Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1994-12-05
2001-04-10
Feild, Joseph H. (Department: 2176)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C717S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216143
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for presenting software code, and in particular, providing a visual indication of an order of execution of displayed software code.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Software programmers work with systems which display software code so that the programmers may, for example, edit and debug the code. While viewing such software code trace, it can be difficult to identify the instructions within the code that have been executed prior to a currently-executed instruction. The advent of trace facilities, and source-code debuggers, may make the task of code debugging easier; however, the complexity of software code is likewise increasing. In addition, software code is not typically executed in a straight sequential path. Unless the code is simple, it tends to have numerous control instructions distributed throughout (for example, FOR loops, WHILE loops, DO loops, IF constructs, and at the lowest level, branch instructions). With the increase in the complexity of software functionality, software modules are becoming more complex as well. Moreover, object-oriented programming compounds the problem; the increase in “jumping” in and out of object-oriented methods makes remembering which instructions had been executed more difficult.
Software trace analysis tools typically provide the programmer/analyst with a “singular view” of the code being executed. For example, only the currently-executed code instruction is usually highlighted with these tools. The task of remembering which instruction was executed just prior to the currently-executed instruction is left to the memory of the programmer/analyst. Accordingly, it can be difficult for a programmer/analyst to remember and identify the sequence in which the instructions were executed, which makes it difficult to trace execution of software code.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for illustrating an order of execution of software code. It presents at least portions of software code on a display device with the software code representing instructions for operation of a computer under control of a program. It then presents with the displayed instructions of the software code a visual indication of an order of execution of the displayed instructions. In a preferred embodiment, the system and method present the instructions in a plurality of colors, with the colors corresponding to the order of execution of the code.
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Turbo Debugger Version 2.0 User's Guide, Borland, pp. 28-29, 62-91, 304-305, 338-339, 1990.*
Turbo Debugger User's Guide, Borland, Version 2.0, 1990, pp28-29, 62-91, 304-305, 338-339.
Fillipi Steven M.
Gall Thomas Alan
Ryan Jeffrey Michael
Feild Joseph H.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Merchant & Gould
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