Patent ID: 7370318
Filing Date: 2008-05-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for refactoring a plurality of interdependent software modules that reside in separate projects, the method comprising: in response to a change that affects a particular symbol of a software module that resides in a first project, refactoring the software module of the first project to propagate the change to all instances of the particular symbol in the software module; during the refactoring of the software module of the first project at a given point in time, recording meta data about the refactoring that is required to effect the change; and at a subsequent point in time, automatically propagating the change to a dependent software module residing in a second project, by refactoring the dependent software module based on the recorded meta data about the refactoring that occurred to the software module of the first project; wherein the dependent software module is refactored with assistance of a symbol table used for resolving symbol references, and wherein said automatically propagating step includes: copying symbol information about the particular symbol used for the software module of the first project into the symbol table used for refactoring the dependent software module.