*debugger.txt*  For Vim version 7.1.  Last change: 2005 Mar 29  		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Gordon Prieur  Debugger Support Features				*debugger-support* 1. Debugger Features		|debugger-features|2. Vim Compile Options		|debugger-compilation|3. Integrated Debuggers		|debugger-integration| {Vi does not have any of these features} ==============================================================================1. Debugger Features					*debugger-features* The following features are available for an integration with a debugger oran Integrated Programming Environment (IPE) or Integrated DevelopmentEnvironment (IDE): 	Alternate Command Input				|alt-input|	Debug Signs					|debug-signs|	Debug Source Highlight				|debug-highlight|	Message Footer					|gui-footer|	Balloon Evaluation				|balloon-eval| These features were added specifically for use in the Motif version of gvim.However, the |alt-input| and |debug-highlight| were written to be usable inboth vim and gvim.  Some of the other features could be used in the non-GUIvim with slight modifications.  However, I did not do this nor did I test thereliability of building for vim or non Motif GUI versions.  1.1 Alternate Command Input				*alt-input* For Vim to work with a debugger there must be at least an input connectionwith a debugger or external tool.  In many cases there will also be an outputconnection but this isn't absolutely necessary. The purpose of the input connection is to let the external debugger sendcommands to Vim.  The commands sent by the debugger should give the debuggerenough control to display the current debug environment and state. The current implementation is based on the X Toolkit dispatch loop and theXtAddInput() function call.  1.2 Debug Signs						*debug-signs* Many debuggers mark specific lines by placing a small sign or color highlighton the line.  The |:sign| command lets the debugger set this graphic mark.  Someexamples where this feature would be used would be a debugger showing an arrowrepresenting the Program Counter (PC) of the program being debugged.  Anotherexample would be a small stop sign for a line with a breakpoint.  These visiblehighlights let the user keep track of certain parts of the state of thedebugger. This feature can be used with more than debuggers, too.  An IPE can use a signto highlight build errors, searched text, or other things.  The sign featurecan also work together with the |debug-highlight| to ensure the mark ishighly visible. Debug signs are defined and placed using the |:sign| command.  1.3 Debug Source Highlight				*debug-highlight* This feature allows a line to have a predominant highlight.  The highlight isintended to make a specific line stand out.  The highlight could be made towork for both vim and gvim, whereas the debug sign is, in most cases, limitedto gvim.  The one exception to this is Sun Microsystem's dtterm.  The dttermfrom Sun has a "sign gutter" for showing signs.  1.4 Message Footer					*gui-footer* The message footer can be used to display messages from a debugger or IPE.  Itcan also be used to display menu and toolbar tips.  The footer area is at thebottom of the GUI window, below the line used to display colon commands. The display of the footer is controlled by the 'guioptions' letter 'F'.  1.5 Balloon Evaluation					*balloon-eval* This feature allows a debugger, or other external tool, to display dynamicinformation based on where the mouse is pointing.  The purpose of this featurewas to allow Sun's Visual WorkShop debugger to display expression evaluations.However, the feature was implemented in as general a manner as possible andcould be used for displaying other information as well. The Balloon Evaluation has some settable parameters too.  For Motif the fontlist and colors can be set via X resources (XmNballoonEvalFontList,XmNballoonEvalBackground, and XmNballoonEvalForeground).The 'balloondelay' option sets the delay before an attempt is made to show aballoon.The 'ballooneval' option needs to be set to switch it on. Balloon evaluation is only available when compiled with the |+balloon_eval|feature. The Balloon evaluation functions are also used to show a tooltip for thetoolbar.  The 'ballooneval' option does not need to be set for this.  But theother settings apply. Another way to use the balloon is with the 'balloonexpr' option.  This iscompletely user definable. ==============================================================================2. Vim Compile Options					*debugger-compilation* The debugger features were added explicitly for use with Sun's VisualWorkShop Integrated Programming Environment (ipe).  However, they were donein as generic a manner as possible so that integration with other debuggerscould also use some or all of the tools used with Sun's ipe. The following compile time preprocessor variables control the features:     Alternate Command Input			ALT_X_INPUT    Debug Glyphs				FEAT_SIGNS    Debug Highlights				FEAT_SIGNS    Message Footer				FEAT_FOOTER    Balloon Evaluation				FEAT_BEVAL The first integration with a full IPE/IDE was with Sun Visual WorkShop.  Tocompile a gvim which interfaces with VWS set the following flag, which setsall the above flags:     Sun Visual WorkShop				FEAT_SUN_WORKSHOP ==============================================================================3. Integrated Debuggers					*debugger-integration* One fully integrated debugger/IPE/IDE is Sun's Visual WorkShop IntegratedProgramming Environment. For Sun NetBeans support see |netbeans|.  vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:ft=help:norl: