UML based embedded documentation for semi-automatic software development

Abstract

A few years ago we introduced a concept of "Embedded Software Documentation". This embedded documentation consists of special documenting structures referred to as Flagged Sentences. The purpose of Flagged Sentences is to assists us in reading and understanding software programs and their individual components during the maintenance of these programs and reuse of the components. This embedded documentation also helps us in functional decomposition of given problems and design of related computer programs and in ensuring the consistency of interfaces within these programs. After the introduction of Object Oriented Modeling and Design, we expanded the concept of Flagged Sentences to incorporate a specification and classification mechanism based on Object Oriented Modeling and Design. This paper presents new extensions to deal with both: UML language for modeling of problems and software components implementing solutions to these problems, and Unified Process for iterative development of software systems. The basic objective in the current expansion of Flagged Sentences is to accommodate Object Oriented Modeling using UML, and to communicate all the necessary information to tasks that are part of modern and efficient development environments for software production. The information is provided in a format that is easy to extract and automatically organize, classify and use. The information includes data about application domains, problems to be solved, the associated software systems being developed and the related documentations.