Computer Aided Software Engineering Tools (CASE), Slides of Software Engineering

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Computer Aided Software

Engineering Tools (CASE)

Tools of Software Development

2 types of tools used by software engineers:

1. Analytical tools
   • Stepwise refinement
   • Cost-benefit analysis
   • Software metrics
2. CASE tools

CASE TOOLS:

• Software that is used to support software process activities
• Provides software process support by
  • automating some process activities
  • providing information about the software being developed
• Almost all the phases of the software development life cycle are supported by them such as analysis; design, etc.

Example

CASE tools may support the following development steps for developing data base application:

• Creation of data flow and entity models
• Establishing a relationship between requirements and models
• Development of top-level design
• Development of functional and process description
• Development of test cases.

Categories of CASE Tools

• Tools
• Workbenches
• Environments

Categories of CASE Tools

• Tools
  • Support individual process tasks
  • Examples:
    • Checking the consistency of a design
    • Compiling a program
    • Comparing test results

Categories of CASE Tools

• Workbenches
  • Collection of tools that together support:
    • Process workflows (requirements, design, etc.)
    • One or two activities where an activity is a related collection of tasks
  • Commercial examples:
    • PowerBuilder
    • Software Through Pictures
    • Software Architect

Categories of CASE Tools

• Environments
  • Support the complete software process or, at least, a large portion of the software process
  • Normally include several different workbenches which are integrated in some way

Components of CASE CASE repository Document Generator Design Generator Analysis tool Code Generator Drawing Tool Error-checking tool Security and Version Control Screen and Report Generator Prototyping Tool Database Generator

Components of CASE

• CASE repository
  • Centralized database
  • Allows easy sharing of information between tools and SDLC activities
  • Used to store graphical diagrams and prototype forms and reports during analysis and design workflows
  • Provides wealth of information to project manager and allows control over project
  • Facilitates reusability

Components of CASE

• Diagramming tools
  • Allow you to represent a system and its components visually
  • Allows higher level processes to be easily decomposed
  • Can examine processes or data models at high or low level

Components of CASE

• Analysis tools
  • Generate reports that help identify possible inconsistencies, redundancies and omissions
  • Generally focus on
    • diagram completeness and consistency
    • data structures and usage

Components of CASE

• CASE documentation generator tools
  • Create standard reports based on contents of repository
  • Need textual descriptions of needs, solutions, trade-offs, diagrams of data and processes, prototype forms and reports, program specifications and user documentation
  • High-quality documentation leads to 80% reduction in system maintenance effort in comparison to average quality documentation