On Paper
Diomidis D. Spinellis · IEEE Software · 2007
This paper tries to devise an algorithm for analyzing initializers for C arrays and structures. The CScout refactoring browser is used to look for possible differences between closed and open source code. Unlike the other code bases, Sun's code didn't appear to use any exotic compiler extensions, so CScout uncomplainingly devoured one file after the next. Then, after approximately six hours of processing and 80 percent along the way, it reported a syntax error. Most errors encountered when processing C code with CScout are easy to handle. A macro definition is added to simulate a compiler built-in-function.