NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20110015640: FPA Depot - Web Application

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by  NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

FPA Depot - Web Application
Edwin M. MartinezAvila', Ricardo MUfiir, JamieSzafran3,Adam Dalton4
UniversityofPuertoRicoatArecibo
[email protected]
[email protected]
'NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration
[email protected]
[email protected]
Abstract-Lines of code (LOC) analysis is one of the it does not fully cover the development process, only the
methods used to measure programmer productivity and coding implementation; in addition it is not a consistent
estimate schedules ofprogramming projects. The Launch measure to compare productivity across different tools and
Control System (LCS) had previously used this method to platforms. Overtime, engineers havecome to conclusion that
estimate the amount of work and to plan development using the LOC metric to measure both programmer
efforts. The disadvantage of using LOC as a measure of productivity and estimation ofthe programming timelines is
effort is that one can only measure 30% to 35% of the not very effective. This stance is further solidified by the
total effortofsoftware projects involves coding [8]. In the revelation that given two algorithms for implementing
application, instead of using the LOC we are using identical functionality, the method with fewer linesofcode is
function point for a better estimation of hours in each usually preferable. On the other hand, Function Point
softwaretodevelop. Analyses offers improved project estimation because it is an
independent methodology that can be used to compare
Because ofthese disadvantages, Jamie Szafran of productsacross differingtoolsets, languages,and platforms.
theSystem SoftwareBranch ofControlAnd DataSystems
(NE-C3) at Kennedy Space Canter developed a web In 2009, Jamie Szafran was a student employee of the
application called Function Point Analysis (FPA) Depot. Kennedy Space Center and assigned the task ofcreating the
The objective of this web application is that the LCS first version of the Function Point Analysis Depot. At the
software architecture team can use the data to more time, itwasalittledifferentfrom thespreadsheeta(seeFigure
accurately estimate the effort required to implement I) that was being used by the Launch Control System (LCS)
customer requirements. This paper describes the for the collectionoffunction and was processed by hand. The
evolution of the domain model used for function point problem with the use ofspreadsheets is that the estimate of
analysisas projectmanagerscontinuallystrivetogenerate costs cannot be automated. In 2010, Szafran was hired
moreaccurateestimates. fulltime and tasked with re-designing the Function Point
Analysts Depot (FPA Depot) under the direction ofsoftware
Nomenclature architect at the time. This implementation was then used to
storeFunction PointAnalysis results. These results were used
LCS: LaunchControlSystem
by the architects of the LCS project to estimate the effort
NE-C: NASAEngineeringControl andDataSystems
needed to implement the requirements of the customer.
Ruby: Adynamic, reflective,general-purposeobject-oriented
Furthermore as stated in FPA Depot Orientation for New
programminglanguage
Developers[Il, "the application is expectedto supportdata
Rubyon Rails: Webapplication framework forthe Ruby
correlation between the entry pointfunction ofanalysis of
language.
software engineers and requirements management tool
DA: DevelopmentActivity
currently in use by the LCSproject". The newest version of
CSCI: ComputerSoftwareConfiguration Item
the FPA Depot promises to provide the LCS a precise
FPA: FunctionPointAnalyses
technique to objectively estimate efforts required with more
FPAVersion: Differentversionsofan FPA.
precisionthanpreviously possible.
Keywords--Java, Ruby-an-Rails, Web-Application,Server,Mid
On June 6, 2011, Edwin Martinez was selected by
- Level,database,anddesign.
SpaceGrant Puerto Rico for workatNASA KSC asan intern
to working in the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF)
INTRODUCTION
with Engineering Support Software NE-C2 branch on the
For a long time, "the software engineeringfield has
LCS project. The assignment included migrating the FPA
counted Lines of Code (LOC), which is a hard and fast
Depot from version 4.1 to version 5.1. The project required
measurementofthe amountofeffort, time, andresources that
the restructuring ofaJava servermid-level (web service) and
a software project takes"[l}. LOC has the disadvantage that
creation ofnew methods for the schema 5.1. The work was was used development and changing all the methods to the
coordinatedwiththeeffortsofRicardo Muniz, intern member newversion 5.1.
ofthe NE-C3 branch, who restructured the interface side of
thisapplication.
