How to invoke the Debugger?

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1

How do we invoke the Debugger?

I've tried setting playdate.debug.setEnabled(true) in my project code but there is no change in behaviour of the Simulator.

I can get to the Console, Memory Viewer and Sampler but have no idea about the Debugger.

What am I missing?

Thanks!

2

Any ideas? I feel like a fool :smile:

3

You can call the playdate.debug functions in the console (there's a text entry field at the bottom of the console window, if you'd missed that) but like Inside Playdate says, this is all experimental, untested code that I wouldn't expect to work correctly. We aren't planning on adding debugger UI to the simulator, but I believe Logan's already done some work on that in Nova.

I'll file a bug to see if we can get those functions working again, though! Our intern added those.. five years ago, I think? :flushed:

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4

I have missed it! :playdate_shocked:

And Nova integration, too.

Will check again in the morning. Thanks.

5

2022 checkin' in!

  • Downloaded the SDK and nova.
  • Open up one of the samples, DrumMachine.
  • Playdate Simulator is preselected as the Task
  • Clicked line number 91 of main.lua, a blue arrow indicator is added to the line as expected
  • Press play in Nova

Expected: The game opens in Simulator and halts immediately at line 91, at which point I can inspect all variables in Nova

Actual: The game opens in Simulator and runs as if no debugger is attached.

In the PlayData simulator Task, I tried both launch types launch and debug. No difference.

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For now I'm interested in developing Lua-only

Would also like to know whether it is possible to attach a debugger in the IntelliJ IDE

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6

I too would like to know whether this is supposed to work. There's a comment in another thread about debugging which says it used to. I got to the same place you did, have some code, have the extension, clicked on the source and got a blue indicator arrow, ran the code, no debug.

Also at the start of this thread is a comment about setting playdate.debug.setEnabled(true) but there's nothing in the documentation about playdate.debug and adding this line fails so perhaps playdate.debug was also removed

7

I'm looking and enquiring into this for you (and for me!)

thanks for your patience.

8

OK! My mistake - I thought it was already out.

I've been informed Playdate debugging is scheduled for the next major version of Nova (9.0), out soon, though I don't know of an exact date for that.