Software development tool for combining software components/modules

An apparatus for assisting program preparation comprising:

• a first external storage for storing an already existing program described in object oriented language;
• a dictionary memory for storing interface information between two program modules (hereinafter, referred to as "components");
• a second external storage for storing a new program prepared by a user;
• an input-output device manipulated by said user;
• and
• a processing unit connected to said first and second external storages, said dictionary memory, and said input-output device;
• said processing unit including:
• means for extracting component names and their definition information from said already existing program by using a specific keyword defined in said object oriented language as a key;
• means for extracting, for each of the extracted component names and from its definition information, interface information including a counterpart component name and an interface definition with the counterpart component;
• means for registering, for each of the extracted component names, said interface information in said dictionary;
• means, in response to a component name inputted by said user through said input-output device, for retrieving said dictionary memory, and for displaying interface information related to said inputted component name on said input-output device;
• and
• means, on the basis of display on said input-output device, for inserting said displayed interface information into said new program in response to an indication inputted by said user, thereby to prepare said new program.

A method of assisting program preparation by using an apparatus, said apparatus including:

• a first external storage for storing an already existing program described in object oriented language;
• a dictionary memory for storing interface information between two program modules (hereinafter, referred to as "components");
• a second external storage for storing a new program prepared by a user;
• an input-output device manipulated by said user;
• and
• a processing unit connected to said first and second external storages, said dictionary memory, and said input-output device;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• extracting, by said processing unit, component names and their definition information from said already existing program by using a specific keyword defined in said object oriented language as a key;
• extracting, by said processing unit, for each of the extracted component names and from its definition information, interface information including a counterpart component name and an interface definition with the counterpart component;
• registering, by said processing unit, for each of the extracted component names, said interface information in said dictionary;
• in response to a component name inputted by said user through said input-output device, retrieving, by said processing unit, said dictionary memory, and displaying interface information related to said inputted component name on said input-output device;
• and
• on the basis of display on said input-output device, inserting said displayed interface information into said new program in response to an indication inputted by said user.

A medium for use in a program preparation assisting apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a first external storage for storing an already existing program described in an object oriented language;
• a dictionary memory for storing interface information between two components;
• a second external storage for storing a new program prepared by a user;
• an input-output device manipulated by said user;
• and
• a processing unit connected to said first and second external storages, said dictionary memory, and said input-output device,
• said medium comprising:
• means for causing said processing unit to extracting component names and their definition information from said already existing program by using a specific keyword defined in said object oriented language as a key;
• means for causing said processing unit to extract, for each of the extracted component names and from its definition information, interface information including a counterpart component name and an interface definition with the counterpart component;
• means for causing said processing unit to register, for each of the extracted component names, said interface information in said dictionary;
• means, in response to a component name inputted by said user through said input-output device, for causing said processing unit to retrieve said dictionary memory, and to display interface information related to said inputted component name on said input-output device;
• and
• means, on the basis of display on said input-output device, for causing said processing unit to insert said displayed interface information into said new program in response to an indication inputted by said user.