Error correcting compiler

Claim 2

A computer-implemented method of modifying a computer program written to run in a first software environment to produce a modified computer program that runs in a second, different software environment, comprising the steps of: assembling at least a dictionary database containing database entries including a program identifier appearing in the computer program and its corresponding different program identifier to be used in the modified computer program; compiling the computer program using a compiler for the second different software environment, the compiler, when an unknown program identifier is encountered, producing an error message containing the unknown program identifier; in response to the error message, retrieving from the database an entry corresponding to the unknown program identifier; and replacing at least one instance of the unknown program identifier in the computer program with the corresponding different program identifier contained in the entry.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of recompiling the computer program using a compiler for the second different software environment.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, comprising repeating the steps of claim 2 multiple times.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3, comprising repeating the steps of claim 2 until each unknown identifier for which a different program identifier is contained in the database has been replaced by that different program identifier.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3, comprising repeating the steps of claim 2 until no entry is found in the database for any error message produced by the compiler.

Claim 7

A computer implemented method comprising the steps of: assembling a dictionary database containing database entries, each entry including a program identifier appearing in a computer program and its corresponding different program identifier to be used in a modified computer program; compiling the computer program using a compiler for a software environment other than a software environment assumed by the computer program, the compiling program producing an error message; and in response to the error message, accessing the dictionary database to automatically modify the computer program with the corresponding different program identifier in order to remove a condition causing the error.

Claim 8

A computer implemented method comprising the steps of: assembling a dictionary database containing database entries, each entry including a program identifier appearing in a computer program and its corresponding different program identifier to be used in a modified computer program; compiling the computer program using a compiler for a software environment other than a software environment assumed by the computer program, the compiling program producing an error message; and in response to the error message, accessing the dictionary database to automatically modify the computer program with the corresponding different program identifier in order to remove a condition causing the error.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of modifying comprises: in response to the error message, retrieving from the database an entry for the unknown program identifier; and replacing at least one instance of the unknown program identifier with a different program identifier contained in the entry.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7, comprising the further step of recompiling the computer program using a compiler for the second different software environment.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8, comprising repeating the steps of claim 9 multiple times.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9, comprising repeating the steps of claim 9 until the compiler does not produce any error messages.

Claim 13

The method of claim 9, comprising repeating the steps of claim 9 until no entry is found in the database for any error message produced by the compiler.

Claim 14

A computer software system for at least partially converting a program written for a first software environment to a converted program for a second, different software environment, the system comprising: a compiler for the second, different software environment, the compiler processing the program and producing an error message when an unknown program identifier is encountered in the program; a parser coupled to the compiler to receive the error message from the compiler and for outputing the unknown program identifier and a location of the unknown program identifier within the program; a dictionary database containing a database entry including the unknown program identifier and is corresponding different program identifier to be used in the converted program, the dictionary database coupled to the parser to receive the unknown program identifier and outputting in response thereto the corresponding different program identifier; and substitution code coupled to receive the dictionary database output and responsive to the location of the unknown program identifier and to the corresponding different program identifier, the substitution code operative to replace the unknown program identifier with the corresponding different program identifier within the program.

Claim 15

A computer software system for at least partially converting a program written for a first software environment to a converted program for a second, different software environment, the system comprising: a compiler for the second, different software environment, the compiler processing the program and producing an error message when an unknown program identifier is encountered in the program; a parser coupled to the compiler to receive the error message from the compiler and for outputing the unknown program identifier and a location of the unknown program identifier within the program; a dictionary database containing a database entry including the unknown program identifier and is corresponding different program identifier to be used in the converted program, the dictionary database coupled to the parser to receive the unknown program identifier and outputting in response thereto the corresponding different program identifier; and substitution code coupled to receive the dictionary database output and responsive to the location of the unknown program identifier and to the corresponding different program identifier, the substitution code operative to replace the unknown program identifier with the corresponding different program identifier within the program.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising control code coupled to the compiler, the parser, the database and the substitution code for causing the system to iteratively replace and recompile to thereby produce the converted program.

Claim 17

An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code configured therein, the computer readable code in the article of manufacture comprising: computer readable program code configured to, in response to an error message from a compiler, retrieve from a database an entry for an unknown program identifier unknown by a compiler; and computer readable program code figured to replace at least one instance of the unknown program identifier with a different program identifier contained in an entry in the database, wherein the different program identifier corresponds to the unknown program identifier contained in the entry.

Claim 18

An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code configured therein, the computer readable code in the article of manufacture comprising: computer readable program code configured to, in response to an error message from a compiler, retrieve from a database an entry for an unknown program identifier unknown by a compiler; and computer readable program code figured to replace at least one instance of the unknown program identifier with a different program identifier contained in an entry in the database, wherein the different program identifier corresponds to the unknown program identifier contained in the entry.