Extracting application domain functions from old code: a real experience

Abstract

This work deals with the problem of locating domain dependent functions into old application systems and drawing out them for reengineering and reuse. The approach is based on a particular form of program slicing which makes it possible to recover user functionalities although they are spread over the code. Supported by a commercial tool, the approach has been experimented with a banking application system, whose maintenance problems were increasingly serious. Lessons learned suggest that a successful application of program slicing needs the correct identification of data used as operands and results of the domain function. Moreover some preliminary form of code segmentation may be required to enable program slicing to focus on the expected functionalities.<>