Dave—a validation error detection and documentation system for fortran programs

This paper describes DAVE, a system for analysing Fortran programs. DAVE is capable of detecting the symptoms of a wide variety of errors In programs, as well as assuring the absence of these errors. In addition, DAVE exposes and documents subtle data relations and flows within programs. The central analytic procedure used is a depth first search. DAVE itself is written in Fortran. Its implementation at the University of Colorado and some early experience are described.