Debugging problem with CW 3.1

[madsum]

Hi,

I am new in CW IDE. I am having problem to debug an application based on S60 3.0 SDK. I have the following problems:

1. Debugger only shows descriptor contents which are local to current methods. It does not show the contents of descriptor which are declared as member or comes as parameter to a function call. Is there any way to see the contents of that kind of descriptor?

2. How to go back to source code from disassemble code at debugging session? Once my app panics or crashes and I start my app again without restarting the emulator, I never goes to my source code and it only show disassemble code. We could go to source code from disassemble code by right click and choosing go back to source. How to do it in CW?

3. I am debugging an app and exit the application normally. Again when I start the app, it does not stop in my break points and it seems it is not anymore in debugging mode. So every time I have to close the emulator and start the whole debugging process all over again, which is very annoying. How to do 2 or more debugging session in a row without closing emulator?

4. I would like to build from command prompt and some time I got following error message :

mwldsym2.exe: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
Errors caused tool to abort.

This error message comes while my project is open in CW IDE. No emulator or any other thing is open. If I close my project from CW IDE, everything goes file in command prompt. Why is it happening?

I am really having so many problems with CW. It seems it is not easy at all while migrating from Visual studio to CW. Note that I have read those 3 doc files provided by forum nokia regarding CW IDE for symbian development, still did not help that much. Hope somebody could help me here.

[kriipine]

Hi,

Here are some answers for you. I hope these help you forward.

2. In disassmbly code you can use only step over or run options, because debugger can not locate itself without symbolics information. You can either use "step over" untill you are back in you own code area or then you just push "Run" to get the execution to next breakpoint.

3. When you exit your application did you notice does the debug thread die also? If the thread dies then the debug session must be started again from IDE. If the thread stays alive I recomend you to kill it after you exit the application and then start the debugger again from IDE.

I'll try to get more information for you about those other issues.

[kriipine]

Hi,

Here is information to your 4 th question:
The CodeWarrior IDE keeps some files locked. Try to uncheck "Cache symbolics between runs" in the Debugger Settings panel. This will cause debugging sessions to start a bit more slowly, but it should remove the file locks.

[kriipine]

Hi,

About your first question. Please could you send that part of the code where you have problems so we can check them?

[madsum]

Yeah, sure! I can send it. But how I am suppose to send? And I think not only this project, all projects I tried so far in CW 3.1, having the same behavior. I will confirm you more about that descriptor stuff and its exact behaviors.

[kriipine]

Hi,

You can add the parts of the code directly to the board if there are no secret issues. If that is not possible then could you give more detailed information about the problem.

[madsum]

Your suggestion solved my problem number 4. Thanks! I am prepareing more details of of those debugging problem.

[madsum]

Well, here are more exact questions for CW 3.1. Consider following situation:

void MyContainer::TestingDes( TDes& aParameterDes )
{
TBuf<50> localBuf;
localBuf.Format( aParameterDes ); // <- here is my first break point
User::InfoPrint( localBuf ); // <- here is my second break point
}
// at first break point I can see as follows in debugger window
aParameterDes: TDes16& 0x1E24E160
localBuf: TBuf<226> L""

// at second break point I can see as follows in degugger window
aParameterDes: TDes16& 0x1E24E160
localBuf: TBuf<226> L"testing des"

// the above method is called as follows:
void MyView::CallingTestingDes()
{
TBuf<50> buf;
buf.Format(_(“testing des”));
iMyContainer-> TestingDes( buf );
}

I can see only the content of local descriptor. But it does not show content of a parameter descriptor. I read somewhere that CW is able to show the contents of all descriptor. Do I need to setup something if I want to see all contents of descriptor whether it’s local or parameter or a member of my class.

Next comes the several debugging session problem at a time. I found that if my application exists properly (without any crash or panic), I can immediately start the app again in the emulator and debugger stops on my break points and everything seems alright. But if my app crashes or panics and I try to start the app again, it does not stop at my break points and straightly goes to crashing point. Note that my debugging options are still valid (kill, break, etc is active) in second debugging session after of the crash. So the only way is to kill the current thread and start all over again. This extremely time consuming and annoying. Debuggers are meant to have several sessions at a time no matter the app crashes or panics. So I just can’t understand why CW is working like that. Please help!.

