View Poll Results: Which method of debugging do you use most?

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  • A debugger

    8 28.57%
  • printf

    7 25.00%
  • cout

    7 25.00%
  • ofstreams and other file output methods

    3 10.71%
  • weight training so i can throw the monitor through the window with just one hand

    3 10.71%

Thread: How do you like to debug?

  1. #16
    Confused Magos's Avatar
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    I prefer to make programs without flaws in it . If they do appear, I look at the faults I get, think of what might cause them, then correct it. Sometimes I use printf/cout/MessageBox to see if a certain piece of code is running or not, and what value it has.
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  2. #17
    Code Monkey Davros's Avatar
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    >for(int i = 0; i < strlen(char_array); i++)

    Should be:

    for(unsigned int i = 0; i < strlen(char_array); i++)

    If you start accepting warnings, you will not easily pick out important ones. Things like:

    if (a = b)

    Warning : Probable incorrect assignment

    With regard to your floating point example, I don't [think] I get a warning for this, but I'm probably using a different compiler.

    However, you can probably make the warning go away with:

    nvar = (int)fvar;

    I suppose it could be argued that this overly explicit.

  3. #18
    Confused Magos's Avatar
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    Originally posted by face_master
    Yeh, but what about warnings like those that you're not worried about and are part of your code, like assigning an floating point variable's data to an integer's data, even though you may have wanted this rounding to occur, it still warns you. eg,,
    Code:
    int nVar;
    double fVar = 2.9;
    nVar = fVar;
    How about nVar = (int)fVar; ???


    And how about in the following code:
    Code:
    for(int i = 0; i < strlen(char_array); i++)
    you would get a warning becuase the return type of strlen() is of unsigned int and you're comparing it to an int (i). Is it needed to change it to this?
    Code:
    for(unsigned int i; i < strlen(char_array); i++)
    That error has never showed up for me, but then I rarely use that way either since the middle argument is recalculated in every iteration, thus a lot of calls to strlen(). It's better to have a temporary variable storing the length of the string (I assume it never changes size) and use it in the comparison instead.
    If you still get warnings, use a casting or change the variable as you said...
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  4. #19
    Programming Sex-God Polymorphic OOP's Avatar
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    Originally posted by face_master
    Yeh, but what about warnings like those that you're not worried about and are part of your code, like assigning an floating point variable's data to an integer's data, even though you may have wanted this rounding to occur, it still warns you. eg,,
    Code:
    int nVar;
    double fVar = 2.9;
    nVar = fVar;
    And how about in the following code:
    Code:
    for(int i = 0; i < strlen(char_array); i++)
    you would get a warning becuase the return type of strlen() is of unsigned int and you're comparing it to an int (i). Is it needed to change it to this?
    Code:
    for(unsigned int i; i < strlen(char_array); i++)
    That's why you'd explicitly type-cast. Then, it's very apparent that you want the conversion to occur. It should make your warnings go away as well.

  5. #20
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
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    i usually use the debugger for errors, but, non syntax related bugging (logic mistakes) i usually go and strip down all the fluff and print out variables as i go. That's the best approach in my opinion...pen and paper helps too.
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  6. #21
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    I usually use printf to see at the terminal what the devices I'm debugging are doing, also a logic analyser or other tracing tool is very usefull. And ofcourse, as Waldo2k2 also mentioned, analysis of debug logging with pen and paper is also very usefull.

  7. #22
    Banned master5001's Avatar
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    How do I like to debug?

    I don't

  8. #23
    Emotionally Unstable DarkViper's Avatar
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    i never found a use for my debugger. i cant figure out how to work with breakboints and whatnot so i basically reply on chance (call me stupid, but thats how i work). with C++ i go like this:

    i program the whole goddamned thing out, and i just KNOW im going to get errors. so i click "build", it starts to build it and gives me a WHOLE slew of errors, i go through each one and fix them, once thats all completes (takes from 5 minutes to a whole 4 days) i build it all again and it works and everything is good.

    my method is slow but it works.

    can someone tell me how to use the debugger in bloodshed dev c++? or at least tell me how to work with breakpoints and the debugger???
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  9. #24
    PC Fixer-Upper Waldo2k2's Avatar
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    coding is like piece of cheese. think about that for a minute.
    hmm...
    it has holes in it, sometimes it stinks, and it goes great with ham??
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