Compiling method, storage medium and compiling apparatus

A compiling method for reading, by a computer comprising a processor and a memory, a source file therein and outputting an executable binary file, the compiling method including: a first step of receiving, by the computer, an interface file including a process and a module constructing a business process, input/output information of data of the business process being defined in the interface file, operation information for data set to be used in the business process being defined in the interface file; a second step of validating, by the computer, the operation information for the data set defined in the interface file; a third step of inhibiting, by the computer, generation of the executable binary file when a validation result is invalid; and a fourth step of generating, by the computer, the executable binary file from a source file containing the interface file when the validation result is valid.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application claims priority from Japanese patent application JP 2013-155531 filed on Jul. 26, 2013, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to efficient development of an application on an event control infrastructure.

A basic information system includes an Operations Support System/Business Support System (OSS/BSS) infrastructure (hereinafter referred to as “event control infrastructure”) for client management and billing, physical distribution, agents, and so forth to enable a telecommunications carrier to provide services.

With regard to the basic information system, JP 2012-14506 A, for example, describes that an order of executing a plurality of transactions is defined in a business process, and conditions for activating expansion functions for the plurality of transactions are managed by different definitions, to thereby detect a timing at which a specific transaction is executed, and perform the processing of the associated expansion function.

A current Annotation Processing Tool (apt) is described below as the related art of the technical field of this invention.

The apt is accessed by an option of a javac command (command to activate a Java compiler), and executes an annotation processor for creating new source codes and another file to compile the source file and the created file (see, for example, apt (Annotation Processing Tool), “annotation processing tool”.

In general, an annotation processor that is executed by the apt processes Java source codes and annotation, and is used to implement checking and creation of files, and assist development of an application.

SUMMARY

The event control infrastructure divides a business process into completely independent process units called “processes” to enable loosely-coupled development, thereby improving the development efficiency. Further, a common process is extracted to be used in a plurality of business processes, making it possible to reduce the number of development procedures.

In this case, however, the process is performed using the result of a process which has been executed before this process, and hence activation of the process inevitably needs a prerequisite such as “there should be data A” and “the table should contain a target record”.

Accordingly, when a partial change in a business process changes the prerequisite of a common process, a developer registers all the business processes that use the common process, and checks the specification and source to specify the change before correcting the common process. Overlooked corrections of the common process may be found in an integration test or a system test, which does not leave much time till the release of the business process, undesirably resulting in reworking.

Accordingly, this invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of this invention to improve the efficiency of developing an application by detecting faults in a source file early.

A representative aspect of the present disclosure is as follows. A compiling method for reading, by a computer comprising a processor and a memory, a source file thereinto and outputting an executable binary file, the compiling method comprising: a first step of receiving, by the computer, an interface file including a process and a module constructing a business process, input/output information of data of the business process being defined in the interface file, operation information for data set to be used in the business process being defined in the interface file; a second step of validating, by the computer, the operation information for the data set defined in the interface file; a third step of inhibiting, by the computer, generation of the executable binary file when a validation result is invalid; and a fourth step of generating, by the computer, the executable binary file from a source file containing the interface file when the validation result is valid.

Therefore, according to one embodiment of this invention, the input/output information and the manipulation information are validated at the time of compiling the source file, and hence it is possible to detect overlooked corrections or differences in the source file early, to thereby improve the efficiency of developing an application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following describes an embodiment of this invention referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer system for developing applications according to the embodiment of this invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, a repository server101, a build server102, an application server103, and application development terminals105and106are each coupled to a network104over which communications between their computers are carried out. It should be noted that the number of application development terminals105and106is not limited to two, but a desired number of application development terminals may be provided.

The repository server101stores data relating to development of an application. For example, the repository server101stores the specifications of an application, source codes thereof, executable binary files, and the like. Further, the repository server101can manage, for example, the version of an application.

