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Programmable Reverse Engineering - Abstract
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Author Kenny Wong, Scott R. Tilley, Hausi A. Müller, Margaret-Anne D. Storey.
Title Programmable Reverse Engineering
Publication International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 501-520, December 1994.
Abstract Program understanding can be enhanced using reverse engineering technologies. The understanding process is heavily dependent on both individuals and their specific cognitive abilities, and on the set of facilities provided by the program understanding environment. Unfortunately, most reverse engineering tools provide a fixed palette of extraction, selection, and organization techniques. This paper describes a programmable approach to reverse engineering. The approach uses a scripting language that enables users to write their own routines for common reverse engineering activities such as graph layout, metrics, and subsystem decomposition, thereby extending the capabilities of the reverse engineering toolset to better suit their needs. A programmable environment supported by this approach subsumes existing reverse engineering systems by being able to simulate facets of each one.
Keywords End-user programming, extensibility, program understanding, reverse engineering, scripting.

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