Arossys Source is a generic tool, used to generate any kind of source code, such as:

• Complete program in different programming languages.
• Record descriptions etc, for any programming language, including foreign tools, such as FOCUS, RAMIS, etc.
• Database descriptions, Program specification blocks, JCL, test data, et al.

This means that complete JOB streams, where usually 70-100% is automatically generated by the tool, based on templates, models and macros, some created by the client's method technicians, some by us.

Thus, the tool can register standards, knowledge and experience. It will lead less experienced personnel in their day-by-day activities, and save time as what the programmers produce is generated with an effort that is reduced to only 10-40% of what it would take in the traditional way.

The significance is also that the number of errors in programs, JCL, et al, will be significantly reduced with the introduction of this tool.

Register Standards, Knowledge and Experience

Arossys Source differs from other tools on the market by allowing each client to completely define what the output should look like, and by having a completely integrated Data Dictionary. This means, for instance, that while an application program is written, its references to databases, files, records, fields, etc, are automatically registered.

The ability to register standards, knowledge and experience in such a way that it will be "transferred" to everyone, gives the result that the productivity increase generated by the tool will be constantly improved, as more and more knowledge and experience is built in into the tool.

When a tool has such characteristics, you become much less dependent on the supplier's capacity to improve the tool.

Further, Arossys Source has functions to retroactively enhance existing objects, such as application programs. For instance, when a method technician enhances a standard or a macro, these changes can be applied to existing objects without making manual changes.

Arossys Source also has functions for keeping track of an object's content over time.

Information is Stored Only Once

With Arossys Source, information is stored only once, in a single format, in a single place.

The very same information is then used in a variety of ways, depending on what to generate.

This means that when information is to be used in another object, all information can be accessed through a simple reference.

The information referred to is often in a (programming) language independent format, so the same information can be presented in several different ways.

The significance, is that the consequences of a single change will automatically appear in all places where the information is used.

Generate Program Logic Automatically

To increase the likelihood of being able to use general templates, models and macros, the tool allows for using symbolic parameters with references. This means that the same source can result in entirely different program code depending on the object containing the reference.

Some of these symbolic parameters are generated automatically by the system.

This functionality makes it possible to automatically generate a very large part of the program logic, especially such code that appears in several applications, for instance:

• Program layouts that determine the main logic
• Program logic for calling programs and databases, etc
• Program logic for creating reports
• Program logic for managing standardized commands in TP programs
• Program logic for communicating between TP transactions
• Etc.

Classification

The Arossys Source tool is made up of four logical parts:

1. One part is aimed at application programmers, and is used when editing or generating source code. At this stage, the programmer is assisted by templates, models and macros created by method technicians.
2. Another part is aimed at method technicians. This part is used when creating templates, models and macros.
3. A third part is aimed at all users, and is used when searching for information on an object, or its dependencies.
4. And a fourth part is aimed at systems programmers and method technicians. It concerns certain batch utilities.

The Arossys Source tool is also made up of four physical parts:

1. An editor. You use this to edit your objects and paint terminal images. Occasionally you may also need to edit rules for using the object, its generations, etc.
2. A source code generator. This is used on-line or in batch, to generate the source code to use as input to a compile, or for a job stream.
3. A number of on-line transactions for searching and analyzing information.
4. A number of batch utilities, performing various tasks.

Functionality

Arossys Source is completely generic and can be used to generate application programs, record descriptions, etc, for any system in any environment, but has specific functionality that is integrated with the Rosam/Aros DB/DC system.

The Rosam/Aros DB/DC system is the development environment used with Arossys Source, but output can be generated for any environment, you could, for instance, generate IMS or CICS application programs.

As Arossys Source happily generates ordinary Cobol and PL/I application programs, there is no requirement that Arossys, or Rosam/Aros be available in the environment where the generated applications are to execute, so the generated end product is 100% portable.

Arossys Source is a data dictionary at heart, that is the data system for data operation, with functionality to automatically generate source code, such as:

• Data declarations in different programming languages.
• Program logic in different programming languages.
• Comments in the generated code, depending on referred files, databases, etc.
• Image descriptions (BAS specifications), and the corresponding equivalent in the programming language of the application program.
• Database descriptions, PSBs, etc, data declarations in the DBD and PSB languages, as well as in Cobol, PL/I, Assembler, etc.
• Data declarations for foreign tools, such as FOCUS, RAMIS etc.
• JCL for compiling and testing.

In addition, there are transactions for searching and analyzing information, as well as a number of batch utilities.

An important function in a Data Dictionary is to keep track of how the data changes over time. With Arossys Source, changes are stored as generations.

Arossys Source also offers the very important MODEL functionality, making it possible to manage and generate different variations of an object.

For more information, see the Aros documentation.