JPH10240510A - Object-oriented design supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To support object-oriented design by defining a design object from information included in a description relating to a use case for indicating the function unit of a system. SOLUTION: This design supporting device is provided with a use case description input means 1 for describing the use case, a data design information input means 2 for inputting data design information, a use case description interpretation means 3 for interpreting a use case description by using the data design information and obtaining the information required for defining an object, an object definition means 4 for defining the object by using the information obtained from the use case description and the data design information, an object designed result editing means 5 for editing a defined object designed result and a display means 6 for displaying the use case description and the object designed result. The use case inputted by a user and the object designed result are displayed at the display means 6 and the user refers to them and performs required editing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an object-oriented design support apparatus for supporting an object-oriented design by automatically defining design objects from information contained in a description about a use case representing a functional unit of a system. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A use case is described in I.P. This is a concept proposed by Jacobson, and refers to a series of processes performed to achieve a certain purpose, and can also be referred to as a functional unit or unit business of the system. When a system designer designs an object-oriented system focusing on a use case, first, a description about the use case is made, and an object is designed based on the description. The description of a use case is usually described in a natural language. The system designer designs the object by judging what operation should be defined for which data by referring to the use case description. I. Jacobson's "OOSE use-case approach" describes a method of software development based on use cases.

Here, the types of objects handled in object-oriented design will be described. Object-oriented systems include objects in general concepts (objects representing the entities handled by the target system) as well as objects that control those objects to realize the functions of the system and actors outside the system (system actors). Object that implements an interface with the user. In this specification, an object representing an entity handled by the target system is called an entity object, an object that controls another object is called a control object, and an object that realizes an interface is called an interface object.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional object-oriented design method, the system designer looks at the description of the use case, judges the operation or operation target included in the use case, and designs the system. All of the objects that had to be entered had to be entered, resulting in poor work efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the conventional example. By automatically defining an object from a description of a use case, the efficiency of object-oriented design work and the omission of design omission are improved. It is an object of the present invention to obtain an object-oriented design support device capable of preventing such a problem.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an object-oriented design support apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
Use case description input means for describing a use case which is a functional unit of the system, data design information input means for inputting data design information representing a data structure of a development target system, and the data design information input means Use case description interpreting means for interpreting the use case description input from the use case description input means using the data design information input from and obtaining information necessary for defining an object, and the use case description An object defining means for defining an object, a method included in the object, and a logic included in the method, using the information obtained from the use case description by the interpreting means and the data design information input from the data design information inputting means; Edit object design results defined by means Object design result editing means, and display means for displaying the use case description input from the use case description input means and the object design result edited by the object design result edit means. It is.

The object defining means defines one control object for one use case.

Further, the object defining means defines an interface object for an "actor" of the use case description, and defines a method for calling a control object corresponding to the use case as a method of the interface object. It is assumed that.

The object defining means defines an entity object based on the data design information, and defines a condition based on the interpretation of the condition included in the "preconditions" of the use case description and the condition object data by the use case description interpreting means. The method defines query methods for conditions as methods of the entity object corresponding to the target data, and defines a method of calling those methods to check preconditions as a method of the control object corresponding to the use case. Is what you do.

The object definition means defines an entity object based on the data design information, and operates on the basis of the operation included in the "scenario" of the use case description and the interpretation of the operation target data by the use case description interpreting means. Define the method that performs the operation as the method of the entity object corresponding to the data, and define the method that calls the methods in the order of the scenario to realize the processing body of the use case as the method of the control object corresponding to the use case It is characterized by doing.

The object defining means defines an entity object based on the data design information, and defines a condition based on the interpretation of the condition included in the "post condition" of the use case description and the condition object data by the use case description interpreting means. Define a method that performs operations to satisfy the conditions as a method of the entity object corresponding to the target data, and define a method that calls those methods to perform post-processing as a method of the control object corresponding to the use case It is characterized by doing.

