Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software program development tool – Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
1996-11-04
2001-06-12
Powell, Mark R. (Department: 2122)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software program development tool
Translation of code
C712S244000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247169
ABSTRACT:
COPYRIGHTS IN PATENT MATERIALS
Portions of this patent document contain material subject to copyright restriction. The copyright owner has no objection to facsimile reproduction of the patent document after grant, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights relating thereto.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of software and more particularly software structured exception handling mechanisms and methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Since initial creation of the C programming language by Dennis Ritchie in the 1970's, considerable research and development of programming languages has produced various exception handling mechanisms. Exceptions are program flow deviations in which alternate processing deals with particular error conditions. This requires additional code to establish alternate program flows and to record error circumstances and termination of software execution. The additional code may distract software programmers reviewing main program flow, particularly if large blocks of alternate program are interspersed in the software code under review. The additional code is moreover typically implemented ad hoc in poorly drafted fashion, detracting from code readability and maintainability. While the C programming language is flexible enough to permit such ad hoc program flows, the resultant code is often obscure and defective. To test and debug such code is costly and time consuming. This creates inefficiencies in code production and fails to provide much certainty that errors and defects in new software code have actually been completely eliminated.
Cumbersome and clumsily crafted exception handling code further contributes to increased software bulk in implementing selected software functionalities. Unfortunately, clumsy and cumbersome code is prevalent and ubiquitous in software programs recently developed.
It is accordingly desirable to simplify exception handling flows in new software code. It is additionally desirable to reduce the clutter of repetitive variations of software code created for exception handling methods and mechanisms. Additionally, it is desirable to reduce the absolute number of lines of code in newly coded software. It is further desirable to simplify software error code handling, to reduce code-writing workloads for software programmers, and to permit a greater focus on quality and completeness of new software code during development. It is further desirable to simplify life cycle maintenance processes for newly developed software.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, an embedded exception handling software construct encapsulates at least a single selected software code region in a software program. Encapsulation of the selected code region ensures structured exception handling within the execution scope of the encapsulated software. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the range of the structured exception handling extends beyond the lexical scope of the encapsulated code and includes its run-time dynamic scope. In another embodiment of the present invention, a nested exception handling software construct services exceptions within correspondingly nested software code regions. Layered exception handling at multiple selected levels is accordingly accomplished according to the present invention. Additionally, under the present invention, a default exception handling construct responds to undefined error conditions which arise during execution.
According to the present invention, program flow control is implemented with a software construct triggered by identification of an error condition. In particular, according to the present invention, possible errors (i.e., “error conditions”) are identified by predetermined values and reported using primitives called during program run-time.
The exception handling mechanism according to the present invention particularly reports the file and line number at which an exception occurs, directly identifying bug locations without time-consuming error location efforts. Further, the software developer is saved from having to determine which of many potential program exits have been taken during program execution. The handling and reporting of exceptions, according to the present invention, is additionally distributed over several handlers to facilitate coding, error reporting, and error recovery. According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, exception reporting and handling functions are grouped locally or remotely to optimize processing operation and increase code perspicuity.
The present invention accordingly provides an alternative to ad hoc program control flow management upon error detection. The structured exception-handling mechanism of the present invention further operates in the C programming language without requiring compiler modifications.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5500881 (1996-03-01), Levin et al.
patent: 5628016 (1997-05-01), Kukol
patent: 5784613 (1998-07-01), Tamirisa
Boone. Java Essentials for C and C++ Programmers. Addison-Wesley Developers Press. pp. 31-32, Apr. 1996.
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Powell Mark R.
Sun Microsystems Inc.
Zhen Wei
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