[madsum]

void MyContainer::HandleCommandL( TInt aCommand)
{
switch(aCommand)
{
case EAknSoftkeyExit:
{
CBaActiveScheduler::Exit(); // second break point here
break;
}

default:
{
Panic( EAdhocWlanUi ); // thired break point here
break;
}
}
}

void MyView::HandleCommandL( TInt aCommand)
{
iContainer->HandleCommandL( aCommand );
}

void MyAppUi::ConstructL()
{
BaseConstructL(); // break first point here
}

//I have 2 command button in my menu pane “ECmdTesting” and “EAknSoftkeyExit”

Let’s say I’m in first debugging session.
1. it will stop at my first break point. I press F5, program starts perfectly.
2. I choose EAknSoftkeyExit from menu, it stops in my second break point. I press F5 and it exist my app normally.
3. I start my second debugging session. It again stop at first break point. I press F5 and program starts perfectly.
4. This time I choose ECmdTesting from menu, it stops at my third break points, I press F5 and my App panics as follows:

MyApp closed. Reason number 1.

5. I start my third debugging session and now this time debugger does not stop at my first break point. Not only that it does not stop anywhere in fact, although all debug options are valid such kill, break, etc, at this situation.

So this time I have to kill the current thread from debugger, it closes the emulator and releases all resources. Then I have to start the debugging all over again, which is extremely annoying.

Note that if I check the same behavior in visual studio, I can have as many debugging session as I was and no matter my app panics or exists normally. I don’t need to stop whole debugging process until I don’t want to change any source code and compile it again. And I believe all debugger behave similarly.

I am suspecting whether I am doing something wrong or this is how CW works. I hope I am quite clear to demonstrate my problems with CW. I really expect some proper solution to continue working with CW.

[madsum]

HI kriipine,

Is everything OK with you? It seems you were very responsive in this thread. I thought I would have real help about CW issue and spent time to mention my problems. Don't you think the descriptions of those problems are clear enough? Should I force myself to believe that CW works like that and nothing can be done? If it is so, I would never buy CW license. Rather I would prefer notepad and command prompt and setting log in my code would be the debugging solution.

[kriipine]

Hi,

Sorry that my response was delayed. I tried get answers for your problems but I couldn't find proper answers.

About the descriptor problem. It seemes that it is a bug of CW. Since the development is moved forward to Carbide C++ there is no fix for that available.

About the debugging problem. Did you click Run icon after the crash or did you click Debug icon? If you clicked the Run icon it will only start the emulator without debugging functionality.

[madsum]

I don’t click any run or debug icon from IDE when my app crashes in emulator. First it shows the panic reason as follows:

___________________
MyApp closed.
USER 11
___________________
OK

I press OK and my emulator is still running. I just start my application again from emulator simply from emulator’s menu. When I start my application again after crash, it does not stop in any break point although it seems debugging options are valid. So I press kill from IDE and it releases all resources and closes emulator. Then I have to press debug again which is really time consuming process. It seems I can’t have more than 1 debugging session when my app crashes. Debuggers are meant to be pointing out those kinds of problems in application development.

[kriipine]

I don’t click any run or debug icon from IDE when my app crashes in emulator. First it shows the panic reason as follows:

___________________
MyApp closed.
USER 11
___________________
OK

I press OK and my emulator is still running. I just start my application again from emulator simply from emulator’s menu. When I start my application again after crash, it does not stop in any break point although it seems debugging options are valid. So I press kill from IDE and it releases all resources and closes emulator. Then I have to press debug again which is really time consuming process. It seems I can’t have more than 1 debugging session when my app crashes. Debuggers are meant to be pointing out those kinds of problems in application development.

If you are starting the application from emulator menu the debugging session is not started correctly -> breakpoints does not work. Try this instead. After the crash just click the run icon from the symbolics window of the CW IDE.