Distributed deadlock detection in Ada run-time environments
TRI-Ada '90 Proceedings of the conference on TRI-ADA '90
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A new class of errors, not found in sequential languages, can result when the tasking constructs of Ada are used. These errors are called deadness errors and arise when task communication fails. Since deadness errors often occur intermittently, they are particularly hard to detect and diagnose. Previous papers describe the theory and implementation of runtime monitors to detect deadness errors in tasking programs. The problems of detection and description of errors are different. Even when a dead state is detected, giving adequate diagnostics that enable the programmer to locate its cause in the Ada text is difficult. This paper discusses the use of simple diagnostic descriptions based on Ada tasking concepts. These diagnostics are implemented in an experimental runtime monitor. Similar facilities could be implemented in task debuggers in forthcoming Ada support environments. Their usefulness and shortcomings are illustrated in an example experiment with the runtime monitor. Possible future directions in task error monitoring and diagnosis based on formal specifications are discussed.