The build server102compiles source codes to output an executable binary file (or an object code). The application development terminals105and106edit and compile the source codes. The application server103executes a developed application (executable binary file). In this embodiment, the build server102and the application development terminals105and106have the same configuration to be able to edit (code) and compile source codes.

FIG. 2is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of processing from development of an application at the application development terminal105, the application development terminal106, and the build server102till execution of the application at the application server103.

First, in Steps121and122, a developer uses the application development terminals105and106to perform editing (coding) of a source file including java interface files illustrated inFIGS. 4A to 4D.

Next, in Steps123and124, the application development terminals105and106receive and compile the source file to generate an executable binary file. At this time, the application development terminals105and106each execute an annotation analysis part407, an error reporting part408, and an automatic generation part409, which are unique parts of this invention and illustrated inFIG. 5.

The developer who uses the application development terminal105or106checks the compiling result, and performs coding in Steps121and122again when the compiling result is abnormal. When the compiling result is normal, on the other hand, unit tests are performed in Steps125and126to check whether the coded java interface file is correct.

Then, in Steps127and128, a request for commitment (storage) of a source file including the coded java interface file is made to the repository server101from each of the application development terminals105and106. The repository server101having received the commitment request executes commitment of a latest source file in Steps129and130, and returns the commitment result to the requester in Steps131and132. The developer checks whether the commitment result is normal at the application development terminals105and106that have received the commitment result.

Next, the build server102performs building in Step133, and transmits a source file acquisition request to the repository server101in Step134. Although the build server102performs building in a predetermined cycle in this embodiment, the build server102may perform building in response to an instruction from the repository server101or the application development terminal105or106.

In Step135, the repository server101having received the source file acquisition request transmits a source file to the build server102. The build server102having received the source file resumes execution of building in Step133, compiles the received source file, and causes each of the application development terminals105and106to execute the annotation analysis part407, the error reporting part408, and the automatic generation part409, which are unique parts of this invention and illustrated inFIG. 5. Although not shown, the build server102can report the result of building to the application development terminal105or the like by using the error reporting part408or the like, or store the result of building in the repository server101. The developer can check the compiling result at the application development terminal105or106, and, when the compiling result is abnormal, can perform coding of the source file providing the abnormal result again in Steps121and122. When the compiling result is normal, the build server102generates the executable binary file, which is the result of compiling the source file, and compresses the executable binary file.

Next, in Step136, the application server103acquires the executable binary file generated by the build server102, and transmits an executable binary file acquisition request to the build server102in Step137.

In Step138, the build server102having received the executable binary file acquisition request transmits an executable binary file to the application server103. In Step139, the application server103deploys the received compressed executable binary file in a memory (not shown) in executable binary file deployment. Then, in Step140, the application server103executes the application developed at the application development terminal105and the application development terminal106.

The acquisition processing for the executable binary file in Step136can be carried out by the application server103in a predetermined cycle. Alternatively, the application server103may perform the acquisition processing for the executable binary file in response to a request received from the application development terminal105or the like.

FIGS. 3A to 3Cillustrate business processes as an example of an application developed by using the event control infrastructure.FIG. 3Ais an exploded view illustrating an example of process units of the business processes.FIGS. 3B and 3Care enlarged views of the process units of the business process. Business processes201and202are each performed by the application server103.

A plurality of processes (process units such as registration of a contractor) are coupled in series to the business process201(process unit such as a new contract) illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3C. Each of the provided processes includes at least one of set of module (process unit such as registration of a contract table). The modules of the process are not necessarily coupled in series, but the coupling may involve branching so that some modules may not be performed depending on a condition.

First, in the business process201, a process211, a process217, and a process218are sequentially performed in order with data203(data A) as input information and data204(data F) as output information.

Further, the business process202illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3Bis always performed at the time of performing the business process201. (The business process202is hereinafter referred to as “premise business process.) The application server103uses the process217in common in the business processes201and202.

Next, the process211that is performed in the business process201has internal modules221and225performed in order by the application server103with data212(data A=203) as input information and data213(data C) as output information.

