Apparatus and method for debugging software

• US 7,188,338 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US10/304,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 717124-138
• US Class Current: 717/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software

Abstract

In a software debugging apparatus, dump information formed by a hardware simulator is acquired and analyzed. When displaying the result of the analysis, information when software has operated hardware and information when the hardware has changed the value of an I/O register are separately displayed.

Claims

1. A software debugging apparatus comprising:

acquisition means for acquiring dump information formed by a hardware simulator;

discrimination means for discriminating between operation-result information relating to a result of operating hardware by software and change-result information relating to a result of a change by the hardware; and

display means for displaying the operation-result information and the change-result information, such that the displayed operation-result information is distinguishable from the displayed change-result information.

2. A software debugging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said acquisition means can communicate information with the hardware simulator, and directly acquires the dump information in cooperation with the hardware simulator.

3. A software debugging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting contents of display by said display means.

4. A software debugging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said setting means sets a display form.

5. A software debugging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said setting means sets action items as the contents of display.

6. A software debugging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said setting means sets each register whose data is to be displayed.

7. A software debugging method comprising the steps of:

acquiring dump information formed by a hardware simulator;

discriminating between operation-result information relating to a result of operating hardware by software and change-result information relating to a result of a change by the hardware; and

displaying the operation-result information and the change-result information, such that the displayed operation-result information is distinguishable from the displayed change-result information.

8. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program for controlling a computer to perform software debugging, said program comprising codes for causing the computer to perform the steps of:

acquiring dump information formed by a hardware simulator;

discriminating between operation-result information relating to a result of operating hardware by software and change-result information relating to a result of a change by the hardware; and

displaying the operation-result information and the change-result information, such that the displayed operation-result information is distinguishable from the displayed change-result information.