Debugger : Will BlitzMax ever have one?

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Programming/Debugger : Will BlitzMax ever have one?

DannyD(Posted 2006) [#1]
Will BlitzMax ever have a propper debugger with watches, stops etc.. in an ide?


Perturbatio(Posted 2006) [#2]
I wonder if this could be used: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx

?


Who was John Galt?(Posted 2006) [#3]
Danny - I'm not holding my breath but I really hope the answer is yes.


Red Ocktober(Posted 2006) [#4]
that's what was sorely missing in Blitz3d as well... the ability to trace/ step through code and watch variables... this ability has saved me hours of mindless searching in vb.net...

--Mike


tonyg(Posted 2006) [#5]
I can stop and trace/step through my code and watch variables to a basic degree with the official IDE and the CE.
What do you want to do?


Dreamora(Posted 2006) [#6]
Stepping is already possible with BM, thats no problem.
What it does not, at least in the native IDE, is trace and call stack. While this is sad, that at least opens some possibilities for 3rd party IDEs as this is all only "parsing of output" ...

If you look the debug tree, you see that part of that theoretically is in. (otherwise, several times the same function call node for a recursive call of the same function would not exist)


Rimmsy(Posted 2006) [#7]
I stopped using the debugger a few days after I initially bought bmx. I thought about using it again yesterday, tried it then realised why I didn't. Mine crashes the IDE + game if I try and step through the code more than once. It's always been the same. To me, bmx doesn't have a debugger. Also, it steps into bmx's core methods/functions which I just can't be bothered doing.


Perturbatio(Posted 2006) [#8]
Also, it steps into bmx's core methods/functions which I just can't be bothered doing.


You *could* modify the modules to have the nodebug option.


Who was John Galt?(Posted 2006) [#9]
Same as Rimmsy - kept getting crashes and freezes and found the debugger useless.


DannyD(Posted 2006) [#10]
What is needed is a proper Debug UI not a patch work which requires debugging code in the source.


Dreamora(Posted 2006) [#11]
In that case don't buy 80$ apps but 1000$


DannyD(Posted 2006) [#12]
Dreamora..RealBasic, $99.00

"Cross-platform remote debugging

REALbasic Professional Edition includes a remote debugger that enables you to observe your code execution on one computer as it runs on another computer. The remote debugger enables you to write your code on Windows, for example, and test it on Linux and Macintosh. Because the remote debugger is based on the TCP/IP protocol, you can even use the remote debugger to test your application on a machine in another location, such as a customer site."


or how about someone implements a pluging that enables us to debug using XCode as Realbasic can?
http://forums.realsoftware.com/viewtopic.php?t=4942&highlight=debug"


Dreamora(Posted 2006) [#13]
RealBasic Professional costs 500$, not 100$


Regular K(Posted 2006) [#14]
A real debugger would be great, but I havn't made a complicated project yet that would require me to call stack or anything fancy.


Mark1nc(Posted 2006) [#15]
I'd be happier if it were more stable.
Many times I've been stepping through some critical part when it all just hangs. The IDE and the APP frozen. The step icon in the IDE depressed.

Real pain having to kill the task and start again. Makes me avoid debugging.

Mark


DannyD(Posted 2006) [#16]
Dreamora, Check the pricing page again .. the http://realsoftware.com/store/pricing/

Anyway, It would be great if BlitzMax had a debugger with an ide.....


skidracer(Posted 2006) [#17]
I use the MaxIDE debugger regularly and it hasn't crashed on me for months.

There is a current bug report which seems to indicate var parameters nuke it.

Any other reports from the user base in order to make the debugger more robust would be really appreciated.


In regards to original post, I have already used GDB to debug a memory leak in some C++ blitzmax module code, getting bmk to produce some symbol tables would be a good next step in that regards.


Defoc8(Posted 2006) [#18]
Well..cant say ive ever had much need to use a debugger..
- last time i remember using anything like this..i think it
- was Monam in Devpac on the Amiga..always handy to
- see whats happening at this level..

Im sure it helps tracking down Blitz compiler/Module/IDE bugs..

The fact that something exists..is a bonus..


Who was John Galt?(Posted 2006) [#19]
Thanks for the response, Skid. I'll give it a second look.

@Those that haven't - Once you've used a debugger you'll never look back. Makes life so much easier.


Grey Alien(Posted 2006) [#20]
I like the debugger, it's OK for basic use and I find it useful. As for stopping when variables have a certain value, well you can just do If myvariable=testvalue then debugstop. This works well.

One thing I'd like to see is Run to Cursor, so that when in debug mode and you are stepping through you can position the cursor further down and click (or press an FKey) and have the program run to that point (thus skipping a for loop or whatever) and then halt again.

The other thing you can do is make your own debug display with key variables shown on-screen as the game is running. This is also useful.

As for the var bug, yeah I had a situation the other day when I made a Field in a Type which was a function pointer and the function pointer had a param which was passed as var. I put a debugstop in the actual function that was being pointed at and everytime the code got there and I pressed F9 step, the exe would bomb out (no error message) and I'd be back in the IDE. Weird.

The other problem I got a while ago (posted in bug forums) that I couldn't duplicate with simple code was a debugger crash where the IDE output window actually said unexpected error or something whenever I put debugstop in a method of one of my types, but there was something complex going on with my type like it was in a list or referencing another type or something. I can't remember any more details at the moment...


Grey Alien(Posted 2006) [#21]
OK I've go some test code for the var bug I was talking about. I'll post it in the bug forum.


Mark Tiffany(Posted 2006) [#22]
Any other reports from the user base in order to make the debugger more robust would be really appreciated.


Okay, so not a report, but a request: ability to debugstop an app mid-flow from the IDE, not just by having to code "DebugStop" where you need it.

I've looked at the appstub and debugger code a couple of times now, and have just about gotten my head around it. The reason I looked both times was to add this myself.

I got to the point of understanding what I needed to change, but couldn't figure how to send the signal in to the appstub code! I don't think this would be that hard to do based previous looksees, any chance you could add this?


Rimmsy(Posted 2006) [#23]
I second this Mark. Being able to debugstop with a button from the IDE would be mucho useful.


DannyD(Posted 2006) [#24]
This is what we need