Topic: Debugging approach !!!!

Debugging approach

In general, three categories for debugging approaches may be proposed.
• Brute force
• Back tracking
• Cause elimination

The brute force category of debugging is probably the most common and efficient method for isolating the cause of a software error. Brute force debugging methods are applied when all methods of debugging fail. Using a philosophy, memory dumps are taken, run time traces are invoked and the program is loaded with WRITE statement. When this is done, one finds a clue by the information produced which leads to cause of an error.

Backtracking is a common debugging approach that can be used successfully in small programs. Beginning at the site where a symptom has been uncovered, the source code is traced backward (manually) until the site of the cause is found. This process has a limitation when the source lines are more.

Cause Elimination is manifested by induction or deduction and introduces the concept of binary partitioning. Data related to the error occurrence are organized to isolate potential causes.

Alternatively, a list of all possible causes is developed and tests are conducted to eliminate each.

If initial tests indicate that a particular cause hypothesis shows promise the data are refined in an attempt to isolate the bug.