Further, the object defining means defines a method for transmitting a message as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case in response to the description of the “response event” of the use case description. It is.

Further, the object defining means defines a method for performing exception processing as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case in response to the description of the "exception" of the use case description. is there.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 FIG. In the first embodiment, an object-oriented design support device characterized in that one control object is defined for one use case.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an object-oriented design support apparatus according to the first embodiment. The configuration of the following embodiments is the same as that of FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the object-oriented design support apparatus according to the first embodiment describes a use case by describing a name, an outline, an actor, a trigger, a precondition, a corresponding scenario, a postcondition, a response event, and an exception. Use case description input means 1 for inputting by a user, data design information input means 2 for inputting information on a data structure during system operation from a user or a storage device (not shown),
Use case for interpreting the use case description input from the use case description input means 1 using the data design information input from the data design information input means 2 and obtaining information necessary for defining an object It has description interpretation means 3.

An object definition means 4 for defining an object using the information obtained from the use case description by the use case description interpretation means 3 and the data design information inputted from the data design information input means 2, Has an object design result editing unit 5, a use case description display unit 6a and an object design result display unit 6b for editing an object design result automatically defined by the user, and is input by the user using the use case description input unit 1. Display means 6 for displaying the used use case and the object design result edited by the object design result editing means 5, and the user performs necessary editing with reference to this.

Next, the operation will be outlined according to FIG. 2, which is a flowchart showing the procedure of object design in the first embodiment. The user first enters the use case description input means 1
Then, a use case description is created (S1). Also,
The data design information representing the data structure during the system operation or the database design information as a substitute for the data design information is input using the data design information input means 2 (S2). Next, the input use case description is interpreted by the use case description interpreting means 3 (S3). Next, an object definition is performed using information obtained by interpreting the use case description by the object definition means 4 and data design information (S
4). The defined object design result is displayed on the display unit 6.
(S5), the user edits the result of the object design while referring to it (S6), and completes the design. The procedure is the same in the following embodiments.

Here, a description method of a use case will be described. Use cases are commonly used to describe functionality, names, summaries, actors, triggers,
Preconditions, scenarios, postconditions, response events, and exceptions can be described. The contents described in these items are as follows. Name: Name of the use case Outline: Outline of the use case Actor: User who executes the use case Trigger: Trigger for executing the use case Precondition: Must be satisfied before the use case is executed Scenarios that must not be used Scenario: Processes executed in a use case are listed in chronological order. Post condition: A condition that guarantees the use case after execution. Response event: When another use case is notified that the use case has been completed. Description Exceptions: possible exceptions to the use case

In the first embodiment, the use case description input means 1 describes a use case, for example, as shown in FIG. In other words, as "Name", "Shipping Instruction""Overview","Apply inventory for each item in the order, create shipping instructions by destination and shipping date" As "Actor", "Delivery staff ”As a“ trigger ”, the“ Order Form ”sent from the Sales Section
"Preconditions", "Order receiving status is [order receiving status]", "Correspondence scenario", "1. Confirm order 2. Reserve inventory for each order statement 3. Shipping information "Post-conditions", "Orders are [shipment instructed], shipping has been created", "Response event", "Passing shipping instructions to pinking staff""Exception" As "There is a sales order item that cannot be allocated"

These descriptions regarding the use cases will be referred to as use case descriptions. Although “Overview” and “Trigger” are not used for object definition in the first embodiment and the following embodiments, they are useful items for understanding use cases. The entry is not omitted because it is necessary when the designer confirms and corrects the design result.

FIG. 4 shows the notation of an object in this specification. The name of the object is written below the object, and the method of the object is written to the right of the object. When defining the logic included in the method, it is described on the right side of the method. Arrows indicate calling relationships between objects.

