using the source code to learn about an app

stabu · 01-19-2009, 08:20 AM

Hi,

Does anybody regularly analyse (C) source code to work out how an application is but together?

Do you use something better than recursive grep? IS there a way to pullout, say, all the function declarations, conditional loops, blocks, etc?

I suppose setting it up in an IDE is an option but I was interested in something less sophisticated. Just some best practices in C dcode analysis.

Not for bug-hunting, jsut for learnign abotu how it's put together.

Many thanks!

vladmihaisima · 01-19-2009, 12:29 PM

First thing that comes to my mind : http://www.stack.nl/~dimitri/doxygen/

Excerpt from their site:

Quote:

You can configure doxygen to extract the code structure from undocumented source files. This is very useful to quickly find your way in large source distributions. You can also visualize the relations between the various elements by means of include dependency graphs, inheritance diagrams, and collaboration diagrams, which are all generated automatically.

I tried it just for projects that used it also as for their documentation...

jf.argentino · 01-20-2009, 05:55 AM

You have "ctags" and "cscope" tools which do great job too

stabu · 01-20-2009, 04:02 PM

Great thanks vladmihaisima and jf.argentino/

I'll research those. Actually, the names are familiar, but now I see the context they can be used in. Cheers!

renjithrajasekaran · 01-24-2009, 10:08 AM

Why don't you use Eclipse for your Development. It makes life a loooooooooooooooooot more easier and programming a muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch more pleasurable experience!

(Did I mention it's also free!)

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