Debugging and Testing Techniques
Contents
Debugging and Testing Techniques
Using the debug() function
Using the assert() function
Dumping Variables to an External Text File
Using the Workbench Debugger
The debug command displays a pop-up debugger allowing the specified program to be monitored during execution.
The debugger consists of four lines of information about the current program and eighteen push buttons. Program information consists of the following lines:
OPERATION | Displays one of the following DEBUG operations: STEP, BREAKPOINT or WATCHPOINT. |
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PROGRAM | Displays the name of the current procedure or program. |
LINE# | Displays the current line number. |
COMMAND | Displays the next program line to be executed. |
The eighteen push buttons are used to access information about the current environment and to specify memory variables and conditions to monitor during program execution. The pop-up debugger provides the following push buttons:
BUTTON | EFFECT |
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Step | Step through a line at a time. |
Suspend | Suspend the program to go to the interactive prompt, RESUME to restart. |
Cancel | Cancel program execution and create error.mem. |
Memory | Display currently declared memory variables. |
Status | Display currently open tables (and their indexes, current record, etc.). |
Calls | Show program/procedure call stack. |
Watch | Set a watch point. When Executing the program, execution will stop when the specified memory variable's value changes. |
Break | Set a break point. When Executing the program, execution will stop when the specified condition becomes true. |
History | Show command history trace. |
Execute | Run program without stepping until watch point or break point reached. |
Wpclear | Clear all watch points. |
Bpclear | Clear all break points. |
Bpmark | Mark the current line as a break point. |
Bpdrop | Clear a particular break point. |
Wpdrop | Clear a particular watch point. |
Bpshow | Show all break points. |
Wpshow | Show all watch points. |
Quit | Exit the program and debugger. |
Use the [UP], [DOWN], [LEFT], and [RIGHT] arrow keys to navigate the push buttons, and press the [RETURN] key to select a button. You may also type the accelerator key to select a button. The accelerator keys are the highlighted letters in the label of each push button.