Subj : Re: Flowchart software that supports top down development? To : comp.programming,microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion,microsoft.public.visio.developer From : Rob Thorpe Date : Fri Jul 29 2005 04:57 am LurfysMa wrote: > On 27 Jul 2005 01:28:55 -0700, "Rob Thorpe" > wrote: > > >LurfysMa wrote: > >> On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 03:42:51 GMT, CBFalconer > >> wrote: > >> > >> >Phlip wrote: > >> >> > >> >... snip ... > >> >> > >> >> Nobody does top-down like that any more. That technique was once > >> >> promoted as "structural programming". It has a major flaw. > >> >> > >> >> The flaw is you can't test the program and get perfect behavior > >> >> until you code everything. (And the system you describe is _coding_, > >> >> not designing or planning. If you get the flowchart wrong, the > >> >> result will have bugs. > >> > > >> >Bosh. You aren't writing your 'structured' programs properly. You > >> >can fill in levels with a simple dummy function that just prints > >> >"galomphing the flugel". This way you will rapidly get to > >> >something that just processes its input, and you can see any flaws > >> >there. Then you get around to expanding the other areas. > >> > > >> >The point is that you get to something that runs and accepts input > >> >very quickly. As you continue refinement it does more and more, > >> >with the various stubs reminders of what is yet to be done. > >> >Banishing the refinements to stub functions means you establish > >> >those functional interfaces early. Since they are still stubs you > >> >can usually refine the interface without causing major upheaval. > >> > >> I agree that it can work if done properly. > >> > >> Now, do you know of a flowcharting tool that will do most of the > >> clerical part of keeping track of the links (stubs)? > > > >If you write the code as you go, and comment each function, then > >Doxygen (http://www.stack.nl/~dimitri/doxygen/) should do document > >roughly what you need. It has lots of features for OO programming, but > >you can always ignore them if you don't want to use them. > > Thanks for that pointer. Doxygen appears to be tightly linked to the > programming langauge. I am looking for a language-independent > development tool. I am writing a spec for a project and the > programmers will choose the language. I am just doing a functional > flowchart. We might get down to the code level eventually, but that is > not required. > > I was really looking for a tool like Visio, but with some ability to > keep track of the parent-child links and the stubs. > > Thanks > > It does not appear to support Visual Basic. I There are a few scripts around on the web that allow it to parse Visual Basic. But that's not a particularly satisfactory solution. I must admit, I haven't been able to find a tool to do what you describe. Most case tools I've seen recently are very complicated and based around diagrams no-one really quite agrees on the meaning of. I would be very interested if you manage to find one. .