Next, the first embodiment will be described using a specific example. The device according to the first embodiment defines one control object for a use case description. FIG. 3 is an example of a use case description by the use case description input unit 1 according to the first embodiment, and the name of the use case is used as the name of the control object. The data design information input means 2 inputs data design information. Then, the use case description interpreting means 3 interprets the use case description input from the use case description input means 1 using the data design information input from the data design information input means 2 to define an object. The necessary information is obtained, and the object definition means 4 defines the object, the method of the object, and the logic included in the method using the information obtained from the use case description by the use case description interpretation means 3 and the data design information. As a result, an object as shown in FIG. 5 is defined and displayed by the display unit 6.

Therefore, according to the first embodiment, the work of the initial stage of the object design is automated by inputting the data structure and the use case description, so that the work efficiency of the object-oriented design can be improved, Especially,
By defining one control object for one use case, the work efficiency related to control object definition is improved by automation.

Embodiment 2 FIG. In the second embodiment, an interface object is defined for the “actor” of the use case description, and a method for calling an object corresponding to the use case is defined as a method of the interface object. The present invention relates to an object-oriented design support device characterized in that

In the present apparatus, the object definition means 4 defines an interface object for the item "actor" in the use case description example shown in FIG. Since the actor is a “delivery staff”, the name of this interface object is “delivery staff UIF”. Next, a method for calling the control object "shipping instruction" is defined as a method of this interface object. FIG. 6 shows the result of adding the object definition in the second embodiment to the design result in the first embodiment.
It is displayed on the display means 6.

In practice, a plurality of calls are made from the interface object to the "shipment instruction" object for each method, so that a detailed definition is made later by the designer in a modified form.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, an interface object is defined for a use case description “actor”, and a method for calling an object corresponding to the use case is defined as a method thereof. Work efficiency related to these is improved, and furthermore, by defining objects for multiple use cases, the interrelationship between multiple interface objects and multiple control objects is shown, resulting in design leakage caused by complexity. Help prevent.

Embodiment 3 In the third embodiment, the entity object is defined by the data design information, the condition included in the “precondition” of the use case description and the condition target data are interpreted, and the method of the entity object corresponding to the condition target data is defined as: The present invention relates to an object-oriented design support device that defines methods for inquiring about conditions and defines a method for calling these methods and checking a precondition as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case.

The item "precondition" in the use case description example shown in FIG. 3 is interpreted as follows by the use case description interpreting means 3 of the present apparatus. This interpretation is based on the interpretation of the entity object name and the attribute name by the data design information and the interpretation of the natural language. Description: Order status of the order is "order reception status" Interpretation: Order. Order status = "Order acceptance status"

The object definition means 4 defines a method "order status inquiry" for inquiring the value of "order status" for the entity object "order", calls "order status inquiry" for the control object "shipment instruction", and sets a precondition. Define a method to check. FIG. 7 shows the second embodiment.
The object definition according to the third embodiment is further added to the design result shown in FIG.

Therefore, according to the third embodiment, the method of the real object and the method of the control object for calling those methods are defined by the "precondition" of the use case description, and the work efficiency related to these is automated. As well as improving the definition of the method that performs checks before executing the use case,
Helps prevent design leaks for control and entity objects.

Embodiment 4 FIG. In the fourth embodiment, an entity object is defined by data design information, an operation included in a “scenario” of a use case description and operation object data are interpreted, and the operation is performed as a method of the entity object corresponding to the operation object data. And an object-oriented design support device characterized by defining methods for implementing the use case processing body by calling the methods in the order of the scenarios as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case. .

