PDP-10.its/doc/libdoc/didl.info

DIDL is a MACLISP debugger for use on display terminals.  The display features
of DIDL show user program code in context: for instance, when the user program
hits a breakpoint, DIDL automatically shows not only the point at which the
breakpoint occurred, but also the surrounding code.  Single-stepping moves a
cursor through the user code, showing exactly what is to be executed, in
context.

Because of its size, and the general lack of disk space, the source of DIDL
is only on ML:LIBDOC;DIDL >.

DIDL works on uncompiled code only.  Make your macros non-displacing, or DIDL
will get very confused.


Loading and invoking

Load DIDL from LIBLSP;DIDL FASL.  To invoke DIDL, type (didl), or just
C-E, if you haven't already assigned some other function to C-E.  To
single-step some form, type (dstep <form>) [more on stepping below].


Commands

All DIDL commands are one or two letters long, with an optional positive or
negative numeric argument.  If no argument is given, 1 is assumed.  If just a
'-' is given, -1 is assumed.

Sometimes some commands will prompt for another argument.  To abort a command
after such a prompt, just rubout past the left end.  Some commands also assume
some default after prompting.  To get the default, just type space.


Displaying code

DIDL will display your EXPR's or LEXPR's by grinding them and then displaying
the ground function.  (If you make extensive use of reader macros, you may
not recognize your code.)

To display a function, type

	X

(for eXamine).  You will be prompted for a function name.  After the function
has been ground and displayed, you can use EMACS-like commands to move around
in the function.  At any time, the DIDL cursor is pointing to some
parenthesized LISP form, and will show you the left or right parenthesis for
that form.  The following commands are available (an n before a command
indicates it takes an optional numeric argument:

	<	Move to the beginning of the function.  (Like M-< in EMACS.)
	>	Move to the end of the function.
	nV	Move forward n pages.
	-nV	Move backward n pages.
	L	Redisplay the screen, in case it has been garbled.
	(	Show the left parenthesis of the current form (normal case).
	)	Show the right parenthesis.
	nI	Move forward n left parentheses.  This is a textual move
			and ignores the actual nesting of parentheses.
	nO	Move backward n left parentheses.
	nN	Move forward n parentheses at this nesting level.  If n
			n is too large, just move to the last
			left parenthesis at this level.
	nP	Move backward n left parentheses at this nesting level.

Note that unlike EMACS, DIDL will not change its idea of where the current
form is, even if, say a V command moves it out of sight.  Thus the ( command
will always return you to the current form, and may force a different page to
be displayed.


Single-stepping

To single step a lisp form, type

	(dstep <form>)

DIDL will start stepping the form, and show you what is about to be executed
every time you single step.  When some atom or (QUOTE <something>) is about to
be evaluated, DIDL will display the form and will type

	--Continue--

Just hit space or any other character to continue.  When some more complicated
form is about to be evaluated, DIDL will display the form, in context if
possible, and wait for you to type any DIDL command.  The commands that
continue stepping are:

	C	Continue, without stepping deeper.
	,	Continue without stepping deeper, but show the value of the
			form that was evaluated, and wait for the user to type
			space to continue.
	;	Continue, breaking on deeper evaluations, and show the value
			form that was evaluated.


Displaying the stack

During the evaluation of any form, a backtrace of the stack can be displayed.
A typical line of the frame display looks like:
1: Broke at AFUNCTION: (COND ((= X 5) (SETQ Y (GROMMET 'APPLE 6 2)) (RETURN

The number on the left side is the frame level number.  The top frame is
numbered 1.  The "Broke at" message indicates that the frame to evaluate this
form has not actually been created yet; this happens when DIDL stops on a form
because of single-stepping or because it has hit a breakpoint.  This message
is not printed if the frame actually exists.  Then the name of the function
(if there is one) and as much code as will fit on one line is printed.

If the frame display occupies more than one page, you can use the <, >, V,
and L commands to look at other pages.

