Mapping features to source code in dynamically configured avionics software

Mapping software features to the code that implements them is an important activity for program comprehension and software reengineering. In this paper, we present a novel automated approach to locate features in source code based on static analysis and model checking. This approach focuses on dynamically configured software in which the activation of specific features is controlled by configuration variables. The main advantages of a static approach to feature location are its affordability and applicability to large systems containing hundreds of features. Our methodology is applied to an industrial Flight Management System from the avionics industry. Results show that a static approach to feature mapping is feasible and can locate complex features whose implementation is spread across multiple files and functions.