Custom API modeling for source code static analysis simulator

• US 20060190923A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jubran, Marwan E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44589 Program code verification, e.g. Java bytecode verification, proof-carrying code high-level semantic checks G06F8/43; testing and debugging software G06F11/36

Abstract

In processing an external function for which source code is not available, such as an application program interface (API), a model is used to evaluate whether the external function is properly invoked. An error potentially resulting from improper invocation of the external function and at least one condition that will result in the potential error are identified. The model is created to test for the condition that will result in the potential error. When the condition is found, generation of an error message is triggered. The model is associated with a source code analyzer such that when the source code is analyzed by the source code analyzer, the model is applied to evaluate invocation of the external function. The potential error and conditions that result in the error, such as input/output parameter errors and dependency errors, may be derived from documentation describing the operation of the external function or API.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing invocation of an external function for which function source code implementation is not available, comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying at least one potential error resulting from improper invocation of the external function by source code;

(b) identifying at least one condition that will result in the potential error;

(c) creating a model of the function to test for the at least one condition that results in the potential error and that will trigger generation of an error message when the condition is found; and

(d) associating the model with a source code analyzer such that when the source code is analyzed by the source code analyzer, the model is applied to evaluate invocation of the external function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external function includes an application program interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying the at least one condition that will result in the potential error based upon requirements for implementing the external function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one of:

(a) an incorrect input type of an input parameter acceptable to the application program interface;

(b) an incorrect input content range of the input parameter acceptable to the application program interface;

(c) an incorrect output type for an output parameter generatable by the application program interface;

(d) an incorrect output content range of the output parameter generatable by the application program interface;

(e) a failure to invoke a prerequisite function that must be invoked prior to invocation of the external function; and

(f) a failure to invoke a post-requisite function that must be invoked after the invocation of the external function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the model is created using a plurality of primitives usable to test for the at least one condition that results in the potential error.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the source code analyzer includes a model repository configured to store the model created, such that the source code analyzer can access the model upon evaluating source code and identifying a reference to the external function.

7. A memory medium having machine executable instructions stored for carrying out the steps of claim 1.

8. A method for adapting a source code analyzer to evaluate an external function for which function source code implementation is not available, comprising the steps of:

(a) adapting the source code analyzer to recognize and analyze the external function;

(b) identifying at least one potential error resulting from improper invocation of the external function by source code;

(c) identifying at least one condition that will result in the potential error;

(d) creating a model of the function to test for the at least one condition that results in the potential error and that will trigger generation of an error message when the condition is found;

(e) incorporating the model within the source code analyzer such that when the source code is analyzed by the source code analyzer, the model is applied to evaluate invocation of the external function; and

(f) including the error message triggered by the model in an error report generated by the source code analyzer when analyzing the source code.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the external function includes an application program interface.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of identifying the at least one condition that will result in the potential error based upon requirements for implementing the external function.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one of:

(a) an incorrect input type of an input parameter acceptable to the application program interface;

(b) an incorrect input content range of the input parameter acceptable to the application program interface;

(c) an incorrect output type for an output parameter generatable by the application program interface;

(d) an incorrect output content range of the output parameter generatable by the application program interface;

(e) a failure to invoke a prerequisite function that must be invoked prior to invocation of the external function; and

(f) a failure to invoke a post-requisite flunction that must be invoked after the invocation of the external function.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the model is created using a plurality of primitives usable to test for the at least one condition that results in the potential error.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the source code analyzer includes a model repository configured to store the model created, such that the source code analyzer can access the model upon evaluating source code and identifying a reference to the external function.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of adapting the source code analyzer to evaluate a plurality of external functions included in a binary library included in a software development kit provided for use with a selected computing environment.

15. A memory medium having machine executable instructions stored for carrying out the steps of claim 8.

16. A system for analyzing invocation of an external function for which function source code implementation is not available, the system comprising:

(a) at least one user input device;

(b) a display;

(c) a processor in communication with the input device and the display; and

(d) a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

(i) identifying at least one potential error resulting from improper invocation of the external function by source code;

(ii) identifying at least one condition that will result in the potential error;

(iii) creating a model of the function to test for the at least one condition that results in the potential error and that will trigger generation of an error message when the condition is found; and

(iv) associating the model with a source code analyzer such that when the source code is analyzed by the source code analyzer, the model is applied to evaluate invocation of the external function.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the external function includes an application program interface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to identify the at least one condition that will result in the potential error based upon requirements for implementing the external function.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one of:

(a) an incorrect input type of an input parameter acceptable to the application program interface;

(b) an incorrect input content range of the input parameter acceptable to the application program interface;

(c) an incorrect output type for an output parameter generatable by the application program interface;

(d) an incorrect output content range of the output parameter generatable by the application program interface;

(e) a failure to invoke a prerequisite function that must be invoked prior to invocation of the external function; and

(f) a failure to invoke a post-requisite function that must be invoked after the invocation of the external function.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the model is created using a plurality of primitives usable to test for the at least one condition that results in the potential error.