Evaluation of a knowledge-based approach to program understanding

Paper reprinted from ICSM ´96. This paper evaluates a knowledge-based program understanding approach that generates first order predicate logic annotations of loops. An initial and partial evaluation of this approach was performed on an existing program of reasonable size. Plans in the knowledge base were designed by performing an analysis of the existing program. As a result the previous study did not demonstrate that the knowledge base generated for a given program is generally usable beyond that program. In this study, an extensive evaluation of the analysis approach is performed. Plans developed during the initial evaluation stage are used to analyze a set of 92 loops in five randomly selected Pascal programs. Results concerning the analyzed loops and utilization of the existing plans are given and discussed. These results generally show a good usability of the knowledge base beyond the original program