US 6,205,576 B1 · Method and apparatus for identifying indirect messaging relationships between software entities

Abstract

A system and method for identifying indirect messaging relationships between software entities. Within a source code repository, all occurrences of calls to interface functions are identified together with communications objects to which these calls pertain. Each interface function call is categorized as either a “send” or a “receive” interface function call. A relationship is identified when a pair of interface function calls are located which pertain to the same communications object and one of the pair has a “send” type and the other of the pair has a “receive” type. By identifying pairs of this type, relationships between hierarchical software entities which contain the interface function calls are also simultaneously identified.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

means for reading source code files;
memory means for storing an indirect messaging table and indirect messaging relationships table;
means for performing reverse engineering on the source code files comprising:
means for identifying all constructs within the source code which are interface function calls and storing each of these in a record in the indirect messaging table, and including in each record a respective communications object identifier used in the respective interface function call;
and
means for identifying all pairs of records in the indirect messaging table consisting of a first record relating to a “send” type interface function call and a second record relating to a “receive” type interface function call with both the first and second records containing the same communications object identifier and storing for each pair a record in the indirect messaging relationships table.

3 more elements

A method to be performed on or with the aid of one or more processors comprising the steps of:

performing software reverse engineering on source code to identify indirect messaging relationships between software containment entities in the source code by:
searching for all constructs within the source code which are interface function calls and storing each of these in a record in an indirect messaging table, each record also comprising a respective communications object identifier used in the respective interface function call, and an identifier of a respective software containment entity within which the respective construct appears;
searching for all pairs of records in the indirect messaging table consisting of a first record relating to a “send” type interface function call and a second record relating to a “receive's” type interface function call with both the first and second records containing the same communications object identifier;
whereby each such pair of records provides an identification of an indirect messaging relationship between the software containment entity in the first record and the software containment entity in the second record.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for identifying indirect messaging relationships between software entities

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for identifying indirect messaging relationships between software entities

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14