System and method for data coverage analysis of a computer program

• Main Authors: Mattson, Jr., James S, Man, Richard F
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 06.08.2002

This invention is directed to a method and system for providing data coverage analysis of a computer program. The inventive system and method is directed toward verifying the accuracy of data tables specified by a developer to be used by a program. The system searches through an application program for instructions which access areas of memory declared by the developer as being of interest and executes instrumentation code for these instructions. Input to the program is the source code of a user program and optionally, a data coverage specification prepared by a developer. Instrumentation can be implemented by inserting instrumenting code into the source code prior to compilation using facilities within the compiler itself. Alternatively, the instrumentation code can be added to the executable program code after compilation is complete. Yet a third option involves generating and executing instrumentation during execution of the user program without ever modifying the user program code at any stage. The output of the system is data coverage information indicating the number of times that various elements of the data tables of interest have been accessed during one full run of the user program. The system thereby provides a mechanism for evaluating the integrity of data to be accessed by a program where prior instrumentation systems have concentrated on verifying the validity of program logic flow.