System and method for conditionally compiling a software compilation unit

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: (7) performing steps (1)-(6) for each of said source code modules.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the steps of: determining whether said old condensed representation is older than said selected source code module; and determining that it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that said old condensed representation is older than said selected source code module.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises the steps of: determining whether macro statements contained in said selected source code module have changed since said old condensed representation was generated; and determining that it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that said macro statements have changed since said old condensed representation was generated.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein steps (5) and (6) comprise the steps of: setting to a predefined value a recompile flag associated with said compilation unit if any of said changes is classified as being an incompatible change; and enabling compilation of said compilation unit if said recompile flag is set to said predefined value.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, further comprising the following steps which are performed between steps (1)(ii) and (2): determining whether any condensed representations of said selected source code module exists; generating a condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that no condensed representations of said selected source code module exists; and enabling compilation of said compilation unit.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, further comprising the following steps which are performed if it is determined in step (2) that it is unnecessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module: determining whether said old condensed representation was generated since said compilation unit was last compiled; if it is determined that said old condensed representation was generated since said compilation unit was last compiled, then determining whether any incompatible changes exist in said old condensed representation relative to a prior version of said old condensed representation; and enabling compilation of said compilation unit only if it is determined that at least one incompatible change exists in said old condensed representation.

Claim 11

The system of claim 8, wherein said module generation determining means comprises: means for determining whether said old condensed representation is older than said selected source code module; and means for determining that it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that said old condensed representation is older than said selected source code module.

Claim 12

The system of claim 8, wherein said module generation determining means comprises: means for determining whether macro statements contained in said selected source code module have changed since said old condensed representation was generated; and means for determining that it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that said macro statements have changed since said old condensed representation was generated.

Claim 13

The system of claim 8, wherein said change classifying means comprises means for setting to a predetermined value a recompile flag associated with said compilation unit if any of said changes is classified as being an incompatible change, and wherein said compilation enabling means comprises means for enabling compilation of said compilation unit if said recompile flag is set to said predefined value.

Claim 14

The system of claim 8, further comprising: means for determining whether any condensed representations of said selected source code module exists; means for generating a condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that no condensed representations of said selected source code module exists; and means for enabling compilation of said compilation unit.

Claim 15

The system of claim 8, further comprising: means for determining whether said old condensed representation was generated since said compilation unit was last compiled if it is determined by said module generation determining means that it is unnecessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module; means for determining whether any incompatible changes exist in said old condensed representation relative to a prior version of said old condensed representation if it is determined that said old condensed representation was generated since said compilation unit was last compiled; and means for enabling compilation of said compilation unit only if it is determined that at least one incompatible change exists in said old condensed representation.

Claim 16

A compiler pre-processor for determining whether it is necessary to recompile a compilation unit having a plurality of source code modules, comprising: compilation unit selecting means for selecting a compilation unit having a plurality of source to code modules, said source code modules being non-compilation units and being explicitly incorporated into said compilation unit upon a compilation of said compilation unit; module selecting means for selecting one of said source code modules; module generation determining means for determining whether it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module; condensed representation generating means for generating a new condensed representation of said selected source code module subject to said determination of said module generation determining means; change identifying means for identifying changes between said new condensed representation of said selected source code module and an old condensed representation of said selected source code module; change classifying means for classifying each of said changes as one of a compatible change and an incompatible change, an incompatible change being a change that requires recompilation of said compilation unit, and a compatible change being a change that does not require recompilation of said compilation unit; and compilation enabling means for enabling recompilation of said compilation unit if any of said changes is classified as being an incompatible change.

Claim 17

A compiler pre-processor for determining whether it is necessary to recompile a compilation unit having a plurality of source code modules, comprising: compilation unit selecting means for selecting a compilation unit having a plurality of source to code modules, said source code modules being non-compilation units and being explicitly incorporated into said compilation unit upon a compilation of said compilation unit; module selecting means for selecting one of said source code modules; module generation determining means for determining whether it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module; condensed representation generating means for generating a new condensed representation of said selected source code module subject to said determination of said module generation determining means; change identifying means for identifying changes between said new condensed representation of said selected source code module and an old condensed representation of said selected source code module; change classifying means for classifying each of said changes as one of a compatible change and an incompatible change, an incompatible change being a change that requires recompilation of said compilation unit, and a compatible change being a change that does not require recompilation of said compilation unit; and compilation enabling means for enabling recompilation of said compilation unit if any of said changes is classified as being an incompatible change.

Claim 18

The compiler pre-processor of claim 14, wherein said module generation determining means comprises: means for determining whether said old condensed representation is older than said selected source code module; and means for determining that it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that said old condensed representation is older than said selected source code module.

Claim 19

The compiler pre-processor of claim 14, wherein said module generation determining means comprises: means for determining whether macro statements contained in said selected source code module have changed since said old condensed representation was generated; and means for determining that it is necessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that said macro statements have changed since said old condensed representation was generated.

Claim 20

The compiler pre-processor of claim 14, wherein said change classifying means comprises means for setting to a predefined value a recompile flag associated with said compilation unit if any of said changes is classified as being an incompatible change, and wherein said compilation enabling means comprises means for enabling compilation of said compilation unit if said recompile flag is set to said predefined value.

Claim 21

The compiler pre-processor of claim 14, further comprising: means for determining whether any condensed representations of said selected source code module exists; means for generating a condensed representation of said selected source code module if it is determined that no condensed representations of said selected source code module exists; and means for enabling compilation of said compilation unit.

Claim 22

The compiler pre-processor of claim 14, further comprising: means for determining whether said old condensed representation was generated since said compilation unit was last compiled if it is determined by said module generation determining means that it is unnecessary to generate a new condensed representation of said selected source code module; means for determining whether any incompatible changes exist in said old condensed representation relative to a prior version of said old condensed representation if it is determined that said old condensed representation was generated since said compilation unit was last compiled; and means for enabling compilation of said compilation unit only if it is determined that at least one incompatible change exists in said old condensed representation.