Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code?

From	michael.boehnisch@gmail.com
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c++
Subject	Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code?
Date	2012-04-10 17:29 -0700
Organization	http://groups.google.com
Message-ID	<8639328.2685.1334104198859.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@vbhy13> (permalink)
References	<jm1l4g$a6e$1@dont-email.me>

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On Tuesday, April 10, 2012 5:54:39 PM UTC+2, mathog wrote:
> In real world programs it seems that the code is always a 
> morass of object types and methods, often with similar names.

I consider real world code that does not come with sufficient documentation to have a value close to zero. Often its less work to rewrite the stuff from scratch.

In cases where this is not an option and pressure to bother is gross, I'd recommend to reverse engineer an UML model for the code, i.e. start with a static class model depicting interfaces, inheritance and aggregation, and continue by filling in usage information who calls what else. It may also possible to group classes to components.

Once this is done, you can analyze method by method and add diagrams for the code's dynamics (sequence-, activity-, state diagrams). Whatever you find out you should also add as extra comments to the code.

If you're lucky, you end up with a usable code documentation. Many times you won't be lucky, in spite of the systematic approach.

Doxygen in combination with GraphViz is a good start if you are looking for tools. It will spare you of lots of manual work for the analysis. For modelling UML I prefer Sparxsystem's Enterprise Architect. It is a commercial product but relatively cheap compared to other tools. For reengineering purposes you'd need the "Professional" edition or better; its code-to-model import features should come handy.

best,

   MiB.

Thread

Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? mathog <dmathog@gmail.com> - 2012-04-10 08:54 -0700
  Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? "K. Frank" <kfrank29.c@gmail.com> - 2012-04-10 12:55 -0700
    Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Noah Roberts <roberts.noah@gmail.com> - 2012-04-11 09:23 -0700
      Writing extensions, like VBA "macros", Perl or JavaScript.  @Jeff-Relf.Me - 2012-04-11 11:22 -0700
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Lynn McGuire <lmc@winsim.com> - 2012-04-11 14:35 -0500
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-11 21:53 +0000
        Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? mathog <dmathog@gmail.com> - 2012-04-12 12:01 -0700
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? "K. Frank" <kfrank29.c@gmail.com> - 2012-04-11 16:06 -0700
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Christopher Pisz <someone@somewhere.net> - 2012-04-12 11:46 -0500
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-12 22:32 -0400
        Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-04-13 02:16 -0700
          Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-15 10:21 +0000
            Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-15 19:33 -0400
              Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-16 09:59 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-15 21:32 -0400
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-17 09:32 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2012-04-17 02:06 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-17 11:35 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-04-17 16:06 +1200
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2012-04-17 15:24 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-18 04:50 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2012-04-17 20:18 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-18 10:31 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2012-04-18 01:36 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-18 11:00 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-18 22:09 -0400
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-19 11:41 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-18 23:04 -0400
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-19 13:33 +0900
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-04-19 15:56 +1200
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-19 22:54 -0400
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-20 14:31 +0900
              Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Tobias Müller <troplin@bluewin.ch> - 2012-04-16 06:39 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-18 22:25 -0400
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-19 13:58 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-19 23:39 -0400
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-22 16:37 +0000
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Dombo <dombo@disposable.invalid> - 2012-04-19 23:20 +0200
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-19 23:54 -0400
              Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-04-17 03:50 -0700
                Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-17 12:01 +0000
  Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-04-11 08:04 +1200
  Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-10 22:26 +0000
    Rewrite it.  @Jeff-Relf.Me - 2012-04-10 16:31 -0700
      Re: Rewrite it.  nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-04-11 01:20 -0700
        Re: Rewrite it. ï»¿ï»¿ Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-04-11 10:06 +0100
          Re: Rewrite it.  nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-04-11 03:45 -0700
            Building a "house" that you can live in for decades to come.  @Jeff-Relf.Me - 2012-04-11 08:52 -0700
              Re: Building a "house" that you can live in for decades to come.  Miles Bader <miles@gnu.org> - 2012-04-12 13:19 +0900
    Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? "K. Frank" <kfrank29.c@gmail.com> - 2012-04-10 17:37 -0700
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-12 21:40 -0400
  Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? michael.boehnisch@gmail.com - 2012-04-10 17:29 -0700
    Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-04-11 10:02 +0100
  Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) - 2012-04-11 22:36 +0000
    Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Noah Roberts <roberts.noah@gmail.com> - 2012-04-11 16:05 -0700
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world, C++ code? Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-04-11 19:37 -0500
  Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-12 21:48 -0400
    Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-04-15 09:56 +0000
      Re: Methods for understanding complex, real world,  C++ code? Pavel <pauldontspamtolk@removeyourself.dontspam.yahoo> - 2012-04-15 19:43 -0400

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