The item "scenario" in the use case description example shown in FIG. 3 is interpreted as follows by the use case description interpretation means 3 of the present apparatus. Description: Interpretation: Confirm order See "Order" Reserve inventory for each order detail "Stock" reserve for each "Order detail" Create shipping information Create "shipping"

The object definition means 4 assigns the “reference” method to the entity object “order”, the “stock allocation” method to the entity object “order details”, the “assignment” method to “inventory”, and the object object “shipping”. Define "create" method. In addition, a method “shipping instruction” for implementing the shipping instruction processing by calling these methods defined in the real object in the control object “shipping instruction” is defined. However, since the "order details" are the execution unit of the "assignment" method of "inventory" for the inventory assignment, the "assignment" of "inventory" from the control object via the "stock_assignment" of the "order details" Method is called. FIG. 8 shows the result of adding the object definition according to the fourth embodiment to the design result of the third embodiment, which is displayed on the display unit 6.

Therefore, according to the fourth embodiment, the method of the real object and the method of the control object that calls those methods are defined by the “scenario” of the use case description, and the work efficiency related to these is improved by automation. In addition, since the method for executing the processing body of the use case is defined, it is useful to prevent design omission of the control object and the entity object.

Embodiment 5 In the fifth embodiment, an entity object is defined by data design information, a condition included in the “post-condition” of the use case description and the condition object data are interpreted, and the object object is defined as a method of the entity object corresponding to the condition object data. An object-oriented design support device, which defines a method for performing an operation for satisfying a condition, and defines a method for implementing post-processing by calling the method as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case. About.

The "post-condition" item in the use case description example shown in FIG. 3 is interpreted as follows by the use case description interpretation means 3 of the present apparatus. Description: Order status of the order is "shipped" Interpretation: Order. Order status = "shipment instructed" Description: Shipment has been created Interpretation: "Shipment" created

The object definition means 4 defines "order status setting" as a method of the real object "shipping instruction". Also, a "create" method should be defined for "shipment", but in the case of the fourth embodiment, since this method has already been defined, no additional definition will be made here. In the control object "shipping instruction", a method that calls the "order status setting" method and implements post-processing is defined. FIG. 9 shows the result of adding the object definition according to the fifth embodiment to the design result of the fourth embodiment, which is displayed on the display unit 6.

Therefore, according to the fifth embodiment, the method of the real object and the method of the control object that calls those methods are defined by the “post-condition” of the use case description. As well as improving post-processing methods, control objects and
This is useful for preventing design leaks related to entity objects.

Embodiment 6 FIG. The sixth embodiment relates to an object-oriented design support apparatus characterized in that a method for transmitting a message in response to a “response event” in a use case description is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case.

Since the "response event" of the use case description example shown in FIG.
Defines a message transmission method for this in the control object “shipping instruction”. FIG. 10 shows a result obtained by further adding the design result according to the sixth embodiment to the design result according to the fifth embodiment, which is displayed on the display unit 6.

Therefore, according to the sixth embodiment, in response to the “response event” of the use case description, a method for transmitting a message is defined as a method of the control object corresponding to the use case, thereby enabling automation. By improving work efficiency and defining a message sending method for response events,
Helps prevent design leaks for control objects.

Embodiment 7 FIG. The seventh embodiment relates to an object-oriented design support apparatus characterized in that a method for performing exception handling is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case for the description of “exception” in the use case description. .

"Exception" in the use case description example shown in FIG.
Has a description, so the object definition means 4
An exception handling method for this is defined in the control object "shipping instruction". FIG. 11 shows a result of adding the design result according to the seventh embodiment to the design result according to the sixth embodiment, which is displayed on the display unit 6.

Therefore, according to the seventh embodiment, a method for transmitting a message is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case with respect to the “exception” of the use case description, so that the work can be performed by automation. Efficiency is improved, and a method for performing exception handling is defined, which helps prevent design omission of the control object.

[0046]

As described above, according to the object-oriented design support apparatus of the present invention, the work of the initial stage of object design is automated by inputting the data structure and the use case description. Work efficiency can be improved.

Further, by defining one control object for one use case, the work efficiency related to the definition of the control object is improved by automation.

Further, by defining an interface object for the use case description "actor" and defining a method for calling an object corresponding to the use case as a method thereof, the work efficiency relating to these is improved by automation. In the case of defining objects for a plurality of use cases, the interrelationship between a plurality of interface objects and a plurality of control objects is shown, which helps prevent design leakage caused by complexity.

