The Debugger
Volume Number: 6
Issue Number: 3
Column Tag: Developer's Workshop
The Debugger, MacApp, 
and Incremental Linking
By Ronald G. Parsons, Donoho Design Group, Inc., Austin, TX
[Ron Parsons is a theoretical physicist turned Macintosh developer now living in
Austin, Texas where he preaches “the way” is “OOP and MacApp.” His experience
with MacApp emphasizes scientific visualization and parallel processing. He can be
reached at AppleLink D1977.]
In the Beginning
Steve Jasik has recently released a new version of The Debugger, Jasik Design’s
answer to those who want even the kitchen sink in a source level debugger. The
debugging and disassembling aspects of this program have been discussed before here
(MacTutor, April 1987, p. 13) and elsewhere (MacWEEK, September 15, 1987, p.
22). In this article, I will concentrate on two new aspects of The Debugger, an
incremental build system which greatly reduces the time required for the
compile-link-test cycle, and some features added to facilitate debugging in an
object-oriented environment - specifically MacApp®. These new features include:
• The ability to “step into” MacApp methods at the source level.
• The addition of an “Object Inspector.”
• The capability to do WriteLn’s to the -Notes- window of The Debugger.
• A procedure entry/exit trace window.
The Debugger provides at least partial solutions to two problems every MacApp
developer faces. A MacApp program must be linked with most of the MacApp libraries
each time a change is made to the source code and the application rebuilt. Since these
libraries are large, even a small MacApp program may require a minute or two on a
Mac II for the linker to do its thing. A new feature, the Incremental Build System
(IBS), has been added by Jasik to reduce to nearly zero the time required to link after
an incremental change.
The Incremental Build System requires a Mac with at least 4 Mb of RAM. It is
available only with the Universal Version (which is required for the Mac II and
SE/30). A Quick Reference card is now provided for The Debugger. This is a very
handy document (four pages of small type) and is concise synopsis of its features.
Referenced by (36):
- D Topics (MacTech Index)
- I Topics (MacTech Index)
- M Topics (MacTech Index)
- O Topics (MacTech Index)
- P Authors (MacTech Index)
- Vol 6 Issues (MacTech Index)
- January 92 - Object Master 1.0ß4 (Frameworks Archive)
- January 93 - Jasik's Incremental Build System and ObjectMaster (Frameworks Archive)
- June 91 - BAMADA Notes (Frameworks Archive)
- March 92 - BAMADA Notes (Frameworks Archive)
- March 94 - Editor's Notes (Frameworks Archive)
- September 92 - Office Memo - In the Blink of an Eye (Frameworks Archive)
- September 93 - BAMADA Notes (Frameworks Archive)
- New Debugger (MacTech Vol 03-1987)
- Marketing Tools (MacTech Vol 06-1990)
- Oct 90 Mousehole (MacTech Vol 06-1990)
- Browser (MacTech Vol 07-1991)
- Mar 93 Editorial (MacTech Vol 09-1993)
- CodeWarrior (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- Debugging PPC (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- Dec 94 Newsbits (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- Nov 94 Tips (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- Oct 94 Tips (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- PowerPC (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- Software 94 (MacTech Vol 10-1994)
- Jul 95 Tips (MacTech Vol 11-1995)
- MacWorld SF 95 (MacTech Vol 11-1995)
- Mar 95 Tips (MacTech Vol 11-1995)
- OpenDoc Framework (MacTech Vol 11-1995)
- Feb 96 Factory Floor (MacTech Vol 12-1996)
- Jan 96 Viewpoint (MacTech Vol 12-1996)
- Mar 96 Newsbits (MacTech Vol 12-1996)
- Mobbing the Moscone (MacTech Vol 12-1996)
- Oct 96 URLs (MacTech Vol 12-1996)
- Oct 97 - NewsBits (MacTech Vol 13-1997)
- Makes You Productive (MacTech Vol 15-1999)