[fpc-devel] Status and ideas about debug info (stabs, dwarf / dwar3)

[Hans-Peter Diettrich]

Martin schrieb:
> On 12/09/2011 11:06, Hans-Peter Diettrich wrote:
>>
>> IMO debugging support was one of the reasons, why Kylix was based on 
>> Wine, and the cross-platform versions of Delphi use remote debugging 
>> only. For that implementation a tiny (remote) debugger interface is 
>> sufficient, and the IDE can implement all the language specific debug 
>> support.
>>
>> I'd be happy if somebody could tell me how to make all those "no such 
>> identifier in scope" messages disappear, that currently reduce 
>> debugging "support" to breakpoints, call stack and local variables.
>>
> 
> IMHO that's a bit exaggerated (the last line)? I do use plenty of 
> watches, and never got any such message. Ok I know I can't see 
> properties, and I do not try to do so. That leaves still plenty of ways 
> to get information.

When 95% of the identifiers in a subroutine (method) can *not* be 
inspected, this makes an debugger somewhat useless to me. The hint 
window on e.g. Self provides some information, but only from the base 
classes - the remainder is out of view :-(

> Mind, I do NOT want to play down say that the lack of property support.

I didn't notice until now that my problems may be related to properties. 
AFAIR I also couldn't inspect global variables. I'll watch out when 
debugging the next time.

WRT inspecting properties I'd be happy with the content of the fields, 
where a property value is stored, e.g. TControl.FBoundsRect for Left or 
Right. Calling getter methods can be dangerous, I wouldn't expect such 
support. Again I only realize right now, that such a feature may require 
an hint in code, which property is stored or derived from which stored 
field.

DoDi