Method, system, and computer program product to generate test instruction streams while guaranteeing loop termination

At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of generating a terminating instruction stream including at least one backward branching instruction, said method comprising:

• generating a first instruction stream, said first instruction stream including at least one backward branching instruction and a plurality of loop components, each of said at least one backward branching instructions being preceded by one or more of said loop components, said loop components including;
• one or more branch initialization instructions;
• and
• one or more forward branching instructions;
• determining a set of target addresses for each of said one or more forward branching instructions;
• producing the terminating instruction stream from the first instruction stream, by selecting a target address from said set of target addresses for each of said one or more forward branching instructions.

A data processing system for generating a terminating instruction stream including at least one backward branching instruction, said data processing system including a memory, said memory containing program code for performing the steps of:

• generating a first instruction stream, said first instruction stream including at least one backward branching instruction and a plurality of loop components, each of said at least one backward branching instructions being preceded by one or more of said loop components, said loop components including;
• one or more branch initialization instructions;
• and
• one or more forward branching instructions;
• determining a set of target addresses for each of said one or more forward branching instructions;
• producing the terminating instruction stream from the first instruction stream, by selecting a target address from said set of target addresses for each of said one or more forward branching instructions.