Method and apparatus for autonomic test case feedback using hardware assistance for data coverage

• US 20050210439A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Urquhart, Robert John, Levine, Frank Eliot, Dimpsey, Robert Tod
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/348 Circuit details, i.e. tracer hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3676 for coverage analysis

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for presenting coverage data relating to data access occurring during execution of code. The coverage data containing data access indicators associated with memory locations is obtained. The data access indicators that have been set by a processor in the data processing system in response to access of the memory locations during execution of the code by the processor are identified to form set data access indicators. Each set instruction access indicator is associated with a portion of the memory locations allocated for the code. A presentation for coverage data is generated, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for presenting coverage data relating to data access occurring during execution of code, the method comprising:

obtaining the coverage data containing data access indicators associated with memory locations;

identifying the data access indicators that have been set by a processor in the data processing system in response to access of the memory locations during execution of the code by the processor to form set data access indicators, wherein each set instruction access indicator is associated with a portion of the memory locations allocated for the code; and

generating a presentation for coverage data, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying unset data access indicators that have remained unset during execution of the code by the processor, wherein the unset data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the presentation is generated after the code has completed execution and further comprising:

receiving new test parameters after generating the presentation; and

in response to receiving the new test parameters, repeating the obtaining step, the identifying step, and the generating step.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation using a first color and wherein the unset instruction access indicators are identified in the presentation using a second color.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation using a graphical indicator and wherein the unset instruction access indicators are identified in the presentation using the graphical indicator.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step includes:

creating a call flow tree including an identification of accessed data areas.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step is performed in response to an event.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the event is at least one of a completion of the execution of the code, expiration of a time, and the execution of a selected type of instruction in the code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the memory locations is a single memory location in the code and wherein every memory location in the memory locations is associated with a different data access indicator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the memory locations includes at least one of a memory area or a single memory location.

11. A data processing system for presenting coverage data relating to data access occurring during execution of code, the data processing system comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining the coverage data containing data access indicators associated with memory locations;

identifying means for identifying the data access indicators that have been set by a processor in the data processing system in response to access of the memory locations during execution of the code by the processor to form set data access indicators, wherein each set instruction access indicator is associated with a portion of the memory locations allocated for the code; and

generating means for generating a presentation for coverage data, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the identifying means is the first identifying means and further comprising:

second identifying means for identifying unset data access indicators that have remained unset during execution of the code by the processor, wherein the unset data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the presentation is generated after the code has completed execution and further comprising:

receiving means for receiving new test parameters after generating the presentation; and

repeating means, responsive to receiving the new test parameters, for repeating the obtaining means, the identifying means, and the generating means.

14. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation using a first color and wherein the unset instruction access indicators are identified in the presentation using a second color.

15. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation using a graphical indicator and wherein the unset instruction access indicators are identified in the presentation using the graphical indicator.

16. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the generating means includes:

creating means for creating a call flow tree including an identification of accessed data areas.

17. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the generating means is performed in response to an event.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the event is at least one of a completion of the execution of the code, expiration of a time, and the execution of a selected type of instruction in the code.

19. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the portion of the memory locations is a single memory location in the code and wherein every memory location in the memory locations is associated with a different data access indicator.

20. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein the portion of the memory locations includes at least one of a memory area or a single memory location.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for presenting coverage data relating to data access occurring during execution of code, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for obtaining the coverage data containing data access indicators associated with memory locations;

second instructions for identifying the data access indicators that have been set by a processor in the data processing system in response to access of the memory locations during execution of the code by the processor to form set data access indicators, wherein each set instruction access indicator is associated with a portion of the memory locations allocated for the code; and

third instructions for generating a presentation for coverage data, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

fourth instructions for identifying unset data access indicators that have remained unset during execution of the code by the processor, wherein the unset data access indicators are identified in the presentation.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the presentation is generated after the code has completed execution and further comprising:

fifth instructions for receiving new test parameters after generating the presentation; and

sixth instructions, responsive to receiving the new test parameters, for repeating the first instructions, the second instructions, and the third instructions.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation using a first color and wherein the unset instruction access indicators are identified in the presentation using a second color.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the set data access indicators are identified in the presentation using a graphical indicator and wherein the unset instruction access indicators are identified in the presentation using the graphical indicator.

26. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the third instructions includes:

first sub-instructions for creating a call flow tree including an identification of accessed data areas.