PQL: A language for specifying abstract program views

Abstract

A program query language, PQL for short, described in this paper is a source language-independent notation to specify program queries and program views. We use PQL as an interface to Static Program Analyzers (SPA), interactive tools that enhance program understanding by answering queries about programs. In PQL, we can query on global program design as well as search for detail code patterns. Program queries and patterns supported by other notations described in literature and those supported by commercial tools known to the author, can be written simply and naturally in PQL. Program modeling and PQL notations described in the paper form a basis for an SPA generation system. These notations also allow us to rigorously study tool capabilities in the context of underlying software maintenance process and programmer's behavior models.