Multi-Level Debugging for Extensible Languages

Abstract

Multi-level debugging of extensible languages requires lifting program state to the extension level while translating stepping commands to the base-level. Implementing such bi-directional mappings is feasible for languages with a low abstraction level (e. g., C). However, language workbenches support language stacking with a bottom-up approach from low- to high-level (e. g., domain-specific) languages. This way, generation of code written with these high-level languages is incremental. However, languages can have more than one generator, which is selected depending on the execution environment. On the other hand, provision of such flexibility makes multi-level debugging much harder. In this paper, we present an approach on how to enable debugging for such multi-staged generation environments. The approach is illustrated by mbeddr, which is an extensible C language.