Method and apparatus for breakpoint analysis of computer programming code using unexpected code path conditions
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsCary Lee Bates, Paul W. Buenger
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Abstract
A conditional breakpoint for debugging computer programming code includes a condition identifying of one or more expected code paths used to reach the breakpoint. The breakpoint is triggered if it is reached during execution using an unexpected code path. Preferably, an expected code path is identified by specifying the expected preceding breakpoint, by specifying basic code blocks which should or should not be encountered before the breakpoint, or some combination thereof. The expected code path condition may be used alone or in conjunction with any conventional breakpoint condition.
Claims10
A method for analyzing a computer program, comprising the steps of:
- defining a plurality of breakpoints for said computer program, at least one of said breakpoints including a respective expected code path condition;
- executing said computer program;
- with respect to each breakpoint including a respective expected code path condition encountered during execution of said computer program, automatically determining whether an actual code path taken during execution of said computer program matches the respective expected code path condition of the encountered breakpoint;
- and
- automatically halting execution of said program if said actual code path taken during execution of said computer program does not match the expected code path condition regardless of the condition of any key variable specified as a condition of the conditional breakpoint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.