A Tool for Layered Analysing and Debugging of Distributed Programs

Abstract

Analyzing and debugging distributed programs is much more difficult than analyzing and debugging sequential programs. One of the reasons is the communication among programs (processes) which may happen concurrently and nondeterministically. To be able to analyse such communication events is therefore an essential task for any distributed program analyzer/debugger. This paper describes the design and implementation of a tool for layered analyzing and debugging of distributed programs. In the highest level, the tool displays the communication relationships between programs (eg, server and client programs). In the second level, the communication between processes is displayed. In the third level, the communication between events is displayed. The forth level is the lowest level: it uses a text editor to show the relevant statements that carry out the communication. The tool has been regularly used in analyzing and debugging student assignments on distributed programming for three years.