Software refactoring

Abstract

Locating program code units stored on digital data storage includes defining a software module fragment by assigning a software module fragment label to selected program code units, creating a module fragment list defining a software module, said list comprising a set of said software module fragments, receiving a request to retrieve the program code units of a specified software module from the digital data storage, and converting, using a processor, the module fragment list of the specified module into a list of physical locations for resolving the locations of the corresponding program code units on the digital data storage using said labels.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 associating a label to a program code unit of a software module to define a software module fragment;   generating, using a plurality of software module fragments respectively associated with a plurality of different program code units, a module fragment list that defines the software module;   receiving a request to retrieve the program code units from a data storage device;   converting, based upon the received request and using labels associated with the program code units, the module fragment list into a list of physical locations, wherein   the list of physical locations correspond to locations of the program code units within the data storage device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein
 each of the program code units are a source code file.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 retrieving, from the data storage device, the program code units of the software module.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 compiling the retrieved program code units.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein
 the converting includes searching, using the labels, the data storage device for program code units related to the software module.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein
 the searching is limited to a hierarchical structure, within the data storage device, associated within the software module.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein
 the module fragment list is an ordered list based on a position of the software module fragment in the software module.   
     
     
         28 . A computer hardware system, comprising:
 a hardware processor configured to initiate the following executable operations:
 associating a label to a program code unit of a software module to define a software module fragment; 
 generating, using a plurality of software module fragments respectively associated with a plurality of different program code units, a module fragment list that defines the software module; 
 receiving a request to retrieve the program code units from a data storage device; 
 converting, based upon the received request and using labels associated with the program code units, the module fragment list into a list of physical locations, wherein 
   the list of physical locations correspond to locations of the program code units within the data storage device.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein
 each of the program code units are a source code file.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to initiate the following executable operation:
 retrieving, from the data storage device, the program code units of the software module.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to initiate the following executable operation:
 compiling the retrieved program code units.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein
 the converting includes searching, using the labels, the data storage device for program code units related to the software module.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein
 the searching is limited to a hierarchical structure, within the data storage device, associated within the software module.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein
 the module fragment list is an ordered list based on a position of the software module fragment in the software module.   
     
     
         35 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program code that, when executed by a computer hardware system, configures the computer hardware system to perform:
 associating a label to a program code unit of a software module to define a software module fragment; 
 generating, using a plurality of software module fragments respectively associated with a plurality of different program code units, a module fragment list that defines the software module; 
 receiving a request to retrieve the program code units from a data storage device; 
 converting, based upon the received request and using labels associated with the program code units, the module fragment list into a list of physical locations, wherein 
   the list of physical locations correspond to locations of the program code units within the data storage device.   
     
     
         36 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein
 each of the program code units are a source code file.   
     
     
         37 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein program code further configures the computer hardware system to perform:
 retrieving, from the data storage device, the program code units of the software module.   
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein program code further configures the computer hardware system to perform:
 compiling the retrieved program code units.   
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein
 the converting includes searching, using the labels, the data storage device for program code units related to the software module.   
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein
 the searching is limited to a hierarchical structure, within the data storage device, associated within the software module.