Determining the status of plurality of threads by monitoring the execution of folded thread

• US 9,886,305 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Krauss, Kirk J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHAFFARI, ABU Z
• Application Number:
  US15/130,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20160232040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3017 where the computing system is implementing multitasking multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• 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 11/3089 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in sensing the monitored data, e.g. interfaces, connectors, sensors, probes, agents software debugging using additional hardware using a specific debug interface G06F11/3656; performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3612 by runtime analysis performance monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3644 by instrumenting at runtime
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/48 Program initiating; Program switching, e.g. by interrupt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

A computer hardware system configured to perform runtime analysis and runtime control of a multithreaded computer program includes at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to initiate and/or perform the following. A plurality of the threads are folded, under control of a supervisor thread, together to be executed as a single folded thread. The execution of the folded thread is monitored to determine a status of the threads. At least one indicator corresponding, to the determined status of the threads, is presented in a user interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing runtime analysis and runtime control of a multithreaded computer program, comprising:

folding, under control of a supervisor thread, a plurality of threads together to be executed as a single folded thread;

monitoring the execution of the folded thread to determine a status of the plurality of the threads; and

presenting in a user interface at least one indicator corresponding to the determined status of the plurality of the threads.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, in a list of folded threads, a first thread that is currently executing; and

identifying a thread tracking structure associated with the first thread.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

state data of the first thread is stored at a memory location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

the memory location is indicated by the thread tracking structure associated with the first thread.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the folding includes

copying state data of a second thread of the plurality of threads, and

applying the copied state data to be used as state data for a first thread of the plurality of threads.

6. A computer program product, comprising:

a hardware storage device having stored therein computer usable program code for performing runtime analysis and runtime control of a multithreaded computer program,

the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform;

folding, under control of a supervisor thread, a plurality of threads together to be executed as a single folded thread;

monitoring the execution of the folded thread to determine a status of the plurality of the threads; and

presenting in a user interface at least one indicator corresponding to the determined status of the plurality of the threads.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein

the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:

identifying, in a list of folded threads, a first thread that is currently executing; and

identifying a thread tracking structure associated with the first thread.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein

state data of the first thread is stored at a memory location.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein

the memory location is indicated by the thread tracking structure associated with the first thread.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein

the folding includes

copying state data of a second thread of the plurality of threads, and

applying the copied state data to be used as state data for a first thread of the plurality of threads.

11. A computer hardware system configured to perform runtime analysis and runtime control of a multithreaded computer program, comprising

at least one hardware processor, wherein the at least one hardware processor is configured to initiate and/or perform:

folding, under control of a supervisor thread, a plurality of threads together to be executed as a single folded thread;

monitoring the execution of the folded thread to determine a status of the plurality of the threads; and

presenting in a user interface at least one indicator corresponding to the determined status of the plurality of the threads.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to initiate and/or perform:

identifying, in a list of folded threads, a first thread that is currently executing; and

identifying a thread tracking structure associated with the first thread.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

state data of the first thread is stored at a memory location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein

the memory location is indicated by the thread tracking structure associated with the first thread.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein

the folding includes

copying state data of a second thread of the plurality of threads, and

applying the copied state data to be used as state data for a first thread of the plurality of threads.