Comparing two models for software debugging

Abstract

This paper extends previous work on the representation and analysis of Java programs for diagnosis in a new direction by providing a description and analysis of the issues arising from handling object references in dependency-based models of Java programs. We empirically compare dependency-based models with a value-based model using a set of example programs in terms of required user interaction (questions put to the user) and examine and incorporate specific interesting error categories. Apart from being based on experience with an actual implementation of the various models, the model extensions and analysis deal with aliasing, an issue that the programming language community has been examining for a long time, and that is also crucial to object-orientedness.