Collaborative software debugging in a distributed system with private debug sessions
First Claim
1. A method of collaborative software debugging in a distributed system, the distributed system comprising a debug server, a plurality of debug clients, and a data communications network, the debug server coupled for data communications to the plurality of debug clients through the data communications network, the debug server comprising a debug administrator, a message router, a back-end debugger, and a debuggee, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the debug server from the debug clients asynchronously during a debug session of the debuggee, a plurality of application-level messages, including receiving, from a requesting debug client, a request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee, including;
replacing, by the back-end debugger at a stopped location in debuggee execution, original debuggee instructions with private debug session fork instructions;
executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee, wherein executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee further comprises;
instantiating a private instance of the debuggee; and
waiting, by the private instance of the debuggee, in a loop; and
receiving, by the back-end debugger, a fork notification that includes an identifier of the private instance of the debuggee;
forking, by the back-end debugger, into a private instance of the back-end debugger, including attaching, in dependence upon the identifier, the private instance of the debuggee in a private debug session;
inserting, by the private instance of the back-end debugger at the stopped location in the private instance of the debuggee, a breakpoint;
releasing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the private instance of the debuggee from the loop;
responsive to the release, returning, by the private instance of the debuggee, to the stopped location;
encountering, by the private instance of the debuggee, the breakpoint, thereby stopping execution of the private instance of the debuggee;
replacing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the original debuggee instructions at the stopped location; and
instantiating, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, with a graphical user interface (‘
GUI’
) of the requesting debug client, data communications; and
routing, by the message router in accordance with an application-level message passing protocol, the application-level messages among the debug clients, the debug administrator, and the back-end debugger, thereby providing distributed control of the back-end debugger to the debug clients with application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, including forwarding, to the back-end debugger, the request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee; and
returning, by the debug server to the debug clients in response to the application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, client-specific debug results, including establishing the private debug session of the debuggee for the requesting debug client.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a distributed system that includes a debug server and debug clients coupled for data communications through a data communications network, collaborative software debugging is carried out with private debug sessions. The debug server includes a debug administrator, a message router, a back-end debugger, and a debuggee. Collaborative software debugging includes receiving, by the debug server from the debug clients, application-level messages. Collaborative software debugging can also include routing, by the message router, the application-level messages among the debug clients, the debug administrator, and the back-end debugger. Collaborative software debugging can also include returning, by the debug server to the debug clients in response to the application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, client-specific debug results, including establishing the private debug session of the debuggee for the requesting debug client.
135 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of collaborative software debugging in a distributed system, the distributed system comprising a debug server, a plurality of debug clients, and a data communications network, the debug server coupled for data communications to the plurality of debug clients through the data communications network, the debug server comprising a debug administrator, a message router, a back-end debugger, and a debuggee, the method comprising:
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receiving, by the debug server from the debug clients asynchronously during a debug session of the debuggee, a plurality of application-level messages, including receiving, from a requesting debug client, a request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee, including; replacing, by the back-end debugger at a stopped location in debuggee execution, original debuggee instructions with private debug session fork instructions; executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee, wherein executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee further comprises; instantiating a private instance of the debuggee; and waiting, by the private instance of the debuggee, in a loop; and receiving, by the back-end debugger, a fork notification that includes an identifier of the private instance of the debuggee; forking, by the back-end debugger, into a private instance of the back-end debugger, including attaching, in dependence upon the identifier, the private instance of the debuggee in a private debug session; inserting, by the private instance of the back-end debugger at the stopped location in the private instance of the debuggee, a breakpoint; releasing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the private instance of the debuggee from the loop; responsive to the release, returning, by the private instance of the debuggee, to the stopped location; encountering, by the private instance of the debuggee, the breakpoint, thereby stopping execution of the private instance of the debuggee; replacing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the original debuggee instructions at the stopped location; and instantiating, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, with a graphical user interface (‘
GUI’
