Re: Reverse Engineering for spreadsheets?

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2 total messages Started by Erich Neuwirth Thu, 29 Oct 1992 20:28

#12

Author: Erich Neuwirth
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1992 20:28

46 lines
2439 bytes

------------------------- Original Article -------------------------
Path: news.univie.ac.at!paladin.american.edu!darwin.sura.net!zaphod.mps.ohio-sta
From: jc@cadre.com (Joe Cascio)
Newsgroups: comp.apps.spreadsheets
Subject: Reverse Engineering for spreadsheets?
Message-ID: <1992Oct22.211644.25603@fripp.ri.cadre.com>
Date: 22 Oct 92 21:16:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: fripp.1992Oct22.211644.25603
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Because spreadsheets are so easy to use and change, and since
recent improvements make it possible to create BIG spreadsheets,
I'll bet that out there, there are lots of what MIS folks
call "legacy" systems.

This is a polite way of saying, "I am responsible
for this pile of $#$#$^&, but the creeps who wrote it (improved it,
fixed it) are long gone, and I don't have the foggiest idea what
it's supposed to do, or how it does it."

The software-engineering community is starting to apply
"reverse-engineering" tools to our legacy systems.  These are tools
that can parse an existing body of code and generate diagrams, dictionaries,
cross-reference tables, complexity graphs, etc.  Some are also beginning
to perform "re-engineering", which is re-formulating or re-writing the program
with better design attributes.

So, my question is:

Has anyone out there ever heard of or used a "reverse-engineering"
tool or program for spreadsheets?  Something that can show you,
using a graph, perhaps, how the various cells are related or depend
on one another.

Thanks,

---
==================================================
* Joe Cascio               * phone: 401-351-5950 *
* Cadre Technologies Inc.  * FAX  : 401-455-6803 *
* 222 Richmond St.         * email: jc@cadre.com *
* Providence, RI 02903     *                     *
==================================================

Re: Reverse Engineering for spreadsheets?

#23

Author: Joel Spolsky
Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1992 01:06

14 lines
830 bytes

In article <1992Oct29.203047.5921@newssrv.edvz.univie.ac.at> A4422DAB@vm.univie.ac.at (Erich Neuwirth) writes:
>
>Has anyone out there ever heard of or used a "reverse-engineering"
>tool or program for spreadsheets?  Something that can show you,
>using a graph, perhaps, how the various cells are related or depend
>on one another.


Microsoft Excel comes with a worksheet auditor that does just what you
want.


Joel Spolsky
joelsp@microsoft.com

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