JPH0619700A - Program structure display - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The program structure that focuses on the usage of data in the program can be displayed in a visually easy-to-understand form, and useful information can be provided during program development and testing. To provide a program structure display device capable of displaying. [Structure] Source code file 11 to syntax analysis unit 1
Information about the metric value measurement unit 13 that measures the metric value of the program through 2, the metric value file 14 that stores the metric value, and the frequency by usage type and the number of data by usage type of the data used by the program in the metric value An information retrieval unit 15 for retrieving information, a know-how file 16 storing know-how information such as usage type of data to be noted, and a program based on the information retrieved by the information retrieval unit 15 and the know-how information from the know-how file 16. Display control unit 17 and display unit 18 for displaying the structure
And a program structure display device having an input unit 19 for instructing contents to be displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program structure display device used for program quality evaluation during software development and testing, and more particularly to a program structure display device for displaying the program structure in a visually easily understandable form. The present invention relates to a structure display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in developing and testing various software, it is necessary to measure statistical information called a metric for grasping the structure of a program (for example, the number of steps, the number of data, the number of modules, the number of conditional branches, etc.). Has adopted a method of evaluating quality. Many such metrics have been proposed in the past, and a system capable of automatically calculating some metrics has also been developed (for example, JP-A-3-2082).
9).

However, even if these metrics are simply obtained as numerical values and displayed and output, it is difficult for the software developer to intuitively understand the structure of the program from this display. For this reason, it is the fact that metrics are not effectively used during software development and testing.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-27440, evaluation values for a plurality of quality evaluation scales for metrics are calculated, and these are displayed as polygons with each evaluation scale as an axis, and the shape and area of the polygons are also displayed. A software quality evaluation system is disclosed in which the evaluation is performed by seeking.

According to this evaluation system, it is possible to carry out a comprehensive quality evaluation of software from the shape and area of a polygon, but in terms of how the data is used in the program, It is not possible to visually display what the structure is.

[0006]

As described above, the conventional technique has not established a display method that allows a software developer to easily and concretely understand the structure of a program. If such a display can be made, it will be possible to provide useful information for reviewing and improving programs, finding test points that should be focused on during testing, setting test items, and so on.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the program structure focusing on the usage of data in the program can be displayed in a visually easy-to-understand form, and useful information can be provided in the program development / test. An object of the present invention is to provide a program structure display device that can be used.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, a program structure display device according to the present invention comprises a metric value measuring means for measuring a metric value of a program,
Information retrieval means for retrieving information indicating the relationship between the data used in the program and the usage type of each of the data among the metric values measured by this metric value measurement means, and the information retrieved by this information retrieval means The basic feature is that the display means for displaying the structure of the program based on the above and the input means for instructing the contents to be displayed on the display means are provided.

Further, the present invention further comprises a storage means for storing usage type information of data to be particularly noted among the data used in the program, and the information and storage means retrieved from the information retrieval means on the display means are used. It is characterized in that the structure of the program is displayed based on the usage type information of the read data.

The information retrieving means, as information indicating the relationship between the data used in the program and the usage type of each of the data, specifically, the usage type frequency and the usage type data of the data used in the program. Search for at least one number of information.

The display means divides an area surrounded by a plurality of concentric circles into a plurality of blocks and displays a program structure diagram in which each block is associated with a usage type of data used in a program. Then, the following display is performed using this program structure diagram. (a) The number of data belonging to the usage type corresponding to the block is displayed on each block of the program structure diagram. (b) Display the block corresponding to the usage type in which the data used in the program exists so that it can be distinguished from other blocks. (c) When a specific usage type is designated by the input means, the block corresponding to the usage type is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks. (d) When specific data is designated by the input means, the block corresponding to the usage type to which the data belongs is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks. (e) The block corresponding to the usage type to which the data having the data name read from the storage means belongs is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks.

Further, in the program structure diagram, it is desirable that each block is associated with a usage type so that blocks corresponding to all usage types including a common usage type are continuous areas.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the program structure is displayed from the viewpoint of the usage (usage type) of the data used in the program. Therefore, from the display of the program structure, it becomes possible for the software developer to easily understand the structure of the program more specifically and visually, and it is possible to review the program when developing the program or testing the program. Effective information is provided for improvement and setting of test items.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a program structure display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the source code file 11
Stores the source code of the program. The syntactic analysis unit 12 syntactically analyzes the source code from the source code file 11 and outputs the analysis result to the metrics value measurement unit 13
Send to. The metric value measuring unit 13 measures the metric value of the source code from the syntax analysis result. The measured metric values are, for example, the number of steps of the program, the total number of data, the number of modules, the number of conditional branches, the frequency of data used by type, the number of data used by type, and the like. These metric values are stored in the metric value information file 14.

The information retrieval unit 15 retrieves the metric value information file 14 based on the instruction from the input unit 19,
Information on the metric value necessary for displaying the program structure, for example, information on the frequency by use type of data and the number of data by use type is extracted.

The know-how file 16 is a collection of know-how information obtained empirically in past software development. This information depends on the development team and project, and similar projects (old version) Alternatively, it can be obtained by examining, for example, what kind of data-related portion is likely to be linked to a defect based on past experience. A specific example of such know-how information will be described later.

The display control unit 17 processes the metric values retrieved by the information retrieval unit 15 using the know-how information from the know-how file 16 as well, thereby generating and displaying the information necessary for displaying the program structure. Send to section 18.

The display unit 18 is a two-dimensional display such as a CRT display or a liquid crystal display, and is controlled by the display control unit 17, and when the program structure is displayed,
First, the menu screen as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed, and the input unit 1
When "structure display start" is selected via 9, the display of the program structure is started, and when "structure display end" is selected, the display is ended. The program structure is displayed in the form of a program structure display diagram.

The input section 19 inputs a user's instruction to control the information retrieval section 15 and the display control section 17,
It is composed of a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse.

The program will be specifically described below by taking COBOL as an example. 3 to 4 show an example of source code of COBOL. This source code consists of a header section (IDENTIFICATION DIVISION), an environment section (ENVIRONMENT DIVISION), and a data section (DATA DIVISION).
) And a procedure division (PROCEDURE DIVISION).

In the case of COBOL, the usage types of data used in a program are classified into the following five types. (1) "Definition / Substitution": When the value is rewritten. (2) “Reference”: Refer only, the value is not rewritten. However, it is excluded when it is used for condition judgment. (3) "Conditional reference": Data referred to in the condition judgment. The value cannot be rewritten. (4) "Argument": When used as an argument when calling another program. (5) When used for a type other than the above (1)-(4).

Specific examples of usage of such a usage type are shown below. <Example> IF [Data 3]> 0 THEN MOVE [Data 2] TO [Data 1] CALL “Program Name” USING [Data 4] INSPECT [Data 5] TALLING …… Data 1: “Definition / Substitution” Data 2: "Reference" Data 3: "Conditional Reference" Data 4: "Argument" Data 5: "Other"

In the case of the source code shown in FIGS. 3 to 4,
Of the metric values measured by the metric value measuring unit 13 and stored in the metric value information file 14, the frequency by use type of data and the number of data by use type are shown in FIG.
And it becomes like FIG.

FIG. 5 shows "vDwRxCyP" indicating how many times each data is used for which usage type for each paragraph name.
zE ”, where D is“ definition / substitution ”,
R is "reference", C is "conditional reference", P is "argument", and E is "other", and v, w, x,
y and z represent the numbers of times used for "definition / assignment", "reference", "conditional reference", "argument", and "other", respectively. FIG. 6 shows the number of data for each usage type of data.

At the time of displaying the program structure, the information retrieving unit 15 retrieves the information about the frequency by use type and the number of data by use type of these data from the metric value information file 14 based on the instruction from the input unit 19, and the display control unit. 17
Sent to. As a result, the display unit 18 displays a program structure display diagram having a shape as shown in FIG.

In the program structure display diagram shown in FIG. 7, the symbols D, R, C, P and E are "definition / assignment", "reference", "conditional reference" and "argument" as described above. , Represents the usage type of "other". When these symbols are listed alone, it indicates that the data has been used more than once in that type and not in any other type.

Further, these symbols are "DR", "DR".
When a plurality of combinations such as C ″, ... Are described, the data is used once or more for all of these usage types, and is not used for other usage types. For example, DR is Used more than once in "Definition / Substitution" and "Reference"
However, it is used more than once, but "conditional reference", "argument", and "others" indicate that it is not used even once.

