ReverseNICE: A re-engineering methodology and supporting tool

Abstract

Software systems are often re-engineered for better maintainability, to migrate into newer computers, databases or languages, and to be in tune with an evolving environment. Such re-engineering can extend the life-time of programs in the short term, and in the long term it allows to fully exploit the advantages of new technologies and to fit companies' strategic plans. This paper describes ReverseNICE, a re-engineering toolset which supports the process of reverse-engineering existing systems in a HOOD (Hierarchical Object Oriented Design) design. The recovered design, including both source code and documentation, is built according to the HOOD notation, and it can be maintained (both restructured and forward-engineered) by HoodNICE, the Intecs CASE toolset which supports the HOOD method. The current version of ReverseNICE supports only the analysis of the C language.