Abstract: Guide information according to a hierarchy of a given character string is sequentially acquired in response to an input of character strings for describing a source program, and only the guide information is displayed depending on an input status of the character string. Characters input from an input device for software description are coupled with each other to create an input character string. The created input character string is divided for each of the number of hierarchies on the basis of the number of hierarchies sectioned by a member access operator indicative of an access to a member of a structure or a class to acquire hierarchical character strings and hierarchy numbers thereof. The corresponding hierarchy of the hierarchical database is searched with the hierarchical character string as a search key for each of the acquired hierarchy numbers.

Abstract: Guide information according to a hierarchy of a given character string is sequentially acquired in response to an input of character strings for describing a source program, and only the guide information is displayed depending on an input status of the character string. Characters input from an input device for software description are coupled with each other to create an input character string. The created input character string is divided for each of the number of hierarchies on the basis of the number of hierarchies sectioned by a member access operator indicative of an access to a member of a structure or a class to acquire hierarchical character strings and hierarchy numbers thereof. The corresponding hierarchy of the hierarchical database is searched with the hierarchical character string as a search key for each of the acquired hierarchy numbers.