13.4 Debug Mode

There are three additional support functions that allow the user to find out where in the execution of a script Octave entered the debug mode, and to print the code in the script surrounding the point where Octave entered debug mode.

: dbwhere

In debugging mode, report the current file and line number where execution is stopped.

See also: dbstack, dblist, dbstatus, dbcont, dbstep, dbup, dbdown.

: dbtype

: dbtype lineno

: dbtype startl:endl

: dbtype startl:end

: dbtype func

: dbtype func lineno

: dbtype func startl:endl

: dbtype func startl:end

Display a script file with line numbers.

When called with no arguments in debugging mode, display the script file currently being debugged.

An optional range specification can be used to list only a portion of the file. The special keyword "end" is a valid line number specification for the last line of the file.

When called with the name of a function, list that script file with line numbers.

See also: dblist, dbwhere, dbstatus, dbstop.

: dblist

: dblist n

In debugging mode, list n lines of the function being debugged centered around the current line to be executed.

If unspecified n defaults to 10 (+/- 5 lines)

See also: dbwhere, dbtype, dbstack.

You may also use isdebugmode to determine whether the debugger is currently active.

: isdebugmode ()

Return true if in debugging mode, otherwise false.

See also: dbwhere, dbstack, dbstatus.

Debug mode also allows single line stepping through a function using the command dbstep.

: dbstep

: dbstep n

: dbstep in

: dbstep out

: dbnext …

In debugging mode, execute the next n lines of code.

If n is omitted, execute the next single line of code. If the next line of code is itself defined in terms of an m-file remain in the existing function.

Using dbstep in will cause execution of the next line to step into any m-files defined on the next line.

Using dbstep out will cause execution to continue until the current function returns.

dbnext is an alias for dbstep.

See also: dbcont, dbquit.

When in debug mode the RETURN key will execute the last entered command. This is useful, for example, after hitting a breakpoint and entering dbstep once. After that, one can advance line by line through the code with only a single key stroke. This feature may be disabled using the auto_repeat_debug_command function.

: val = auto_repeat_debug_command ()

: old_val = auto_repeat_debug_command (new_val)

: auto_repeat_debug_command (new_val, "local")

Query or set the internal variable that controls whether debugging commands are automatically repeated when the input line is empty (typing just RET).

When called from inside a function with the "local" option, the variable is changed locally for the function and any subroutines it calls. The original variable value is restored when exiting the function.