JP2000148458A - Program development assisting device and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a program development assisting device which can automate the history management of a program created by more than one developer. SOLUTION: The program development assisting device is equipped with a server application 5 composed of a data control part 6 and an access control part 7; and the data control part 6 comprises a data transmission and reception part 6a which sends and receives data and a relative information generation part 6b which generates relative information corresponding to development information of the program generated by developers and the access control part 7 comprises a setting registration part 7a which sets conditions of access and an access management part 7b which controls access according to the conditions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of developing a computer program using an electronic computer, in particular, to absorb differences caused by a plurality of developers at the site of program development and caused by the developers and the development environment. The present invention relates to a program development support device for integrally managing various information used for program creation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When developing a computer program, information used for developing the program includes various information such as a source program, a functional design document, a function specification document, and a module structure diagram. Conventionally, management of this information, for example, the components of the source program,
The function specification is divided into modules and functions, and the function specification corresponding to the function is described and associated with the function specification file in a function file, and the respective information is managed as a file.

For example, as a system for managing a program in association with its specification information, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-1812.
There is a “software development system” described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 24. The system described here extracts program information or specification information from a program and a module specification written in a predetermined format, stores it in a database, and generates a source program and specification information from the stored information.

[0004]

In the prior art system, each piece of information used for program development is managed as a file. Therefore, when each programmer creates a function specification using a program development tool such as an easy-to-use editor, the specification created by the tool is managed as a file in a format that the tool can understand. Become so. When managed as a file in this way, other developers and administrators can refer to the management information by
We had to make changes to other tools and so on so that we could know the format of the file and read the format, and it was not easy to refer directly.

The information managed by the system of the prior art is a source program and a function specification, and information such as arguments and return values of functions other than the source program required by the programmer, and descriptions of functions of the functions. Did not manage centrally.

Therefore, for example, when a problem occurs in an application, or when there is a problem in a source program of a developer other than the user, it is difficult to identify the problem, and the time required for solving the problem as a whole is long. There was a problem of becoming. In addition, since the names of the programmers participating in the program development were not managed as data with the source program in charge of the program creation, the person in charge of program development may be When there were many changes, it was difficult to know who was in charge of which part.

An object of the present invention is to automate the history management of a program to be developed, and to exchange information between a source program used in program development, arguments of functions in the source program, return values, descriptions of function functions, and developers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a program development support device capable of generating a relation required for a program, managing each piece of information as a resource, and retaining the relation.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, the present inventor has invented a program development support device and a recording medium.

The program development support apparatus according to the present invention includes a means for inputting development information of a source program required for program development, a means for generating information having a uniform format from the development information, May be configured to include an access management unit that determines whether the developer can access the information generated by the unit. By having means for generating information having a unified appearance, the above object can be achieved.
The program development information is information including a program source and comments on the program source (comments on corrections and changes). Also,
The means for inputting the development information and the input means to be described later are the same as the input / output means described in the “detailed description of the invention”.

[0010] The program development support apparatus of the present invention may be configured as further provided with a storage unit for storing information generated by the generation unit. Here, the information generated by the generating unit is related information described later. And this related information,
It includes information (version information) that makes it possible to identify a development stage described later. The version information is, specifically, the version N of the developed program source.
o. , The date when the program source was registered.

Further, the program development support device of the present invention is characterized in that the storage means stores the development information and the information generated by the generation means as one integrated information of program development. That is, the storage means stores the development information and the related information in association with each other,
It is managed in an integrated manner.

Further, in the program development support device of the present invention, the input means provides a unified interface. Since a unified interface is provided, there is an effect that it is not necessary to depend on various hardware, various OSs, and the like. Here, the interface is a user interface.

[0013] In the program development support apparatus of the present invention, the access management means stores the generated information as
The developer may be configured to be able to manage whether only the reference or the change is possible.

Further, the program development support device of the present invention is configured to further include means for distinguishing between information that can be referred to only and information that can be referred to and changed, and setting and registering the information. May do it. As a result, when a reference request for a resource is made, only developers who are permitted to refer to the resource can refer to the resource, and when there is a change request for the resource, the resource can be changed Only changed developers can make changes. The resources referred to here are the development information and the related information stored by the storage unit described above.

