Visual Code Diagram Editor for Legacy Software Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Understanding and maintaining legacy software code is challenging due to its complex and unknown specifications, making it difficult and time-consuming to analyze and interpret.
Innovation Solution
An electronic calculator device with a processor that displays source code and a diagram representing parts of the code, allowing users to edit and highlight specific functions and comments, facilitating code analysis and understanding by integrating code storage, diagram storage, and processing modules for code and diagram display, editing, and user operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If source code is displayed in text format only, then device complexity is reduced, but code reading efficiency and understanding difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms one-dimensional text-based source code into a two-dimensional visual diagram representation. The code processing module generates flowcharts or structure charts that display code logic, execution flow, and component relationships in spatial dimensions, making complex code structures immediately comprehensible without increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a code processing module as an intermediary between the source code and the user. This module automatically analyzes the source code and generates visual diagrams, serving as a mediator that translates complex code into understandable visual representations without requiring direct user engagement with the raw code
2Ease of operation
If visual diagram representation is added to display source code, then code understanding ease improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the source code display functionality with automatic diagram generation functionality into a unified system. The code processing module is integrated with the display module, allowing the system to simultaneously present both the original source code and its visual representation in a coordinated manner, enhancing understanding without requiring separate complex systems
Solution Approach 2:
The code processing module performs automatic analysis and diagram generation without requiring manual intervention. The system self-services by automatically parsing the source code, identifying structural elements, and generating appropriate visual representations, thereby improving ease of use while minimizing the complexity of manual configuration
3Measurement precision
If manual code analysis is performed, then measurement precision of code understanding improves, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The code processing module performs preliminary automatic analysis of the source code before user review. By pre-processing the code to generate accurate visual diagrams showing execution flow and structure, the system prepares comprehensive analysis results in advance, reducing the time users need to spend on manual code examination while maintaining high accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electronic calculator includes a processor. The processor is configured to display a screen image on which a first area displaying a source code and a second area displaying a diagram representing at least a part of the source code are arranged and edit the diagram displayed in the second area.