Using SoftBench Debugger
Setting and Using BreakpointsSetting and Using Breakpoints
A breakpoint is a "hook" placed in your executable program by SoftBench Debugger to halt execution at a specific line. SoftBench Debugger indicates a breakpoint by a breakpoint annotation in the Annotation Margin, to the left of the Editable Source Area. The breakpoint annotation appears on the same line as the source statement. See Figure
When your program runs or continues, and the condition specified in a breakpoint occurs, control returns to the debugger and any DDE command attached to the breakpoint executes. If the attached command does not execute a "go", then the program pauses and you can query variables and perform other SoftBench Debugger operations. For information on attaching commands to breakpoints, see “Executing DDE Commands at a Breakpoint” on page 195.
Your program pauses before executing the source statement associated with the breakpoint. For example, suppose you set a breakpoint on an assignment statement. When your program pauses at the breakpoint, the assignment has not been executed. If you Print ( ) the value of the variable, you see its previous value. If you Step, the assignment takes place and you can Print ( ) the result of the assignment.
While the program stops, you can examine the values of variables and look at anything else that might help you find defects in your program. You can even change the PC location within the current function, to repeat a section of code or to skip over unwanted code.
You can have any number of active breakpoints in your program. Execution stops when SoftBench Debugger encounters any breakpoint.
SoftBench Debugger automatically creates breakpoints on the first and last lines of your main() procedure.
To get a complete list of breakpoints, use the "Break: Show…" menu selection.
Debugging a Program Using Breakpoints“Setting a Breakpoint” on page 190 describes how to pause your program during execution. This can be useful any time you want to execute part of your program before pausing to debug a section of code. For example,
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