Class Meeting: Managing SE Development

Admin

• in class presentations next week

Managing all the pieces/parts of your project

There are several aspects of a large project that are difficult to keep track of

• many different modules, each needs (perhaps) different processing
• complex dependencies among modules... if I change one, do I have to change or recompile others?
• different versions may be needed of a "single" product. At GE we had a product for control of a plastic molding machine; we offered on the order of 2 dozen different configurations to different clients (different combinations of features and functions, different machines it would control, etc.)

Tools have been developed to help manage the complexity

• make: example

• makedepend: example

• RCS (works for all ascii text... documents, programs, etc.)
  • ci, co
  • version tree format
  • rcs command
  • ident, rlog
  • rcsdiff, rcsmerge

You will want to set up a build area vs. a working prototype

• show CatoSource web site setup

• you will want to create a directory for each prototype you "release" so you can leave it alone... work in the working area while relying on the "released" area to be working and unchanged...

  Make "demo" subdirectory (and a README file) in your workspace for current working prototype

• change list... record each major addition/alteration you make to the code... who did it, what was done, and when

  Call this cLOG (or something like that) and make it one of the files in the directory controlled by RCS... check it in and out to make entries

  This is different (more high-level, more concept oriented) than the automatically-maintained RCS log

More on Specs...

• How it really is... specs and Change Orders

• Example of Industrial Specs

• Here's what goes in your implementation manual