Fast source file to line number table association

• US 20060059467A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Kendrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3624 by performing operations on the source code, e.g. via a compiler

Abstract

A mechanism is provided in a debugger for building a file information database while significantly reducing debug startup time. For each line number table, the mechanism of the present invention reads the header section and determines all the source files that contribute to the line number table. The mechanism also makes note of the line number table offset. The mechanism then inserts the source filename into the file information database. In one preferred embodiment, the file information database is implemented as a hash table. Searching time occurs during an interactive debug session; therefore, the searching time is not easily detectable to a user, thus creating the perception of a faster interactive debugging session.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for associating files with line number table in a debugger, the method comprising:

for each line number table, examining header information for source files that contribute to the line number table; and

for each source file that contributes to a line number table, storing an entry in a file information database, wherein the entry associates the source file with a line number table offset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file information database includes a hash table.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein storing an entry in the file information database includes storing a key:

value pair in the hash table, wherein a name of a source file is a key and a line number table offset is a value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query for a breakpoint, wherein the query includes a filename and a line number;

looking up the filename in the file information database to obtain a line number table offset; and

looking up the line number using the line number table offset to obtain a machine address.

5. A method, in a data processing system, for setting a breakpoint in a debugger, the method comprising:

receiving a query for a breakpoint, wherein the query includes a filename and a line number;

looking up the filename in a file information database to obtain a line number table offset; and

looking up the line number using the line number table offset to obtain a machine address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the file information database includes a hash table.

7. An apparatus, in a data processing system, for associating files with line number table in a debugger, the apparatus comprising:

means for examining, for each line number table, header information for source files that contribute to the line number table; and

means for storing, for each source file that contributes to a line number table, an entry in a file information database, wherein the entry associates the source file with a line number table offset.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the file information database includes a hash table.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for storing an entry in the file information database includes means for storing a key:

value pair in the hash table, wherein a name of a source file is a key and a line number table offset is a value.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for receiving a query for a breakpoint, wherein the query includes a filename and a line number;

means for looking up the filename in the file information database to obtain a line number table offset; and

means for looking up the line number using the line number table offset to obtain a machine address.

11. An apparatus, in a data processing system, for setting a breakpoint in a debugger, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a query for a breakpoint, wherein the query includes a filename and a line number;

means for looking up the filename in a file information database to obtain a line number table offset; and

means for looking up the line number using the line number table offset to obtain a machine address.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the file information database includes a hash table.

13. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for associating files with line number table in a debugger, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for examining, for each line number table, header information for source files that contribute to the line number table; and

instructions for storing, for each source file that contributes to a line number table, an entry in a file information database, wherein the entry associates the source file with a line number table offset.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the file information database includes a hash table.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions for storing an entry in the file information database includes instructions for storing a key:

value pair in the hash table, wherein a name of a source file is a key and a line number table offset is a value.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for receiving a query for a breakpoint, wherein the query includes a filename and a line number;

instructions for looking up the filename in the file information database to obtain a line number table offset; and

instructions for looking up the line number using the line number table offset to obtain a machine address.

17. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for setting a breakpoint in a debugger, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for receiving a query for a breakpoint, wherein the query includes a filename and a line number;

instructions for looking up the filename in a file information database to obtain a line number table offset; and

instructions for looking up the line number using the line number table offset to obtain a machine address.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the file information database includes a hash table.