Detection of code clones in software generators
Max Lillack, Christian Bucholdt, Daniela Schilling · 2014
Macro-based generators are in use for more than 40 years to generate Cobol source code and implement variability. Over the course of time, the systems were extended with many similar functionalities by copying and adapting existing pieces of code. The resulting generators are hard to understand and difficult to maintain. Clone detection can identify similar pieces of code which is a prerequisite to extract common features thus enabling a move to a feature-oriented product line.