HP Labs Technical Reports

Automated Link Creation in a Hypertext-based Software Reuse Library

Tsien, Christine L.

HPL-91-131

Keyword(s):

Abstract: The goal of this project is to explore techniques for making software reuse effective. As the development of large software systems continues, the idea of reusing software from previous applications becomes attractive as a means for improving productivity and increasing software quality. Important to such goals is the availability of software components which are well-documented, readily accessible, understandable, and reliable. Software reuse libraries are designed to maintain such components. Because of the large amount of information that may potentially be in a software reuse library, however, a user needs to be able to quickly find, retrieve, and understand a particular software component if reuse is to be fully taken advantage of. PP In this project, I aim to make information access, in the context of an existing software reuse library, more efficient. I begin by defining a set of catalogue conventions for the software components of the library. I then develop a system which incorporates these conventions into the library search process. Relevant pieces of information within the library are connected together, or linked, to allow easy reference amongst similar subjects. This is achieved by providing a means for automatically generating hypertext links at library creation time.

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