Case Tools Unit 12

UNIT 12 : CASE TOOLS

UNIT STRUCTURE

12.1 Learning Objectives

12.2 Introduction
12.3 CASE Tools
12.3.1 Need of CASE Tools
12.4 Classification of CASE Tools
12.5 Types of CASE Tools
12.6 Advantages of CASE
12.7 Integrated CASE Environment
12.8 Let Us Sum Up
12.9 Further Readings
12.10 Answers To Check Your Progress
12.11Model Questions

12.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to :

l learn the meaning of CASE Tools
l describe the importance of CASE Tools
l describe the different categories of CASE Tools
l describe the intergated CASE environment

12.2 INTRODUCTION

In the previous units, we have discussed in detail software

maintenance. In the previous unit we have dealt the different types of
software. Topics like software reverse engineering and maintenance of cost
have also been discussed in detail in this unit.
In the present unit we will discuss CASE tools as well as the need
for CASE tools and their advantages. The four classifications of CASE tools
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are described in detail in this unit in addition to the different types of CASE
tools along with a description of the integrated CASE environment.

12.3 CASE TOOLS

CASE stands for Computer Aided Software Engineering.It means

development and maintenance of software projects or products with the
help of various automated software tools.
A CASE tool is a generic term used to denote any form of automated
support for software engineering. In a more restrictive sense, a CASE tool
means any tool which is used to automate some activity associated with
software development project. Also, we can define CASE tools as a set of
software application programs, which are used to automate (Software
Development Life Cycle) SDLC activities.
A CASE tool is a computer-based product aimed at supporting
one or more software engineering activities within a software
development process.
CASE tools are used by software project managers, analysts and
engineers to develop software system smoothly and reliably.
There are a number of CASE tools available to simplify various
stages of SDLC such as Analysis tools, Design tools, Project management
tools, Database Management tools, Documentation tools to name a few.
Some of these CASE tools assist in phase related tasks such as
specification, structured analysis, design, coding, testing, etc, and others
to non-phase activities such as project management and configuration
management.

12.3.1 Need of CASE Tools

A CASE environment facilitates the automation of the step-by-step

methodologies for software development. In contrast to a CASE
environment, a programming environment is an integrated collection of
tools to support only the coding phase of software development.

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CASE tools also provide automated methods for designing and
documenting traditional structured programming techniques. The ultimate
goal of CASE is to provide a language for describing the overall system
that is sufficient to generate all the necessary programs needed.

Use of CASE tools accelerates the development of project to

produce the desired result and helps to uncover flaws before moving ahead
with next stage in software development.

The primary utility of using a CASE tool:

• To increase productivity
• To help produce better quality software at a lower cost
• To develop more reliable and fault torant software product.

12.4 CLASSIFICATION OF CASE TOOLS

Available CASE tools can be classified into four different dimensions,

namely
1. Life-cycle support

2. Integration dimension

3. Construction dimension

4. Knowledge-based CASE dimension

Let us explain the meaning of the first two dimensions here.

1. Life-Cycle Based CASE Tools

This dimension classifies CASE Tools on the basis of the activities
they support in the information systems life cycle. They can be classified
as Upper CASE tools and Lower CASE tools.

l Upper CASE Tool

UpperCASE Tool is a CASE software tool which supports the
software development activities upstream from implementation. Upper case

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tool focuses on the analysis phase but sometimes also on the design phase
of the software development lifecycle. For example, diagramming tools,
report and form generators, and analysis tools are upper case tools.

l LowerCASE Tool
LowerCASE Tool is a CASE software tool that directly supports the
implementation (programming) and integration tasks. Lower CASE tools
support database schema generation, program generation, implementation,
testing, and configuration management.

2. Integration dimension
There are three main CASE Integration dimensions which are as
follows :
a) CASE Framework

b) ICASE Tools: Tools that integrate both upper and lower CASE. An
automated system development environment that provides numerous tools
to create diagrams, forms and reports. It also offers analysis, reporting,
and code generation facilities and seamlessly shares and integrates data
across and between tools.

c) Integrated Project Support Environment(IPSE)

12.5 TYPES OF CASE TOOLS

There are different types of CASE tools that are now

available.The general types of CASE tools are listed below:

1. Diagramming tools: The tools that enable system process, data and
control structures to be represented graphically.

2. Computer display and report generators: It helps prototype how

systems look and feel. It makes it easier for the systems analyst to identify
data requirements and relationship.

3. Analysis tools: It automatically checks for importance, inconsistent, or

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incorrect specifications in diagrams, forms, and reports.

4. Central repository: It enables the integrated storage of specifications,

diagrams, reports and project management information.

5. Documentation Generators: It produces technical and user

documentation in standard formats.