Next, the process221that is performed in the business process211is output through an output port224with data222(data A=212) as input information and data223(data B) as output information.

Next, the module225that is performed in the business process211creates Table A as processing226and is output through an output port229with data227(data B=223) as input information and data228(data C=213) as output information.

FIGS. 4A to 4Dillustrate examples representing the business processes201and202ofFIGS. 3A to 3Cin the form of java interface files, which are to be coded by the application developer. InFIGS. 4A to 4D, each description starting at “@” is an annotation.

FIG. 4Aillustrates an example of a java interface file indicating the business process201illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3C. The contents of the description of the java interface file of the business process201are described below.

A boxed text301indicates that the business process201contains the business process202as a premise business process including a process or a module used by the business process201.

A boxed text203indicates the data A as input information for the business process201.

A boxed text204indicates the data B as output information for the business process201.

A boxed text302indicates the processes211,217, and218that are performed by the business process201, and the execution order.

FIG. 4Billustrates an example of a java interface file indicating the business process211. The contents of the description of the java interface file of the process211are described below.

A boxed text212indicates the data212(data A=203) as input information for the process211.

A boxed text213indicates the data213(data C=228) as output information for the process211.

A boxed text indicates that the first module that is performed in the process211is the module221.

A boxed text322indicates transition to the module225when the module221is “pass (output port224)” in the process211.

A boxed text323indicates transition to the end of the process211when the module225is “pass (output port229)” in the process211.

FIG. 4Cillustrates an example of a java interface file indicating the module221. The contents of the description of the java interface file of the module221are described below.

A boxed text222indicates the data222(data A=203) as input information for the module221.

A boxed text223indicates the data223(data B=227) as output information for the module221.

A boxed text224indicates the output port224of the module221.

FIG. 4Dillustrates an example of a java interface file indicating the module225. The contents of the description of the java interface file of the module225are described below. A boxed text226indicates that Table A is created by create, read, update, and delete (CRUD) information of the module225.

A boxed text227indicates the data227(data B=223) as input information for the module225.

A boxed text228indicates the data228(data C=213) as output information for the module225.

A boxed text229indicates the output port229of the module225.

FIG. 5is a block diagram of a compiler according to this invention, which is performed by the application development terminals105and106, and the build server102.

A console part401includes an input apparatus and an output apparatus (neither shown). In response to a compile request received by the console part401, a compile execution part402and a compile part403function to compile a source file inside the local storage in a case of the application development terminal105or106, and compile a source file acquired from the repository server101and stored in the local storage in a case of the build server102. The compiler includes the compile execution part402and the compile part403.

The compile execution part402invokes a source code analysis part404, an Annotation Processing Tool (APT) part406, and an executable binary file creating part405, which construct the compile part403and are basic components of java compiling, to create an executable binary file from the acquired source file.

The APT part406activates an annotation analysis part407unique to this invention, which functions to perform a manipulation on the java interface files illustrated inFIGS. 4A to 4D. The annotation analysis part407acquires an annotation of a java interface file, and performs validation of the input/output information in data and validation of the CRUD information, which is manipulation information for a table or the like. When there is report information (error or warning), the annotation analysis part407issues a report request to an error reporting part408.

The annotation analysis part407determines the contents of the report information. When determining that automatic generation is possible, the annotation analysis part407outputs an automatic generation request608for the source file to an automatic generation part409. A configuration diagram for performing this compiler is described referring toFIG. 6, and a sequence diagram at the time of performing the compiler is described referring to FIGS.7and8.

FIG. 6is a block diagram illustrating one example of the functions of each of the application development terminals105and106and the build server102to control the compile execution part402and the compile part403as the compiler ofFIG. 5to function.

Because the application development terminals105and106and the build server102have the same configuration, the configuration of the application development terminal105is described below.

