Patent Document ID: 5583988
Application ID: 08208559

Base Claim:
1. A method for performing runtime checking operations in a compiled programming development environment, comprising the steps of: a) compiling a source code file into executable object code comprising machine language instructions, wherein said source code file includes aggregate data items and pointers and also includes expressions which manipulate said aggregate data items and pointers, wherein said step of compiling comprises: creating data structures for aggregate data items and pointers in the source code file; and inserting calls to runtime checking functions for one or more expressions in the source code file which manipulate said aggregate data items and pointers; and b) executing the executable object code, wherein said step of executing comprises: executing one or more of said runtime checking functions to determine if invalid operations occur in said expressions which manipulate said aggregate data items and pointers; and reporting an error to the user if an invalid operation is found to occur after said step of executing one or more of said runtime checking functions.

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Claim 20:
20. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more data structures associated with respective one or more pointers include information regarding the type of object to which said respective pointer points; wherein said step of executing said runtime checking functions comprises: accessing a data structure associated with a pointer, wherein said pointer is included in an expression that produces a result; determining if said pointer points to an aggregate data item; determining if said result of said pointer expression is within the bounds of said aggregate data item if said pointer points to an aggregate data item; reporting an error if the result of said pointer expression is not within said bounds of said aggregate data item.