Visualized code review

• US 9,594,544 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Jingcun, Tang, Lin, Xuan, Yingchun, Damata, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, H S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Zhan
• Application Number:
  US13/491,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Visualization of the result of user interface code is provided in the context of code review. Changes to user interface code can be visualized to enable code reviewers to easily understand the effect of such changes. Furthermore, the visualization, or view, provides a surface for users to provide precise feedback to a developer.

Claims

1. A method, implemented at a computer system that includes one or more processors, for visualizing source code review, the method comprising:

acquiring a first version of a source code and a second version of the source code, each of the first version of the source code and the second version of the source code including a portion of source code associated with generating a user interface, the second version of the source code including particular source code that adds or changes at least one user interface control of the user interface as compared to the first version of the source code; and

based at least on acquiring the first and second versions of the source code, generating a code review user interface, including concurrently presenting at least;

a first visualization of the user interface that is based on the first version of the source code;

a separate, second visualization of the user interface that is based on the second version of the source code, the second visualization including the at least one user interface control that was been added or changed in the second version of the source code, the at least one user interface control being presented with a visual highlight in the second visualization to indicate that it is a difference between the first visualization of the user interface and the second visualization of the user interface; and

a code display portion that presents the particular source code that added or changed the at least one user interface control, and that indicates that the particular source code corresponds to the at least one user interface control that is presented with the visual highlight in the second visualization.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting an animation between the second visualization to the first visualization.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a comment from a code reviewer; and

overlaying the comment on one of the first visualization or the second visualization.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the comment is visually associated with the visual highlight.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a suggestion accepted by a code reviewer as a comment on the second visualization.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a suggestion unaccepted by a code reviewer from the second visualization.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more suggestions are automatically presented based on a determination of whether at least one of the first version of the source code and the second version of the source code comply with one or more source code standards.

8. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one computer readable storage device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to visualize code review, the computer-executable instructions including instructions that are executable to cause the computer system to perform at least the following;

acquire a first version of a source code and a second version of the source code, each of the first version of the source code and the second version of the source code including a portion of source code associated with generating a user interface, the second version of the source code including particular source code that adds or changes at least one user interface control of the user interface as compared to the first version of the source code; and

based at least on acquiring the first and second versions of the source code, generate a code review user interface, including concurrently presenting at least;

a first visualization of the user interface that is based on the first version of the source code

a separate, second visualization of the user interface that is based on the second version of the source code, the second visualization including the at least one user interface control that was been added or changed in the second version of the source code, the at least one user interface control being presented with a visual highlight in the second visualization to indicate that it is a difference between the first visualization of the user interface and the second visualization of the user interface; and

a code display portion that presents the particular source code that added or changed the at least one user interface control, and that indicates that the particular source code corresponds to the at least one user interface control that is presented with the visual highlight in the second visualization.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein lines of the source code that correspond to the user interface are automatically detected.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein one or more differences between the first version of the source code and the second version of the source code are visually highlighted.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein a comment received from a code reviewer overlays the second visualization.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein a hyperlink to a design document that identifies non-compliance with a particular requirement overlays the second visualization.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the comment is visually associated with the visual highlight.

14. The computer system of claim 8, wherein one or more suggestions are automatically presented based on a determination of whether at least one of the first version of the source code and the second version of the source code comply with one or more source code standards.

15. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the code review user interface presents an animation between the second visualization to the first visualization.

16. A computer program product comprising at least one hardware storage device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a computer system to cause the computer system to visualize code review, the computer-executable instructions including instructions that are executable to cause the computer system to perform at least the following:

acquire a first version of a source code and a second version of the source code, each of the first version of the source code and the second version of the source code including a portion of source code associated with generating a user interface, the second version of the source code including particular source code that adds or changes at least one user interface control of the user interface as compared to the first version of the source code; and

based at least on acquiring the first and second versions of the source code, generate a code review user interface, including concurrently presenting at least;

a first visualization of the user interface that is based on the first version of the source code

a second visualization of the user interface that is based on the second version of the source code, the second visualization including the at least one user interface control that was been added or changed in the second version of the source code, the at least one user interface control being presented with a visual highlight in the second visualization to indicate that it is a difference between the first visualization of the user interface and the second visualization of the user interface; and

a code display portion that presents the particular source code that added or changed the at least one user interface control, and that indicates that the particular source code corresponds to the at least one user interface control that is presented with the visual highlight in the second visualization.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein a portion of the source code that corresponds to the user interface is automatically detected.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein at least one comment regarding the user interface received from one or more code reviewers overlays the second visualization.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the comment is visually associated with the visual highlight.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the code review user interface presents an animation between the second visualization to the first visualization.