B.NewClassesandMethods
I
~ Ii- I-I~
e-....lIII The new classes were developed for this application
~- were: Developers, Developer Activities, CSCI, FPA Version,
~1'1"*
~I~ Actuals, and Granularity. The classes that existed before but
1lOlC'l1ojK.t~
were changed for this version were: FPA, HTTP Request
fldImII~I!GI
Saecn opot1I Handler, Database Interface, Sax Event Handler, Xml Tags,
Pr_R",
t.W~~ andXml Builder. Below,the mostimportantandbasicclasses
Softwa<I~ ofmidlevelareexplained.
Hordww.~
bInII""(l!Ol.....
~, I) Sax Event Handler: SAX stands for "the Simple API
Cot1eJt~..Hoi for XML" [3]. This class contains methods that receive
EJrbelldld::ornIlJllr........
...............,..11I') the info in XML (e.g. see Figure 3) from any GUI, and
RlfermaDIII
send them to the Http Request Handler to input the
~~
bJd0-.F'" informationintothedatabase.
........L"flcII....lUI
~bDnDlbG""...
-,..b..3..d.D.loll4llIaT_- <developer>
<deV81operHa.e>SaDeOne</developer &me>
<userna.e>8aD8U8er</u8ername>
</developer>
FromFPADepotOrientationforNewDevelopers[I]
2) Http RequestHandler: ThisclassreceivesGET, POST
PUT and DELETE methods and, the combined with the
This paper is organized as follows. Section II
URL determines what function will be processed. PUT,
discusses thetools, methodsand approachesthatwere used in
DELETE or POST contain information in XML format
creating the Java mid-level of the application. Se~tion I~I
and are parsed before being sent to the Sax Event
describes the design ofthe FPA Depotinterface. Section IV IS
Handler where the database is updated. On the other
the results, section V is the conclusion, and section VI
hand, ifthe class Http Request Handler receives a GET
containsthereferencesforthispaper.
request, itgoesdirectly tothe DatabaseInterfaceclassto
gettheinformationfrom thedatabase.
II.IMPLEMENTAnONOFTHEJAVAMID- LEVEL
3) Database Interface: This class is responsible for
obtaining, creating, deleting, and modifying the data
The Java mid-level is a web service, which is defined as
from thetables inthe PostgreSQLdatabase.Thedataare
"setofHypertext Transfer Protocol(HTTP) requestmessages
obtainedfrom the databasethrough pre-specifiedqueries
alongwith adefinition ofthe structure ofresponse messages,
that provide additional security and abstraction by
usuallyexpressedin an Extensible Markup Language (XML)
preventing a user from interfacing with the database
orJavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format [4}". This mid
directly.
level was developed to be functional independently of GUI
implementation. GUI development could then be performed
4) Xml Builder: In this class, the data is retrieved from
in different languages and use it with the mid level without
databaseandconvertedto XML.
problem. The changes made to the web ser:ice were
implemented in accordance to REST (Representational State
5) Http Request Filter: This class is responsible for
Transfer) style, athatworks by constrainingthe interfaceto a
receiving the HTTP request from the Apache server and
set of well-known, standard operations (specifically GET,
filtering it using the REST protocol. In this way HTTP
POST,PUT,andDELETE).
operations can be routed to the appropriated Http
Request Handlermethod.
A. ToolsfortheJavaMid Level
The design ofthe new schemafor the FPA Depotrequired
configuration and development using a toolset consisting of
the HTTP protocol, XML, the Apache Tomcat servlet
container, and the PostgreSQL database. The Eclipse IDE
c.OldSchema4.1 VersionFPADepot:
The schema of versions 4.1 of the FPA Depot was revised to include information that would be
moreusefultotheSoftwareArchitectureteam.Theoriginalschema(forthisrevision) wasthis:
--------------------------~.
I
-----=:"I!! I
------1:I
--
c4kn -..l':-
IfK''*'"'l _.. ---*~~:::---
PK'''''"''l' kl} c _.:.... II
....~:- II
II
II
II
.~.
II
II
II
II
II
--c~....---
,-- - - - - - - -II
I
-=-
~.
_:~
(FromFPADepotOrientationforNewDevelopers[1])
Schema,lFPADepot4./
-----------------
D.NewSchema5.1 VersionFPADepot
Inorderto utilizethechangeofthisschema,thedatabase had tobemigrated and theJavamid-level
andRuby-on-RailsGUIhadtoberestructured.
