coupling factors therebetween;

preparing an optimized computer program code responsively to the arrangement; and

writing the optimized computer program code as computer-readable instructions onto a tangible medium.

18. The data processing system according to claim 17, wherein calculating respective semantic intensity metrics comprises assigning respective weights to the roles, and for each one of the software elements determining a sum of products of the roles of the one element and the respective weights thereof.

19. The data processing system according to claim 17, wherein organizing the software elements comprises assigning pairs of the software elements to a common software component when the coupling factor therebetween exceeds a predetermined threshold.

20. The data processing system according to claim 17, wherein the software elements comprise variables, class definitions, packages, attributes, procedure definitions, and function definitions.

21. The data processing system according to claim 17, wherein preparing the optimized computer program code comprises:

detecting complex code segments wherein at least a portion of the semantic intensity metrics thereof exceed a predetermined threshold; and

simplifying the complex code segments.