How to Debug
The Debug tool is used to debug a Solution or part of a Solution. This is done to ensure that no errors or omissions exist within the Solution that would prevent the Solution from executing as intended and achieving the required objectives. The purpose of debugging is to test one or more processes or service events using specific user-defined input values.
Debug Process
Typical Steps:
A basic debug process:
Select a Process or Event to debug.
On the main tool bar, click Debug.
View the initial Debug Output (indicating successful compilation and readiness to start debug).
Click Start (on the Debug tool bar).
View Debug Output, Debug Values and verify any output created by the Process or Event.
Click Close.
A basic stepped debug process:
Select a Process or Event to debug.
On the main tool bar, click Debug.
View the initial Debug Output (indicating successful compilation and readiness to start debug).
Right-click on a specific Process or Event of the Solution and select Add Breakpoint.
Right-click on a Process or Event of the Solution and select Enable Logging.
Click Start (on the Debug tool bar).
View Debug Output and Logs.
Click Resume to let the debugger run to the next Breakpoint, or click Step Over to let the debugger run to the next component of the solution.
View Debug Output and Logs.
Repeat step 7 and 8 as required.
View Debug Output, Debug Values and verify any output created by the Process or Event.
Click Close.
Demo Video
Debug a Process
Main Tool bar
- Debug
Click Debug on the main tool bar to prepare the Process or Event for debugging.
The Process or Event is compiled and basic validations are checked.
The Debug Tool bar opens.
If the Process or Event compiles successfully, in the Debug Output section it will indicate that the Start button should be clicked next.
Solution components
- Add Breakpoint
Right-click on a specific Process or Event of the Solution and select Add Breakpoint.
Adding a breakpoint enables a “stepped” debug process where the behavior of components, especially in relation to the values of variables, can be monitored or tracked. This assists in ensuring correct performance, as well as in troubleshooting any possible issues.
- Enable Logging
Right-click on any Process or Event of the Solution and select Enable Logging.
Enabling logging ensures that the Debug Output would also include all the details (logs) of the solution’s actions, and not only details on exceptions (errors).
Debug Tool bar
- Start
Click Start to commence the debug process.
- Resume
Click Resume to continue debugging. (The need to resume would be when the debugger was previously stopped, paused or in case a breakpoint was included).
- Pause
Click Pause to pause the execution of the debugging process. (To resume debugging, click Resume).
- Stop
Click Stop to stop the debugging process. (The debug process cannot be resumed; click Start to commence the process again).
- Step Over
Click Step Over to proceed to the next component of the solution that is being debugged.
- Step Into
Click Step In to debug into another Process. It will behave like a Step Over if the function is not another Process.
- Close
Click Close to close the Debug Tool.
Debug Output
There are 2 phases to debugging:
Compile: compiling a Process or Event and getting the debugger ready for debugging
Debug: debugging the Process or Event
For the compile phase, the Debug Output panel will display the debug status, including an indication for readiness to proceed to the next debug phase.
For the debug phase, the Debug Output panel will display debug progress, indicate any exceptions encountered, and where logging was enabled it would also display the logs for the different debug actions on all the components of the solution.
Debug Values
The Debug Values panel will display the values of variables as set and updated during the course of the debug process.
Analyzing Logs
Logs are records of all the actions or events of a solution during its execution. Logs could be generated as part of the debug process to enable confirmation of the successful and expected completion of all tasks within the solution. Analyzing logs could also form an important part of the troubleshooting process to find the causes for incorrect or unexpected solution behavior. During debugging "logs" are only visible in the Debug Output section.