Also, by defining the methods of the entity object and the methods of the control object that calls those methods by the "preconditions" of the use case description, the work efficiency related to these can be improved by automation, and the operation before execution of the use case can be improved. Defining a method for checking helps prevent design omissions for control objects and entity objects.

Also, by defining the methods of the entity object and the methods of the control object that calls those methods by using the "scenario" of the use case description, the work efficiency related to these is improved by automation, and the processing body of the use case is defined. Defining the method to be executed helps prevent design omissions for the control object and the entity object.

Also, by defining the methods of the entity object and the methods of the control object that calls those methods by the "post-condition" of the use case description, the work efficiency related to these is improved by automation, and the method for performing post-processing is defined. Is defined, it helps to prevent design leakage of the control object and the entity object.

Further, for the "response event" of the use case description, a method for transmitting a message is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case, thereby improving work efficiency by automation and improving response event. By defining a method for sending a message to a control object, it is possible to prevent design leakage of the control object.

Further, for the "exception" of the use case description, a method for transmitting a message is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case, so that work efficiency is improved by automation and exception handling is performed. Defining the method to be performed helps prevent design omissions in the control object.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an object-oriented design support apparatus according to Embodiments 1 to 7 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an object-oriented design according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a use case description example input by a user in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a notation representing a design result of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a design result of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a design result of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a design result of the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a design result of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a design result of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a design result of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a design result of the seventh embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Use case description input means, 2 Data design information input means, 3 Use case description interpretation means, 4 Object definition means, 5 Object design result editing means, 6
Display means.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. Use case description input means for describing a use case which is a functional unit of a system, data design information input means for inputting data design information representing a data structure of a development target system, Use case description interpreting means for interpreting the use case description input from the use case description input means using the data design information input from the data design information input means to obtain information necessary for defining an object; and An object defining means for defining an object, a method of the object, and a logic included in the method using the information obtained from the use case description by the use case description interpreting means and the data design information input from the data design information input means; And the object setting defined by the above object definition means. Object design result editing means for editing the result, and display means for displaying the use case description input from the use case description input means and the object design result edited by the object design result editing means. Characteristic object oriented design support device. 2. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means defines one control object for one use case. 3. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means defines an interface object for an “actor” of a use case description, and uses the use case as a method of the interface object. An object-oriented design support device, characterized by defining a method for calling a control object corresponding to. 4. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means defines an entity object by data design information, and uses said use case description interpretation means by said use case description interpretation means. Based on the conditions included in the "pre-condition" and the interpretation of the condition target data, define a method for querying the conditions as a method of the entity object corresponding to the condition target data, and call those methods to check the pre-condition. Is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case. 5. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means defines an entity object based on data design information, and uses said use case description interpretation means by said use case description interpretation means. Based on the operations included in the "scenario" and the interpretation of the operation target data, define methods for performing the operation as methods of the entity object corresponding to the operation target data, and call those methods in the order of the scenario to process use cases An object-oriented design support device, wherein a method for realizing a main body is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case. 6. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means defines an entity object by data design information, and uses the use case description interpretation means by said use case description interpretation means. Based on the conditions included in the "post-condition" and the interpretation of the condition target data, define methods that perform operations to satisfy the conditions as methods of the entity object corresponding to the condition target data, and call those methods to perform the post An object-oriented design support device, wherein a method for realizing a process is defined as a method of a control object corresponding to the use case. 7. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means includes a method for transmitting a message to a description of a “response event” in a use case description. An object-oriented design support device characterized by being defined as a method of a control object corresponding to a use case. 8. The object-oriented design support device according to claim 1, wherein said object definition means uses a method for performing exception processing for a description of “exception” in the use case description. An object-oriented design support device characterized by being defined as a method of a control object corresponding to a case.