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Two reports in software engineering

These reports are available from burns@windfall.crl.McMaster.CA "For profit" companies are asked to pay $5 and $8 respectively (except for members of TRIO and CITR).

On Trace Specifications, CRL Report No. 305, by Theo S. Norvell

This report explores some ideas for formally specifying modules based on trace assertion method outlined in, for example, [Parnas and Wang 1989]. These ideas include:

• A formal mathematical theory of trace specifications which is independent of their intended application to module specification (Chapter 2).
• Some ideas on presenting module specifications (Chapter 3).
• A theory of trace specifications for dealing with modules that call other modules (Chapter 4).
• Automata theoretic models for trace specifications of the sort defined in Chapter 4 (Chapter 5).
• A theory of trace specifications for cases where deterministic automata are not suitable models (Chapter 6).

System Documentation Using Tables, CRL Report No. 306

These are lecture notes for a short course (five lectures) by Wilder and Tucker on tabular methods for system documentation that forms part of a second year undergraduate course on system development within the Department of Computer Science, University of Wales, Swansea, Wales. The topics covered are: tables in the real work; tables and the system design life cycle; four documentation problems (word processor, calculator, polyline and dialogue box); general tables, and tables of terms over algebras.

We are keen to receive comments, suggestions and information on the material in these notes.