l 'I INSIDE: 73-02-10 Software Tools, Software Techniques, Benefits, Classification of Software Tools and Techniques, Glossaries of Software Tools and Techniques Frederick Gallegos PAYOFF IDEA. Software tools and techniques are most widely used by systems analysts and programmers for developing and maintaining systems. They can also be valuable aids for the auditor in performing compliance or substantive testing in the development, operation, or main- tenance phases. -This article describes these resources and discusses how they might be categorized for appli- e cation. INTRODUCTION The complexities of writing and maintaining programs have caused software costs to outstrip computer hardware costs. Recent studies pre- dict that by 1990, more than 90 percent of the cost of data processing will be attributable to software. During the 1970s, private industry and government spent more than $8 billion a year on software. Experts believe that such expenditures currently exceed $20 billion yearly. Because of such skyrocketing costs, software tools and techniques are emerging that facilitate the development effort through spe-amlined procedures or automation of some development tasks. I/;, Many tools and techniques have been developed that offer significantly improved management control and reduced costs if properly applied. The number of new tools and techniques continues to grow. This article discusses the use of software tools and techniques to alleviate the problems of development, maintenance, modification, oper- ation, and conversion of applications software. Many of the software tools and techniques discussed are available for all types of computers. Software tools and techniques can be valuable aids to information re- source managers; data processing design, development, and operations @ 1985 Auerbach Publishers Inc EDP Auditing P-12 EDP AUDITING staff; and EDP auditors. In addition, this article provides a glossary of the most common types of software tools and techniques and a method for productively classifying and managing them. SOFTWARE TOOLS A software tool is a program that automates some of the labor in- volved in the management, design, coding, testing, inspection, or main- tenance of other programs. Commercially available tools range in size and complexity from simple aids for individual programmers and end users to complex tools that can support many software projects simul- taneously. The following are some common tools: Preprocessors-Preprocessors perform preliminary work on a draft computer program before it is completely tested on the computer. Types of preprocessors include filters (also known as code auditors) , which allow management to determine quickly whether program- mers are adhering to specifications and standards, and shorthand preprocessors, which allow programmers and end users to write the programs in an abbreviated form that is then expanded by the preprocessor before it is tested on the computer. Shorthand pre processors reduce writing, keypunching, and proofreading effort. Programmer or user support libraries-These automated filing sys- tems can support the programming development projects of entire installations. Such a support library maintains files of draft pro- grams, data, and documentation and can be used to provide man- agement with progress reports. Program analyzers-These tools modify or monitor the operation of an applications program to allow information about its operating characteristics to be collected automatically. This information can then be used to help modify the program to reduce its run cost or to verify that the program operates correctly. Online programming support programs-These tools enable pro- grammers and users to quickly correct and modify applications programs and test program results. Test data generators-These tools analyze a program and produce files of data needed to test the logic of the program. Specific examples of software tools are provided in Figure 1. SOFTW#FE TECHNIQUES Soft$&e techniques are methods or procedures for designing, develop- ing., 'documenting, and maintaining programs, or for managing these activities. There are generally two types of software techniques: those used by personnel who work on programs and those used by managers to control the work. Examples of software techniques useful to workers include: Structured programming-Developing programs in a certain style with standard constructs so that they will be more easily under- stood by others who must later maintain and modify them, which facilitates documentation, testing, and correction. 