Using DDBG to support testing and high-level debugging interfaces

Abstract

This paper describes our experience with the design and implementation of a distributed debugger for C/PVM programs within the scope of the SEPP and HPCTI Copernicus projects. These projects aimed at the development of an integrated parallel software engineering environment based on a high-level graphical parallel programming model (GRAPNEL) and a set of associated tools supporting graphical edition, compilation, simulated and real parallel execution, testing, debugging, performance monitoring, mapping, and load balancing. We discuss how the development of the debugging tool was strongly influenced by the requirements posed by other tools in the environment, namely support for high-level graphical debugging of GRAPNEL programs, and support for the integration of static and dynamic analysis tools. We describe the functionalities of the DDBG debugger and its internal architecture, and discuss its integration with two separate tools in the SEPP/HPCTI environment: the GRED graphical editor for GRAPNEL programs, and the STEPS testing tool for C/PVM programs.