Stepping and application state viewing between points

• US 9,355,012 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosen, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deng, Anna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Junchun
• Application Number:
  US13/849,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20130219366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,165 Days
• Field of Search: 717/124
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/362 Software debugging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3624 by performing operations on the source code, e.g. via a compiler

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing stepping and state viewing in a debugger application. A start and end breakpoint are assigned, Source code execution begins, and upon reaching the start breakpoint, a logging feature begins storing one or more values that may be impacted upon execution of code between the start breakpoint and an end breakpoint. More lines of source code are executed until the end breakpoint is reached. When the end breakpoint is reached, the debugger is put into break mode. While in break mode, a playback feature is provided to allow a user to play back a path of execution that occurred between the start breakpoint and the end breakpoint. The playback feature uses at least some of the values that were stored with the logging feature to show how each referenced variable changed in value.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processor configured to execute lines of code; and

memory that comprises the code; and

a debugger configured to;

assign a start breakpoint at a line of the code and an end breakpoint at another line of the code;

start, based on the start breakpoint upon execution of the line of code at which the start breakpoint is assigned, logging of the lines of code being executed;

stop, based on the stop breakpoint being encountered upon execution of the another line of code, the logging;

enable starting and stopping of playback of the logged code;

enable moving forward and backward to any line in the playback of the logged code; and

present the any line in the playback of the logged code.

2. The computing device of claim 1 where the moving forward and backward is enabled based on a slider control of a user interface of the debugger.

3. The computing device of claim 1, the debugger further configured to display, in a user interface of the debugger, a current value and an ending value of at least one variable.

4. The computing device of claim 1, the debugger further configured to display, in a user interface of the debugger, an execution path through the logged code.

5. The computing device of claim 4, the debugger further configured to display, in the user interface of the debugger, values of variables as they changed in the execution path.

6. A method performed on a computing device that includes a processor, memory, and a debugger, the method comprising:

assigning a start breakpoint at a line of code and an end breakpoint at another line of the code;

executing, by the computing device subsequent to the assigning, lines of the code;

starting, by the computing device via the debugger based on the start breakpoint being encountered upon execution of the line of code, logging of the executing lines of code;

stopping, by the computing device via the debugger based on the stop breakpoint being encountered upon execution of the another line of code, the logging;

enabling, by the computing device via the debugger, starting and stopping of playback of the logged code;

enabling, by the computing device via the debugger, moving forward and backward to any line in the playback of the logged code; and

presenting, by the computing device via the debugger, the any line in the playback of the logged code.

7. The method of claim 6 where the enabling the moving forward and backward is based on a slider control of a user interface of the debugger.

8. The method of claim 6 where the presenting further comprises displaying, in a user interface of the debugger, a current value and an ending value of at least one variable.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying, in a user interface of the debugger, an execution path through the logged code.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising displaying, in the user interface of the debugger, values of variables as they changed in the execution path.

11. At least one hardware computer storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, based on execution by a processor of a computing device that includes memory and a debugger, configure the computing device to perform actions comprising:

assigning a start breakpoint at a line of code and an end breakpoint at another line of the code;

executing, by the computing device subsequent to the assigning, lines of the code;

starting, by the computing device via the debugger based on the start breakpoint being encountered upon execution of the line of code, logging of the executing lines of code;

stopping, by the computing device via the debugger based on the stop breakpoint being encountered upon execution of the another line of code, the logging;

enabling, by the computing device via the debugger, starting and stopping of playback of the logged code;

enabling, by the computing device via the debugger, moving forward and backward to any line in the playback of the logged code; and

presenting, by the computing device via the debugger, the any line in the playback of the logged code.

12. The at least one computer storage device of claim 11 where the enabling the moving forward and backward is based on a slider control of a user interface of the debugger.

13. The at least one computer storage device of claim 11 where the presenting further comprises displaying, in a user interface of the debugger, a current value and an ending value of at least one variable.

14. The at least one computer storage device of claim 11, the actions further comprising displaying, in a user interface of the debugger, an execution path through the logged code.

15. The at least one computer storage device of claim 14, the actions further comprising displaying, in the user interface of the debugger, values of variables as they changed in the execution path.