Error list and bug report analysis for configuring an application tracer

• US 9,575,874 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Gautallin, Renat, Gounares, Alexander G., Fraser, Christopher W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Assistant Examiner(s): THATCHER, CLINT A
• Application Number:
  US14/642,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20160266998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 717/128
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3072 where the reporting involves data filtering, e.g. pattern matching, time or event triggered, adaptive or policy-based reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3093 Configuration details thereof, e.g. installation, enabling, spatial arrangement of the probes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

Error logs, bug reports, and other databases identifying problems with a tracer system may be mined to determine how a tracer may interact with a given function, module, or other group of functions. Based on such reports, a tracer may be configured to avoid certain functions or to trace such functions in a specific manner. In some cases, tracer may be configured to limit tracing to certain parameters or with other limitations to avoid any known conditions under which errors occur.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying problems when an application is traced with a tracer in order to determine how a tracer may interact with a given function, module, or other group of functions, the computer-implemented method being performed by one or more processors executing computer executable instructions for the computer-implemented method, and the computer-implemented method comprising:

generating an error report that identifies one or more conditions which have caused tracing operations to fail when attempting to trace one or more functions of an application;

storing the error report in a database;

searching the error report stored in the database to identify an error that caused failure of a tracing operation related to tracing a first function, said first function being called during execution of an application with a tracer;

updating a tracer list with an entry related to said first function, said tracer list being referenced by said tracer during execution of said application with said tracer; and

subsequently using said tracer list to identify said first function and to cause said tracer to perform at least one of the following when subsequently attempting to trace the first function;

not trace said first function;

or

altering a tracing configuration used when tracing the first function by reducing the level of tracing used for the first function.

2. The method of claim 1, said entry comprising a first condition under which said first function is not to be traced.

3. The method of claim 2, said first condition being derived from metadata associated with said first error.

4. The method of claim 3, said metadata comprising a second function being called as part of said application.

5. The method of claim 3, said metadata comprising a software configuration under which said first error occurred.

6. The method of claim 3, said metadata comprising a hardware configuration under which said first error occurred.

7. The method of claim 3, said error being identified by said tracer.

8. The method of claim 7, said error being added to said error database by said tracer.

9. The method of claim 3, said error being identified by a user, said first error being added to said error database by at least one user action.

10. The method of claim 1, said tracer list being updated during said execution of said application with said tracer.

11. The method of claim 1, said error report stored in the database comprising errors gathered during tracing a plurality of applications.

12. The method of claim 11, said error being encountered during execution of a second application with said tracer.

13. A computing system comprising:

at least one or more processors;

a database which stores an error report that identifies one or more conditions which have caused tracing operations to fail when attempting to trace one or more functions of an application;

one or more devices providing computer memory for storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to be configured with a tracer list manager that identifies problems when an application is traced with a tracer in order to determine how a tracer may interact with a given function, module, or other group of functions, by performing the following;

searches the error report stored in the database to identify an error that caused failure of a tracing operation related to tracing a first function, said first function being called during execution of an application with a tracer;

updates a tracer list with an entry related to said first function, said tracer list being referenced by said tracer during execution of said application with said tracer; and

subsequently uses said tracer list to identify said first function and causes said tracer to perform at least one of the following when subsequently attempting to trace the first function;

not trace said first function;

or

alter a tracing configuration used when tracing the first function by reducing the level of tracing used for the first function.

14. The system of claim 13, said error report stored in the database comprising errors gathered from a plurality of tracer runs.

15. The system of claim 14, said error report stored in the database comprising errors gathered from a plurality of tracer runs performed on a plurality of different applications.

16. The system of claim 15, said error occurring while tracing a second application.

17. The system of claim 13, said entry comprising a first condition under which said first function is not to be traced.

18. The system of claim 17, said tracer list defining a second condition under which said first function is to be traced.

19. The system of claim 13, said first function being defined by a module name.

20. A computer program product comprising one or more computer hardware storage device containing stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, implement a method for identifying problems when an application is traced with a tracer in order to determine how a tracer may interact with a given function, module, or other group of functions, and the implemented method comprising:

generating an error report that identifies one or more conditions which have caused tracing operations to fail when attempting to trace one or more functions of an application;

storing the error report in a database;

searching the error report stored in the database to identify an error that caused failure of a tracing operation related to tracing a first function, said first function being called during execution of an application with a tracer;

updating a tracer list with an entry related to said first function, said tracer list being referenced by said tracer during execution of said application with said tracer; and

subsequently using said tracer list to identify said first function and to cause said tracer to perform at least one of the following when subsequently attempting to trace the first function;

not trace said first function;

or altering a tracing configuration used when tracing the first function by reducing the level of tracing used for the first function.