Object-oriented software development support apparatus and development support method

• US 6,651,240 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Rieko, Uehara, Tadahiro, Nakayama, Yuko
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHEN, WEI Y
• Application Number:
  US09/472,896
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 717/104, 717/100, 717/106-109, 717/114-116, 717/120-123, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 717/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code

Abstract

The object-oriented software development support apparatus according to the present invention includes: a pattern architecture storage unit for storing pattern information about a plurality of applicable patterns and inter-pattern relevant information for association among patterns having an antecedent/consequent relationship when the software is developed; and a pattern application unit for applying to a model to be developed a pattern whose application has been approved by the user among the patterns stored in the pattern architecture storage unit and detailing the model, and supporting the development of software corresponding to the model. The object-oriented software development support apparatus according to the present invention applies a pattern according to an entered pattern architecture, thereby enabling the pattern to be appropriately and efficiently reused, and efficiently supporting the development of software. In addition, various object-oriented patterns can be easily defined, and a model and a program desired by the developer can be automatically generated.

Claims

1. An object-oriented software development support apparatus for supporting object-oriented software designing, comprising:

a pattern architecture storage unit storing pattern information about a plurality of patterns, including analysis patterns, design patterns and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns, available when object-oriented software is developed, and inter-pattern relevant information for association between interrelated patterns; and

a pattern application unit applying the designs and analysis patterns whose application has been externally approved and which are stored in said pattern architecture storage unit, to a model to be developed, and automatically generating source code, based on an implementation pattern interrelated with the design and analysis patterns and corresponding to a portion to which at least one of each of analysis and design patterns have been applied in the model to be developed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said pattern architecture storage unit stores a viewpoint on software development and a selection item corresponding to the viewpoint as the inter-pattern relevant information; and

said pattern application unit automatically selects a pattern at an external instruction about the viewpoint and the selection item, and applies the selected pattern to a model to be developed.

3. The object-oriented software development support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said pattern architecture storage unit furthermore stores a retrieval key to a plural pieces of pattern information;

and

said pattern application unit applies a pattern externally specified among patterns retrieved using an externally input retrieval key to a model to be developed.

4. The object-oriented software development support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a pattern information definition unit defining the pattern information according to pattern definition information externally input in a format of a pattern template.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said pattern information definition unit further defines a retrieval key for the pattern information when the pattern information is defined.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a pattern architecture definition unit defining inter-pattern relevant information for association between patterns having an antecedent/consequent relationship according to externally input information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said pattern architecture definition unit defines a viewpoint on software development and a selection item corresponding to the viewpoint as the inter-pattern relevant information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pattern architecture display unit displaying a pattern architecture corresponding to plural pieces of pattern information and inter-pattern relevant information stored in said pattern architecture storage unit in a single collective format; and

a pattern information display unit displaying pattern information stored in said pattern architecture storage unit in a template format corresponding to the pattern information.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a pattern architecture navigation unit interpreting a pattern architecture corresponding to plural pieces of pattern information and inter-pattern relevant information stored in said pattern architecture storage unit, and externally presenting a pattern applicable to the model to be developed, wherein

said pattern application unit applies a pattern whose application has been externally approved among the presented patterns to a model to be developed.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pattern information definition unit defining the pattern information about the implementation pattern according to implementation pattern definition information externally input in a format of a pattern template.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pattern architecture definition unit defining the inter-pattern relevant information between the analysis and design patterns and the implementation pattern according to externally input information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pattern architecture display unit displaying a pattern architecture corresponding to plural pieces of pattern information and inter-pattern relevant information stored in said pattern architecture storage unit in a single collective format; and

an implementation pattern information display unit displaying the pattern information about at least one implementation pattern stored in said pattern architecture storage unit in an implementation pattern template format.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pattern application history information storage unit holding application history information for a pattern applied by said pattern application unit to a model to be developed; and

a pattern application history interpretation unit interpreting application history information stored in said pattern application history information storage unit, and obtaining reusability of each pattern and a pattern architecture corresponding to plural pieces of pattern information and inter-pattern relevant information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a pattern application history information storage unit holding application history information for a pattern applied by said pattern application unit to a model to be developed, wherein

said pattern application unit interprets application history information stored in said pattern application history information storage unit, and improves efficiency of a pattern applying process by preliminarily setting data to be externally input when a pattern is applied.

15. An object-oriented software development support apparatus for supporting object-oriented software designing, comprising:

an external pattern interpretation unit storing a preliminary and uniquely regulated pattern interpretation rule, and interpreting pattern information according to the interpretation rule to produce an interpretation result;

the pattern information including analysis patterns, design patterns and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns;

a pattern information definition unit defining pattern information, containing a portion specifying that the pattern information should be interpreted according to the pattern interpretation rule and providing defined pattern information in developing object-oriented software according to externally provided pattern definition information;

a pattern storage unit storing the defined pattern information; and

a pattern application unit applying the defined pattern information stored in said pattern storage unit to a model to be developed, detailing the model, and supporting development of software corresponding to the model using the interpretation result from said external pattern interpretation unit when a pattern containing the defined pattern information is applied.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of attributes of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new attributes to the model to be developed; and

said pattern application unit adds new attributes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of attributes of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new methods to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds a new method by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of attributes of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new links to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new links by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of attributes of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new classes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new classes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of links of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new links to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new links by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of links of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new attributes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new attributes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of links of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new methods to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new methods by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of links of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new classes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new classes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

24. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of methods of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new methods to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new methods by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

25. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of methods of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new attributes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new attributes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

26. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of methods of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new links to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new links by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

27. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of methods of a class already defined in the model to be developed, new classes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new classes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

28. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of classes already defined in the model to be developed, new classes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new classes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

29. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of classes already defined in the model to be developed, new attributes to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new attributes by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

30. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of classes already defined in the model to be developed, new links to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new links by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

31. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding, based on data of classes already defined in the model to be developed, new methods to the model to be developed;

and

said pattern application unit adds new methods by applying a pattern containing at least said pattern information to the model to be developed.

32. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines the pattern information using data about classes, or attributes, methods, or links of the classes already defined in the model to be developed as data relating to attributes, methods, links, or classes to be newly added in the model to be developed.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines the pattern information by representing using a specified processing method a character string for data about attributes, methods, links, or classes to be newly added in the model to be developed.

34. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines pattern information for use in adding new attributes, links, methods, or classes in the model to be developed based on data satisfying a specified condition among classes, or an attribute, a method, or a link of the class already defined in the model.

35. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

said pattern information definition unit defines the pattern information including data indicating that some of classes, or attributes, methods, or links of the classes defined in the model to be developed should be externally specified; and

said pattern application unit obtains an external instruction to specify the classes, or attributes, methods, or links of the classes, and applies to the model to be developed a pattern containing the pattern information depending on a result of the instruction.

36. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said pattern information definition unit defines a pattern for use in adding, to the model to be developed and based on data of the object, new data about an object defined in the model to be developed.

37. An object-oriented software development support apparatus for supporting object-oriented software designing, comprising:

a pattern information definition unit defining pattern information in developing object-oriented software according to externally provided pattern definition information, the pattern information containing a portion specifying that a character string externally input while a pattern is applied should be incorporated into a model to be developed, and providing defined pattern information for the pattern;

the pattern information including analysis patterns, design patterns and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns;

pattern storage unit storing the defined pattern information; and

a pattern application unit applying the defined pattern information stored in said pattern storage unit to the model to be developed, detailing the model, and supporting development of software corresponding to the model by incorporating an externally input character string into the model to be developed when the pattern containing the defined pattern information is applied.

38. An object-oriented software development supporting method for support in designing object-oriented software, comprising:

storing pattern information about a plurality of patterns, including analysis patterns, design patterns, and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns, available when object-oriented software is developed, and inter-pattern relevant information for association between interrelated patterns; and

applying stored design and analysis patterns whose application has been externally approved to a model to be developed and automatically generating source code, based on an implementation pattern interrelated with the stored design and analysis patterns, corresponding to a portion to which at least one of each of analysis and design patterns have been applied in the model to be developed.

39. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program used to direct a computer to perform a method comprising:

storing pattern information about a plurality of patterns, including analysis patterns, design patterns, and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns, available when object-oriented software is developed, and inter-pattern relevant information for association between interrelated patterns; and

applying stored design and analysis patterns whose application has been externally approved to a model to be developed automatically generating source code, based on an implementation pattern interrelated with the stored design and analysis patterns, corresponding to a portion to which at least one of each of analysis and design patterns have been applied in the model to be developed.

40. An object-oriented software development supporting method for support in designing object-oriented software, comprising:

storing a preliminary and uniquely regulated pattern interpretation rule;

interpreting pattern information according to the interpretation rule to produce an interpretation result;

the pattern information including analysis patterns, design patterns and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns;

defining pattern information containing a portion specifying that the pattern information should be interpreted according to the pattern interpretation rule to produce defined pattern information;

applying the defined pattern information to a model to be developed;

detailing the model; and

supporting development of software corresponding to the model using the interpretation result, when a pattern containing the defined pattern information is applied.

41. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program used to direct a computer to perform a method comprising:

storing a preliminary and uniquely regulated pattern interpretation rule;

interpreting pattern information according to the interpretation rule to produce an interpretation result;

defining pattern information containing a portion specifying that the pattern information should be interpreted according to the pattern interpretation rule to produce defined pattern information;

the pattern information including analysis patterns, design patterns and implementation patterns formed of samples of source code corresponding to operation definitions of a class in the analysis and design patterns;

applying the defined pattern information to a model to be developed;

detailing the model; and

supporting development of software corresponding to the model using the interpretation result, when a pattern containing the defined pattern information is applied.