ASTEC: a new approach to refactoring C

The C language is among the most widely used in the world, particularly for critical infrastructure software. C programs depend upon macros processed using the C preprocessor, but these macros are difficult to analyze and are often error-prone [4]. Existing tools that analyze and transform C source code have rudimentary support for the preprocessor, leading to obscure error messages and difficulty refactoring. We present a three part solution: (1) a replacement macro language, ASTEC, that addresses the most important important deficiencies of the preprocessor and that eliminates many of the errors it introduces; (2) a translator, Macroscope, that converts existing code into ASTEC semi-automatically; and (3), an ASTEC-aware refactoring tool that handles preprocessor constructs naturally. ASTEC's primary benefits are its analyzability and its refactorability. We present several refactorings that are enabled by ASTEC. Additionally, ASTEC eliminates many of the sources of errors that...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: SIGSOFT
• Authors: Bill McCloskey, Eric A. Brewer
• Keywords: ASTEC Eliminates, Preprocessor Constructs, Preprocessor Macros, SIGSOFT 2005, Software Engineering