JPH02210556A - Visualizing device for program execution state - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect bugs with less trouble by displaying a source program on a display device by a display means and displaying position information, execution information, or the like, which is in course of execution, of the source program in a prescribed range. CONSTITUTION:At the time of debugging the source program, the source program is displayed with a step as the unit on a display device 3-1 by a display means 3 of an execution state monitor device 2. The execution state of an execution type program in a computer main body device 1 is monitored by a monitor means to send position information to a detecting means, and a correspondence table is referred by a detecting means to detect the step being in course of execution of the source program, and the detected step is indicated with a cursor on the display device 3-1 by the display means 3, and variable values at this time are displayed on the display device. Thus, a programmer visually recognizes the flow of the program and the change of variable values on the display device 3-1 correspondingly to steps of the source program.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a program execution state visualization device during debugging, the purpose of this invention is to provide a program execution state visualization device that can detect bugs with less effort. It consists of a computer main unit that executes the program, and an execution status monitoring device that monitors the program executed by the computer main unit and displays its status, and the execution status monitoring device monitors the program executed by the computer main unit. display means for displaying an original source program; storage means for storing a correspondence between each step of the source program and execution position information (line number) of the executable program; monitoring means for monitoring and detecting state information of the executable program; and detecting means for detecting a predetermined position of the source program stored in the storage means based on the position information of the executable program detected by the monitoring means. The display means is configured to display the source program on the display and also display position information, execution information, etc. during execution of the source program in a predetermined range based on information detected by the monitoring means and the detection means. do.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a program execution state visualization device that allows the program execution state to be visually recognized during program debugging.

Programs used in computers rarely work as intended by the creator immediately after they are created, so it is necessary to compile and assemble the created source program using the computer's own program and convert it into machine language that can be executed by the computer. ■For example, an execution (load) module that converts a source program into one that can be executed by a computer by linking with the system program, which is a basic library provided in the system, such as accessing and reading external storage devices. (executable program) and run it.
■For example, when performing addition and finding the addition result, check the relationship between the input and output data of the value to be added and the addition result, and ■If there is a problem with the result, review the source program. As a result, it has been common practice to estimate the location of the bug, remove the bug, and then repeat the steps from step 2 again.

In this case, estimating the location of the bug by reviewing the source program requires a great deal of experience and intuition, and is also time-consuming. There is a need to provide tools that can be used to find out.

Furthermore, it is desired that this tool be able to easily and visually see which part of the source program has a bug.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional execution module, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram showing the use of a conventional debugging device.

Conventionally, there is a method shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in order to easily determine or find the location of a bug.

The method shown in Figure 6 compiles the source program,
When assembling, converting into machine language, and linking it with a system program to create an execution module, the source program is: (1) executed up to a specified line and then stopped;

■Display the value of the specified variable.

■Execute one step at a time and stop.

There are programs that create an execution module by incorporating a debugging program with commands such as commands, and run it.

In this case, it is possible to display the executed step, machine language display of the executed line, and variable values on the display device, and from the variable values, it can be determined whether or not there is probably a bug in the executed part.

Another method shown in FIG. 7 does not incorporate a debugging program, but instead compiles, assembles, and links an execution module in the debugging device 21 having a display device 20, and debugs the processor of the computer used. replacing the processor of the device 21 by attaching a probe and debugging;
Similar to the above, there are devices that display on the display device 20 for debugging.

In addition, with these methods, when debugging is completed and the program is to be actually executed, the source program must be newly linked to the system program to create an execution module.
Furthermore, when a debugging device is used, it must be installed and removed from the computer being used, which is time-consuming.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, when specifying lines, the author must look at a printed list of the source program, and even if a buggy line or step is found, he or she must consider it in relation to the source program. However, there is a problem that it takes time and effort.

Also, if the variable value is not displayed even after some time, you need to examine the source program to find out whether an infinite loop has occurred or whether the memory area that stores instructions has become corrupted and no longer works. It takes time and effort to understand! ',
'J) There is ijy.

The present invention is a program execution state visualization device that displays a source program that the creator is familiar with, the state of its execution flow, and the values of variables on a display, and can detect bugs with little effort. intended to provide.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, it consists of a computer main unit 1 that executes an executable program, and an execution state monitoring device 2 that monitors the program executed by the computer main unit 1 and displays its status. The monitoring device 2 includes a display unit 3 that displays a source program that is the source of the program executed by the computer main unit 1, and a display unit 3 that displays each step of the source program and execution position information (line number) of the executable program. A storage means 4 for storing correspondence, a monitoring means 5 for monitoring and detecting status information of the executable program being executed by the computer main unit 1, and a monitoring means 5 for monitoring and detecting status information of the executable program being executed by the computer main unit 1; and a detection means 6 for detecting a predetermined position of the source program stored in the storage means 4.

Then, the display means 3 displays the source program on the display, and based on the information detected by the monitoring means 5 and the detection means 6, the position information, execution information, etc. of the source program being executed is displayed within a predetermined range. It is something.

[For production]

In the case of the present invention, when a source program is made into an executable program, a correspondence table indicating the lines of the executable program corresponding to the steps (commands) of the source program is created and stored in the storage means 4 together with the source program. I'll keep it.

When debugging the source program, the display means 3 of the execution state monitoring device 2 displays the source program step by step, and the execution state of the executable program on the computer main body device 1 is monitored by the monitoring means 5. , the position information is sent to the detection means 6, the detection means 6 refers to the above correspondence table, detects the step of the source program being executed, and displays the detected step on the display means 3. It is displayed with a cursor, and the variable value at that time is also displayed on the display.