Further, in the program development support apparatus of the present invention, the storage means may be configured to store the data in a computer and / or a peripheral device thereof. It is preferable that the information stored by the storage unit is stored on a computer different from the computer on which the program development support device is located.

Further, in the program development support apparatus according to the present invention, the storage means integrates and stores the development information and the related information.

Here, the development information includes, in addition to the program source, arguments and return values of the program function, comments of the function,
It is desirable to include any one or more of the information on the creation date and time. It is even more desirable to include all of them.

Further, the program development support device of the present invention has means for transmitting the related information to a client computer. The client computer is a terminal device described in the claims.

Further, the terminal device is a device including means for reading an application transmitted from the program development support device, means for constructing source program development information, and means for transmitting the development information. . The application is the input / output means. Further, means for constructing development information of the source program (program source) and means for transmitting the development information may be included in the application.

Further, the input / output means has means for reading related information transmitted from the program development support device.

Further, the input / output means includes means for correcting the related information transmitted from the program development support device, and means for transmitting the corrected related information.

Here, the terminal device includes a unit for reading an application transmitted from the program development support device, a unit for constructing development information of a source program, a unit for transmitting the development information, It is desirable that the device has a means for reading related information transmitted from the device. Further, means for reading an application transmitted from the program development support device, means for constructing development information of a source program, means for transmitting the development information, and reading related information transmitted from the program development support device. Means,
It is more desirable to include a means for correcting the related information transmitted from the program development support device and a means for transmitting the corrected related information.

A means for constructing the development information of the source program, a means for transmitting the development information, a means for reading the relevant information transmitted from the program development support device, and a device for transmitting the relevant information transmitted from the program development support device. The means for correcting the related information may be included in the application (input / output means).

Here, the program development support device of the present invention is a program development support device connected to a plurality of terminal devices via a network, wherein the program development support device includes a data transmission / reception unit and a related information generation unit. Unit, the data transmitting and receiving unit transmits and receives data to and from the plurality of terminal devices via a network, the related information generating unit transmits the development information related to program development transmitted from the terminal device to the data It is characterized by generating related information received through a transmission / reception unit and including information for identifying the development stage of the program development corresponding to the development information.

In the program development support device of the present invention, the program development support device may include an access management unit that manages access from the terminal device based on the set conditions, and a setting registration unit that sets the conditions. And further comprising:

Further, the program development support device of the present invention is characterized by further comprising storage means for storing the development information and related information in association with each other.

Further, the program development support device of the present invention further comprises an input / output means which is read by the terminal device, receives input of information relating to the development information, and transmits the development information to the program development support device. It is characterized by doing.

Further, in the program development support device of the present invention, the data transmitting / receiving unit transmits the input / output means to the terminal device via a network in response to the acquisition request of the input / output means from the terminal device. It is characterized by the following.

Further, in the program development support device of the present invention, the input / output means receives the associated development information and related information from the program development support device, and displays the associated development information and related information. Is further performed.

Further, the present invention is a recording medium recording a program for realizing the program development support device according to claim 1 by being mounted and executed on a computer, wherein the plurality of terminals are connected via a network. A procedure for transmitting and receiving data to and from a device, a procedure for receiving development information related to program development transmitted from the terminal device, and a relation including information for identifying a development stage of the program development in accordance with the development information. And a computer-readable recording medium that records the procedure for generating information.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a program for implementing the input / output means according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the program is implemented and executed on a computer. A computer-readable recording medium recording a receiving procedure and a procedure of transmitting the development information to the program development support device.

Further, the present invention provides a means for inputting development information of a source program required for program development information, a means for generating information having a uniform format from the development information, and a means for generating The access management means for determining whether or not the developer can access the information generated by the computer may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute is recorded. That is, this is a computer-readable recording medium that records a program that can realize the program development support device of the present invention on a computer. Here, it is preferable that the recording medium is a computer-readable recording medium that records a program that can realize the device having the above-described features.

Further, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium for executing a means for reading an application transmitted from the program development support apparatus, a means for constructing development information of a source program, and a means for transmitting the development information. The present invention may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded. Further, the present invention may be embodied as a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the means for reading the related information transmitted from the program development support device.

The program development support device of the present invention can be produced, for example, by causing a computer to read a program that can realize the program development support device, and can be used by executing the program.

