17497726. WHAT-IF ANALYSIS FOR NOTEBOOKS simplified abstract (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)

WHAT-IF ANALYSIS FOR NOTEBOOKS

Organization Name

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Inventor(s)

Pavle Subotic of Belgrade (RS)

Lazar Milikic of Palaiseau (FR)

Milan Stojic of Belgrade (RS)

WHAT-IF ANALYSIS FOR NOTEBOOKS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17497726 titled 'WHAT-IF ANALYSIS FOR NOTEBOOKS

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a notebook interactive programming environment that allows for out-of-order code-cell execution and communication of potential cell execution outcomes.

• The system allows for code-cell execution in any order, rather than sequentially.
• It provides analysis of code cells based on their abstract semantics and outputs abstract state and pre-summaries.
• The system identifies propagation dependencies between cells and executes inter-cell analysis recursively.
• It sends outcomes, such as affected cells, bug types, and metrics, to warn users of potential unsafe or safe actions before executing the code.

Potential Applications

• Software development environments
• Data analysis and exploration tools
• Collaborative coding platforms

Problems Solved

• Inefficient sequential execution of code cells
• Lack of visibility into potential issues before code execution
• Difficulty in identifying propagation dependencies between cells

Benefits

• Improved efficiency in code-cell execution
• Early detection of potential issues and bugs
• Enhanced collaboration and code quality in notebook programming environments

Original Abstract Submitted

Methods and systems provide for a notebook interactive programming environment, having out-of-order code-cell execution, which communicates potential cell execution outcomes. If an event handler receives an event (e.g., open notebook, code change, code execution, etc.) for a cell, without a request for a specific type of analysis (e.g., data-leakage, stale-state), intra-cell analysis is executed based-on the cell’s abstract semantics, and an abstract state and pre-summaries are output that indicate the cell’s propagation dependency (unbounded variables). If an analysis is associated with the event, starting with the stored abstract state, inter-cell analysis is recursively executed on successor cells having propagation dependencies, until a terminating criteria is reached. Outcomes (e.g., affected cell, line number, bug type, metrics, etc.) are sent via the notebook user-interface to warn users, ahead of concrete code execution, of hypothetical unsafe or safe actions in executing the notebook’s code cells.