A new class generation mechanism by method integration

Presents a mechanism for automatically generating new classes from classes existing in a user library by using their modification histories. To generate classes that are likely to meet user requirements and are consistent with the existing classes, we propose three actors-Specifier, Finder and Integrator-that perform this mechanism. Specifier records the history of modifications between methods with the same interface of a parent class and its heir. If the required method is not defined in the existing class which a user is referring to, Finder retrieves classes similar to the referenced class and Integrator applies the past modifications of similar classes to the referenced class. Classes are determined to be similar based on their positions in a class hierarchy tree. Both Specifier and Integrator are achieved by a method integration algorithm based on object-oriented bounded program slicing and class dependence graph matching. The mechanism enables users to reuse new classes with little or no modification, and thus easily create object-oriented programs