Debugging

Techniques and best practices for debugging plugins and handling errors in your language module development process.

Debugging D plugins in Plugify involves using tools like WinDbg (on Windows) or GDB (on Linux) to inspect and troubleshoot your code. This guide provides an overview of how to debug D plugins and directs you to external resources for detailed instructions.

Prerequisites

Before debugging your D plugins, ensure you have the following:

  • D Compiler (LDC or DMD) installed and configured.
  • Debugging Tools:
    • On Windows: WinDbg or Visual Studio Debugger.
    • On Linux: GDB.
  • Plugify Core Library (built and available).
  • D Language Module (`plugify-module-dlang`) installed and configured.
  • A D plugin to debug.

Debugging D Plugins

Debugging D plugins involves attaching a debugger to the running Plugify process and setting breakpoints in your D code. Below are the general steps to debug D plugins:

Set Up Your Development Environment

  • Ensure your D plugin is built in Debug mode.
  • Open your D plugin project in your preferred IDE or text editor.

Launch Plugify with Debugging Enabled

  1. Start Plugify with your D plugin loaded.
  2. Ensure the D plugin is properly initialized and running.

Attach the Debugger to Plugify

  1. On Windows:
    • Open WinDbg or Visual Studio Debugger.
    • Attach to the Plugify process using the process ID (PID).
  2. On Linux:
    • Open GDB.
    • Attach to the Plugify process using the process ID (PID): 
      gdb -p <Plugify-PID>

Set Breakpoints

  • Open the D source files for your plugin.
  • Set breakpoints in your code using the debugger's interface or commands.

Debug Your Plugin

  • Trigger the functionality in your plugin that you want to debug.
  • The debugger will pause execution at your breakpoints, allowing you to inspect variables, step through code, and analyze the call stack.

Detailed Debugging Guide

For a comprehensive step-by-step guide on debugging D applications, refer to the official D debugging documentation:

Common Debugging Scenarios

1. Plugin Crashes

  • Check the Plugify logs for error messages.
  • Use the debugger to identify the exact line of code causing the crash.
  • Inspect variables and memory to diagnose the issue.

2. Plugin Not Loading

  • Verify that the plugin is compiled correctly and placed in the correct directory.
  • Check for missing dependencies or incompatible versions.
  • Use the debugger to step through the plugin initialization code.

3. Unexpected Behavior

  • Set breakpoints in the relevant functions to trace the flow of execution.
  • Inspect variable values to identify discrepancies.
  • Use conditional breakpoints to debug specific scenarios.

Advanced Debugging Tips

1. Use Logging

  • Add logging statements to your D plugin code to track execution flow and variable values.
  • Use Plugify's built-in logging system to output messages to the console or log files.

2. Debugging Multithreaded Code

  • Use the debugger's thread inspection tools to monitor and debug multiple threads.
  • Be cautious of race conditions and deadlocks.

3. Debugging Memory Issues

  • Use tools like Valgrind (Linux) or AddressSanitizer to detect memory leaks and invalid memory access.

Troubleshooting

1. Debugger Not Attaching

  • Ensure Plugify is running and the plugin is loaded.
  • Verify that the debugger is installed and configured correctly.

2. Breakpoints Not Hit

  • Ensure the D plugin code matches the compiled binary.
  • Rebuild the plugin and restart Plugify.

3. Debugger Crashes

  • Update your debugging tools to the latest version.
  • Ensure all dependencies are compatible with your development environment.

For more advanced debugging techniques and tools, refer to the D Language Documentation.

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Build Module
Detailed instructions on building and packaging your own language module for Plugify, allowing you to extend the framework.
Writing Language Module
Guide for extending Plugify with new languages.