From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.5-pre1 (2020-06-20) on ip-172-31-74-118.ec2.internal X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.0 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_40 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.5-pre1 Date: 10 Dec 92 20:03:46 GMT From: csn!news.den.mmc.com!bob!heck@handies.ucar.edu (Rex Heck) Subject: Re: Ada & PDL (ick !) Message-ID: <1992Dec10.200346.1406@den.mmc.com> List-Id: In article 24720@mksol.dseg.ti.com, strohm@mksol.dseg.ti.com (john r strohm) wr ites: >What I want to know is this: How SPECIFICALLY does this differ from just >jumping straight into the coding? I really wonder about this: I don't know >how to be certain in such a case that a real formal DESIGN was done, and >failure to do the DESIGN properly has killed or maimed a lot of projects. > >>From the syntax viewpoint Ada PDL is the same as Ada code. With Ada PDL for th e the preliminary design, interfaces are described in Ada package specifications and stubs are used for the bodies with Ada comments in free form English text to descirbe the process to be performed in the body. This gives a riegorous definition of the interfaces that can be validated with the Ada compiler. As th e design is refined, the comments are enahnced by Ada code. When coding is comple te, There will be an English description of the process followed by the code that implements the process. Advantages => Software engineers only have to learn one syntax, Ada, and not a PDL that is only useful for design. The code is documented and commented before coding. The Ada environment supports the design phase. Only one environtment is required. Disadvantages => Managers and customers have to learn to read Ada. The coder may not update design comments if the implementation is different (Of course we know he won't update PDL) I have found Ada PDL is a good design tool when communicating with software people. When you get to hardware folks and managers, well then nothing works. : -) Rex