Premium
Implementation of the blit debugger
Author(s) -
Cargill Thomas A.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380150204
Subject(s) - debugger , computer science , bitmap , operating system , asynchronous communication , process (computing) , set (abstract data type) , debugging , terminal (telecommunication) , host (biology) , interface (matter) , programming language , schedule , embedded system , computer graphics (images) , computer network , telecommunications , ecology , bubble , maximum bubble pressure method , biology
joff is an asynchronous, source‐level, break‐and‐examine debugger for C programs running on the Blit, a programmable bitmap terminal, joff is implemented as two processes: a small process running in the terminal and a larger process running in a time‐sharing host. The constraints on its design and a menu‐driven user interface combine to present an unusual set of implementation difficulties. The way the problems were tackled and the degree to which they were solved may be interesting to those designing other debuggers. Operating system designers should assess the merits of a debugger that runs asynchronously with its subject and consider providing the necessary support.