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COMPSCI 732 Software Tools & Techniques. ViTABaL : A Visual Language Supporting Design by Tool Abstraction. By John C. Grundy and John G. Hosking. Group 10. ViTABaL :: V is ual T ool A bstraction B ased L anguage. For designing systems supporting functional evolution.
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COMPSCI 732 Software Tools & Techniques ViTABaL : A Visual Language Supporting Design by Tool Abstraction By John C. Grundy and John G. Hosking Group 10
ViTABaL :: Visual Tool Abstraction Based Language • For designing systems supporting functional evolution. • Tool abstraction (TA) domain involving units of functionality called toolies, which share a pool of abstract data structures (ADSs). • Interaction via event propagation. • Example of a system modeled by TA shown in Figure 1 and expressed in a ViTABaL event propagation view in Figure 2 . Figure 1: KWIC, A word indexing system modeled by TA. Figure 2 : KWIC system expressed as ViTABaL event propagation view.
ViTABaL :: views • Graphical metaphor and textual metaphor used. High level of closeness of mapping. • Targeted end users are software programmers. • Good level of visibility via multiple views (hierarchical and multiple perspectives), but also this leads to hidden dependencies. Figure 3: multiple views of complex system. Figure 4: Hierarchical toolie specification. Figure 5: Textual event response for KWIC toolies.
ViTABaL ::views • No problem of viscosity. Toolies can be reused easily. As the system evolve, no extra code is needed for toolies or ADSs which are not directly affected by the change. • Good level of progressive evaluation as programmers can build a complex system into parts and/or to split a complex system into smaller parts for easier debugging. • Language not too diffused. Not many symbols required to express a meaning.
ViTABaL ::visualisation • Supports visual debugging. • Provides good level of role-expressiveness with animated event propagation views and cues to provide more information about components of the system. Figure 6: Visual debugging of ViTABaL systems [1].