[Idle-dev] Enhancements to IDLE debugger

[Irv Kalb]

I finally got a chance to look through the IDLE debugger issues.

The big one for me, is the first one, 17942.  I agree with your comment that “IDLE should execute and debug user code as transparently as possible”.


On Oct 31, 2016, at 6:47 AM, Terry Reedy <tjreedy at udel.edu> wrote:

> Here is my list of open bugs.python.org IDLE debugger issues.
> -Debugger
> 17942 Improve gui
> 15335 Steps over Idle rpc code, but into Idle print code
> 22083 Refactor breakpoint methods
> 14111 Handle interrupts
> 15347 Debugger activation disrupts closing even after debugger closed (Close)
> 15348*Closing [x] while active freezes shell (Serwy x 2)
> 24455 Closing twice while running caused crash.
> 24090 Send name value, possible truncated, to clipboard
> 24818 Isolate Shell connection so can run file without shell already open
> 25254 Highlight in source window again not working.
> 25146 Program visualization with intelligent auto step.
> 26949 raise SystemExit while debug causes extra Restart Shell
> 
> Feel free to post comments on the tracker (or here).
> 
> Here are some personal notes on other possible changes.
> 
> xxxxx Inspect attributes of global/local object, possible rt. click?

Yes, this would be very helpful.  Another choice for a user interface would be a disclosure triangle.  Click on the triangle, and it opens to show the values of the attributes, click it again, and it closes up.  (I have seen it done this way in other debuggers.)

> zzzzz At each step, color changed values.

This would be extremely helpful to students.

> nnnnn Suppress dunder names in globals list, so starts empty.

Agreed.  Students don’t really understand the dunder names.  

> ppppp locals/globals min space for vars and space between longest and value

Not really sure what this means?

> ddddd break on data change since monitor anyway?

Data change breakpoints would be extremely helpful

> mmmmm No Breakpoint setting on context menu?

If this means that the user sets breakpoints by clicking to the left of the source line (on a line number if it is there, or in a dedicated column to the left of the line), then, in my opinion, this is the single most important thing.

Thanks,

Irv

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/idle-dev/attachments/20161106/2c312b2e/attachment.html>