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    Development of a client interface for a methodology independent object-oriented CASE tool : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Adams, Steven Kevin
    The overall aim of the research presented in this thesis is the development of a prototype CASE Tool user interface that supports the use of arbitrary methodology notations for the construction of small-scale diagrams. This research is part of the larger CASE Tool project, MOOT (Massey's Object Oriented Tool). MOOT is a meta-system with a client-server architecture that provides a framework within which the semantics and syntax of methodologies can be described. The CASE Tool user interface is implemented in Java so it is as portable as possible and has a consistent look and feel. It has been designed as a client to the rest of the MOOT system (which acts as a server). A communications protocol has been designed to support the interaction between the CASE Tool client and a MOOT server. The user interface design of MOOT must support all possible graphical notations. No assumptions about the types of notations that a software engineer may use can be made. MOOT therefore provides a specification language called NDL for the definition of a methodology's syntax. Hence, the MOOT CASE Tool client described in this thesis is a shell that is parameterised by NDL specifications. The flexibility provided by such a high level of abstraction presents significant challenges in terms of designing effective human-computer interaction mechanisms for the MOOT user interface. Functional and non-functional requirements of the client user interface have been identified and applied during the construction of the prototype. A notation specification that defines the syntax for Coad and Yourdon OOA/OOD has been written in NDL and used as a test case. The thesis includes the iterative evaluation and extension of NDL resulting from the prototype development. The prototype has shown that the current approach to NDL is efficacious, and that the syntax and semantics of a methodology description can successfully be separated. The developed prototype has shown that it is possible to build a simple, non-intrusive, and efficient, yet flexible, useable, and helpful interface for meta-CASE tools. The development of the CASE Tool client, through its generic, methodology independent design, has provided a pilot with which future ideas may be explored.
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    A direct manipulation object-oriented environment to support methodology-independent CASE tools : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1996) Zhong, Bei
    The aim of the thesis is research into application of direct-manipulable OO graphical environments to the development of methodology-independent CASE tools. In this thesis, a Methodology-Independent Graphical OO CASE Environment (M1GOCE) is proposed. MIGOCE consists of three parts: OO Notation Workshop, OO Notation Repository and Universal OO Diagramming Tool. OO Notation Workshop is an OO graphical editor which is used to design existing and new notations; OO Notation Repository is a notation database that stores different notations designed by the notation workshop; Universal OO Diagramming Tool is an upper-CASE graphical environment, by which a user can draw arbitrary OO diagrams of different methodologies. The MIGOCE database management system provides OO notation sets management, OOA/OOD diagrams management and OO repository management for data integrity and sharing. MIGOCE has three outstanding characteristics: Methodology-independence, Directly-manipulable graphical environment and Easily-expanded program structure MIGOCE is completely methodology-independent. It not only supports existing OO methodologies, but also supports users' own notation designs. It provides support for mixing, updating existing methodologies or defining new ones. It typically allows the user to switch quickly different OO notation sets supported by corresponding methodologies for designing diagrams. Direct manipulation interfaces of MIGOCE enable it more flexible and distinctive. The user can easily add, delete, edit or show notation shapes, and get the system feedback very quick on the screen. The MIGOCE system itself is programmed using object-oriented programming language - C++. Its program structure enable the functions of itself easy to be modified and expanded. Although MIGOCE is a prototype, it provides a new way to develop the real methodology-independent OO CASE environment. So far, the way and style taken by MIGOCE have not been found in OO CASE literatures. This system gives a complete possibility of implementing a methodology-independent OO CASE tool and shows distinct effectiveness of such a tool in practice.
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    M.O.O.T. (meta object oriented tool) : a novel meta-case tool methodology representation strategy : a dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science, Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 1998) Page, David Charles
    This thesis presents an investigation into current meta-CASE technology. The research focuses on CASE tool support for the concept of methodology, the representation of methodology syntax and semantics, and the support for re-use of methodology descriptions and software artefacts. A novel methodology representation strategy for meta-CASE tools is proposed and implemented with the development of a new meta-CASE tool (MOOT - Meta Object Orientated Tool). The novel strategy propounded in this thesis uses an object-orientated meta-model and views methodology descriptions as potentially re-usable components. The coupling between methodology syntax and semantic descriptions is minimised so they can be reused independently. Two new modelling languages have been derived, to support the definition of syntax (NDL - Notation Definition Language) and semantics (SSL - Semantic Specification Language) of software engineering methodologies. Semantic descriptions are compiled to a platform independent representation (SSL-BC), which is executed on a purpose built virtual machine (SSL-VM). Late binding of syntax and semantic methodology descriptions is implemented with the development of Notation Semantic Mapping (NSM) tables. Two libraries of re-usable methodology description components, the Core Knowledge Base (CKB) and the Generic Object Orientated Knowledge Base (GOOKB), have been derived during this research. Empirical results gained from applying the MOOT prototype demonstrated the flexibility, extensibility and potential of the novel methodology representation strategy. This approach permitted the implementation and modelling of UML and patterns, two recent advances of object technology that did not exist when the research commenced. The novel strategy presented in this thesis is more than an untried theory. It has been implemented, applied and is being evaluated. Simply, it is real and it works.