One stack frame is always selected, and is indicated by the cursor at the
left-hand edge.  To select another stack frame, use the following commands:

	nP	Go up n stack frames.
	nN	Go down n stack frames
	nJ	Jump directly to stack frame n.

Once you have selected a stack frame, you can display the code for that frame,
in context:

	.	Display the user code for this stack frame, if possible.


Evaluation in the current frame

	E	Evaluate.  E prompts for a form, and then evaluates the form
			in the environment of the current frame.  You can use
			this command to examine variable bindings.
	R	Return.  R prompts for a form, evaluates the form in the
			environment of the current frame, and then forces a
			return from this frame with the given value.


Breakpoints

You can set breakpoints in any uncompiled function at any time.  These
breakpoints are non-destructive, and do not actually alter the code.

	BS	Set a breakpoint at the current form.  You can give the
			breakpoint a name, or use a supplied default name.
	BC	Clear the breakpoint at the current form.
	BG	Go to the breakpoint you name, displaying where it is.

To clear a breakpoint, you will have to BG to it, and then BC it if you want
to clear it, unless you are already sitting on it.

Associated with each breakpiont can be an if-condition, an action, and a
patch.  For new breakpoints, all three of these are disabled, and the
breakpoint does nothing except unconditionally break when it is reached.

An if-condition is a form that is evaluated to determine if the breakpoint
should should cause a break.  A break will occur only if the if-condition
evaluates to non-NIL.

An action is a form that is always evaluated whenever a breakpoint is hit,
even if the if-condition evaluates to NIL.  Naturally, an action is evaluated
solely for its side effects.

A patch is also a form that is always evaluated whenever a breakpoint is hit.
The value of the patch is returned as the value of the form that would have
been evaluated at the breakpoint.  The code at the breakpoint is never
evaluated.

	BI	Set a new if-condition on the current breakpoint, or
			reenable the old if-condition.
	-BI	Disable the if-condition.
	BA	Set or reeneable an action.
	-BA	Disable the action.
	BP	Set or reenable a patch.
	-BP	Disable the patch.

Finally, there are two informational breakpoint commands:

	BL	List all the breakpoints that are currently set.
	BT	Tell about the current breakpoint, listing its if-condtion,
			action, and patch.


When-conditions

When conditions cause a break whenever a certain condition is satisfied.
They can be used, for instance, to determine when a variable becomes bound to
a particular value.

There are global and local when-conditions.  A local when-condition is
checked for only from the current point into the stack and deeper.  When the
current frame vanishes, the local when-condition disappears.  The scope of a
local when-condition is the same as that of a Lisp variable.  The global
when-condition is like a SPECIAL variable.  There is only one global
when-condition, and it is checked for at all times.

When-conditions are evaluated on every call to EVAL, so they will slow your
program down.

	WG	Set or reenable the global when-condition.
	-WG	Disable the global when-condition.
	WL	Set or reenable the local when-condition.
	-WL	Disable the local when-condition.
	WT	Tell about the when-conditions.

ONce a when-condition break has occurred, it is usually a good idea to disable
the when-condition immediately, because it will be true during every
subsequent call to EVAL, until the state it depends on is changed.


Miscellaneous

	Q	Quit from DIDL.  Be careful, as you may return to a previous
			invocation of DIDL.  Use C-G if you want to forget the
			whole mess.
	?	Print a list of all commands and descriptions.
	G	Regrind some function.  Useful if something has been reloaded
			or messed up.
	C-L	(control-L) Clear the echo area.
	C-A	Turn of the split screen used by DIDL.  Useful if you
			accidently get out of DIDL, and the screen is still
			split.
	C-E	Enter DIDL.  Same as typing (didl).
	<space>
	<cr>
	<lf>	are ignored.


Known problems

Having to go to a breakpoint to work on it is a nuisance.
The moving-around commands could be improved.
B? and W? should print lists of commands.
Don't try to use DIDL in conjunction with other debugging programs that use
EVALHOOK (e.g. steppers), or lots of things will go wrong.

Dan Halbert (DCH@ML, BUG-DIDL@ML)
This version July 1980.