Coupling Categories

Stamp

¨      Module m1 and m2 are stamped coupled if m1 passes a data structure (DS) to m2 and not all data items of DS are used by m2.  May inadvertently modify data it doesn’t need

¨      Advantages

·        Reduces the number of parameters being passed and is a good technique for passing large control structures.

·        Useful for when the environment limits the number of parameters that can be passed.

¨      Consequences

·        Like common coupling changes to the structure effect the modules that pass the structure.

·        A desirable goal is limiting the references in each module to only those data elements that the module is supposed to reference.

·        If a module references a common environment, it is difficult to use that module elsewhere.