#17 Tree analysis cannot handle non-terminal return statements

[Trevor Harmon]

Clepsydra's tree analysis algorithm (TreeAnalysisStrategy.java) does not correctly handle return statements that occur anywhere other than at the end of a method. (Clepsydra's IPET analysis algorithm handles them correctly.)

For example:

public boolean test(boolean b) {
if (b) {
return false;
}
return false;
}

An easy fix for this problem is to change the handling of the if statement slightly so that if the "then" branch ends with a return statement, the algorithm considers the statements following the if as its "else" branch.

Unfortunately, this solution doesn't work for slightly more complicated examples such as:

private Object o, p;
public boolean test(boolean b) {
if (o == null) {
if (p == null) {
return false;
}
b = true;
}
return false;
}

[Trevor Harmon]

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FWIW, the Heptane WCET analyzer disallows multiple return statements in a method.