) of the requesting debug client, data communications; androuting, by the message router in accordance with an application-level message passing protocol, the application-level messages among the debug clients, the debug administrator, and the back-end debugger, thereby providing distributed control of the back-end debugger to the debug clients with application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, including forwarding, to the back-end debugger, the request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee; and returning, by the debug server to the debug clients in response to the application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, client-specific debug results, including establishing the private debug session of the debuggee for the requesting debug client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for collaborative software debugging in a distributed system, the distributed system comprising a debug server, a plurality of debug clients, and a data communications network, the debug server coupled for data communications to the plurality of debug clients through the data communications network, the debug server comprising a debug administrator, a message router, a back-end debugger, and a debuggee, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:
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receiving, by the debug server from the debug clients asynchronously during a debug session of the debuggee, a plurality of application-level messages, including receiving, from a requesting debug client, a request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee, including; replacing, by the back-end debugger at a stopped location in debuggee execution, original debuggee instructions with private debug session fork instructions; executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee, wherein executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee further comprises; instantiating a private instance of the debuggee; and waiting, by the private instance of the debuggee, in a loop; and receiving, by the back-end debugger, a fork notification that includes an identifier of the private instance of the debuggee; forking, by the back-end debugger, into a private instance of the back-end debugger, including attaching, in dependence upon the identifier, the private instance of the debuggee in a private debug session; inserting, by the private instance of the back-end debugger at the stopped location in the private instance of the debuggee, a breakpoint; releasing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the private instance of the debuggee from the loop; responsive to the release, returning, by the private instance of the debuggee, to the stopped location; encountering, by the private instance of the debuggee, the breakpoint, thereby stopping execution of the private instance of the debuggee; replacing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the original debuggee instructions at the stopped location; and instantiating, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, with a graphical user interface (‘
GUI’
) of the requesting debug client, data communications; androuting, by the message router in accordance with an application-level message passing protocol, the application-level messages among the debug clients, the debug administrator, and the back-end debugger, thereby providing distributed control of the back-end debugger to the debug clients with application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, including forwarding, to the back-end debugger, the request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee; and returning, by the debug server to the debug clients in response to the application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, client-specific debug results, including establishing the private debug session of the debuggee for the requesting debug client. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product for collaborative software debugging in a distributed system, the distributed system comprising a debug server, a plurality of debug clients, and a data communications network, the debug server coupled for data communications to the plurality of debug clients through the data communications network, the debug server comprising a debug administrator, a message router, a back-end debugger, and a debuggee, the computer program product stored in a computer readable storage memory, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a computer processor of a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of:
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replacing, by the back-end debugger at a stopped location in debug gee execution, original debuggee instructions with private debug session fork instructions; executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee, wherein executing the private debug session fork instructions of the debuggee further comprises; instantiating a private instance of the debuggee; and waiting, by the private instance of the debuggee, in a loop; and receiving, by the back-end debugger, a fork notification that includes an identifier of the private instance of the debuggee; forking, by the back-end debugger, into a private instance of the back-end debugger, including attaching, in dependence upon the identifier, the private instance of the debuggee in a private debug session; inserting, by the private instance of the back-end debugger at the stopped location in the private instance of the debuggee, a breakpoint; releasing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the private instance of the debug gee from the loop; responsive to the release, returning, by the private instance of the debuggee, to the stopped location; encountering, by the private instance of the debuggee, the breakpoint, thereby stopping execution of the private instance of the debuggee; replacing, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, the original debuggee instructions at the stopped location; and instantiating, by the private instance of the back-end debugger, with a graphical user interface (‘
GUI’
) of the requesting debug client, data communications; androuting, by the message router in accordance with an application-level message passing protocol, the application-level messages among the debug clients, the debug administrator, and the back-end debugger, thereby providing distributed control of the back-end debugger to the debug clients with application-level messages routed to the back-end debugger, including forwarding, to the back-end debugger, the request to establish a private debug session of the debuggee; and returning, by the debug server to the debug clients in response to the application level messages routed to the back-end debugger, client-specific debug results, including establishing the private debug session of the debug gee for the requesting debug client. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification