Distributed Interactive Simulation DIS-Java-VRML Working Group

Code Design and Coding Standards

• Motivation
• Javadoc Documentation
• Version Control and CVS
• Dataflow and Class Hierarchy Diagrams

Motivation

• Code is easier to read and modify if it's written to a consistent standard. Since this is a multi-user distributed project, we're attempting to enforce some level of consistency on coding by many people. We'll see how this works out.

Javadoc Documentation

• Javadoc is a tool that generates HTML documentation from java source files, at least if the source files conform to a minimum level of consistency in commenting style. This is a valuable feature, so commenting ought to conform to the Javadoc standard. There's a short tutorial on Javadoc at java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.3/docs/tooldocs/javadoc, and another resource is the Javadoc home page at www.javasoft.com:80/products/jdk/javadoc.

• Ronan Fauglas has mightily upgraded the source code and the JavaDoc documentation. Here are his ready-for-review JavaDoc files: a Coding and Documentation Style Guide, and a template for Java source code (StyleTemplate.java.txt).

• Existing code in the DIS package directory is mostly complete. Java source code in the other directories needs to be upgraded.

• Javadoc-generated documentation for the DIS package and each distribution directory are available under the "documentation" column in the Software Reference.

Version Control and CVS

• Don McGregor and Ronan Fauglas instituted software version control using the Concurrent Versions System (CVS), which is built on top of the Revision Control System (RCS). Both of these software tools are provided freely under Gnu Public License at ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu/cvs

  CVS is a source code control system that maintains a history of all changes made to each directory tree it manages.

  Currently we do not use CVS for version control, changes are sent to brutzman@nps.navy.mil & mcgredo@cs.nps.navy.mil. These links remain a handy reference in case we resume CVS version control.

• Concurrent Versions System (CVS) source software control: WinCVS client at www.winCVS.org provides a reliable, convenient Windows-based CVS client.

• Concurrent Versions System (CVS) source software control:
  • Windows CVS (winCVS) client at www.winCVS.org provides a reliable, convenient CVS client.
  • Java CVS (jCVS) client at www.jCVS.org provides a usually satisfactory CVS client. Also available directly at www.ice.com/java/jcvs/index.shtml by ICE Engineering Inc.

  One of the primary benefits of CVS is that it provides a server/client protocol which allows for a totally distributed source code management system.

• A simple jCVS.bat batch file is provided to launch jCVS more easily.

• Don McGregor has provided guidance for setting up and using CVS Source Code Control. Currently access to the dis-java-vrml CVS server is available only to local (NPS) developers. If you want to be a direct code contributor using CVS, please ask.

• A short CVS training manual by Jim Blandy is available at www.cyclic.com/cvs/doc-blandy.html

• Additional CVS distribution and documentation information is available at www.cyclic.com/cyclic-pages/howget.html

• Version control pages of related interest:
  • Software Configuration Management at www.sei.cmu.edu/legacy/scm

  • Spectrum of Functionality in Configuration Management Systems, by Susan Dart at www.sei.cmu.edu/legacy/scm/abstracts/abscm_spectrum_of_func_TR11_90.html

  • CVS is based on (and uses) the Revision Control System (RCS), described at www.ius.cs.cmu.edu/help/Archiving/rcs.html

Dataflow and Class Hierarchy Diagrams

	Dataflow
	Detailed Class Hierarchy Diagram (needs updating)
	Detailed Class Hierarchy Diagram Notation Conventions