Debugging

Syntax Error Detection

EPL provides very powerful syntax error detection.

 

Real-time Detection

When every time you press enter key to confirm a code line, the EPL will detect whether this code line has obvious syntax error automatically, if the error exists, EPL will prompt you and describe the syntax error.

You can click “Tools” ->”System Settings” menu and switch to “Input” tab, check/uncheck the “Check syntax error after inputting new line” option to enable/disable this function. See picture below

 

Compiling Detection

EPL will check all the syntax errors of your application when compiling, once any one error was detected, the current compiling will stop and the code line of the error will be activated, the description of the error will be displayed in the “Output” tab.

Track & Debug

These menu items provides track & debug functions, and the descriptions are below

(1) Compiles current EPL application in debug mode and run it.

(2) Stops the current running EPL application.

(3) View/Modify contents of specified expression or variable.

(4) Single-steps through function in the application. If this function need to call other user-defined type function, the function is executed without stepping through the called function.

(5) Single-steps through function in the application, and enters each function this current function called.

(6) Finishes the current function, returns to next code line of calling function and breaks.

(7) Run EPL application, breaks at current caret located position.

(8) Sets or clears breakpoint on current line of code.

(9) Sets or modifies conditional breakpoint on current line of code.

(10) Clears all the breakpoints in all source code.

(11) Run to current caret position.

 

And each menu item of function displayed their specified shortcut key, you can also use it.

Whatever debug in which way, must insert one or more breakpoints. Just press F9 key on the line to make as breakpoint, the head of the line will mark a red-color tag, the application will suspend when execute to the place that has the red-color tag.

To set conditional breakpoint, select a line of code, click “Conditional Breakpoint” menu, inserts conditional expression (only support variable), and click OK to mark a red-color tag.

All the breakpoints can delete by press F9 key.

Debug Related Function

EPL provides very helpful functions for debugging, the following describes these functions

OutputDebugString

This function is only valid in debug mode and will be ignored in release mode.

The OutputDebugString function sends specified string to "Output" tab of EPL . A "*" character will add before the specified string, and a carriage return will add after the specified string.

Pause function

This function is only valid in debug mode and will be ignored in release mode.

The Pause function pauses current running application just like inserting a breakpoint. It can be placed at any code-able place in your source code.

Assert function

This function is only valid in debug mode and will be ignored in release mode.

This Assert function examines the conditional parameter, if it is False, the application will pause and display warning.

This function can placed at any code-able place in your source code and just like inserting a conditional breakpoint.

IsDebugMode function

The IsDebugMode function returns True if the current executable file is debug mode that running in EPL Debug Environment. Otherwise returns False for indicating the release mode.