JPH04107628A - Back-up system for reuse of software - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To retrieve a desired software parts even with no knowing of its keyword and to decide plural similar software parts by changing the similarity of functions into a quantitative form between the requested specifications and the software parts. CONSTITUTION:Plural software parts developed in the past are accumulated as the parts specifications 2. When the concrete request value is set to the variable of each element function 6 of the requested specifications 1, a similar parts retrieving part 4 changes the similarity of these element functions into a quantitative form and then calculates the degree of similarity of each software parts to display it. Thus a retriever decides the software parts that is coincident with or similar to the retrieving request. Thus it is possible to retrieve the software parts even with no knowing the names of these parts and also to quantitatively decides the degrees of similarity even though no coincidence of functions is secured between the specifications 1 and the software parts.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a software reuse support system that uses a computer to support software reuse design.
In particular, the present invention relates to a software reuse support system that supports software developers in their work such as searching for software parts, selecting reused software, and changing reused software in the software development process.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, software reuse support systems that support software reuse include parts search using keywords and parts search using a thesaurus.

In the former method, each part is given a part name, a function name, etc. as a keyword in advance, and this keyword is used as an i/
II! By specifying it as a search request, the desired part is searched. The latter has a keyword conversion table that describes related words and synonyms to associate the keywords specified as a search request and the keyword given to the part, and uses this to search for the target part. This is what you search for.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Among the conventional software reuse support systems described above, when searching for parts using keywords, it is difficult to search for parts using keywords.
Since it is assumed that the searcher knows the keywords such as the function name of the part, a searcher who does not know these keywords cannot perform a search. In addition, when searching for parts using a thesaurus, tables of related words and synonyms are used to search for parts.
It is possible to search for similar software components, but it is impossible to distinguish among multiple similar software components.

On the other hand, regarding searching for examples of software component changes,
Even if the changes made during the process of reusing software components are documented, it is unclear how they are related to the changes to the software components, making it difficult to effectively utilize the change examples. ).

(Means for Solving the Problems) Means provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems are as follows:
A software reuse support system that supports the reuse of software during development when developing new software by reusing software developed in the past, and converts multiple software developed in the past into multiple software components. A component storage means for storing, a change example storage means for storing changes to the software component as a change example when developing software that utilizes the software component, and a request for setting required specifications for the software component to be searched. a specification setting means; a similar parts search means for searching for software components that match or are similar to the required specifications by quantifying the functions constituting the required specifications and the functions and requirements of the plurality of software components; Required specification I! The present invention is characterized by comprising a similar case search means for searching for examples of changes to software components accumulated in past appropriation processes based on the difference between the functions of the software components and the functions of the software components to be diverted.

(Operation) In the present invention, the similarity between the function of the required specification and the function of the software component is quantified, the requested software component is searched based on the result, and a plurality of similar software components are determined. Here, in order to quantify the similarity of functions, the functions that constitute the required specifications and the functions that constitute the software components are each defined in advance as elemental functions. An element function is expressed in a list format consisting of an element function name and a plurality of variables, and a weight (importance of the variable) is specified for each variable. When searching for a software component, required values are set in the variables of each element function that is a function of the required specifications. Use a set of required values for each element function as a search key,
Compare with the corresponding element function of the stored software components. As a result of matching, if there is a matching request value, the weight of the variable corresponding to the request value is added. The similarity of the element functions is quantified in this way, and the degree of similarity is calculated by summarizing these values for each software component.2 Based on this degree of similarity, the searcher determines whether or not it is close to the request.

Next, the difference between the function of the required specification and the v1 function of a software component similar to the function of the required specification is determined, and a difference that is the same as or similar to this difference is searched from the past appropriation process.

If the search is successful, we will post the change examples of the changes made during the reuse process.
Software component diversion-related change cases are registered in advance before a search request. The functionality of the requirements specification for which the search request was made is saved as the functionality of a new software component created by reusing the software component. At that time, a pointer is placed indicating the ``diversion relationship'' from the software component that was the diversion light to the required specification function that was searched for here. In addition, the content of changes to the software component due to this diversion is written by the user and saved for each element function as a change example. and the required value, and calculate the difference between the corresponding element functions of the required specification function and the software component function. This difference is used for retrieval, and a matching or similar one is searched from among the reuse of past software components. If the search is successful, examples of changes made during the reuse process will be presented. This search for similar cases is performed as follows. In other words, if there is no match with the difference, the search conditions are relaxed by masking each request value in the search key in descending order of the weight of the corresponding variable (variable importance). Perform a search.

(Example) The present invention will now be described with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, a request specification (1) for inputting the function of a software component to be searched as a search request, and a component specification (2) for indicating the configuration functions of software components stored in advance.
), a change case (3) that describes changes to software components due to diversion, a copy parts search section (4) that searches for software components, and a similar case search section (5) that searches for change cases. Become.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating similar parts search in this embodiment. The search request is given as a requirement specification (1). Elemental functions (6), which are constituent functions of the requirement specifications, are defined here. Note that these element functions can be defined by element function names and variables. Further, the software components to be searched are stored in advance as component specifications (2). This includes elemental functions (which are the constituent functions of software components).
6) or constant #[7. Note that these element functions can also be defined using element function names and variables.

Now, when specific required values are set for the variables of each element function (6) of the requirement specification (1), the similar parts search unit (4) quantifies the similarity of each element function and stores the software parts. Calculate and present the degree of similarity to the units. This allows the searcher to determine which software components match or are close to the search request.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating similar case search in this embodiment. Differences (8) between variables with the same element function name are calculated between the required specification (1) and the diversion source component candidate (7), and a matching difference is searched from the diversion process. If the search for a matching difference fails, a variable with a low weight assigned to each variable is masked, and a matching difference is searched again. If all variables are relaxed and the search for the difference fails, it means that no similar change example exists, but if the search is successful, the change example (3) implemented in the process of reuse is presented.

As a result, the current required specifications (1) and the diversion source part candidates (
7), it is possible to search for a similar change example (3) related to the change part that is required from the past appropriation process.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, not only is it possible to perform a cyst inspection without knowing the name of the software component to be searched for, but also the V&N function of the required specification and the function of the software component can be performed. Even if they do not match, it is possible to quantitatively judge the degree of similarity.

Additionally, when it comes to changes that require diversion of software components, it is possible to refer to similar past change cases, which makes it possible to support software change work.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is the actual implementation page.
FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining the first similar parts search, and FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining the similar change case search of this embodiment. 1...Required specifications 2...Parts specifications, 3...Change examples, 4...Similar parts search section, 5...Similar case search section,
6...Element function, 7...Diversion source part candidate, 8...
Difference.

Claims (1)

[Claims] When developing new software by reusing software developed in the past, a software reuse support system that supports reuse of software at the time of development stores multiple pieces of software developed in the past as multiple software components. a change case storage means for storing changes to the software component as a change example when developing software using the software component; and a requirement specification for setting the required specifications of the software component to be searched. a setting means; a similar component search means for searching for a software component that matches or is similar to the requirement specification by quantifying the similarity between the functions constituting the requirement specification and the functions of the plurality of software components; A software reuse support system characterized by comprising a similar case search means for searching for examples of changes to software components accumulated in past reuse processes based on the difference between the function of a required specification and the function of a software component to be reused. .