The application development terminal105includes a CPU501, a memory502, a storage506, and a network interface512connected by a data bus511so that the components communicate to/from one another via the data bus51. The network interface512is coupled to the network104. The application development terminal105is also connected to the console part401including the input apparatus and the output apparatus.

The individual functional blocks illustrated inFIG. 5are normally stored in the storage506as files. In other words, the compile execution part402, the source code analysis part404, and the executable binary file creating part405are stored in a framework program file507, and the annotation analysis part407, the error reporting part408, and the automatic generation part409are stored in an annotation processor program file508.

At the time of actually performing compiling, the respective functional blocks are deployed from the respective storage locations in the storage506into the memory502via the data bus511in response to a command from the CPU501, and are performed by the CPU501.

InFIG. 6, the framework program file507is deployed as a framework program503in the memory502, and the annotation processor program file508is deployed as an annotation processor program504to perform the compile execution part402. An executable binary file510and a source file509in the storage506are created as results of performing the compile execution part402.

When the source file509is created, the compile execution part402is performed again on the source file509. Temporary data505is a temporary storage, and is deleted after the compile execution part402is performed.

The network interface512establishes communication to/from each terminal illustrated inFIG. 1over the network104.

Data necessary when an individual part is performed is stored in the temporary data505and the storage506. The temporary data505is read and updated as needed.

FIGS. 7A to 7Care sequence diagrams when a compile target is normal or gives warning at the time the compile part403ofFIG. 5is performed.

First, in Step601, the console part401makes a compile execution request to the compile execution part402. To cause the console part401to display the progress of compiling, the compile execution part402outputs a source code check result output in Step613, a console output in Step606, and compile completion in Step607. The console part401receives and displays those outputs.

In Step610, the compile execution part402having received the compile execution request makes a source code analysis request to the source code analysis part404. The source code analysis part404having received the source code analysis request performs source code analysis of the source file509in Step611, and returns the result of source code analysis to the compile execution part402in Step612. In Step613, the compile execution part402having received the source code analysis result outputs the source code analysis result to the console part401.

Then, in Step614, the compile execution part402makes an APT execution request to the APT part406. In Step602, the APT part406having received the APT execution request makes a request for annotation analysis of the source file509to the annotation analysis part407.

The annotation analysis part407having received the annotation analysis request performs input/output information validation processing in Step603, and CRUD information validation processing in Step604. When report information, which represents the results of the validation processes in Steps603and604, is warning, the annotation analysis part407makes a report request to the error reporting part408in Step605.

When receiving a report request for warning in the input/output information validation processing or the CRUD information validation processing, the error reporting part408makes a console output request to the APT part406in response to the received report request in Step615. Further, the APT part406makes a console output request to the compile execution part402in Step616, and the compile execution part402makes a console output to the console part401in Step606.

Next, in Step608, the annotation analysis part407makes an automatic generation request to the automatic generation part409. The automatic generation part409having received the automatic generation request creates an automatically generated source through the automatic generation processing in Step609.

When the automatic generation part409finishes the processing, in Step617, the automatic generation part409returns completion of automatic generation to the annotation analysis part407. In Step618, the annotation analysis part407having received the automatic generation completion reports the completion of annotation analysis to the APT part406. In Step619, the APT part406having received the report of annotation analysis completion reports completion of APT to the compile execution part402.

Next, in Step620, the compile execution part402makes a binary file creation request to the executable binary file creating part405. In Step621, the executable binary file creating part405having received the executable binary file creation request generates data set such as the source file509analyzed in Step611, an executable binary file for the automatically generated source created in Step609, and a table to be used in the business process. The executable binary file creating part405returns completion of creation of the executable binary file to the compile execution part402in Step622, and reports completion of compiling to the console part401in Step607.

The input/output information validation processing that is performed in Step603ofFIG. 7Bis illustrated inFIG. 9, the CRUD information validation processing that is performed in Step604ofFIG. 7Bis illustrated and shown inFIGS. 10 to 12, and the automatic generation processing that is performed in Step609ofFIG. 7Bis described referring to a flowchart illustrated inFIG. 13.