-_:-
..':. III
-.Ji!:-
---:_"(1l1DJ'
I
I
(FKC-=~:tiel"
PIC.........."'Ijd}
I
I
I
"fk>.
\fK,_.b.I_",
P1C~'L~1
-
-_:- -
I!!I
~--
--).l.:.f!.I:IIo'l .-- I!l
1 --~'lIDJ'
1=~~:= - - ==;~
1
1 -
1
1
I 1
IfK.~._J<, I
P1C'-r-_~1
--"-
'---~~_:-:-:---'--IIl' I
_ ......- 1
:-.')-1=:=- :=-- 1,-----,_=,-.,.,---:::1
.-k..
1 =-~--..:--
1 I : - ....- 1
1 •......,..,... 1 1---:_.-
1~ 1__1... ~ __________________ ~........~..:_
..--rI. 1 I -:::-:.,::=_
I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I I I _ ....._.:-
~~.--------------------~============~
I : J
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1 )
(FromFPADepotOrientation/orNewDevelopers[1])
Schema,}FPADepot5.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------
III.INTERFACEDESIGN With Active Resource we can do the same thing, but with
fewer linesofcode.
B.New InterfacesDeveloped
TheGUI ofthe FPA Depotwasoriginallywritten by
Jamie Szafran in Flex, an open-sourceversionofFlashthat is
In order to change FPA Depotto the new version 5.1, and
acombinationofActionScriptandMXML,whichcalledback
with the approval of our mentors, Ricardo Muniz and I
RESTfully to the mid-level. Flash proved to have some
security issues, and the decision was restructure the interface decided to change the design ofthe GUI to a new one. In
additionweworkedonthedesignofnew interfaces:
design using Ruby-on-Rails. The initial refactoringconcluded
on June 25, 2011, the main screen of the GUI looked as
follow: I. LoginInterface:
This interface has a requirement for the new FPA
Depot 5.1. Here Ricardo Munizcreated the method of
user authentication. Using this method the user has to
havean accountinorderto login totheapplication.
FPA Depot v5.1
MOs 1'__ _~
eSCI', Signin
-
".". .-J ----- -- ----.
....
-
A. ActiveResourceon Ruby:
The GUI for the application version 4.1 was coding on
Ruby on Rails, but without using Active Resource. Adam
Dalton (NE-C2 branch), had the ideaofimplementing Active 2. WelcomeInterface:
Resource in this application. Active Resource is a class in
Rails that "providesaframeworkforhandlingthe connection In the main interface, wecan seeonthe leftofthepagethe
between business objectsandRESTfulweb services"[7]. We new menu for the user that is different from version 4.1 (see
are using the XML methods thatthis class has to request and figure 2). Here the user can selectone option inorderto edit,
send data to the mid-level. Remember that the mid-level was addorshowthedatathatthey needfrom thedatabase.
created to receive and send the data using XML. The Active
Resourcemodel werecreatedinsuchawaythattheXMLthat
wasautomaticallygenerated by RailswouldadheretotheAPI
oftheJavamid-level.
FPA Depot v5.1
*** Example of the code without Active Resource. This
function isfor gettingallCSCls.
.. DA's
,1
, CSCI's
I . ,t 1 1 FPA's
I", ~ .Itj ,I t' I1t ModoIPackages
Analysis
*** Example of the code using Active Resource. This
3.DevelopmentActivities Interface:
function isforgettingallCSCls.
This interface is to display all the data of development
activities. If the user needs to edit a development activity,
theyjust have to select one activity and changethe data. The
user can also create a new developmentactivity, ifthey press
the"newDAlink"thatis belowtheinterface.
FPA Depot v5.1
ShowFunctionPointAnalysis
DA's
FPA Depot v5.1
CSCl's 10:2
FPA's N..me:fpa.-4
ModelPackages CrollllonTime:2011·07·2709:23:55.06
DA's DevelopmentActivities Analysis Requirement:yes
CSCI's Granularity:type!
