Herve Balestrieri wrote:
> To clarify the inquiry : I am seeking for a tool reading Basic source
> code modules and producing a technical documentation of an application
> automatically.
> This is not the purpose of an object code decompiler.
I don't believe there is a way to have a program read code and figure out
what it does from a logical perspective. When you say "technical
documentation", I'm not sure what sort of info you wish to extract from
your code. If you mean file usage, common usage, etc, the only way to get
a program to process such information is to make sure you have your code
completely consistent - or you need to use meta data as described below.
Java and .NET use structured comments with XML for doing this and I've seen
a few MV packages do the same with BASIC. I'll make up some sample XML
below but this is how I might do it.
* <Documentation>
* <Author>Joe Coder</Author>
* <Desc>
* <Short>This proggie processes orders</Short>
* <Long>
* Longer desc here.
* </Long>
* </Desc>
* <Mods DateWritten="9-dec-1998">
* <Mod Request="123534" Date="14-feb-2001">
* Fixed this to do that.
* </Mod>
* </Mods>
* <FileUsage>
* <File Usage="RW">ORDERS</File>
* <File Usage="R">PRICING</File>
* </FileUsage>
* </Documentation>
...
* <CodeDoc Label="CALC.PRICE">
* Get the current price using special tables.
* </CodeDoc>
CALC.PRICE: *
...
<CodeDoc Call="SOMEPROG" />
CALL SOMEPROG("blah")
Similar metadata can be created for I-Types or wherever BASIC code is used
or referenced. Once these tags are embedded in BASIC you can have a
program scan your program files and other source records and build XML
documents. These can then be imported into templates or maybe reformatted
into HTML with XSLT. You can also use the data to create Where Used type
reports.
Tony Gravagno
Nebula R&D
TG@ always.remove.thisNebula-RnD.com
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