A POWERFUL HIGH-LEVEL DEBUGGER FOR PARALLEL PROGRAMS

The testing and debugging of complex programs has always been one of the most cost-determining factors in software design. This is even more true when parallel programs are considered. Debugging them is often based on a debugging cycle. First we make an assumption about the probable source of the bug, and next the validity of this assumption is verified. By repeatedly applying this technique, we try to limit the search-space until eventually the bug is resolved. There is a great need however for powerful high-level tools that enable the localization of bugs without indulging in this time-consuming error-prone debugging cycle. This paper describes such a high-level debugging tool, based on the animation of a program on its hierarchical-graphical representation.