Methods for analyzing dynamic program behavior using user-defined classifications of an execution trace

A system for analyzing dynamic behavior of a computer program using user-defined classifications of an execution trace, the system comprising:

• a database describing the execution of the program, the database including
• i. static information obtained from the program source, and
• ii. dynamic information describing particular executions of the program;
• means for structuring the database into entities, each of the entities containing a single type of information about the program execution, each entity comprised of elements representing individual program elements of said single type, each element having attributes with values describing the element;
• an execution slice mechanism for augmenting the database by classifying every element of the database as a member of zero or more user defined execution slices;
• and
• a visualizer for analyzing dynamic behavior of the program using the execution slices.

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for analyzing dynamic behavior of a computer program using user-defined classifications of an execution trace, said method steps comprising:

• forming a database describing the execution of the program, the database including
• i. static information obtained from the program source, and
• ii. dynamic information describing particular executions of the program;
• structuring the database into entities, each of the entities containing a single type of information about the program execution, each entity comprised of elements representing individual program elements of said single type, each element having attributes with values describing the element;
• augmenting the database by classifying each element of the database as a member of zero or more user defined execution slices;
• and
• analyzing dynamic behavior of the program using the execution slices.