Viasoft Inc of Phoenix, Arizona, is shipping VIA/SmartDoc, described as an intelligent tool for programmers which generates Cobol program documentation automatically. The company claims that VIA/SmartDoc is the first documentation tool to understand the internal logic of Cobol programs and how they handle data. The tool collects information directly from the program source code and analyses and organises that information into detailed and accurate hardcopy documentation. VIA/SmartDoc is the newest addition to VIA/Center, Viasoft’s re-engineering system. Like other VIA/Center tools, VIA/SmartDoc uses the company’s proprietary Analytical Engine to extract information about a Cobol program and store it online in the Viasoft Application Knowledge Repository. The Engine analyses the source code and captures information on logic paths, data relationsips and data usage. Using this information, VIA/SmartDoc generates a hard copy report with a detailed analysis of the Cobol program’s operation and logic. Key features include VIA/SmartDoc’s ability to generate structure charts and its support of software metrics. Structure charts display graphically the logical com ponents within large or complex Cobol programs. By applying software metrics, VIA/SmartDoc assesses and measures complexity and overall software quality. Other features include the generation of a table of contents and a master index, which lists logical relationships between different pieces of the program as well as where every program entity can be found. VIA/SmartDoc supports all versions of Cobol including Cobol II. It runs in batch mode under MVS/XA, MVS/ESA or MVS/SP and costs $29,500.
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