Automated Formal Static Analysis and Retrieval of Source Code - JKU

3.1. BACKGROUND 29
Figure 3.1: Source Code Retrieval Model
• different users can have different understandings of the same problem;
• the query language used by the users might be not too expressive for their needs;
• information can be lost during the indexing process.
3.1.2.1 History and State of the Art
The work from the early 90’s proposed classification schemes for the classification and storage of
the source code.
A classification scheme provides a network of predefined relationships, thus introducing some
semantic information absent in free-text analysis.
Such classification schemes are: facet-based ([PD91]), sampling behavior ([PP93]), automatic
retrieval ([MBK91]), user adaptable ([Hen97]), etc.
3.1.2.2 Facet-Based Scheme
The idea behind this scheme ([PD91]) is that the source code objects can be classified (faceted)
in a limited number, and retrieved using a keyword associated to each facet can be attached a
keyword (Table 3.1).
Callable Object Type Container
Method Enum File
Field Package
Interface
Class
Table 3.1: A Simplified Faceted Scheme for Java Programming Language Objects