Visual Basic Debugging

Tools
Appendix D

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 Outline
Debugging strategies
Error Types
Compile, Run-Time and Logical errors
VB Debugger
Breakpoints, watches and stepping
through
Error Trapping
Common Errors
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 Debugging
Errors in a program are called bugs
The process of finding and correcting
them is called debugging
Debugging aims at eliminating or
reducing the number of bugs in a
program, thus making it behave as
expected.

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 Debugging strategies
Tracing
Putting print statement in the code to verify
flow and variable values during execution
Remove print statements after the error is
detected
Logfile
Text file to which a debugging trace is written
Debuggers read the log file (GDB for example)
Error Trapping and Handling
Used to trap fatal errors

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 Preferable Debug Method
Use a debugger!
Allows you to pause during execution in
order to view or alter variables
1.Setting breakpoints (to suspend
program execution)
2.Defining watch values (to see current
value of variables
3.Stepping into a program (executing one
instruction at a time)

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 Error Types
Compiler Errors
Syntactic, or compilation, errors occur
when VB commands are written
improperly.
Run-time errors
An application attempts to perform an
action that the system cannot execute
Logical errors
Caused by faulty program logic.
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 Compiler Errors
Visual Basic compiler errors occur
when the compiler encounters
problems in the code.
A pop up windows is displayed

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 Run-time Errors
Visual Basic run-time errors occur
when an application attempts to
perform an action that the system
cannot execute.

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 Logical Errors
The program compiles and runs fine
The program does not give the expected
output
General debugging strategy:
1. Place breakpoint near (preferably, slightly
ahead) of suspected error source.
2. Execute program in normal fashion, until
breakpoint is encountered.
3. Define one or more watch values and step
through the program, one instruction at a time.
4. Follow watch values to identify location, and
possibly, source, of error.

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 Program Modes
Design
Place controls on the form, set properties
and write code
Run (F5 or Start)
Break
Invoked automatically when run-time
errors are encountered
By clicking the break button or Ctrl-Break

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Debugging Status Indicators

Indicato Symb Description

r Name ol
Breakpoi Suspends program
nt execution
Current Represents the next
Stateme line to be executed.
nt You can drag the
current statement
indicator to another
line to either skip or re-
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 Debug Menu

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 Breakpoints
Select statement, or click anywhere within
statement, and set breakpoint:
1. Select Toggle Breakpoint from the Debug
menu, or
2. Click on the Toggle Breakpoint button within
the Debug toolbar, or
3. Press function key F9.
A dark red point to the left of a statement
indicates the existence of a breakpoint.
The break in the program occurs just
before the selected statement is executed.
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 Breakpoints
To remove breakpoint use one of the
three possibilities listed earlier to set
a breakpoint.
To remove all break points select Clear
All Breakpoints from the Debug menu, or
use Ctrl-Shift-F9
Temporary breakpoint: click within a
statement, select Run to Cursor from
the Debug menu, or use Ctrl-F8.
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 Defining watch values
Watch values are the current values
of variables or expressions
There are two types of watch values:
1. Ordinary watch values: remain active
as you step through the program
2. Break watches: The cause a break
when True or when the values changes

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 To define watch values
1. Select Add Watch, from the Debug menu,
and enter information in the Add Watch
dialog box.
2. Right-click on the Watches window, select
Add Watch.
3. Highlight an expression in the Code Editor
window, and select Add Watch, from the
Debug menu.
4. Highlight an expression in the Code Editor
window. Then, right-click and select Add
Watch.
5. Shift+F9 for quick watches
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 Adding Watches

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Stepping through a program
Three different types of stepping:
1. Step Into results in line-by-line stepping of current
procedure and subordinated procedures.
2. Step Over results in line-by-line stepping of current
procedure, bypassing subordinated procedures.
3. Step Out results in execution of all remaining
statements within the current procedure, and then
pauses at the first statement following the
procedure access in the parent routine.
Note procedures will be discussed later in CH4

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Stepping through a program
To carry out line-by-line stepping do
one of the following:
1. Select Step Into (or Step Over, Step
Out) from the Debug menu
2. Press F8 to Step Into, Shift+F8 to Step
Over, Ctrl+Shift+F8 to Step Out
3. Click on the Step Into button (or Step
Over or Step Out button) on the Debug
toolbar

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 Error Trapping
We will teach you later in Chapter 8
how to trap and handle fatal errors

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 Common Error Types

# Error Type # Error Type

6 Overflow 58 File already exists
7 Out of memory 61 Disk full
9 Subscript out of range 62 Input past end of file
11 Division by zero 71 Disk not ready
13 Type mismatch 380 Invalid property value

52 Bad file name or 382 'Item' property cannot be set at
number run time
52 File not found 423 Property or method not found
55 File already open 450 Wrong number of arguments

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 Compile Errors Examples

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 Run Time Errors

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