Metadata-driven binding of converted source code to original source code

A computer implemented method for converting source code from a first high level language to a second high level language, wherein said method comprises:

• a computing device comprising circuitry:
• receiving a command to translate the source code from the first high level language to source code in the second high level language different from the first high level language;
• accessing the source code in the first high level language;
• analyzing the source code in the first high level language;
• generating a data structure representative of the source code in the first high level language, wherein the data structure includes at least an identification of each symbol used within the source code in the first high level language;
• analyzing the data structure to identify symbols corresponding to a semantic entity;
• for each symbol identified as corresponding to a semantic entity:
• generating a globally unique identifier for the symbol comprising at least a fully qualified name within a given namespace;
• associating the globally unique identifier with the symbol;
• determining whether the symbol corresponds to an existing definition for the symbol, wherein the definition is a semantic entity definition in the source code in the first high level language;
• storing data that associates the symbol with the existing definition, in response to determining the symbol corresponds to an existing definition for the symbol;
• generating the source code in the second high level language;
• generating metadata, wherein the metadata maps symbols corresponding to a semantic entity in the source code of the second high level language to symbols corresponding to a semantic entity definition in the source code of the first high level language;
• and
• outputting the second source code and the metadata such that the metadata is associated with the second source code;
• a storage device storing the second source code and metadata.

A computing device configured to:

• receive a command to translate source code from a first high level language to source code in a second high level language different from the first high level language;
• access a first storage device storing the source code in the first high level language;
• analyze the source code in the first high level language;
• generate a data structure representative of the source code in the first high level language, wherein the data structure includes at least an identification of each symbol used within the source code in the first high level language;
• analyze the data structure to identify symbols corresponding to a semantic entity;
• for each symbol identified as corresponding to a semantic entity:
• generate a globally unique identifier for the symbol comprising at least a fully qualified name within a given namespace;
• associate the globally unique identifier with the symbol;
• determine whether the symbol corresponds to an existing definition for the symbol, wherein the definition is a semantic entity definition in the source code in the first high level language;
• store data that associates the symbol with the existing definition, in response to determining the symbol corresponds to an existing definition for the symbol;
• generate the source code in the second high level language;
• generate metadata, wherein the metadata maps symbols corresponding to a semantic entity in the source code of the second high level language to symbols corresponding to a semantic entity definition in the source code of the first high level language;
• and
• output the second source code and the metadata to a second storage device such that the metadata is associated with the second source code.