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Form 4 Module Problem Solving Lesson 2 Debugging

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5 views

Form 4 Module Problem Solving Lesson 2 Debugging

Uploaded by

Djamen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Module: problem solving and coding

Lesson: Debugging

1. What is debugging?
Errors in algorithms and code are called ‘bugs’, and the process of finding and fixing
these is called ‘debugging’.
2. Testing vs Debugging
• Testing: to identify any problems before software is put to use
“Testing can show the presence of bugs but can never show their absence”.
• Debugging: locating bugs and fixing them
3. Types of bugs
Types of bugs
• Compile time: syntax, spelling, static type mismatch.
Usually caught with compiler
• Design: flawed algorithm.
• Incorrect outputs
• Program logic (if/else, loop termination, select case, etc).
• Incorrect outputs
• Memory nonsense: null pointers, array bounds, bad types, leaks.
• Runtime exceptions
• Interface errors between modules, threads, programs (in particular, with shared
resources:
sockets, files, memory, etc).
• Runtime Exceptions
• Off-nominal conditions: failure of some part of software of underlying machinery
(network, etc).
• Incomplete functionality
• Deadlocks: multiple processes fighting for a resource.
• Freeze ups, never ending processes
4. Trace tables and algorithm dry run
After code has been written, it is vital it undergoes testing. Without testing, there is a
chance the code will not work.
Trace tables
When designing algorithms, it is common to use a technique known as trace tables.
To create a trace table, map out all of the variables which change (not constants) and write
them down in a column in a table. Each row will then store what assignments happen as
the code is run. Reading through code and noting down values in a trace table is known as
a dry run.
Consider the following code to find even numbers between 0 and 3:
1 for i in range (0, 3):
2 if i % 2 == 0:
3 print(i)
4 i += 1
The following Trace Table could be used to dry run the code:
Program Line Number Value of variable i Output
1 0 -
Program Line Number Value of variable i Output
2 0 -
3 0 0
4 1 -
1 1 -
2 1 -
3 1 -
4 2 -
1 2 -
2 2 -
3 2 2
4 3 -
1 3 -
2 3 -
3 3 -
3 4 -

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