Today i had to give out a presentation for my Final Year Project as well as demonstrate the software that i developed for the project.
Our project was about a tool that we created, the C++ Error Analyzer, which was meant to convert Syntax error messages from the g++ compiler and convert them into user-friendly messages. The tool was also meant to detect some common semantic errors. The C++ Error Analyzer was mostly meant for those users who are learning C++
So let’s move on to our presentation:
My oral presentation described mostly about how we (me and my project partner) carried out the project. My partner began by describing the aims and the ways we carried out the analysis phase and how we designed the software. Her part was mostly about handling the Syntax Errors. I explained more about the Semantic Errors and how the Interface of the System was designed. I also explained the Implementation process and concluded the oral presentation after pointing out the Strengths and Limitations of my System…
Let’s take a look at the features of the C++ Error Analyzer as explained in my presentation:
- It was designed as a IDE which enables the user to write and save source codes
- We included Syntax Highlighting on our editor by using the com.Ostermiller.Syntax package which is a freely available Open Source package and it can be downloaded from here.
- It generates user friendly messages from the Syntax Errors generated by the C++ Compiler
- It detects Semantic Errors and generates it user friendly messages
- It allows the user to compile and run the program
- We used the ISO standard g++ Compiler to compile the C++ Source Files
- Our system also allows the user to Run the compiled source file
C++ Error Analyzer
After the oral presentation, we then proceeded with the demo of the software.
Well, we presented the software to the examiner. Unfortunately we missed out some Syntax errors. And the examiner came accross those errors as well… but we were successful in explaining how the Semantic Errors worked and was able to Run any Source File. During the presentation i was suggested to add line numbering to my IDE and some other facilities.
My personal opinion about the software:
The software tried to cater for most of the Syntax and Semantic Errors, even if not all. I had tried to implement line numbering on the system but unfortunately we were not able to implement it since it introduced a lot of bugs when i tried it.Personally i know i could have added more features and would have catered for more Syntax and Semantic Errors if i was given some more time…Even if it currently does not cater for all the error messages, more of these can be added later on since the concept of the program is already there… 
Scanning the error message, catching the keywords, generating the appropriate user-friendly error message.
I have made this software Open Source since it is meant to students and it’s a tool for learning, as well as more features can be added by the programmers later on and hence improved. The Software will be made available later on as well as the source code and i would be really glad if other programmers are able to improve it and share it…
