Maintenance and Analysis of Structurally Enhanced Programs

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A calculus of operations are being developed to facilitate maintenance of programs by non-specialist programmers. Operations are to be performed on an "enhancement structure" of a program rather than the (more complicated) program text. Enhancement structures are based on the methodology of stepwise enhancement developed under a previous NSF grant. This continuation award includes a supplement to support research experience for an undergraduate participant. %%% Previously a tool, PT, was built to support the major steps of stepwise enhancement, applying techniques to skeletons, and composition of programs enhanced from the skeleton. Enhancement structures have now been defined formally. The specific task to be performed by the undergraduate student is to enhance PT to directly manipulate enhancement structures. The maintenance operations would be performed directly on the enhancement structures, rather than by reapplying operations directly on programs as is the case currently.