Software engineering tool that verifies mission-critical code introduced by LDRA

Sept. 20, 2012
BOSTON, 20 Sept. 2012. Software design tools expert LDRA Technology Inc. in San Bruno, Calif., is introducing LDRAcover, a stand-alone code coverage tool that verifies the source code of an application has been structurally tested.

BOSTON, 20 Sept. 2012.Software design tools expert LDRA Technology Inc. in San Bruno, Calif., is introducing LDRAcover, a stand-alone code coverage tool that verifies the source code of an application has been structurally tested.

This software engineering tool can help companies that must meet stringent levels of code verification in applications such as avionics, defense, industrial controls, automotive, and medical devices. LDRA introduced the software testing tool this week at the Design East conference and trade show in Boston.

Many applications now contain hundreds of thousands of lines of code, and require tools that confirm all possible lines, decisions, and test paths have been executed during testing to ensure that an untested component will not be called inadvertently when the software is deployed, which could cause critical system failure or even loss of life, LDRA officials say.

LDRAcover contains several tools. Statement identifies missing test cases, dead code and lines of source code executed; Branch/decision checks control flow branches and loops; Procedure/Function Call verifies that procedure/function calls and call returns executed; Branch Condition checks that Boolean operands in a condition executed TRUE and FALSE; Branch Condition Combination checks that all unique combinations of Boolean condition operands executed TRUE and FALSE; and Modified Condition/Decision Coverage (MC/DC) confirms that every point of entry and exit was invoked at least once, every condition in a decision has been taken on all possible outcomes at least once, and each condition has been shown to affect the overall decision outcome independently.

LDRAcover can increase the quality of code and improves the overall testing process vital not only for immediate application debugging, but also in reducing failure rates, integration testing and maintenance costs once the application is in service, LDRA officials say.

LDRAcover performs coverage analysis for the C, C++, Ada, and Java languages. LDRAcover works on the host development platform as well as embedded target environments.

For more information contact LDRA online at www.ldra.com.

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About the Author

John Keller | Editor

John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.

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