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Slicing class hierarchies in C++

Authors:

Jong-Deok Choi,

G. RamalingamAuthors Info & Claims

ACM SIGPLAN Notices, Volume 31, Issue 10

Pages 179 - 197

https://doi.org/10.1145/236338.236355

Published: 01 October 1996 Publication History

Abstract

This paper describes an algorithm for slicing class hierarchies in C++ programs. Given a C++ class hierarchy (a collection of C++ classes and inheritance relations among them) and a program P that uses the hierarchy, the algorithm eliminates from the hierarchy those data members, member functions, classes, and inheritance relations that are unnecessary for ensuring that the semantics of P is maintained.Class slicing is especially useful when the program P is generated from a larger program P' by a statement slicing algorithm. Such an algorithm eliminates statements that are irrelevant to a set of slicing criteria---program points of particular interest. There has been considerable previous work on statement slicing, and it will not be the concern of this paper. However, the combination of statement slicing and class slicing for C++ has two principal applications: First, class slicing can enhance statement slicing's utility in program debugging and understanding applications, by eliminating both executable and declarative program components irrelevant to the slicing criteria. Second, the combination of the two slicing algorithms can be used to decrease the space requirements of programs that do not use all the components of a class hierarchy. Such a situation is particularly common in programs that use class libraries.

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Cited By

Zang Wvan Engelen R(2018)Schema Slicing Methods to Reduce Development Costs of WSDL-Based Web Services2018 IEEE International Conference on Web Services (ICWS)10.1109/ICWS.2018.00049(310-314)Online publication date: Jul-2018
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICWS.2018.00049
Kessel MAtkinson CKruchten PBecker SSchneider J(2015)Measuring the Superfluous Functionality in Software ComponentsProceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGSOFT Symposium on Component-Based Software Engineering10.1145/2737166.2737180(11-20)Online publication date: 4-May-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2737166.2737180
Han ZChen S(2009)A Novel Algorithm for Construction Control Dependence SubgraphProceedings of the 2009 International Conference on Multimedia Information Networking and Security - Volume 0110.1109/MINES.2009.156(158-162)Online publication date: 18-Nov-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/MINES.2009.156
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Index Terms

Slicing class hierarchies in C++
1. Software and its engineering
  1. Software notations and tools
    1. General programming languages
      1. Language features
        Data types and structures
      2. Language types
        Object oriented languages
2. Theory of computation
  1. Semantics and reasoning
    1. Program constructs
      1. Type structures

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Copyright © 1996 ACM.

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Publication History

Published: 01 October 1996

Published in SIGPLAN Volume 31, Issue 10

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Cited By

Zang Wvan Engelen R(2018)Schema Slicing Methods to Reduce Development Costs of WSDL-Based Web Services2018 IEEE International Conference on Web Services (ICWS)10.1109/ICWS.2018.00049(310-314)Online publication date: Jul-2018
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICWS.2018.00049
Kessel MAtkinson CKruchten PBecker SSchneider J(2015)Measuring the Superfluous Functionality in Software ComponentsProceedings of the 18th International ACM SIGSOFT Symposium on Component-Based Software Engineering10.1145/2737166.2737180(11-20)Online publication date: 4-May-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2737166.2737180
Han ZChen S(2009)A Novel Algorithm for Construction Control Dependence SubgraphProceedings of the 2009 International Conference on Multimedia Information Networking and Security - Volume 0110.1109/MINES.2009.156(158-162)Online publication date: 18-Nov-2009
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/MINES.2009.156
Silva JVidal G(2007)Forward slicing of functional logic programs by partial evaluationTheory and Practice of Logic Programming10.5555/1230960.12309687:1-2(215-247)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2007
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1230960.1230968
SILVA JVIDAL G(2007)Forward slicing of functional logic programs by partial evaluationTheory and Practice of Logic Programming10.1017/S14710684060028707:1-2(215-247)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2007
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1471068406002870
Meusel MCzarnecki KKöpf W(2006)A model for structuring user documentation of object-oriented frameworks using patterns and hypertextECOOP'97 — Object-Oriented Programming10.1007/BFb0053392(496-510)Online publication date: 23-May-2006
https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0053392
Harman MHierons R(2002)An overview of program slicingSoftware Focus10.1002/swf.412:3(85-92)Online publication date: 25-Jan-2002
https://doi.org/10.1002/swf.41
Tip FLaffra CSweeney PStreeter D(1999)Practical experience with an application extractor for JavaACM SIGPLAN Notices10.1145/320385.32041434:10(292-305)Online publication date: 1-Oct-1999
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/320385.320414
Tip FLaffra CSweeney PStreeter DHailpern BNorthrop L(1999)Practical experience with an application extractor for JavaProceedings of the 14th ACM SIGPLAN conference on Object-oriented programming, systems, languages, and applications10.1145/320384.320414(292-305)Online publication date: 1-Oct-1999
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/320384.320414
Hierons RHarman MDanicic S(1999)Using program slicing to assist in the detection of equivalent mutantsSoftware Testing, Verification and Reliability10.1002/(SICI)1099-1689(199912)9:4<233::AID-STVR191>3.0.CO;2-39:4(233-262)Online publication date: Dec-1999
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1689(199912)9:4<233::AID-STVR191>3.0.CO;2-3
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