Patent ID: 7568186
Filing Date: 2009-07-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of accessing, from a mirror probe handler, a value to be associated with an argument of a function in a computing environment, said method comprising: initiating an execution of a function by a processor, said function defined with a first prototype associated with a first set of one or more arguments, and said initiating providing at least part of a state of a plurality of registers of said processor, and a value to be associated with an argument of said first set, wherein at least part of said execution of said function is to be temporarily replaced by an execution of the mirror probe handler, the mirror probe handler defined with a second prototype associated with a second set of one or more arguments, the mirror probe handler associated with a mirror probe placed in a running program at the address of the entry point of the function to be probed, wherein said first prototype and said second prototype are identical, and wherein said state of said plurality of registers facilitates an access to said value; executing said mirror probe, responsive to said initiating said execution, said mirror probe being at least one instruction for temporarily replacing said at least part of said execution of said function; saving, responsive to said executing said mirror probe, said state of said plurality of registers; modifying a program counter to include an address associated with said mirror probe handler in response to returning from an execution of an exception handler, wherein said exception handler is executed in response to said executing said mirror probe, and wherein said program counter is a register of said plurality of registers; returning from said exception handler; and initiating execution of said mirror probe handler, said initiating responsive to said modifying said program counter and said returning, wherein, upon said initiating said execution, a state of said plurality of registers matches said state saved via said saving; referencing, during said executing said mirror probe handler, said argument of said second set to provide said access to said value, said referencing automatically employing at least one register of said plurality of registers to access said value, wherein said first prototype and said second prototype being identical facilitates said referencing automatically employing said at least one register to access said value; and after said referencing accesses said value, restoring said state saved via said saving, said restoring facilitating said at least part of said execution of said function, wherein said value is associated with said argument of said first set during said at least part of said execution.