Patent ID: 7523450

Claim:
An apparatus for identifying fixed memory address errors in source code at build time, the apparatus comprising: a substitution module comprising executable code stored on a storage device, executed by a processor, and configured to substitute fixed memory address values for hardcoded memory address symbols, a mapping between fixed memory address values and hardcoded memory address symbols defined in a common definition file (CDF) referenced both by a compiler of source code and a linker configured to link object code compiled from the source code; a determination module comprising executable code stored on the storage device, executed by the processor, and configured to determine size and location information for variables associated with the hardcoded memory address symbols by referencing the object code and the CDF, substitute the hardcoded memory address symbols with the fixed memory address values, and store the substituted fixed memory address values in an intermediate file; a generation module comprising executable code stored on the storage device, executed by the processor, and configured to generate one or more conditions that verify that the variables satisfy memory boundary constraints based on the size and location information and store the conditions and the substituted fixed memory address values in a revised link directive file; and an evaluation module comprising executable code stored on the storage device, executed by the processor, and configured to preprocess the revised link directive file and signal an error in response to violation of one of the conditions.