FIG. 8is a sequence diagram when a compile target is in error at the time the compile execution part402ofFIG. 5processes the source file509. The processing from the compile execution request in Step601to the console output in Step606is the same as the processing illustrated inFIG. 7B.

When the input/output information validation processing in Step603or the CRUD information validation processing in Step604is in error, the processing is terminated without performing the processing of and following the automatic generation request in Step608illustrated inFIG. 7B, and hence an executable binary file relating to the automatically generated source and the compile target is not created.

FIG. 9is a flowchart of the input/output information validation of data that is performed by the annotation analysis part407illustrated inFIGS. 7A to 7C and 8, and is activated for each of the java interface files (FIG. 4A) of the business processes202and201illustrated inFIGS. 3A to 3C.

First, the annotation analysis part407determines in Step701whether data (variable) defined as input information of a process is defined as input information of a business process. This determination is made by checking whether the type of the defined variable matches the variable name.

When there is an item, as input information of the business process, for which the type of the defined variable matches the variable name, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step704. When there is not such a matching item, on the other hand, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step702.

Then, the annotation analysis part407determines in Step702whether a process to be checked in the business process is defined as output information of a process preceding this process by checking whether the type of the defined variable matches the variable name.

When there is an item for which the type of the defined variable matches the variable name, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step704. When there is not such a matching item (corresponding to data219as the input information for the process217ofFIG. 3A), on the other hand, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step703.

Next, in Step703, the annotation analysis part407creates report information such as an error in a manner described later, and then proceeds to Step704.

In next Step704, the annotation analysis part407determines whether input/output information for all the processes in the business process has been checked. When there is any process whose input/output information has not been checked yet, the annotation analysis part407returns to Step701to repeat the above-mentioned processing. When the checking has been finished for all the processes, the annotation analysis part407terminates this processing. It should be noted that although not shown, similar processing is also performed for the process and modules within the process.

Through the above-mentioned processing, when the input information of data to be used in a process is not defined as input information of the business process and output information corresponding to the input information is not defined in another process in the business process, the information cannot be input in the business process, and hence the annotation analysis part407determines that the result of checking the input/output information is invalid, and can issue report information such as an error.

FIG. 10is a flowchart of the CRUD information validation that is performed by the annotation analysis part407illustrated inFIGS. 7A to 7C and 8, and is activated for each of the java interface files (FIG. 4A) of the business processes202and201. The CRUD information validation is information on a manipulation for data set such as a table to be used by a process or a module.

First, in Step811, the annotation analysis part407determines whether a premise business process for a business process to be validated is defined. When the premise business process (business process202ofFIG. 3A) is defined, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step812, whereas when the premise business process is not defined, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step813.

In next Step812, the annotation analysis part407collects information only for C (Create) and D (Delete) included in the premise business process for the business process to be validated. Then, the annotation analysis part407performs general information collection after collecting information for each process of the premise business process, and treats the collected information not as information to be validated, but as premise CRUD information of the business process to be validated.

When the premise business process for the business process to be validated further has a premise business process, CRUD information is likewise collected. D (Delete) means physical deletion and logical deletion. With regard to this information collection, an example of the pattern of a manipulation for a single table is shown inFIG. 11. It should be noted that the flow of processes involves branching, and hence the scheme of collecting CRUD information for each process includes searching all branches for maximum CRUD information as a collection result.

In next Step813, the annotation analysis part407collects CRUD information for each process in the business process to be validated. Although the scheme of collecting CRUD information for each process is similar to the one in Step812, CRUD information to be collected, unlike the one in Step812, is collected in such a way that because information for CRUD information striding over a process is collected, C (Create) and D (Delete) in the table are always collected, but information for R (Read) and U (Update) is collected only when R and U cannot be solved within the local process, and the collected information is arranged in the order of the processes to be executed.