Further, the invention of the recording medium can be produced by storing the program in a computer-readable recording medium, and can be used by causing a computer to read and execute the program in the recording medium. it can.

Here, the “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk,
It refers to a portable medium such as a ROM or a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk built in a computer. Further, the "computer-readable recording medium" is a communication line for transmitting a program through a communication line such as a network or a communication line such as the Internet,
The term includes a program that dynamically stores a program for a short time, and a program that retains a program for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory in a computer system serving as a server or a client in that case. Further, the above-mentioned program may be for realizing a part of the above-described means, or may be for realizing the above-mentioned means in combination with a program already stored in a computer.

[0037]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Of course,
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described here.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a program development support device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 summarizes how a user uses the program development support device. It is a block diagram.

In FIG. 2, each user uses the WWW server (WWW) using the Internet 25 without depending on the machine (client computer 21 to 24) used.
old Wide Web Server) 27 can be accessed. Further, it accesses the database 28 via the WWW server 27 and stores various program information (development information and the like). Here, it is assumed that the client computers 21 to 24 are personal computers or workstations that can be connected to the Internet. Also, in FIG. 1, data A · 10, data B · 11, data C · 12 in the database 9 are shown.
Are shown separately, but are managed in an integrated manner.

In FIG. 1, a user develops a program on a developer computer (developer computer) 1 using a program development application 2 in the same manner as in the conventional development environment, and at the same time, supports the program development. The server application 5 constituting the device 26 can be accessed, and the input information 13 is transmitted. And
The data control unit 6 generates formatted information 17 described later based on the input information 13 and stores the generated information 17 in the database 9. Similarly formatted information 14
Is sent to the developer computer 1. When the user refers to the information stored in the database 9, first, a data request 15 is sent to the access control unit 7. When the user satisfies the set conditions (user ID, password, etc.), the access control unit 7 sends a data request 18 to the database 9 and acquires data 19. Then, the data 19 (data 16) is sent to the developer computer 1.

Here, the program development application 2 is software capable of inputting and editing a program source code such as an editor.
Is user information such as a user ID and a password, development information, and the like. It should be noted that the developer computer 1 has a GUI (Graphic) for making the program development support device 26 available.
An application (input / output means to be described later) for providing an “ical User Interface” is implemented.

The server application 5 is an input means for inputting program development information of a source program, which is a feature of the program development support device 26, and a generation means for generating information having a uniform format from the program development information. And the database 9 using the program development information and the information generated by the generating means as program development integrated program development information (one resource).
And management means for managing access control such as reference and change to the stored program development information.

Here, the information having the unified appearance is the above-mentioned related information. The details of each of the above means will be described later. In this embodiment, input means (input / output means) for inputting the program development information of the source program is provided to the client computer 1 via the Internet as described later, and is mounted on the client computer 1.

The developer reads the application for inputting the program development information of the source program by accessing the server application 5 constituting the program development support device 26 using the WWW server 4 (not shown). And a process for inputting the program development information of the source program. Here, the application for inputting the program development information of the source program is the aforementioned input / output means. The application for inputting the development information may be read from the WWW server 4 via the Internet to the client computer 1 and used, or may be installed in the client computer 1 in advance. This application may be a dedicated program, such as a macro program for the WWW browser 3 or a WWW file created by a JAVA applet or the like.
It may be incorporated in the W browser 3 and used.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the server application 5 in more detail and will be described.

The server application 5 includes a data control unit 6 and an access control unit 7. The data control unit 6 further includes a data transmission / reception unit 6a and a related information generation unit 6
The access control unit 7 includes a setting registration unit 7a and an access management unit 7b.

The data transmission / reception unit 6a transmits / receives data to / from the client computer 1 and the database computer 8. The related information generation unit 6b receives the development information sent from the client computer 1 via the data transmission / reception unit 6a, and generates related information based on the development information. Further, the development information and the related information are stored in the database computer 8 via the data transmission / reception unit 6a. Here, the development information includes at least a program source under development and comments on the program source at each development stage. The related information generated based on the development information is information including version (revision) information of the program source, a newly created / updated date, and a developer name. This is information that can be identified.
The development information and the related information corresponding to this development information
It is associated (correlated) and stored in the database computer 8.

