The debugger is integrated into the Script Editor and allows to single-step through the script and watch its actions. In addition, the variable inspector provides a simple and efficient means to follow the values of selected variables during the execution of a script.
The debugging can be started by clicking the "start debugging" button ( ). This switches the script into debugging mode and sets the execution pointer to the first line of the script. Next you can either single-step the script by pressing F8 or the corresponding button ( ), or you can set one or several breakpoints and continue the debugging execution by clicking the "continue debugging" button ( ). The script will be executed until it reaches a breakpoint.
In order to select certain variables for display in the variable inspector you can either click the "add variable" button ( ) and enter the name of the variable, or you can set the text cursor into the variable name and press Ctrl-F7.
Breakpoints can be set by moving the text cursor to the corresponding script line and clicking the "set breakpoint" button ( ) or by pressing Ctrl-F8.
Hint: |
Please note that debugging is only possible for the script loaded into the first tab of the multi-tab editor. If you want to debug a script loaded into another tab you have to move this script to the first tab by using the context menu entry "Move to First Tab" (right-lick the tab caption). |
Shortcut Keys and Buttons
Shortcut |
Button |
Action |
F4 |
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run the program until the current cursor position is met |
F7 |
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step into a subroutine during debugging |
F8 |
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step through code during debugging (without tracing into subroutines) |
F9 |
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normal mode: compile and run the script |
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switch into debug mode, and start the script, halt the execution at the first line of the scrip |
F9 |
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debug mode: continue running the script until the next breakpoint |
Ctrl+F2 |
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stop the debugging of a script |
Ctrl+F7 |
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add the identifier at the current cursor position to the variable inspector |
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remove the selected identifier from the variable inspector |
Ctrl+F8 |
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set/reset a breakpoint at the current cursor position |
Context Menu of the Variable Inspector
Command |
Action |
Copy all Variables to Clipboard |
Copies the entire set of variables listed in the variable inspector to the clipboard; the variable identifiers and their respective values are separated by a tab |
Paste Variables from Clipboard |
Clears the variable inspector and fills it with the variables stored in the clipboard. This command assumes that the variable identifiers are stored linewise. All characters after a tab character are ignored (thus pasting only the names and no values) |
Context Menu of the Editor Tabs
Command |
Action |
Close Page |
Closes the currently selected script. |
Close All Other Pages |
Closes all editor windows but the current one. |
Read Only |
Temporarily switches the corresponding editor in read-only mode (for example, in order to protect the script from altering it unintentionally). If you want make the read-only mode permanent, you have to insert the corresponding meta tag (#READONLY TRUE). |
Move to First Tab |
Moves the current script to the left, so that it becomes the first tab in the editor windows. Moving a script to the first tab is required if you want to debug the script. |
Context Menu of Editor Window
Command |
ShortCut |
Action |
Run To Current Line |
F4 |
Run the program until the current cursor position is met. F4 can only be applied if the script is in debugging mode (press the button to start debugging). |
Add Watch Value |
Ctrl-F7 |
Add the selected text to the variable inspector. |
Toggle Breakpoint |
Ctrl-F8 |
Set/reset a breakpoint at the current cursor position |
Remove all Breakpoints |
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Delete all breakpoints in the program. |
Hint: |
Please note that the CPU is active during the debugging phase, even if the execution is stopped. Thus leaving a script in debugging mode for a longer time may drain the batteries of your computer. |
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