Abstract:
Code reuse is the ability to use the same source code in different programming contexts. Dynamic program visualisation is the production of visual representations of a running computer program. This thesis investigates code reuse, with emphasis on its dynamic nature. The goal of this project is to produce a tool that visualises aspects of reuse from executing (dynamic) programs. To achieve this goal, this thesis examines a model of code reuse that is used to determine the qualities that make code more reusable. Program visualisation is investigated, from which a quality criteria and visualisation architecture are developed. A survey of dynamic visualisation tools provides additional practical information. The results from this investigation are used to design Dy-re, a tool for profiling the dynamic nature of reusability. The tool is based on an existing text-based debugger that is used to extract the run-time information from executing C++ programs. We include an example of Dy-re working, and a critique of the tool.