The setting registration section 7a stores a condition (access to the user I) for access from the user of the client computer 1.
D, password, etc.), and the conditions are set by the administrator in the WWW server 4. Of course, the WWW server 4 is provided with an input device (not shown), and the administrator uses the input device to input and set various conditions. The access management unit 7b controls (restricts) access from the client computer 1 based on the conditions registered and set by the setting registration unit 7a. For example, database computer 8
Controls whether access to information stored in the database is permitted only for reference or not only for reference but also for modification.

Next, the operation of the server application 5 will be described.

As a first process, the server application 5 generates information having a uniform format from the program development information and transmits the generated information to the WWW browser as formatted information. Do. That is, the related information generation unit 6b of the server application 5 generates information (related information) having a uniform appearance based on the program development information (development information),
A process of transmitting the formatted information (associated with the program development information and the related information) to the WWW browser 3 on the client computer 1 via the data transmission / reception unit 6a is performed.

As a second process, the server application 5 performs a process of storing the program development information and the information generated by the generation means in a database as program development integrated information. That is, the related information generation unit 6b of the server application 5 performs a process of transmitting the program development information and the related information to the database computer 8 via the data transmission / reception unit 6a and storing the information as formatted information.

As a third process, the server application 5 defines whether the program development information stored in the above process is permitted to be changed by another developer or only to reference. Is performed. That is, the setting registration unit 7a of the server application receives the input of the above-described definition by the administrator and performs a process of registering the content.

As a fourth process, when there is a request to the server application 5 to change or refer to a resource, the server application 5 manages whether to permit or change the resource. Here, the resource is integrated information stored in the database computer 8 described above. Here, the access management unit 7b of the server application 5 performs the above management according to the registered access conditions.

The database 9 stores program development information,
The attribute information and the related information generated by the generation unit are stored in a file as integrated information of program development.
The attribute information and the related information referred to here are collectively referred to as related information in the “detailed description of the invention”.
The integrated information is information including program development information and related information corresponding to the program development information.

Next, an example of an application as an input / output means will be described based on an example of operation and operation on the client computer 1. In the following description, it is assumed that the client computer 1 has completed logon to the server computer 4 and can use each function of the server application 5 from the WWW browser 3. Figures 4-9
Is an example of a display screen of the WWW browser 3 in which the application is incorporated.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a “register new file” screen. Here, development information is newly registered in the server computer 4. In this screen example, a menu area indicated by reference numeral 30 and a file designation area indicated by reference numeral 40, which are common to each screen described below, and an area including a unique display part or an input part in each screen indicated by reference numeral 50, Has become. The file name of the source file of the program registered in the server computer 4 is displayed in the file designation area indicated by reference numeral 40, and the file can be selected (designated).

On this screen, the user can change the “registration of new file” portion of the menu area 30 (using a mouse or the like).
By specifying, a screen corresponding to “Register new file” in the menu is displayed in the area of reference numeral 50. The user inputs a comment of the program to be input as a part of the development information in the part 51a, and specifies a source file to be newly registered in the part 51b. And reference numeral 51
By pressing the new registration button c (clicking with a mouse or the like), the development information including the contents of the source file of the specified program and the input program comment is transmitted to the server computer 4 via the network.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the "update existing file" screen. By designating the “update existing file” portion in the menu area indicated by reference numeral 30, a screen corresponding to “update existing file” in the menu is displayed in the area indicated by reference numeral 50. "Updating an existing file" means that when a source file of an already registered program is changed or updated, it is updated and registered again, and the content of the change or the like is input as a program comment in the reference numeral 52a. Also on this screen, the user performs the same operation as in the case of the above-mentioned “Registration of a new file”.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a “file history reference” screen. When the “file history reference” portion of the menu area 30 is designated, a screen corresponding to the menu “file history reference” is displayed in the area 50. Next, the name of the source file for displaying the history is input and designated in the portion of the reference numeral 53a, and the display button of the reference numeral 53b is pressed. By this operation, the corresponding information is transmitted from the server computer 4, and the history of the designated program / source file is displayed in the area of the reference numeral 50 (not shown).
This allows the user to know how the source files of the program under development have been updated.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a “past file reference” screen. By designating the “past file reference” portion of the menu area 30, a screen corresponding to “past file reference” of the menu is displayed in the area 50. A source file name to be displayed at reference numeral 54a is input and designated, and the version value confirmed by referring to the file history is input to reference numeral 54b. By pressing the display button 54c, these pieces of information are sent to the server computer 4. Starting from the reception of this information, the server application 5 transmits information on the past file (information including development information and related information) to the client computer. And WW
The W browser 3 displays the received information on the past file in the area indicated by the reference numeral 50.