Therefore, the creator can see the flow of the program and changes in variable values on the display corresponding to the steps of the source program.

Therefore, if the value of the variable is incorrect, you know that there is a bug in the step of the source program that the cursor is displaying at that time, and if the variable value is not displayed even after a while, the cursor display Since the step in the source program is stopped, it is easy to find the step with the bug, and the step is either in an infinite loop or the storage area of the instruction is corrupted, so the bug can be detected easily. can be easily found.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a program execution state visualization device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a correspondence table showing rows of execution modules corresponding to instructions of a source program according to an embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 4 is an execution sequence diagram of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the display on the display device of the embodiment of the present invention.

The source program to be debugged is stored on the external storage device 4-1.
When the computer main unit 1 compiles and assembles the source program and converts it into machine language, it creates a correspondence table as shown in FIG.
Store it at -1.

Also, it is linked with the system program to create an execution module and stored in the external storage device 4-1.

To explain the correspondence table using Fig. 3, suppose that the source program is to calculate the value of variable a with the value 30, the value of variable 20, and the value of variable This is a correspondence table that associates instructions (steps) with lines of machine language, but since it is difficult to understand in machine language, if we show it in compiled words instead, as shown in the figure, the memory address assigned to variable a is 30 is stored, 20 is stored in the memory address assigned to variable s, the value of address a is moved to register 1, the value of address b is moved to register 2, and the value of address b is moved to register 1 and register 2. Add the values and store the added value in register 3.
, and the value of register 3 is moved to the memory address assigned to variable X.

In FIG. 2, the computer main unit 1 includes a processor 15, a memory 16 . The execution status monitoring device 2 is composed of an input/output control device 17 and a processor 11 . Memory 10, communication register 1
2.13, display control device 3 that controls display device 3-1;
It consists of an external storage control device 4 that controls an external storage device 4-1, and the computer main unit 1, the communication registers 12, 13 of the execution state monitoring device 2, the external storage control device 4, and the display control device 3 are connected to each other via a bus. It is connected at

Further, the processor 15 of the computer main unit 1 and the communication register 12 of the execution state monitoring device 2 are connected by an interrupt line, and the communication register 13 of the execution state monitoring device 2 and the processor 11 are connected by an interrupt line. They are configured to mutually control interrupts.

During debugging, the processor 15 of the computer main unit 1 concentrates on executing the execution module and communicating with the execution state monitoring device 2, and the processor 11 of the execution state monitoring device 2 focuses on communication with the computer main unit 1 and displaying information. It concentrates on moving the cursor and displaying variable values indicating the execution status of the source program on the device 3-1.

That is, each time the computer main unit 1 executes the execution module one step at a time, the value of the program counter (EX
e) and the value of the variable are written to the communication register 13.

As a result, an interrupt is generated to the processor 11, and upon learning that a message has arrived from the computer main unit 1 and writing the ACK to the communication register 12, an interrupt is generated to the processor 15, and the ACK response is recognized. .

By performing such operations, the execution state monitoring device 2 refers to the correspondence table of the external storage device 4-1 via the external storage control device 4, and when the execution of the step of the source program is completed, the execution state monitoring device 2 As shown in Figure 5, the values of the variables on the source program at that time are displayed on the display device 3-1 via the display control device 3, and the cursor position indicating the step being executed in the source program is moved to the next line. move it.

In this way, the source program creator can see the flow of the program and changes in variable values in comparison with the steps of the source program with which he or she is familiar, which is displayed on the display device 3-1. If the value of the variable is incorrect, you know that there is a bug in the step of the source program at the current cursor position, and if the variable value is not displayed even after a while, the step of the source program where the cursor is Since it is stopped at , you can easily find the step with the bug, and the step is
Bugs can be easily found because they are either an infinite loop or the storage area for the instruction is corrupted.

At this time, the bus indicated by ■ in FIG. 2 is used.

When debugging is complete and you want to return the source program to the normal program execution state, enter a command from the keyboard 9 to use the bus ■, and the source program can be returned to the actual execution state. , it is possible to reduce the effort required to bring the program into the actual execution state.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, the source program that the creator is familiar with, the state of its execution flow, and the variable values at that time are displayed on the display device.
This has the effect of making it easier to detect bugs in source programs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a visualization device for program execution status according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a system for visualizing a program execution state according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an execution sequence diagram of an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display on a display device of an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a diagram of a conventional example. Figure 7 showing the configuration of an example execution module.
The figure is a block diagram showing the use of a conventional debugging device. In the figure, 1 is a computer main unit, 2 is an execution state monitoring device, 3 is a display control device, display means, 3-1 is a display device, 4 is an external storage control device, storage means, 4-1 is an external storage device, 5 is a monitoring means, 6 is a detection means, 9 is a keyboard, 10.16 is a memory, 11.15 is a processor, 12.13 is a communication register, 17 is an input/output control device, and 21 is a debug device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Consisting of a computer main unit (1) that executes an executable program, and an execution state monitoring device (2) that monitors the program executed by the computer main unit (1) and displays its status. The execution state monitoring device (2) is connected to the computer main body device (1).
); display means (3) for displaying the source program that is the source of the program executed by the program; and storage means (3) for storing the correspondence between each step of the source program and the execution position information (line number) of the executable program. 4); monitoring means (5) for monitoring and detecting status information of the executable program being executed by the computer main unit (1); and position information of the executable program detected by the monitoring means (5). and detection means (6) for detecting a predetermined position of the source program stored in the storage means (4).
The source program is displayed on the display by the display means (3), and the position information and execution of the source program are displayed based on the information detected by the monitoring means (5) and the detection means (6). A program execution state visualization device characterized by displaying information, etc. in a predetermined range.