Exstatic: a generic static checker applied to documentation systems

  • Authors:

  • S. N. I. Mount;R. M. Newman;R. J. Low;A. Mycroft

  • Affiliations:

  • Coventry University, Coventry, UK;Coventry University, Coventry, UK;Coventry University, Coventry, UK;University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 22nd annual international conference on Design of communication: The engineering of quality documentation
  • Year:
  • 2004

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Abstract

Exstatic is a generic static checker developed by the author to address many of the practical problems in program development. Static checking provides a valuable means for automating time consuming checks not only concerned with program correctness (writing the right program), but also to do with style (writing the program right). Previous static checkers have been closely coupled with compilation systems, and therefore tend to be applicable to the code itself and not to all of the textual information (such as makefiles, comments, documentation sources) surrounding the code. The generic nature of Exstatic allows it to overcome these boundaries, and indeed it can be applied to any medium for which there is a formally definable syntax and (to an extent) semantics. Exstatic can therefore be used to increase the productivity and quality of documentation of programs, checking for such things as adherence to house style, consistency with the program being documented and self consistency. This paper describes the design and use of Exstatic, with particular reference to its use in documentation systems.