Debugging suite for IDE, legacy and optimised applications

agraham · #1 (**permalink**) 08-12-2009, 04:07 PM

I have started a new thread for these libraries as the title of the previous thread no longer did justice to the capability available.

Having addressed the issue of debugging optimised compiled applications to my satisfaction I started looking at debugging in the device IDE where presently there is no real capability. With the exception of the Runner the Debug library objects will now work in both legacy and optimised compiled environments letting you examine and change Global variables and control/object properties and run control/object methods and Basic4ppc Subs.

Hopefully debugging in the device IDE will now be a bit easier than before. As noted in the DebugRecompiler Tutorial topic "Advanced usage" the use of a Task Switcher such as HandySwitcher (which is what I use) or Magic Button or similar will greatly ease the use of the Debug library on the device.

EDIT :- Version 2.0 posted for Basic4ppc v6.90 or later. See the following post for details.

EDIT :- DebugDesktop Version 2.0 posted for Basic4ppc v6.90 or later. See post 3 for details.

EDIT :- DebugRecompiler help posted. See post #7 for details.

EDIT :- DebugRecompiler updated to version 2.1. See post #18 for details.

EDIT :- DebugRecompiler updated to version 2.2. See post #19 for details.

EDIT :- DebugRecompiler updated to version 2.3. See post #20 for details.

agraham · #2 (**permalink**) 04-18-2010, 10:42 AM

Debug 2.0 now offers full functionality on both desktop and device, in both IDEs and when optimised compiled (and DebugRecompiled). Yes, you can now fully debug in the device IDE!

Thanks to Erel who has provided the hooks in Basic4ppc v6.90 for both desktop and device IDEs you can now set breakpoints and single step with the Runner object in both IDEs with version 2.0 of the Debug library. DebugRecompiler 2.0, included in the Debug archive, can cope with typed variables and the other changes in Basic4ppc v6.90. There is a new Recorder object that can write the sequence of code execution in a Sub to a file with variable values and a new Monitor object that combines a sub-set of the Runner and Watcher objects that might be more convenient for some uses as it needs less screen switching in use than when using Runner and Watcher together. The other Debug objects have some enhanced functionality over the previous version. The Debug and DebugTutorial helps have been updated to the new version.

Basic4ppc v6.80 and earlier will not work with version 2.0 so I have left DebugRecompiler 1.4 and Debug 1.8 available.

agraham · #3 (**permalink**) 06-08-2010, 11:27 AM

DebugDesktop library now posted integrates the Watcher, Caller, Runner and Tracer of the Debug library into a single Form to make using the debugger on the desktop more convenient. This library only works on Basic4ppc version 6.90 or later.

As with the Debug library this desktop only library is functional both in the IDE and when compiled. For help see the DebugTutorial and Debug help file contained in the archive for the Debug library version 2.0 or later.

mjcoon · #4 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agraham

DebugDesktop library now posted integrates the Watcher, Caller, Runner and Tracer of the Debug library into a single Form to make using the debugger on the desktop more convenient. This library only works on Basic4ppc version 6.90 or later.

As with the Debug library this desktop only library is functional both in the IDE and when compiled. For help see the DebugTutorial and Debug help file contained in the archive for the Debug library version 2.0 or later.

I got a compile error on the Demo because the localvar is unnused. Rather than switch off this warning (which I find very useful) I added an extra line to swap the assignment in both modules.

The when I tried to recompile (this is with debug.dll V2 and Basic4ppc version 6.90 ) I got:

Code:

C:\Program Files\Anywhere Software\Basic4ppc Desktop\Tzor>C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\csc.exe /o /noco
nfig /nostdlib /nologo /target:winexe /out:"C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Anywhere Software\Basic4ppc
\Tzor\1.exe" /define:DEVICE @"C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Anywhere Software\Basic4ppc\Tzor\1.rsp" /
define:AUTOSCALE /warn:1
Other.cs(310,18): error CS0535: 'Dbasic.CStreamReader' does not implement interface member 'Dbasic.IStream.Flush()'
c:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Anywhere Software\Basic4ppc\Tzor\Class1.cs(32,8): (Location of symbol
        related to previous error)

Press any key to continue . . .

I have no idea what to do about this!

(I am setting out to discover why a usage of a Table sort works OK on both device and PC IDEs, and on PC when compiled, but not as EXE on device.)

Mike.

agraham · #5 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjcoon

The when I tried to recompile (this is with debug.dll V2 and Basic4ppc version 6.90

Recompile what? The demo? I'm afraid that I see no problem having inserted "Iterator = localvar" in both modules to keep the compiler happy.

agraham · #6 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 09:48 AM

That error would occur with the wrong version of Other.cs. Have you got more than one installed version of Basic4ppc? If so what are the paths to each installation?

agraham · #7 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 10:10 AM

Having looked in the Debug 2.0 archive I realise that I left out the DebugRecompiler help file. It is now posted as a separate download - I couldn't place it in the archive as when I tried it exceeded the size permitted by the forum for zip files.

mjcoon · #8 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agraham

Recompile what? The demo? I'm afraid that I see no problem having inserted "Iterator = localvar" in both modules to keep the compiler happy.

Sorry, I should have realised that mentioning the change I made could make "recompile" look like a mere "compile again", whereas I meant DebugRecompile, as subsequent messages suggest that you realised.

Mike.

mjcoon · #9 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agraham

That error would occur with the wrong version of Other.cs. Have you got more than one installed version of Basic4ppc? If so what are the paths to each installation?

Yes, I have both 6.80 and 6.90. Some source files will only compile with one or the other and not both.

Now that you draw attention to it I guess that the message is telling me that the recompiler is making an assumption about where Basic4PPC is installed. I can replicate my 6.90 installation to there and try again... (And read the help file that you have added for the recompiler!)

Mike.

agraham · #10 (**permalink**) 09-08-2010, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjcoon

And read the help file that you have added for the recompiler!)

Yes, if your 6.90 is not a default installation but an earlier version is then DebugRecompiler will see the earlier version and try to use that. The Background topic in the help file tells you about a DebugRecompiler.inf file you can make to direct it to the installation you want to use.