A Visualization and Analysis tool for VCL Auto-generation Code Framework

Using a set of code templates, the Variable Configuration Language (VCL) framework is capable of automatically generating a full running web system from definitions of entities, properties, relationships, and system definitions. Existing development environments provide limited support for the development of code auto-generation features, and configuration of the auto-generated code itself. Herein a tool is presented that supports the VCL framework that aims to reduce development cost while also facilitating efficient learning of VCL and its auto-generation framework. In this work, the V ACVIS tool is developed to encourage exploration through the hierarchical structure of the VCL framework in a visual and interactive approach. Visualizations aid developers in understanding the framework during the development process, hence enhancing the auto-generation and maintenance of the systems produced with VCL. The tool developed is further enhanced and integrated into Visual Studio IDE as an extension.

I. Introduction

This paper describes a tool which is the product of a research collaboration between Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and ST Electronics (Info-Software Systems) Pte. Ltd. This joint venture involved the application of academic research into industrial software and current best practices. The specific industrial software is a proprietary auto-generation system developed in a novel VCL framework. The goal of this system is to exploit the concept of system product lines, in a similar fashion to those presented in [1] and [2].