2 SOFTWARE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES VENDOR PRODUCT - AGS Management Systems Inc Estiplan 880 First Ave SDMlStructured King of Prussia PA 19406 Aims+ Plus Inc AIMS PLUS X 1701 Directors Blvd, Suite 400 Austin TX 76744 Allen Ashley Hybrid Development System X 395 Sierra Madre Villa Source Module Development Pasadena CA 91 107 Utility Applied Data Research ADR/Dala Designer Rte 206 8 Orchard Rd ADR/ldeal xx Princeton NJ 08540 ADR/MelaCOBOL Azrex Inc 3 Mountain Rd IBurlington MA 01803 IBI Ix Brislol Information Systems Inc BIS Dalaprint Report Generator 84 N Main St Fall River MA 02721 IcI Ix Byte1 Corp Cogen 1029D Solano Ave Menupro IBerkeley CA 94706 Caine Faber & Gordon Inc 750 East Green St IPasadena CA 91 101 Capro Inc X 12781 Pala Drive Mantis 2300 Montana Ave IBI lx Cincinnati OH 4521 1 Computer Associates CA-EZTEST X 125 Jericho Turnpike CA-symbug X Jericho NY 11753 Jobdoc /i/ I X Computing Productivity Inc xx Larrow House Waitsfield VT 05673 Consumers Software Inc xx Suite 106C 314E Holly S1 Cortex Corp Application Builder 55 William St Application Factory Cullinet Software Inc AdalBatch 400 Blue Hill Dr AdalOnline B X Westwood MA 02090 1 f 1 ~ 1 1 Figure 1. Software Tools 3 EDP AUDITING Datamate Co Datamate Reference Language 4135 100th E Ave. Suite 128 GENIUS (Generator of Interactive Tulsa OK 74146 User Svstems) IAl Digital Research Inc BT-80 60 Garden Ct Display Manager Monterev CA 93942 SID & ZSlD :ID Dylakor DYL-260 B PO Box 3010 DYL-280 B X Granada Hills CA 91344 - - Dynatech Microsoftware Div C 0 R P Program Generator D X 3 NE Executive Park Codewriter Program Generator D X Burlinaton MA 01803 Techwriter Proaram Generator D X Forth Inc Polyforth 2309 Pacific Coast Hwy Hermosa Beach CA 90254 10 E 40th St New York NY 10016 ~~~~~~~~ ~ I Henco Software Inc INFO 100 Filth Ave flaltham MA 02154 A/ Higher Order Software Inc USE IT 2067 Massachusetts Ave Zambridae MA 02140 Informatics General Corp MARK IV 21031 Ventura Blvd MARK V floodland Hills CA 91364 Information Builders Inc FOCUS 1250 Broadway PC-FOCUS New York NY 10001 Information Processing Inc BLlSSlCOBOL 1850 Lee Rd S320 iNinter Park FL 32789 cl <en Orr & Associates DSSD Design Library X 1725 Gage Blvd STRUCTURE(S) X ropeka KS 86604 M Bryce & Associates PRIDE X 1248 Springfield Pike :incinnati OH 45215 Management and Computer Datamacs B Services-Computer Systemacs AX Associates Tracmacs B 498 N Kings Hwy Cherry Hill NJ Manager Software Products Inc TESTMANAGER 131 Hartwell Ave xxington MA 02173 Figure 1. (Cont) 4 SOFTWARE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES gF04 VENDOR PRODUCl ZP Martin Marietta Data Systems RAMIS II X PO Box 2392 UFO X Princeton NJ 08540 Master Software PrograMaster xx 42 Pleasant St Watertown MA 02172 Micro Focus Inc ANIMATOR X 2465 E Bayshore Rd S400 Level II COBOL X Palo Alto CA 94303 Sideshow X MicroPro International Corp DataStar X 33 San Pablo Ave Multiplications Software Inc Accolade X 1050 Massachusetts Ave Cambridae MA 02136 National Information Systems Inc DPL X 20370 Town Center La 5130 CuDertino CA 95014 Netro Inc Computer-Aided Programming X 99 St. Regis Crescent N Downview, Ontario, Canada M3JlY9 ___ Pansophic Systems Inc EASYTRIEVE PLUS X 709 Enterprise Dr ProlGrammar xx Oak Brook IL 60521 Phoenix Systems Inc Hercules System-80/2 X One Station Sq Pittsburah PA 15219 Progeni Systems Inc Progeni Tools X 715 N Central Ave Glendale CA 91203 Pyramid Data Ltd Number Crunchei X 1050 W Katella SA Oranae CA 92667 Quantitative Software SLIM Management 1057 Waverley Way McLean VA 22101 RCI ASSET Suite 208 Quick-Draw 25550 Hawthorne Blvd soncost Torrance CA 90505 Relational Database Systems Inc Ace X 2471 E Bayshore Rd S600 Perform X Palo Alto CA 94303 Softool Corp SOFrOOL xx 340 S Kellogg Ave IGoleta CA 93117 Figure l.(Cont) 5 EDP AUDITING z 0 k 2 wz ~ D 030 PRODUCT own SofTech Microsystems Inc Advanced Development Kit for xxx 16875 W Bernard0 Dr P-System San Diego CA 92127 Native Code Generator for X P-System The Software Store INFO-88 Application X 706 Chippewa Sq Development System Marouette MI 49855 STSC Inc APL' PluSlBO Application xx 2115 E Jefferson St Development System Rockville MD 20852 ~ System Support Software Inc Quikjob 111 xx 5230 Springboro Pike Quikwrile X Dayton OH 45439 Systems & Software Inc Rex-Tools xx 1319 Butterfield Rd Downers Grove lL 60515 lA TOM Software EZ-SPEED 127 SW 156th St SPEED UTILITY Seattle WA 98166 Tominy Inc DATABASE-PLUS 4221 Malsbary Rd Cincinnati OH 45242 lA TSI International DATA ANALYZER 187 Danbury Rd Profrest Wilton CT 06897 Notes: Operating Environment A Multiple systems C Minicomputers 8 Mainframes D Microcomouters Figure 1. (Cont) Top-down development-Designing, coding, and testing systems by building program modules starting with those at the general level and proceeding down to the most specialized, detailed level. 0 Performance improvement-Analysis and modification of pro- grams to make them run more efficiently without affecting user requirements. Performance may be improved by various software tools, including program analyzers. Concurrent documentation-The development of documentation concurrently with program development to provide better project control, increase completeness of the documentation, and save money. 6 SOFTWARE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES Examples of techniques useful to managers include: 0 Third-party inspection of software to improve quality-It is now feasible to require such inspection because current tools can auto- mate much of the work involved. 0 Chief programmer team method-The team nucleus is a skilled chief programmer, a backup programmer, and a programming librarian.