Browsing parallel process networks
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abstract
A hypertext is a non-linearly organized, linked information structure, designed to be interactively browsed. In this report we demonstrate the use of a hypertext system for visualization and simulation of the parallel control flow and message network of concurrent programs. Instead of constructing code browsers as special-purpose window systems that understand the syntax and semantics of particular languages, we present a general approach that relies on the (usually extensive) browsing facilities of a hypertext system. Language-specific browsers can be realized by generating filters to convert program text into hypertext documents. We demonstrate our filter approach specifically with the parallel language CSP and the Trellis hypertext system. Trellis employs the dual nature of Petri nets to express formally in one structure both the linked information elements of a document and the reader/document interactions during browsing. Trellis is especially appropriate for parallel program browsing because Petri nets are a natural concurrency model, and because it offers state-space analysis for deadlocks and other program properties. Trellis-based program browsers for other parallel languages can be produced by designing appropriate Petri net translations. 1990.
