6.0

33
1 Execution control
The different execution methods, in particular the Run to cursor and the Step by step methods of
executing a program, can be useful when you are debugging a program. You can exit program
execution at any point.
2 Breakpoints
A breakpoint stops the execution of the program at a specific line in the code. You can set the
breakpoint to take effect whenever the program arrives at that line, or only when the program arrives
at that line and a specified condition is True. You can set as many breakpoints as you need.
3Spies
A spy is a PlanetPress Talk expression that references one or more variables or expressions in your
PlanetPress Talk code and evaluates to a string, integer, measure, currency or Boolean value. The
expression you use for the spy may or may not be part of the existing code.
Spies are useful for monitoring variables or expressions in your PlanetPress Talk code. The spies you
create appear in the Spy list. When you execute the program, they update to reflect the changing
values of the variables they reference. Spies can reference global, system, and local variables. Note,
however, that the only local variables you can reference when you create a spy are those defined in the
program loaded in the Editor at that time.
There is one Spy list per individual object or page.
4 Expression evaluation
You can evaluate any PlanetPress Talk expression that evaluates to a string, integer, measure, currency
or Boolean value, whether or not that expression appears in the Code area of the Editor.
The value of any variable the expression references is its value at the point in program execution at
which you perform the evaluation. You can reference system variables, global variables, as well as any
local variables that appear in the program currently loaded in the Editor.
Other Features Useful in a Debugging Context
In addition to the four key debugging features, comments, debugging code, and the Object Preview can
also be useful during debugging.
Comments can be very handy for enabling or disabling sections of code.
Debugging code is code you embed in the program for debugging purposes only; during execution, it
prints information that helps you debug the program. The Messages area of the Object Preview displays
the debugging code. Once you solve the problem, you remove the debugging code.