Developer:Adams
FPA's
FPAVersions:
ModdPackagos
•UIl_'l_11IJ"RD15
•1'''.17'"11"''''
Analysis •I'U.Il.21U'D1'24III
•2111_I7·Mn'PHa
•IIn·_U14-27-.n
•lilt-au14-4n1.M
•Ull-aUl$:lT-H.2!Ii
4, DeveloperInterface:
6. Analysis Interface:
Thisisthedeveloper interfacefor showingdeveloper
This interface has different options for analysis and
information. In this interface the user can see the FPAs that
belongtothedeveloperandclickittoseetheFPAVersions. estimationofthe function pointsand labourhours.
FPA Depot v5.1
FPA Depot v5.l
S9*fInasIUsemameNotyou?~
ShowDeveloper
DA's
CSC!'s !D:1
DA's
FPA's Nome:Edwln...m1gud
ModelPackages Usernilme:emmudS CSCI's
Analysis CSC1:CMS FPA's IBesHIbyActu.lIsI IBest·RbyModelPackag.I
FPA's: IEstimillo_ byAc1u~sIIEstimat._ byModo!PackageI
ModelPackages
•!IlU
•f2A)
•fEA] Analysis
5. FunctionPointAnalysis Interface:
IV. Results
In this interface the user can see all the information
ofthe FPA that they selected, as well as see all ofthe FPA Using Java, Ruby-on-Rails, and other tools, we
versions thatexistinsideofthe FPA, Inaddition the usercan achieved good results for this application. Some results that
createanewFPAversionoreditanexistingone. weachievedwere:
• Part of the Java mid-level and the Ruby-on-Rails
GUI werechangedto handlethenewschema.
• Parts of the database interface, XML processing,
andresultsdisplayingwerechanged.
• TheXMLschemaintheaccompanyingrelease notes
filewaschanged.
• The GUI was changed to accommodate the new
schema.
V.CONCLUSION [7]Ruby on Railsv3.0.9,"ClassActiveResource::Base,"
http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActiveResource/Base.html.
The purpose of this project was to edit an existing web
[8] Karmanadham V.V.G.B. Gollapudi, "Function Points or
application that will be used by developers in order to input
and track function point analysis results from the Launch Lines of Code? - An Insight", Global Microsoft Business
Control System(LCS)softwaredevelopmentteam. This web Unit,http://sst.umt.edu.pk
applicationwill serveasacentral pointfor storingall function
analysis results. The LCS software architect team will also [9]"Sourcelinesofcode,"
use the data from this app to estimate the effort required to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source lines of code
implementcustomerrequirements. In this internshipmy work
was implementing schema changes in the Java server mid [10] Andy Hertzfeld,"-2000Linesof
level and changing XML format for FPA to conform to the Codes...http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macin
newdesign. tosh&story=Negative 2000 Lines Of Code.txt
[11] "LinesofCodes'',http://c2.comlcgi/wiki?LinesOfCode
VI.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
[12] RogerHeller,"An IntroductiontoFunctionPoint
I think that this internship at Kennedy Space Center has Analysis",2000-2002, http://www.gpmg.com/fp-intro.htm
given me the experience to work hard in a real environment,
and has also increased my chances of having success in
finding a good job or even increased the chances ofworking
permanently at NASA in the future. It has also helped to
expandmy knowledgeandincreasedmyself-esteem.
Finally, I would like to thank all ofthe people that helped
me to learn new methods and new languages to improve my
work. Also I would like to thank all of the reviewers for
helping to improve the work. This work was carried out as
part ofthe project ofNE-C3 and NE-C2 branch on the LCS
project.
VII.REFERENCES
[1]J. Szafran," FPA DepotOrientationforNewDevelopers,"
Lastrevised7June2011.
[2] D. Megginson,"AboutSax,"http://www.saxproject.org.
[3] D. Megginson,"MegginsonTechnologiesLtd."2000- 05
-05.
[4] Packageorg.apache.http.protocol,"TheApacheSoftware
Fundation''http://hc.apache.org/httpcomponents-core
ga/httpcore/apidocs/org/apache/http/protocol/HttpReguestHan
dler.html, 2005- 2011.
[5]Benjamin,"DiseiiodeInterfacesde Usuario Usables: UnaGuia
RapidaparaDesarrolladoresdeSoftwareLibreydeC6digo
Abierto."Web.8Dicember2004.
http://mundogeek.net/traducciones/interfaces-usuario
usableslgui.html
[6] SamRuby, DaveThomas, DavidHeinemeierHansson,
"AgileWebDevelopmentwithRails,"TheFacetsofRuby
Series,2011-03-31