Functional debugger for debugging software programs

Details Functional debugger for debugging software programs Functional debugger for debugging software programs

1999-06-10

2002-07-30

Khatri, Anil (Department: 2122)

Data processing: software development, installation, and managem

Software program development tool

Testing or debugging

C717S129000, C717S142000, C717S144000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06427232

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to information processing systems and more particularly to a methodology and implementation for debugging software programs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the preparation and design of software for execution within a computerized system, a great deal of time is spent in what is known as “debugging” the initial versions of the software or program. Debugging is the process of testing and verifying the program under varying conditions to ensure that the program will operate as intended under any situation and in many different systems. Debugger programs are generally used in the debugging process. Debugging programs are executed within a computer system and operate on the program being developed. Program developers work at a computer workstation and provide various inputs to the testing computer system, which is generally a PC or computer workstation. The user inputs are processed by a debugger program which operates on the code being tested and provides resulting outputs to the user or developer. This is an exhausting iterative and very intensive process which can take a great deal of time before a program has been thoroughly debugged and ready for release to an operational environment.
During the debugging process, it is sometimes determined that the basic flow of a program under test needs to be changed for any of many possible reasons. Unfortunately, much of the time, that decision is made after many hours, days and even months have already been spent in debugging the developing program. Once the basic flow is changed, the developing program will need to be fully debugged again and all of the initial debugging time using the initial flow of the developing program will be lost. Sometimes, especially in object oriented program design, the program designer may only want to know the control flow of each method involved without having to know the detail flow within each method. The designer may also want to know when the control flows from one method to another, or the class of the current executed method without having to remember or reference any opened file.
Thus, there is a need for an improved methodology and implementing system which enables a user to test a program under development for control flows within the program and to provide positive output to the user with regard to control flow of the program.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and implementing computer system is provided in which a software analyzing program is operable to display to a user the flow of a program being analyzed. The program flow is illustrated in an example by highlighting, on a displayed program structural representation, the methods referenced in corresponding calls detected in the program code being analyzed. In one example, a user is able to select an automatic sequencing through the flow of a program being analyzed and to designate a preferred display time duration for each step of the displayed sequencing, or to be prompted to proceed step-by-step through the flow of the code being analyzed.


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