Next, in Step814, the annotation analysis part407sequentially determines as which one of R (Read), U (Update), and D (Delete) the table manipulation corresponding to the CRUD information collected in Step813is defined.

The annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step815when the table manipulation matches one of R (Read), U (Update), and D (Delete), but proceeds to Step817when the table manipulation does not have a match. Next, in Step815, the annotation analysis part407determines whether C (Create) of the table to be manipulated in Step814is performed within a process preceding the local process. As a result of this determination, when C (Create) of the table to be manipulated in Step814is performed within a process preceding the local process, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step816.

When C (Create) of Table A to be manipulated is not performed within a process preceding the local process (corresponding to processing220that reads Table B in the process218ofFIG. 3A), on the other hand, the annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step703. In Step703, the annotation analysis part407generates an error or warning as report information for the manipulation (R) for a table which is not created.

Next, in Step816, the annotation analysis part407determines whether the manipulation for the target table is D (Delete), and C (Create) is not involved and R (Read), U (Update), or D (Delete) is performed in a subsequent process. The annotation analysis part407proceeds to Step817when there is no manipulation for the table that remains deleted, but proceeds to Step703when there is a manipulation for the table that remains deleted.

In Step703whose processing is similar to that of Step703ofFIG. 9, the annotation analysis part407generates report information, such as an error and warning, for the manipulation for the table that remains deleted.

In next Step817, the annotation analysis part407determines whether the processing is finished for every piece of CRUD information of the business process to be validated, which is collected in Step813. When there is CRUD information which has not been processed yet, the annotation analysis part407returns to Step814to repeat the above-mentioned processing. When the processing is finished for every piece of CRUD information, the processing is terminated. With regard to validation of this CRUD information, an example of the pattern of report information for a single table is shown inFIG. 12.

FIG. 11shows a pattern of collection of CRUD information of a premise business process to be validated in Step812ofFIG. 9for a single table. Examples of the pattern include a pattern where a premise business process further includes a premise business process. The examples of the patterns are described below item number by item number. It should be noted that the result of collection of CRUD information is stored in, for example, the memory502.

Referring toFIG. 11, the result of collection of CRUD information has each entry including an item number1101for identifying a pattern, a first manipulation1102in the business process, a second manipulation1103in the business process, a third manipulation1104in the business process, and a general collection result1105.

Item number 1 is assumed to be a business process of a manipulation like addition in a table, such as a new contract, so that the collection result is “C (Create)”.

Item number 2 is assumed to be a business process of a manipulation like deletion in a table, such as cancellation of a contract, so that the collection result is “−(Null)”.

Item number 3 is assumed to be an update-based business process, such as a change to create a table after deletion of a table, so that the collection result is “C (Create)”.

Item number 4 is a pattern involving successive deletion of tables, with creation as the last manipulation, and hence, like Item number 3, is assumed to be an update-based business process so that the collection result is “C (Create)”.

Item number 5 is assumed to be a pattern in which the first manipulation is a business process for addition in a table and the second manipulation is a deletion-based business process so that the collection result is “−(Null)”.

Item number 6 is assumed to be a pattern in which the first manipulation is a business process for addition in a table, and the second and third manipulations are update-based business processes so that the collection result is “C (Create)”.

Item number 7 is assumed to be a pattern in which the first manipulation is a business process for addition in a table, and the second and third manipulations are update-based business processes so that the collection result is “C (Create)”.

Although the description has been given of an example where a premise business process includes three business processes (or modules), which is not limitative, a premise business process may include an arbitrary number of business processes or modules.

Although the description has been given of an example where handling a table as an example of data set of collecting manipulation information, handling a sequence or variables is also an example of data set.

FIG. 12shows the relation between patterns of the collection result ofFIG. 11and the collection result for a business process to be validated, and report information. The examples of the patterns are described below item number by item number. It should be noted that report information corresponding to a validation pattern is stored in, for example, the memory502.

