Edit-and-Continue Debugging for Optimized Native Code via Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Enabling Edit-and-Continue functionality for optimized native code is challenging due to difficulties in correlating optimized machine code instructions with source code, leading to poor user experience and inefficient debugging, especially in gaming applications where optimized builds are common.
Innovation Solution
A method that allows developers to mark specific portions of source code to disable compilation optimizations, enabling incremental compilation and allowing Edit-and-Continue debugging by recompiling only affected parts, while maintaining optimized execution for the rest of the code.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If compilation optimizations are enabled for native code, then execution performance is improved, but debugging capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the codebase into optimized and non-optimized portions, allowing different compilation strategies for different segments. Developers can mark specific functions or code regions with pragmas to exclude them from optimizations, enabling debugging in those segments while maintaining performance in others.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing optimization settings to vary at the function or code region level rather than globally. Through the use of compiler pragmas and markers, specific local regions can be configured for debugging while the rest of the codebase maintains full optimization.
2Measurement precision
If full code recompilation is performed to enable debugging, then debugging accuracy is improved, but build time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables incremental compilation by segmenting the recompilation process to affect only marked code regions and their dependents rather than the entire codebase. The compiler identifies and recompiles only the necessary portions while preserving optimized binaries for unaffected code.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis during compilation to identify code regions that depend on marked functions. This allows the system to pre-determine the minimal set of code that needs recompilation, avoiding unnecessary rebuilds and reducing build time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If optimization markers are added to source code, then Edit-and-Continue capability is improved, but code complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces compiler pragmas and markers as intermediary elements between the source code and the compilation process. These intermediaries provide a clean, standardized interface for controlling optimization behavior without requiring complex build system changes or IDE modifications.
4Productivity
If incremental compilation is implemented, then build efficiency is improved, but compilation system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary dependency analysis during the initial compilation pass to build a dependency graph. This pre-computed information enables rapid identification of affected code regions during incremental compilation, avoiding the need for complex real-time analysis during rebuild operations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided that enable a portion of code to be marked in source code to disable compilation optimizations for the marked portion of code, while the rest of the source code is compiled with optimizations. In this manner, edit-and-continue debugging may be performed on the compiled source code in an enhanced manner. Modifications made to the marked source code (as well as the rest of the source code) may be compiled in an incremental manner, such that the portions of the source code affected by the modifications are compiled, while unaffected portions of the source code are not recompiled.