Method and apparatus for associating metadata attributes with program elements

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for associating metadata attributes with program elements, the method comprising:

• receiving source code for a program, wherein the source code contains syntactic elements that specify metadata attributes for program elements, wherein the metadata attributes do not affect program execution;
• parsing the source code to obtain the metadata attributes;
• associating the metadata attributes with corresponding program elements;
• determining values associated with the metadata attributes;
• and
• incorporating the metadata attributes, including identifiers for the associated values and the associated program elements, into object code for the program, thereby allowing the metadata attributes to be accessed from the object code, wherein the process of accessing metadata attributes from the object code takes place at run-time.

An apparatus that associates metadata attributes with program elements, comprising:

• a parser that is configured to parse source code to obtain the metadata attributes;
• wherein the source code contains syntactic elements that specify metadata attributes for program elements;
• wherein the metadata attributes do not affect program execution;
• and
• a metadata processing mechanism that is configured to,
• associate the metadata attributes with corresponding program elements,
• determine values associated with the metadata attributes, and to
• incorporate the metadata attributes, including identifiers for the associated values and the associated program elements, into object code for the program, thereby allowing the metadata attributes to be accessed from the object code, wherein the process of accessing metadata attributes from the object code takes place at run-time.