Expect the unexpected: error code mismatches between documentation and the real world

Inaccurate documentation can mislead programmers and cause software to fail in unexpected ways. We examine mismatches between documented and actual error codes returned by 42 Linux file-related system calls. We use static program analysis to identify the error codes returned by system calls across 52 file systems, including widely-used implementations such as CIFS, ext3, IBM JFS, ReiserFS and XFS. We describe analysis optimizations that dramatically reduce run-time and memory consumption. Comparing analysis results with Linux manual pages reveals over 1,700 undocumented error-code instances affecting all file systems and system calls examined. Categories and Subject Descriptors D.2.4 [Software Engineering]: Software/Program Verification—formal methods, reliability, validation; D.2.5 [Software Engineering]: Testing and Debugging— error handling and recovery; D.2.7 [Software Engineering]: Distribution, Maintenance, and Enhancement—documentation; D.4.3 [Operating Systems]: File...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2010
• Where: PASTE
• Authors: Cindy Rubio-González, Ben Liblit
• Keywords: Error Codes, PASTE 2010, Software Engineering, Static Program Analysis