Enveloping sophisticated tools into computer-aided software engineering environments

We present a CASE-tool integration strategy based on enveloping pre-existing tools without source access or assuming an API or any other special capabilities on the part of the tool. This Black Box enveloping (or wrapping) idea has been around for a long time, but was previously restricted to relatively simple tools such as compilers. We describe the design and implementation of a new Black Box enveloping facility intended for sophisticated tools-often with graphical user interfaces-with particular concern for the emerging class of groupware applications