Registration-based remote debug watch and modify
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorCharles R. Lefurgy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A remote debugging technique provides anonymity of program variables and selective debugging capability by providing a registration facility by which program variables are registered locally with a debugging module. An external program then communicates with the debugging modules and observes and/or modifies the program variables by specifying either an index or a variable name. The need to publish symbols is thereby averted and only the variables that a developer is interested in observing need be registered.
Claims17
A computer-performed method for observing data values within storage locations of a computer program during execution of the computer program within a computer system, the method comprising:
- a processor of the computer system executing program instructions of the computer program that register individual ones of the storage locations with a debugging module located in the same address space as the computer program, wherein the storage locations are storage locations that store corresponding ones of the data values;
- receiving requests at the debugging module from an external program, wherein the requests specify particular ones of the data values corresponding to storage locations that have been registered by the registering;
- the debugging module retrieving the particular data values from their corresponding storage locations;
- the debugging module completing the requests by sending the particular data values from the debugging module to the external program;
- and
- displaying the particular data values at a display accessible by the external program.
A computer system comprising a processor for executing program instructions coupled to a memory for storing the program instructions, wherein the program instructions are program instructions for observing data values within storage locations of a computer program during execution of the computer program within the computer system, and wherein the program instructions comprise:
- program instructions of the computer program that register individual ones of the storage locations with a debugging module located in the same address space as the computer program, wherein the storage locations are storage locations that store corresponding ones of the data values;
- program instructions of the debugging module that receive requests at the debugging module from an external program, wherein the requests specify particular ones of the data values corresponding to storage locations that have been registered by the registering;
- program instructions of the debugging module that retrieve the particular data values from their corresponding storage locations;
- and
- program instructions of the debugging module that complete the requests by sending the particular data values from the debugging module to the external program.
A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage device that is not a signal or carrier wave storing program instructions for execution by a computer system, wherein the program instructions are program instructions for observing data values within storage locations of a computer program during execution of the computer program within the computer system, wherein the program instructions comprise:
- program instructions of the computer program for registering individual ones of the storage locations with a debugging module located in the same address space as the computer program, wherein the storage locations are storage locations that store corresponding ones of the data values;
- program instructions of the debugging module for receiving requests from an external program, wherein the requests specify particular ones of the data values corresponding to storage locations that have been registered by the registering;
- program instructions of the debugging module for retrieving the particular data values from their corresponding storage locations;
- and
- program instructions of the debugging module for completing the requests by sending the particular data values from the debugging module to the external program.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.