Minimizing debug information for global types in compiled languages
US6226786A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 17, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 1, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 17, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/3624
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention provides a technique for generating minimal debugging type information in a distinguished compile unit while still supporting the debugging of classes for which the distinguished compile unit is not, in this module, being built or debugged, where the debugging information for the classes has been previously compiled into one or more object modules. On detecting a reference to a type in a program, the compiler inserts code into the module it is compiling to direct the linker where to locate the debugging information object module describing that type. Usually, the object module will be located in a separate link library, so the compiler directs the linker to add the debug library to the list of libraries from which it tries to resolve symbolic references, and to add a reference to an external linkage symbol defined in the object module describing the type. The linker will have to resolve this symbol by adding the debug library into the link.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.