Pluggable debugging interface for graphical notation diagrams

• US 20070260929A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Liu, Peter, Stevens, Matthew, Frisino, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3644 by instrumenting at runtime
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software

Abstract

A low-level process, which was mapped from a high-level graphical notation diagram, is debugged using the high-level graphical notation diagram. To debug the low-level process, a debugging interface allows a user to set and track breakpoints and other debug events from the high-level graphical notation diagram. When a breakpoint or other debug event is encountered during low-level processing, the high-level graphical notation diagram is updated to show the status of the low-level process.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method for debugging a low-level process associated with a graphical notation diagram comprising:

setting one or more high-level debug events on one or more graphical elements in the graphical notation diagram;

initiating a debug mode, wherein initiating the debug mode includes evaluating the one or more graphical elements in the diagram to identify the one or more high-level debug events; and

generating a set of pending event requests, wherein the set of pending event requests is generated by creating an event request for each of the one or more high-level debug events.

2. The machine-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a low-level debug event output from the low-level process;

comparing the detected low-level debug event to the set of pending event requests; and

if the detected low-level debug event corresponds to an event request in the set of pending event requests, updating the graphical notation diagram.

3. The machine implemented method of claim 2, wherein updating the graphical notation diagram includes changing the appearance of a graphical element in the graphical notation diagram that is associated with the low-level debug event.

4. The machine-implemented method of claim 3, wherein changing the appearance of the graphical element in the graphical notation diagram includes highlighting the graphical element in the graphical notation diagram that is associated with the low-level debug event.

5. The machine-implemented method of claim 3, wherein updating the graphical notation diagram includes displaying current state information for the graphical element in the graphical notation diagram that is associated with the low-level debug event.

6. The machine-implemented method of claim 2, wherein updating the graphical notation diagram includes displaying a set of instructions from the low-level process.

7. The machine-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the one or more high-level debug events includes at least one breakpoint.

8. The machine-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the one or more high level events includes a step event.

9. The machine-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the low-level debug events includes a breakpoint.

10. The machine-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the low-level debug event includes a step event.

11. The machine-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the graphical notation diagram is a BPMN diagram and the low-level process is a BPEL process.

12. A machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to debug a low-level process associated with a graphical notation diagram comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to set one or more high-level debug events on one or more graphical elements in the graphical notation diagram;

instructions for causing one or more processors to initiate a debug mode, wherein the instructions for initiating the debug mode include instructions for evaluating the one or more graphical elements in the diagram to identify the one or more high-level debug events; and

instructions for causing one or more processors to generate a set of pending event requests, wherein the set of pending event requests is generated by creating an event request for each of the one or more high-level debug events.

13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising:

instructions for causing one or more processors to detect a low-level debug event output from the low-level process;

instructions for causing one or more processors to compare the detected low-level debug event to the set of pending event requests; and

if the detected low-level debug event corresponds to an event request in the set of pending event requests, instructions for causing one or more processors to update the graphical notation diagram.

14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions for causing one or more processors to update the graphical notation diagram include instructions for causing one or more processors to change the appearance of a graphical element in the graphical notation diagram that is associated with the low-level debug event.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions for causing one or more processors to change the appearance of the graphical element in the graphical notation diagram include instructions for causing one or more processors to highlight the graphical element in the graphical notation diagram that is associated with the low-level debug event.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions for causing one or more processors to update the graphical notation diagram includes include instructions for causing one or more processors to display current stat information for the graphical element in the graphical notation diagram that is associated with the low-level debug event.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions for causing one or more processors to update the graphical notation diagram includes include instructions for causing one or more processors to display a set of instructions from the low-level process.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more high-level debug events includes at least one breakpoint.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one of more high level events include a step event

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the low-level debug events includes a breakpoint.

21. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the low-level debug event includes a step event.

22. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the graphical notation diagram is a BPMN diagram and the low-level process is a BPEL process.