The program structure diagram shown in the upper left of FIG. 7 is composed of five concentric circles in this example, and is further divided into 31 blocks having the same area. A usage type is assigned to each of these blocks. As for the usage type of data, "DRCPE" indicating that it is used for all usage types is placed at the center of the circle, the number of combinations of data usage types decreases as going to the outer circumference, and a single data is used in the outermost circumference. Use types D, R, C, P and E are arranged. The data used in the program are 31
It will always be assigned to any of the blocks.

Further, in the program structure display diagram of FIG. 7, from the program structure diagram, a caution data name display field for displaying a data name to be obtained obtained by searching the know-how file 16 and the metric value information file 14 are displayed. The search data name display field that displays the data name for which the metric value has been searched, the detailed check field, the data name display field that displays the data name for which detailed check is selected, and the mode setting field for detailed check and search are set. There is.

Next, the procedure for displaying the block structure in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. 8 and the display examples shown in FIGS. First, when selecting "start structure display" in the menu shown in FIG. 2 in the input unit 19, a window for displaying the program structure display diagram is activated (S1), and the program structure display diagram shown in FIG. 9 is displayed. In this program structure display diagram at startup, the number of data belonging to each usage type is displayed in the block corresponding to each usage type in the upper left program structure diagram, and the block in which the data exists is the data Color that is different from the block that does not exist (blue in this example)
(S2).

Further, in the program structure display diagram at the time of activation of FIG. 9, the know-how file 16 is obtained,
The data name to be especially noted is displayed in the caution data name display field, and the block in the program structure diagram where the data to be cautioned is colored differently from other blocks (S3). In the example of FIG. 9, the block in which the data to be noted exists is in red.

The know-how in this display example is, for example, "D
If the data belonging to R occupies 15% of the whole data, it is the data that should be particularly noted. "Therefore, the block corresponding to the data belonging to DR is displayed in red. These know-how depend on the development team and project in software development as described above, and similar projects (old version)
Alternatively, it can be obtained by investigating what kind of data-related part is likely to be linked to a defect based on past experience.

Next, when it is desired to check the specific usage type in more detail, the detailed check mode is set and the data usage type to be checked is selected in the detailed check column. The usage type selected may be one or more.

In the detailed check column, it is possible to select and specify whether each usage type is used alone or whether each usage type is included (is used independently). When the detailed check mode is set (S4) and the usage type is selected, the display color of the block corresponding to the selected usage type changes to a color different from that at the time of startup, for example, yellow (S5). At the same time, a list of data names corresponding to the selected usage type is displayed in the data name display field (S6). When displaying the list of data names, the number of data belonging to the selected usage type may be displayed together with the data name display field.

FIG. 10 shows an example of program structure display in the detailed check mode. This display example is a case where the usage type including "R" (single) and "C" is selected as the usage type.

On the other hand, when the search mode is set (S7) and the data name to be searched (search data name) is entered in the search data name display field, the block corresponding to the usage type to which the data designated by the search data name belongs The display color of is changed to a color different from that at startup, for example, green (S8).

FIG. 11 shows a display example of the program structure diagram in this search mode. In this display example, "MOJI-KAZU" is selected as the search data name, and the block corresponding to the usage type "R" (single) including this data is displayed in green.

Since the usage type can be searched from the data name in this way, for example, when an unexpected value is contained in a certain data, it is possible to check which data, or where in the processing of the program it affects. Is possible.
For example, if the data that belongs to the usage type "DR" contains an incorrect value, it is possible that an error will occur when it is assigned, or that an incorrect value is passed to other data by reference. Since it is possible to discover that there is something, examining the data belonging to that "DR" helps in examining the cause of the error and the range of influence of the error.

Thereafter, the same display is made every time the detailed check check mode or the search mode is set. Finally, selecting "end structure display" in the menu of FIG. 2 ends the display of the program structure (S9).

By the way, in the program structure display diagram shown in FIG. 7, the usage type assigned to each block in the upper left program structure diagram is always the usage type assigned to the inner block sharing the boundary line. The fact that it is a part is a major feature. For example,
The inner block that shares the boundary with "P" is "PE"
And “RP”, and both include “P”. Also,
The inner block that shares the border with "PE" is "CP
E "and also includes" PE ".

