XVPODB optimization visualizer available

XVPODB is a tool that is designed to allow a compiler writer
or student to graphically visualize the optimizations performed
by the VPO optimizer in a detailed, yet easy to understand
format. We introduced XVPODB at the SIGPLAN PLD&I '93
conference in the paper called "Isolation and Analysis of
Optimization Errors." We now have a demo version of XVPODB
available for perusal. The demo is self contained (i.e. it
does not require VPO or any other software to run, except X
Windows (X11R5)). We believe that XVPODB (and the companion
tool called VPOISO, which is used to automatically isolate
optimization errors) can be easily adapted to other compilers.
If you have any trouble setting up the demo version or do not
have access to one of the types of machines on which the demo
version was compiled, then please send e-mail to both of us at
the following e-mail addresses.


        whalley@cs.fsu.edu (David Whalley) and
        boyd@math.fsu.edu (Mickey Boyd)




The available files (which includes documentation, input data, and
executables for a variety of machines) are available from ftp.cs.fsu.edu
(128.186.121.27) in the /pub/whalley/xvpodb directory. There is a README
file in this directory that gives instructions for transferring and
extracting the tar files needed for executing the demo. Once you have
extracted the files, you will find another README file that contains
directions for setting up the demo, which should take you no more than 10
minutes. The demo provides on-line help for your assistance. In this
directory we also have the postscript for a journal paper that we have
submitted about XVPODB. Below is the abstract of the paper.




                                              ABSTRACT


This paper describes XVPODB is a visualization tool developed to support
the analysis of optimizations performed by the VPO optimizer. The tool is
a graphical optimization viewer that can display the state of the program
representation before and after sequences of changes, referred to as
transformations, that results in semantically equivalent (and usually
improved) code. The information and insight such visualization provides
can simplify the debugging of problems with the optimizer. Unique
features of XVPODB include reverse viewing (or undoing) of transformations
and the ability to stop at breakpoints associated with the generated
instructions. The viewer facilitates the retargeting of VPO to a new
machine, supports experimentation with new optimizations, and has been
used as a teaching aid in compiler classes.
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