FIG. 8 shows a display example. In this example, reference numeral 5
A source file name, a version number, a registration (update) date, a developer, and a program comment input at the time of new registration / update are displayed in a portion 6a, and a source code of a program corresponding to a reference numeral 56b is displayed. By referring to this past file, the update history of the corrected / updated program can be traced, and if there is a defect in the current version of the program, it is useful for finding the defect.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the “delete storage file” screen. By designating the “delete storage file” portion in the menu area of reference numeral 30, a screen corresponding to “delete storage file” of the menu is displayed in the area of reference numeral 50. The name of the source file of the program to be deleted is input in the portion 55a, and the version number is input in the portion 55b. Then, by pressing the delete button 55c, the designated storage file is deleted in the server computer 4.

The operation of the application as the input / output means has been described above.

[0064]

According to the present invention, as described above, when a problem occurs in an application or when there is a problem in a source program of a developer other than the user, it is easy to specify the problem. In addition, the person in charge of program development can easily understand who is in charge of which part when the number of programmers is large or when there are many replacements of programmers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional configuration diagram according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a server application according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an example of a display screen (new file registration screen) in the terminal device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an example of a display screen (an existing file update screen) in the terminal device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an example of a display screen (file history reference screen) in the terminal device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an example of a display screen (past file reference screen) in the terminal device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an example of a display screen (past file display screen) in the terminal device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an example of a display screen (storage file deletion screen) in the terminal device according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 developer computer (developer computer, client computer) 2 program development editor (program development application) 3 WWW browser 4 server computer (WWW server) 5 server application 6 data control unit 6a data transmission / reception unit 6b related information generation unit 7 access control section 7a setting registration section 7b access management section 8 database computer 9 database 10 data A 11 data B 12 data C 13 input information 14 formatted information 15 reference request 16 data 17 formatted information 18 data request 19 data 21 Developer A: Computer of X company (client computer) 22 Developer B: Computer of Y company (client computer) 23 Developer C: Computer of Z company (client computer) Ant computer) 24 Developer D: W's computer (client computer) 25 Internet 26 program development support device 27 WWW server 28 database

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kokazu Nagata 1-297 Kitabukurocho, Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Mobile Business Development Center

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A program development support device connected to a plurality of terminal devices via a network, wherein the program development support device includes a data transmission / reception unit and a related information generation unit; Transmitting and receiving data to and from the plurality of terminal devices via a network, the related information generating unit receiving development information related to program development transmitted from the terminal device via the data transmitting and receiving unit, and A program development support apparatus for generating related information including information that makes it possible to identify a development stage of the program development. 2. The program development support device further comprises: an access management unit that manages access from the terminal device based on a set condition, and a setting registration unit that sets the condition. The program development support device according to claim 1. 3. The program development support device according to claim 1, wherein the program development support device further comprises a storage unit that stores the development information and related information in association with each other. 4. The program development support device further includes an input / output unit that is read by the terminal device, receives input of information relating to the development information, and transmits the development information to the program development support device. The program development support device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: 5. The data transmission / reception unit, in response to an acquisition request of the input / output unit from the terminal device,
5. The program development support device according to claim 4, wherein the input / output means is transmitted to the terminal device via a network. 6. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said input / output means receives said associated development information and related information from said program development support apparatus, and further displays said associated development information and related information. The program development support device according to claim 4 or 5. 7. A recording medium storing a program for implementing the program development support device according to claim 1 when the program is implemented and executed on a computer, wherein the program and the plurality of terminal devices communicate with each other via a network. A procedure for transmitting and receiving, a procedure for receiving development information related to program development transmitted from the terminal device, and generating related information including information that can identify a development stage of the program development corresponding to the development information. A computer-readable recording medium on which the steps and are recorded. 8. A recording medium recording a program for realizing the input / output means according to claim 4, which is implemented and executed on a computer, comprising: a step of receiving input of information related to the development information; A step of transmitting the development information to the program development support device; and a computer-readable recording medium recording the following.