When the allocation of the usage type to each block is set in this way in the program structure diagram, when "all usage types including a certain usage type" is selected in the detailed check mode, the blocks corresponding to these usage types are It is displayed as a continuous area on the program structure diagram. For example, if you select "all usage types including DR",
A block corresponding to the corresponding usage type, for example, a continuous area shown by a hatched portion in FIG. 12 is displayed in yellow, for example.

As described above, when all the usage types including a certain usage type are displayed as a continuous area, the distribution of data belonging to the usage type can be intuitively grasped as an image, and the program structure can be grasped more easily. There is an advantage.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the characteristics of the entire program in terms of how data is used, and the data to be noted (data to be used with caution), etc. It is possible to display the program structure that can be visually easily grasped, and it is possible to give effective information when reviewing the program and setting test items in program development and testing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a program structure display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a menu screen for displaying a program structure in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a part of a concrete example of source code of a program.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another part of the specific example of the source code of the program.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing frequency information by usage type of data stored in a metric value information file.

FIG. 6 is a view showing information on the number of data by usage type stored in a metrics value information file.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a program structure display diagram in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing for displaying a program structure in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a program structure display diagram at the time of startup in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of program structure display in a detailed check mode in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a program structure display example in a search mode in the same embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a characteristic display example of a program structure display diagram in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Source code file 12 ... Syntax analysis unit 13 ... Metric value measurement unit 14 ... Metric value file 15 ... Information retrieval unit 16 ... Know-how file 17 ... Display control unit 18 ... Display unit 19 ... Input unit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A metric value measuring means for measuring a metric value of a program, and a relationship between data used in the program and a usage type of each data among metric values measured by the metric value measuring means. An information retrieval means for retrieving the information shown, a display means for displaying the structure of the program based on the information retrieved by the information retrieval means, and an input means for instructing the contents to be displayed on the display means. A program structure display device comprising: 2. A relationship between a metric value measuring means for measuring a metric value of a program and data used in the program among the metric values measured by the metric value measuring means and a usage type of each of the data. Information retrieval means for retrieving the information shown, storage means for storing information on the usage type of data to be particularly noted among the data used in the program, and information retrieved by the information retrieval means and the storage means A program structure characterized by comprising display means for displaying the structure of the program based on the read usage type information of the data, and input means for instructing the contents to be displayed on the display means. Display device. 3. The information retrieving means retrieves information on at least one of the frequency by use type and the number of data by use type of the data used in the program. Program structure display. 4. A program structure diagram in which the display means divides an area surrounded by a plurality of concentric circles into a plurality of blocks and associates each of these blocks with a usage type of data used in the program. 3. The program structure display device according to claim 1, wherein the number of data belonging to the usage type corresponding to the block is displayed on each block of the program structure diagram. 5. A program structure diagram in which the display means divides a region surrounded by a plurality of concentric circles into a plurality of blocks and associates each of these blocks with a usage type of data used in the program. 5. The program structure display according to claim 1, wherein the block corresponding to the usage type in which the data used in the program exists is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks. apparatus. 6. A program structure diagram in which the display means divides a region surrounded by a plurality of concentric circles into a plurality of blocks and associates each of these blocks with a usage type of data used in the program. 6. When the specific usage type is designated by the input means, the block corresponding to the usage type is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks. The program structure display device according to 1. 7. A program structure diagram in which the display means divides an area surrounded by a plurality of concentric circles into a plurality of blocks and associates each of these blocks with a usage type of data used in the program. 3. When the specific data is designated by the input means, the block corresponding to the usage type to which the data belongs is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks.
7. The program structure display device according to 4, 5, or 6. 8. A program structure diagram in which the display means divides an area surrounded by a plurality of concentric circles into a plurality of blocks and associates each of these blocks with a usage type of data used in the program. 3. The program structure display according to claim 2, wherein the block corresponding to the usage type to which the data of the data name read from the storage means belongs is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other blocks. apparatus. 9. The program structure diagram is such that each block is associated with a usage type so that blocks corresponding to all usage types including a common usage type are continuous areas. Claims 1, 2, 4, 5,
9. The program structure display device according to 6, 7, or 8.