Visualising Code Structure in Large Projects?

Posted by Cliff on Friday February 15, 2002 @06:27AM from the 100k-LOC dept.

TheMaccLads asks: "I've recently joined a new C++ project, and it's in a terrible state. There are 100-odd source directories, dozens of libraries, and a couple of dozen executables and DLLs. Some executables pull in (i.e. compile themselves) the occasional source file from a library, instead of using the libraries. My job is to port a subset to unix, but I need a tool to visualise all the relationships between directories, projects, libraries, and so on, because my brain will overheat soon otherwise. Preferably a tool that will do it by parsing the MS Dev studio projects and workspaces, but if I have to write it myself in Perl, I will! Anyone know of any tools? Or suggest an approach?"

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Pen and Paper. by spt · 2002-02-15 06:32 · Score: 5, Insightful

Really! Just start drawing lines and boxes as you delve through manually. If you get something to do it automatically, you still won't have a good visualisation in your head.
Doxygen by brenfern · 2002-02-15 06:52 · Score: 5, Informative

I have used this, it is fantastic; it will work with your old C++ code straightoff, & also accepts javadoc-style comments. Handles the worst code elegantly. Draws pretty graphs for you. Does the bits of a programmer's job that really ought to be automated.
1. Re:Doxygen by bitMonster · 2002-02-15 07:01 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  I agree. It works wonders on 3rd party sources too, even when they did not use any of the supported commenting conventions.
  Get it.
  I wish it supported python, which is the other OO language I routinely use.