Command: debug

Syntax

debug

Description

Interactively monitor the performance of Fire during execution. This facility is available on Unix systems only.

Parameters

None

Switches

• -ic
  Open the debug window iconic, or iconise the debug window if it is not already iconised.

• -pos=<screen_xy>
  X,Y screen position for the debug window. The default is 100,100.

Notes

This command displays an interactive debug window. If the debug window is already displayed, no action is taken.

The debug window is divided into 5 sections, the last two of which can be resized by means of sash handles:

• Status Section - General information about the current state of debugging.

• Fire Status: The current run status of Fire, i.e. RUNNING or STOPPED.

• File (push button): Display a file in the Text Section. A popup menu is provided for the file name to be given. The file name can be typed in or selected from a directory list.

• Close (push button): Terminate the debugger. Fire will continue running. A pulldown menu is provided for final confirmation.

• Command Frame: The type of command frame (if any) corresponding to the contents of the Text Section.

• File: The name of the file (if any) currently displayed in the Text Section

• Control Section - Two rows of push buttons which when pressed perform control actions over the debugger.

• Up - Display in the Text Section the commands of the previous command frame in the execution hierarchy, i.e. the command frame which called the one currently displayed in the Text Section.

• Down - Display in the Text Section the commands of the next command frame in the execution hierarchy, i.e. the command frame which the currently displayed one calls.

• Current - Display in the Text Section the commands of the current command frame in the execution hierarchy, i.e. the command frame currently being executed. This is the default frame displayed whenever the debugger causes Fire to pause.

• Where - Display in the Message Section details of the current command frame execution hierarchy.

• Stop At - Put a break point in a file/command frame. Some command frames prohibit break points but macros and procedures permit them.
  The operation is: select a line number via the mouse, then press the Stop At button.
  Some commands cannot have break points attached, e.g. comments and continuation lines. In such cases breaks at these lines will break at the appropriate line previous or following. This adjustment is done automatically.
  A break point at a line is displayed by a "*" next to its line number.

• Pause At - Similar to Stop. At but the added break point is a temporary break point only. Once the break point is stopped at, the break is removed automatically.

• UnStop - Remove a break point from a file/command frame.
  The operation is: select the line number via the mouse, then press the UnStop button.

• Clear - Remove all break points from a file/command frame.
  Select this file or all files from the pulldown menu as follows: this file clear all break points in the currently displayed file/command frame, all files clear all break points in all files and command frames.

• Breaks - Display in the Message Section details of all break points currently set, in the form of file and line number.

• Flow Section - A menubar of buttons which perform debugging functions when pressed while Fire is interrupted. The button functions are as follows:

• Continue - Stop debugging and continue Fire processing. Fire will then continue until either:

1. the Stop button is pressed,

2. a break point is encountered.

• Step - Execute the next Fire command, then return to the debugger. Sub-command frames (e.g. macros and procedures) will be entered when necessary.

• Next - Execute the next Fire command, then return to the debugger. Sub-command frames (e.g. macros and procedures) will not be entered.

• RunFrame - Execute the rest of the current frame with debugging off. Fire will continue until either:

1. the command frame completes,

2. the Break button in the monitor window menubar is pressed, or

3. a break point is encountered.

• Miss - Skip over the next Fire command, then return to the debugger.

• Flow - Change the flow by executing a command selected from a pulldown menu:

• break - Execute a break command

• continue - Execute a continue command

• return - Execute a return command

• repoll - Execute a repoll command

• Abort - Abort execution of the current Fire macro or function and return to keyboard input/master polling.

• Message Section - A scrollable text area displaying listings and messages produced as a result of button actions.

• Text Section - A scrollable text area displaying the current file or command frame being executed or examined.When appropriate, the current command being executed by Fire is highlighted.

Interaction with the debugger is available only when normal Fire processing is suspended, i.e. on the issuing of a debug command, when a break point is reached, or when the Break button in the monitor window has been pressed.

During debugging, commands typed in the monitor window are executed.

Only development versions of the system have the debug command facility.

See Also