METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING SYSTEMS WITH ENHANCED DEBUGGING INFORMATION

This system sets up a framework that allows for separating debug information from executable code. The system is comprised of a compiler, a linker and a debugger. The compiler produces optimized object code and a debugging information file that contains information necessary for symbolic debugging. The linker merges the optimized object files to produce an optimized executable file as well as debugging information files to produce a composite debugging information file. This debugging information file can be further refined when the program is executed to include runtime dependencies. The debugger provides a source code debugging environment and a core dump debugging environment for the optimized code. The debugger allows monitoring of variable values, placement of watches on changes in variable values, setting breakpoints by location or by name and performing program debugging at a source code level. The effects of optimization is “undone” by the debugger as well as being able to perform symbolic analysis of core files from optimized code dumps.