Architecture for a scalable and user-extensible heap dump analysis tool
AssigneeOracle International Corporation
InventorsHarlan Sexton, Robert Lee, Peter Benson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heap analyzer that processes a snapshot of the heap contained in a dump file is described. The heap analyzer tool can be configured to relocate the pointers in the dumped heap and allow developers to examine the heap in web browser by presenting markup for displaying a heap object in the browser and rendering pointers in the object as clickable links. When a link is selected, the pointer is followed to another object and markup is generated for rendering that object with its links. Furthermore, callbacks may be provided through an application programming interface (API) to allow developers to furnish their own code for analyzing and displaying their data structures.
Claims24
A method for analyzing a heap, comprising:
- receiving, from a user, input that specifies a callback routine;
- storing data that identifies the callback routine specified by the user;
- loading a dump file into volatile memory, wherein the dump file contains an image of objects that have been dynamically allocated by a process executing in a run-time environment;
- in response to user input, while the dump file is loaded into the volatile memory, inspecting the data to identify the callback routine specified by the user;
- issuing a callback to the callback routine to cause the callback routine to perform at least one of:
- generating a visual display that represents at least a part of an object stored in the image contained in the dump file, or
- traversing links between objects stored in the image contained in the dump file.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.