[Soot-list] PointsToSet and equals/hashcode

[Eric Bodden]

Hi all.

I am implementing some flow analysis that uses points-to sets as analysis information. As usual, the fixed point iteration stops when the analysis information does not change any more, i.e. when the new one is EQUAL to the old one. EQUAL here means equal based on whatever the equals(Object) method says.

Unfortunately the available implementations for PointsToSet in Soot do not implements equals nor hashcode, which causes my iteration to go on forever. My question is now how to best overcome this issue.

Is there any reason for why those methods are not implemented? (It seems that in fact there *can* be multiple instances of one and the same "equal" points-to set so reference-equality is actually not very satisfactory here in my eyes.)

Should I just go ahead and implement those methods for PointsToSetInternal etc.? If so, are there any particular hidden issues I should take in account?

Is there any other way you could think of how to fix my analysis without implementing those methods?

Thanks a lot,
Eric

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Eric Bodden
Sable Research Group, McGill University
Montréal, Québec, Canada