6. Code generators: It enables the automatic generation of program and

data base definition code directly from the design documents, diagrams,
forms, and reports.

12.6 ADVANTAGES OF CASE TOOLS

There are several benefits and advantage the use of a CASE

environment or even isolated CASE tools.
Some of those benefits are given below:
l A key benefit arising out of the use of a CASE environment is cost
saving through all development phases.
l Use of CASE tools leads to considerable improvements in quality.
This is mainly due to the fact that one can effortlessly iterate through the
different phases of software development and the chances of human
error are considerably reduced.
l CASE tools help produce high quality and consistent documents.
l CASE tools take out most of the drudgery in a software engineer’s
work.
l CASE tools have led to revolutionary cost saving in software
maintenance efforts.
l Introduction of a CASE environment has an impact on the style of
working of a company, and makes it oriented towards the structured
and orderly approach.

12.7 INTEGRATED CASE ENVIRONMENT

An environment is a collection of CASE tools and workbenches which

supports the software process. CASE environments are classified on the

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basis of the focus/basis of integration. These are respectively:

1. Toolkits
2. Language-centered

3. Integrated

4. Fourth generation

5. Process-centered

1. Toolkits:
Toolkits are loosely integrated collections of products easily extended
by aggregating different tools and workbenches.

2. Language-centered:
The environment itself is written in the programming language for
which it was developed, thus enabling users to reuse, customize and extend
the environment.

3. Integrated:
These environments achieve presentation integration by providing
uniform, consistent, and coherent tool and workbench interfaces. Data
integration is achieved through the repository concept: they have a
specialized database managing all information produced and accessed in
the environment. Examples of integrated environment are the ICL
CADESsystem, IBM AD/Cycle and DEC Cohesion.

4. Fourth-generation:
Fourth-generation environments were the first integrated
environments. They are sets of tools and workbenches supporting the
development of a specific class of program: electronic data processing
and business-oriented applications.

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5. Process-centered:
Environments in this category focus on process integration with
other integration dimensions as starting points. A process-centered
environment operates by interpreting a process model created by
specialized tools.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q1. Fill up the blanks:

a) CASE stands for ____________.
b) A CASE environment facilitates the automation of the step-by-step
-________ for software development.
c) CASE tolls helps to produce better quality software at ________.
d)______ automatically checks for importance, inconsistent, or incorrect
specifications in diagrams, forms, and reports.
e) ________ enables the automatic generation of program and data
base definition code directly from the design documents, diagrams,
forms, and reports.

12.8 LET US SUM UP

l A CASE tool is a generic term used to denote any form of automated

support for software engineering. Also we can define CASE tools are set of
software application programs, which are used to automate (Software
Development Life Cycle) SDLC activities.
l There are number of CASE tools available to simplify the various stages
of SDLC such as Analysis tools, Design tools, Project management tools,
Database Management tools, Documentation tools to name a few.
l CASE tools can be classified into four different dimensions namely:

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l Life-cycle support

l Integration dimension

l Construction dimension

l Knowledge-based CASE dimension.

l UpperCASE Tool is a CASE software tool which supports the software

development activities upstream from implementation.
l LowerCASE Tool is a CASE software tool that directly supports the
implementation (programming) and integration tasks.
l There are different types of CASE tools now available:
l Diagramming tools: The tools that enabled system process,
data and control structures to be represented graphically.
l Computer display and report generators: It helps prototype
how systems look and feel. It makes it easier for the systems analyst to
identify data requirements and relationship.

l Analysis tools: It automatically checks for importance,

inconsistent, or incorrect specifications in diagrams, forms, and reports.

l Central repository: It enables the integrated storage of

specifications, diagrams, reports and project management information.

l Documentation Generators: It produces technical and user

documentation in standard formats.

l Code generators: It enables the automatic generation of program

and data base definition code directly from the design documents, diagrams,
forms, and reports.

12.9 FURTHER READINGS

1) Jalote, P. (2012). An integrated approach to software

engineering. Springer Science & Business Media.

2) Waman, S. J. (2004). Software Engineering–Principles

and Practice. Tata McGrawHill.

3) Leach, R. J. (2016). Introduction to software engineering.

CRC Press.
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12.10 ANSWERS TO CHECK

YOUR PROGRESS

Ans to Q No 1:
(i) Computer Aided Software Engineering
(ii) methodologies
(iii) lower cost
(iv) Analysis tools
(v) Code generators

12.11 MODEL QUESTIONS

Q1. What are CASE Tools. Define briefly.

Q2. What is the need of CASE Tools?
Q3. What are the different types of CASE Tools? Describe the briefly.
Q4. What are the advantages of CASE Tools?
Q5. Explain the classification of CASE Tools?

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