Referring toFIG. 12, report information corresponding to a validation pattern has each entry including an item number1201for identifying a pattern, a collection result1202for storing the collection result ofFIG. 11, a collection result1203in a first business process, a collection result1204in second and subsequent business processes, and report information1205corresponding to the pattern of the collection result.

For Item number 1, it can be assumed that a business process for which report information is to be set is a table-adding business process such as a new contract, and hence the report information is “−(Null)”. It is assumed that the second and subsequent items (1204) in CRUD collection have the same pattern for the sequence of R (Read) or U (Update).

For Item number 2, it can be assumed that a premise business process is a table-adding pattern such as a new contract, and a business process for which report information is to be set is a table-adding business process such as an additional contract, and hence the report information is “−(Null)”. It is assumed that the second and subsequent items (1204) in CRUD collection have the same pattern for the sequence of R (Read) or U (Update).

For Item number 3, it can be assumed that a premise business process is a table-adding pattern such as a new contract, and a business process for which report information is to be set is a table-deletion business process such as cancellation of a contract, and hence the report information is “−(Null)”.

For Item number 4, it can be assumed that a premise business process is a table-adding pattern such as a new contract, and a business process for which report information is to be set is a table-updating business process such as a change of a table, and hence the report information is “−(Null)”.

Item number 5 is a pattern of a business process similar to the pattern of Item number 3. However, although R (Read), U (Update), or D (Delete) is performed after deleting a table, it is assumed that logical deletion is the target, and hence report information is “warning”.

Item numbers 6 and 7 are business processes for which report information is to be set and show patterns in which D (Delete) is performed after C (Create) of a table and which cannot be assumed to a single business process, and hence report information is “error”.

As described above, validation of input/output information of a business process and validation of CRUD information thereof are performed to validate the input/output information of processes constructing the business process and check validate manipulations for data set to be used, and when the validation results are invalid, in other words, for unexpected manipulations, report information of an error is generated, and for manipulations that can be performed depending on a condition, report information of warning is generated.

Accordingly, in a case where partial alteration of a business process changes the prerequisite of the common process (217), a correction work only needs to be carried out when report information of an error or warning originates from validation of input/output information and validation of CRUD information, which are performed by the annotation analysis part407. This makes it possible to efficiently develop (or correct) a loosely-coupled business process.

When report information is an error, inhibition of generation of an executable binary file can avoid wasteful execution of a unit test, thus shortening the development period of a loosely-coupled business process and reducing the work needed for the development.

FIG. 13is a flowchart illustrating an example of the automatic generation processing of Step609that is performed by the automatic generation part409ofFIG. 7B.

First, in Step903, when a business process is the target to be automatically generated, the automatic generation part409performs processing of generating a file (flow defining file) representing the order of execution of processes in the target business process, whereas when a process is the target to be automatically generated, the automatic generation part409performs processing of generating a file (flow defining file) representing the order of execution of modules within this process, after which the processing proceeds to Step904.

Next, in Step904, the automatic generation part409performs processing of generating the source of an individual program for managing inputs and outputs of the target business process or the target process, and then terminates the automatic generation processing. It should be noted that this processing is activated for each java interface file of a business process, a process, and a module. The generated automatically generated source is stored in the memory502or the storage506. Alternatively, the generated automatically generated source may be added to the source file509.

The above-mentioned processing can generate an automatically generated source as an individual program for managing inputs and outputs of a business process or a process based on the flow defining file representing the order of execution of processes in a business process or the order of execution of modules within a process. The automatically generated source describes data set such as a table to be manipulated described in the source file509.

As illustrated inFIG. 7A to 7C, the executable binary file creating part405adds data set such as a table to be manipulated described in the automatically generated source in addition to the executable binary file510in the source file509to generate the executable binary file510.

Therefore, in the unit test of Step125ofFIG. 2, the application development terminal105can automatically generate a table or the like needed for processing through compiling without requiring preparation of the table beforehand by a developer, thus ensuring quick execution of the executable binary file510.

