wishing: zsh debugger

wishing: zsh debugger

[mkkwong2]

In my opinion, one thing that deters people from writing more
complicated zsh scripts is the lack of a symbolic debugger. C/C++,
Perl and Ruby all have one.

"zsh -x SCRIPT" helps but often it prints too much, much more than
we really need. Say, if there is a bug near the beginning of the
script, then the output from the later part of the program becomes
mere noise and is distracting.

Wish that someone will write a debugger, even a very simple one to
start out with can be greatly helpful. It only needs to have the
capability to

   * step through line by line
   * step into functions (at least for those defined within the
     same script)
   * set breakpoint for given line numbers
   * print and set variable values while at a break point.

Making use of the output from "zsh -x", It is easy to write a perl
script to simulate a fake-debugger that can do the first 3 bullet
items. Someone more capable will have to write a real one that can
do all 4.

mk kwong

Re: wishing: zsh debugger

[s. keeling]

Incoming from mkkwong2@alcatel-lucent.com:
> In my opinion, one thing that deters people from writing more
> complicated zsh scripts is the lack of a symbolic debugger. C/C++,
> Perl and Ruby all have one.

Haven't you seen the flame wars on lkml every time someone asks for
one?  Debuggers don't really help.

Korn shell has some fairly sophisticated degugging facilities.
Perhaps reading up on them will point you somewhere useful?  They're
likly supported in zsh.

> Making use of the output from "zsh -x", It is easy to write a perl
> script to simulate a fake-debugger that can do the first 3 bullet
> items. Someone more capable will have to write a real one that can
> do all 4.

No tool is perfect for every job.  Perhaps you're using the wrong
tool. 


-- 
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(*)               http://www.spots.ab.ca/~keeling 
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