CATS-an automated user interface for software development and testing

CATS has been developed as a user interface to allow users at client sites to access and use the ACT (analysis of complexity tool) of McCabe and Associates easily and automatically. It produces various detailed reports based on the ACT tool, and in addition it establishes and updates a complexity-tracking database at the user site. CATS has been implemented at various pilot sites. It has been used both intensively to increase test coverage for a given module and extensively to identify areas on which to focus test and assessment efforts. By using CATS, developers, testers, and managers can obtain key information on software structure, focus their efforts on those areas where defects are more likely to reside, more quickly understand and incorporate re-engineered or legacy code, and estimate the level of effort required for a project.