Virtual typing executables

A non-transitory computer program product for modifying a computer program, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer recordable storage medium;
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for replacing a number of original code segments in the computer program with a number of virtual types configured to receive new values for current values form instruction strings formatted for interactions with the number of virtual types during execution of the computer program;
• a header file, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for defining a number of values associated with the number of virtual types;
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for receiving an instruction string comprising a command line switch, a new value for a virtual type, and instructions to replace a current value in the virtual type with the new value;
• and
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, utilizing the header file for replacing, responsive to the instructions, the current value in the virtual type with the new value, wherein the new value modifies the computer program, and wherein the computer program is modified while the computer program is executed by a processor unit.

A data processing system for modifying a computer program, the data processing system comprising:

• a bus system;
• a communications system coupled to the bus system;
• a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes the computer program containing a number of virtual types formatted for interactions with a number of instruction strings, wherein the computer program has been previously modified by replacing a number of code segments with a number of virtual types;
• a header file stored in the memory, wherein the header defines a number of values associated with the number of virtual types;
• and
• a processor unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processor unit executes the computer program, utilizing the header file, to receive an instruction string comprising a command line switch, a new value for a virtual type, and instructions to replace a current value associated with the virtual type with the new value in the computer program while the processor unit executes the computer program, wherein a behavior of the computer program is modified by an interaction between the virtual type and the instruction string while executing the computer program.