For example, for the process211constructing the business process201illustrated inFIG. 3C, the module225creates Table A in a process226. Then, Table A is read in a different process218. The process becomes that of Item number 1 in the pattern of collecting CRUD information in the business process shown inFIG. 12, and hence the automatic generation part409adds a source code to generate Table A which is read by the process218to the automatically generated source.

Then, as illustrated inFIG. 2, performing the compile123at the application development terminal105generates an executable binary file corresponding to the business process and Table A as data to be input and output in the business process. Accordingly, the developer who operates the application development terminal105can quickly perform a unit test125without manually preparing Table A.

CONCLUSION

As described above, a business process and processes or modules constructing the business process are handled as java interface files as illustrated inFIGS. 4A to 4D, and input/output information and CRUD information are defined in these java interface files by using annotations. The application development terminal105or the compiler (compile execution part402and compile part403) of the repository server101receives an interface file to which input/output information and CRUD information are added. Then, the compile part403has an annotation processor, which is the extended function of a Java compiler, as the annotation analysis part407, and analyzes the interface file by using the annotation analysis part407to validate the input/output information and CRUD information. When the results of the validation of input/output information and validation of CRUD information are valid, the annotation analysis part407automatically generates the source and generates an executable binary file. When the results of the validation of input/output information and validation of CRUD information are invalid, on the other hand, the annotation analysis part407inhibits automatic generation of the source and generation of an executable binary file, and outputs report information to the console part401.

Through the above-mentioned processing, input/output information of processes or modules constructing a business process is validated and a operation for data set is validated, and for a manipulation that brings about an invalid validation result, report information of an error is generated, whereas for a operation that can be performed depending on a condition, report information of warning is generated.

Accordingly, in a case where partial alteration of a business process changes the prerequisite of the common process, a correction work only needs to be carried out when report information of an error or warning originates from validation of input/output information and validation of CRUD information, which are performed by the annotation analysis part407, in the analysis of the source file509. This makes it possible to efficiently develop (or correct) a loosely-coupled business process. Particularly, overlooked corrections to or differences in a source file, which have hitherto been found in an integration test or a system test, can be detected at the stage of analyzing a source file at the time of compiling at the application development terminal105or the build server102, and hence bugs or the like in the source file509can be extracted earlier than can be extracted in the related art.

When report information is an error, inhibition of generation of an executable binary file (or interruption of compiling) can avoid wasteful execution of a unit test and the like, thus shortening the development period of a loosely-coupled business process and reducing the work needed for the development.

Further, it is possible to generate an automatically generated source as an individual program for managing inputs and outputs of a business process or a process based on the flow defining file representing the order of execution of processes in a business process or the order of execution of modules within a process. As a result, the executable binary file creating part405adds data set such as a table to be operated described in the automatically generated source in addition to the executable binary file510in the source file509to generate the executable binary file510. In the unit test of Step125ofFIG. 2or the like, execution of the executable binary file510at the application development terminal105can automatically generate a table or the like needed for processing without requiring preparation of the table beforehand by the developer. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of developing a loosely-coupled business process. When report information is an error, automatic generation is inhibited so that wasteful generation of an output can be prevented.

The configuration, the processing part, the processing means, and the like of the computer or the like according to this invention described herein may be partially or entirely achieved by dedicated hardware.

Various kinds of software exemplified in the description of this embodiment may be stored in electromagnetic, electronic, optical, and other various recording media (e.g., non-transitory storage medium), and may be downloaded onto a computer over a communication network such as the Internet.

A program for achieving the individual functions of a compiler and information such as tables may be stored in the storage506, a storage device such as a non-volatile semiconductor memory, hard disk drive, and solid state drive (SSD), or a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium such as an IC card, SD card, and DVD.

This invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-mentioned embodiment has been described in detail to facilitate understanding of this invention, and is not necessarily be limited to the configuration including all the components described above.