> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Kinnucan [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Saturday, August 14, 1999 10:58 AM
> There will be a command line interface, but it will not be
> very friendly. Currently the new debugger is set up so that
> when you start the debugger, the JDE creates
> and promptly buries a comint buffer that records commands
> that it sends to the debugger and the debugger's
> responses. The user is free to display the buffer and enter
> commands. But note that each command must include a unique
> command id and the id of the process at which the command
> is targeted. Also the debugger's responses are in the
> form of Lisp code.
None of this would prohibit the use of a command line
interface. Why not bury the id generation in the process
protocol? If you need to address the multiple process case,
add a cmd to set a process id that applies to subsequent
cmds. Use a filter-hook to filter the (lisp) replies into
something more user-friendly. After all, that is largely
how comint things work today.
> Also, please recognize that selecting items from a menu and
> entering commands in the comint buffer are not the only way
> to control the debugger. There are two other alternatives:
> keystroke shortcuts and executing Emacs commands, e.g., you
> can set a breakpoint at the current line in the
> current buffer in the following ways:
Good. I would expect these styles of interfaces from an emacs ui.
> I have a fair amount of experience with Microsoft's Visual C++
> debugger. It has no command line facility yet manages to be quite
> powerful and flexible nonetheless.
Likewise. And with VC's predecessor, codeview, which had a command
line interface. I also use Softice (kernel-mode debugger) and various
DSP and embedded systems debuggers. All of which support a command
line interface. I am not arguing against GUI, just for NOT the
the exclusion of a cmd-line. Why do you think GUD has been kept
up for so long as a cmd line interface?
> Please not also that the JDE will continue to support JDB so it is
> an alternative for those who prefer a command-line interface.
>
> While I'm on the subject, I'd like to get your opinion on
> how to manage multiple processes. My current plan is for the
> JDE debugger
> to implement the notion of a target process. Most JDE commands will
> apply to the target process, e.g., step commands. The user
> selects which of
> the processes
> being debugged is the target process at any given time. The advantage
> of this approach is it avoids the user having to specify which process
> a command applies to when multiple processes are being
> debugged. The user
> simply selects a target process and as long as that process
> is selected,
> all commands apply to it.
>
> How does this strike you?
Sounds good.
