A new use for XML in applications

Discussion in 'XML' started by Lionel, Oct 26, 2005.

  1. Lionel

    Lionel Guest

    Let me start by apologizing for the sample code
    that I use later in this message. It has been
    over 15 years since I've written 'C' code that
    could be viewed by anyone other than myself. I
    have had it pointed out to me by 'C' language
    "purists" that this code could certainly stand
    to be improved.

    Let me also add a little side note about development
    tools. Like many of you, over the years I have
    gathered some useful programming utilities that make
    my life easier. One of my favorite is a tool I wrote
    a long time ago that searches source code files for
    specific text and then inserts additional code either
    before or after the search text. This permits me
    to add source code, for unit testing purposes, that
    will NOT be included in the final program. It also
    allows for conditional compiles without all the
    #if...#endif statements. The code listed below has
    statements ending with "// DEBUG" that can be removed,
    as a whole, without affecting the application.

    A well-written program is a hierarchy of function
    calls starting and ending from a single function (in
    'C', it's 'main').

    Historically, one of my most time-consuming challenges
    is learning the flow of a program. There is usually
    no development documentation that describes this flow
    and I resort to reading through the application's
    source code. Typically I am asked to do this in order
    to fix a bug. The problem is, I can't know what's
    going _wrong_ until I know how it's supposed to be
    done _right_.

    Enter XML. XML is primarily used to communicate data.
    Because of it's flexibility, I hope to demonstrate how
    it can also be used to map out program flow. After
    executing the following program, an XML file is created
    (debug.xml) that shows which functions are being called
    and in which order. Data values are also printed out
    from within the functions that use them. If the program
    has a bug, as my example program has in the "fourth(int)"
    method below, the XML will not be well-formed when the
    program executes that method. The resulting XML then
    becomes a debugging 'trace' file showing where execution
    has stopped.

    My hope is that you will find this concept useful and
    will tell your friends and co-workers. As a Software
    Architect, I am often asked to examine a system and to
    determine how it can be improved. By having an XML file
    that shows program flow I can easily talk to programmers
    and non-programmers while using the same tool. Adding
    the output XML source code is a simple task and if done
    with a development utility as described above, can be
    easily removed from the final code.

    I am aware that this concept is an extension of the
    age old primative "printf without XML" debugging
    process, but I think adding XML to the mix has added
    a new twist. With XML as the output, collapsing
    whole sections of program flow information is easily
    done. This also makes it easy to see, without
    having to walk through a debugger session and keep
    the flow in your head or scribbled down on a piece
    of paper, what the high-level flow will look like.
    By incorporating XML tags around output data values,
    it is also possible to keep track of how and when
    data values are getting changed.

    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>

    FILE* fp; // DEBUG

    void first();
    void second(int);
    int third(int);
    int fourth(int);

    void first()
    fprintf(fp, "<first>\n"); // DEBUG

    printf("No parameters, so 'X' is equal to 1.\n");

    fprintf(fp, "</first>\n"); // DEBUG

    } // end first()

    void second(int x)
    fprintf(fp, "<second>\n"); // DEBUG
    fprintf(fp, "<X>%i</X>\n", x); // DEBUG

    int y = 0;

    if (x <= 5)
    printf("'X' is less than or equal to 5. You're doing good.\n");

    printf("'X' is greater than 5. Moving on.\n");
    y = third(x);

    fprintf(fp, "</second>\n"); // DEBUG

    } // end second(int)

    int third(int x)
    fprintf(fp, "<third>\n"); // DEBUG

    int y = x;

    if (x < 10)
    printf("Phew!!! You just made it!\n");
    printf("'X' is greater or equal to 10. Moving on.\n");
    y = fourth(x);

    fprintf(fp, "</third>\n"); // DEBUG

    return y;
    } // end third(int)

    int fourth(int x)
    fprintf(fp, "<fourth>\n"); // DEBUG

    printf("Trouble here. Time to call it a day.\n");

    fprintf(fp, "</fourth>\n"); // DEBUG

    return x;
    } // end fourth(int)

    int main(int argc, char* argv[])
    if ((fp = fopen("debug.xml", "w")) == NULL) // DEBUG
    { // DEBUG
    printf("Cannot open debug file.\n"); // DEBUG
    return 1; // DEBUG
    } // DEBUG
    fprintf(fp, "<?xml version=\"1.0\" ?>\n"); // DEBUG
    fprintf(fp, "<foo_main>\n"); // DEBUG

    int x = 0;

    // Start the show...
    if (1 == argv)
    x = 1;
    x = atoi(argc[1]);


    fprintf(fp, "</foo_main>\n"); // DEBUG
    if (fp) fclose(fp); // DEBUG

    return 0;
    } // end main()


    After compiling this code, you will get the following
    results in the XML file (debug.xml):
    No command-line parameters:
    Method 'first()' gets called and then method 'second(int)'.
    Parameter less than or equal to '5':
    Method 'second(int)' gets called.
    Parameter greater than '5' but less than '10':
    Methods 'second(int)' and 'third(int)' get called.
    Parameter greater than or equal to '10':
    Methods 'second(int)', 'third(int)' and 'fourth(int)' get called.

    Method 'fourth(int)' has an 'exit' statement that forces
    premature program termination. Entering a command-line
    parameter that is '10' or greater will create a malformed
    XML document that can be viewed in your favorite text
    editor. All other parameters values produce a valid XML
    file that shows program flow.

    I will also include three XML files here for those of
    you who don't want to go through the trouble of compiling
    and executing the code.
    ================= No Parameters ===================
    <?xml version="1.0" ?>
    ================= Parmeter = '6' ==================
    <?xml version="1.0" ?>
    ================= Parmeter = '10' =================
    <?xml version="1.0" ?>

    Who knows, maybe some day you'll be required to take
    over the maintanence of an application that has
    thousands of lines of code and you'll be handed an
    XML file that shows you the program flow and data
    values in a clean and concise manner. :)

    Thank you.

    P.S. - I apologize for the length of this message.

    Lionel, Oct 26, 2005
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  2. Lionel

    Peter Flynn Guest

    Lionel wrote:


    Have you considered submitting this as a technical presentation
    for the XML Conference or Markup Technologies? (Dates and details
    at http://xml.silmaril.ie/basics/moreinfo/)

    Peter Flynn, Oct 27, 2005
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  3. Lionel

    Lionel Guest

    I appreciate the thought. I originally
    considered putting together a white paper
    to communicate the concept, but decided
    that Usenet would be a better vehicle.
    In this way, others can share their
    thoughts and ideas and possibly extend
    the original concept in ways I hadn't

    The basic concept, including some poorly
    written 'C' code, is described in my original
    message. Anyone compiling the code and
    running it will be able to see the concept
    in action.

    I have used this same process to examine
    some complex applications and simply
    wanted to share the idea with others.

    Documentation is usually the _last_ aspect
    of program development that gets attention,
    and usually the _first_ thing that is asked
    for when it comes to maintenance. This new
    concept will not make documentation any
    easier, but it will make the final output
    more useful.

    What would be REALLY wonderful is if the
    folks that produce "code instrumentation"
    tools would consider using XML as the
    _default_ output format. As a matter of
    fact, it was code instrumentation that
    gave me the idea in the first place.


    Lionel, Oct 27, 2005
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