Python Impact Analysis Tool ?

[dcolford2000]

Hi All - I'm new to python

Is there an impact analysis tool out there that can cross reference
python -- VB has a couple of these tools (eg. Visual Expert)

TIA, All comments welcome
Dave

 

[Terry Hancock]

Is there an impact analysis tool out there that can cross reference
python -- VB has a couple of these tools (eg. Visual Expert)

I could be wrong, but my first impression is that that must be
VB jargon for something we might know under another name.

What *is* an "impact analysis tool". Something tells me it has
little to do with the physics of craters, though that's the first
thing that comes to mind. There are a lots of self-documentation
tools for Python, though, starting with the interpreter itself.

 

[Paul McNett]

I could be wrong, but my first impression is that that must be
VB jargon for something we might know under another name.

Yep, I think we know it as 'unit testing'.

From the Visual Expert site (http://visual-expert.com), impact analysis
refers to taking a given variable or function name, and finding
everywhere in the project where that name is referenced, for the purpose
of determining what bad things will happen when that variable or
function is changed somehow. The tool won't tell you what bad things
will happen, just list other code segments that depend on the name in
question.

While such a tool may indeed be helpful in quickly understanding a
project, and there may indeed be such a tool for Python, I think that
most Pythonistas would find unit testing has a better impact on
developer productivity, for the common case of wanting to make a change
and also fix any dependent structures: just do it and then discover/fix
any repercussions!

 

[Stephen Prinster]

Yep, I think we know it as 'unit testing'.

From the Visual Expert site (http://visual-expert.com), impact analysis
refers to taking a given variable or function name, and finding
everywhere in the project where that name is referenced, for the purpose
of determining what bad things will happen when that variable or
function is changed somehow. The tool won't tell you what bad things
will happen, just list other code segments that depend on the name in
question.

This also sounds a little bit like "refactoring."
The OP may want to look at Bicycle Repair Man:

http://bicyclerepair.sourceforge.net/

 

[dcolford2000]

Hi

I am a mainframe designer/progrmmer. What I need is a tool that shows
me at design time what links to what so that I can understand the
application. When a design change comes through I could say OK this
change affects only A, B, and C out of the whole alphanet. Then I would
be able to isolate what needs to be changed and unit tested..I am
trying to improve programmer productivity at design time.

Thanks
Dave

 

[Toby Dickenson]

Hi

I am a mainframe designer/progrmmer. What I need is a tool that shows
me at design time what links to what so that I can understand the
application. When a design change comes through I could say OK this
change affects only A, B, and C out of the whole alphanet. Then I would
be able to isolate what needs to be changed and unit tested..I am
trying to improve programmer productivity at design time.

For physical dependencies between modules:

http://www.tarind.com/depgraph.html

 

[Mike Meyer]

I am a mainframe designer/progrmmer. What I need is a tool that shows
me at design time what links to what so that I can understand the
application. When a design change comes through I could say OK this
change affects only A, B, and C out of the whole alphanet. Then I would
be able to isolate what needs to be changed and unit tested..I am
trying to improve programmer productivity at design time.

Take as look at PyUMLGraph. That should narrow it down to classes.

<mike