INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN MANAGEMENT IV

Another very important aspect of supporting the information technology engineeringis as first a possibility of generating the stub code and as second the abilityto create or modify a system model on the basis of the application source code(reverse engineering). The combination of these two functions gained the termround-trip engineering and it enables maintaining the cohesion of the system codefor its model. In the ranking these properties are highly preferred (the value ofweighted rate = 1; tab. 3) because they streamline the middle-out adaptation designingthat is used by the decision maker of the ranking. The main issue of suchan approach, opposed to the idea of top-down and bottom-up, is to focus attentionon the quick preparation a system prototype and next on its further development,adding new functions or procedures till the moment of forming the shape of a stablesystem which is able to be moved. The function of the reverse engineering insuch approach exempts us from making alternations in the project documentationafter frequent changes in the system code. On the stage of applying the generator ofinformation technology systems, especially valuable seems to be a possibility ofchanging the source code of generated systems which differ between each otherinto the model form. The ability to analyze CASE solutions in the discussed rage isshowed by table 1. It is clear that the number of supported standards (programminglanguages and others) for a particular tool within the generated source code is a bithigher than in case of the reverse engineering.Another function of CASE tools, which was taken into consideration in theranking, is possibilities of importing and exporting data files which were assignedan average preference value (weighted value = 0,6; tab. 3) because of their lowerusefulness in comparison with above described criteria. A dominating format ofdata exchange is XMI/XML, except UMLet and partially Rational Software Architectwhich are deprived of a function of files import. A leader in terms of bidirectionaldata exchange is Visual Paradigm. ArgoUML also has got a similarly developedimport function. Interesting is the fact of having MDL files reading interfacefrom the professional package of IBM (family of Rational Rose programs) by threeprograms what was distinguished in table 2.The last decisive criterion in the comparative analysis is a function of generatingdiagrams in a graphic format (JPG, PNG, SVG etc.; tab. 2). The weighted valuefor every category is very low (equals 0,3) because it does not have any influenceon the modelling quality. Apart from that, there are many programs in the marketfor graphic files conversion and in operating systems there is the ability to transfergraphics by a system buffer (clipboard), however, with a loss of quality in printing.Leaders in this category are Poseidon for UML, Enterprise Architect and RationalSoftware Architect, hoverer, the last position, what can be surprising, is held byMicrosoft Visio 2007 (tab. 3).13