Compuware, Infragistics bolster dev tool interfaces

User interface building is a focal point of announcements Monday by Compuware, which is introducing Java products, and Infragistics, which is unwrapping tools for .Net developers.

Compuware is releasing a new version of OptimalJ, for model-driven development; Vantage Analyzer for J2EE, for performance management; and DevPartner Java Edition 3.3, featuring tools for productivity and profiling.

Key to the new iteration of OptimalJ Version 3.3 is the ability to automatically generate user interfaces for applications developed with it. “In terms of the automation, the product in the past automated the development of the structural parts of an application, and now we have extended that to provide complete automation of the UI,” said John Williams, director of strategic initiatives at Compuware. Previously, interfaces had to be hand-coded, he said.

Compuware with OptimalJ 3.3 is boosting its support of the concept of model-driven architecture, said Dana Gardner, senior analyst at The Yankee Group. “One of the things that Compuware has done aggressively is latch on to the MDA, and I think that comes out more here than they’ve done in the past,” Gardner said.

Also featured in Version 3.3 are improved abilities to link with legacy application environments through integration with Sabratec ApplinX and Information Builders iWay JCA Adapter for SAP R/3. To boost collaboration with business analysts, who define business-level requirements, OptimalJ 3.3 integrates with SteelTrace Catalyze. The three third-party products can be purchased for an additional cost.

Vantage Analyzer for J2EE monitors the J2EE application server and applications running on it. “The importance of this is that the application [is] really the traffic cop that directs all the activity,” Williams said. “You have to look inside that application server to understand the application performance completely. It turns the lights on inside the J2EE black box.” 

The product was designed to provide comprehensive monitoring out of the box and does not require a lot of coding, Williams said. The debut version of Vantage Analyzer for J2EE carries the version number of 2.2.

DevPartner Java Edition 3.3 features memory analysis and performance profiling, catching performance bottlenecks and memory leaks earlier in the life cycle, according to Compuware.

When looking for memory leaks, the product keeps track of object persistence to prevent false positives on memory leaks. Performance analysis functions in Version 3.3, meanwhile, enable users to granularly point to a specific module or method. “Rather than hone in on an entire session with an application, they can hone in on the code of interest that they want to profile,” said Williams.

DevPartner Java Edition 3.3 also supports the Eclipse 3.0 IDE and JUnit testing for code.

All three of the new products are available Monday. OptimalJ 3.3 pricing starts at $2,200. DevPartner Java Edition 3.3 prices begin at $2,300. Vantage Analyzer for J2EE starts at $5,800.

Infragistics, meanwhile, is releasing TestAdvantage, which provides automated regression testing of the presentation layer, or user interface, in Windows Forms applications built on the .Net platform. TestAdvantage functions with Infragistics’ NetAdvantage presentation layer toolset and features custom libraries built using Mercury Interactive’s QuickTest Professional .Net technology.

Testing of the presentation layer is typically done when new functionality is added to an application or when fixing an application, said Dean Guida, president and CEO of Infragistics. “Instead of having a person do that [testing], you can use these automated tools to have the computer do that,” Guida said.

The suggested retail price of TestAdvantage 2004 Volume 3, which is the first release of the product, is $2,995 for a one-year subscription.