Research on Automatic Program Generation

Automatic Program Generation Research has been conducted under Contract N00014-67-A-0216-0014, since 1971. The objective of the research has been to provide software generation directly from user specifications. Initially, the research concentrated on a specific application, of generating file conversion programs. A first report on this subject was authored by Diane Pirog Smith, in December 1971, titled, "An Approach to Data Description and Conversion". Subsequently, a software system for automating this function was implemented by Jesus A. Ramirez and described by him in a report titled, "Automatic Generation of data conversion-programs Using A Data Description Language (DIL)". Currently, the objective of the research has been broadened to develop a user language and a software system for automatic generation of business oriented programs. This technical report contains a collection of three papers intended to summarize the results of past research and the direction of current research. The first paper, by Ramirez, Rin and Prywes is a summmary of Dr. Ramirez's report and dissertation cited above. The second paper, titled, "An Overview of a System for Automatic Generation of File Conversion Programs " by. N. Adam Rin and Maxine Brown is intended to provide a more user oriented view based on their experience in utilization of the system developed by Ramirez. There have been many research activities and a large number of papers in this area. The third paper, "Automatic Generation of Software Systems: A Survey," by N. Prywes serves to relate the research underway at the University of Pennsylvania, to the many recent and current activities in this field. It also aims to clearly define short and long term objectives and methodologies.