1.0 Introduction
2.0 Known problems
2.1 Web Development Environment
2.2 WebSphere Application Server debugging
2.3 JavaScript debugger
2.4 Test and deployment tools (server tools)
2.5 Java Development Tools (JDT) debugger
2.6 Compiled language debugger
2.7 National language limitations
2.8 SQLJ debugger
2.9 Active Script debug
JSP Debugging:
- JSP files can be debugged when testing on a WebSphere Application Server. If you are testing on a Tomcat server, the debugger will not stop at JSP breakpoints.
- Breakpoints can be set in JSP files within the following tags:
- JSP scriptlets of the form: <% %>
- JSP expressions of the form: <%= %>
- JSP declarations of the form: <%! %>
- jsp:useBean, jsp:getProperty, and jsp:setProperty tags
- Custom tags
- Breakpoints cannot be set for the following tag sets:
- HTML code
- JSP directives
- All other standard JSP tags jsp:include, jsp:forward, etc.)
- If you are migrating a workspace from an older version of WebSphere Studio to this version then you will need to delete your JSP breakpoints and recreate them.
- Step-by-step debug mode will fail for EJB home methods: If you use the WebSphere Application Server debug adapter to launch a debug session, step-by-step debug mode will not stop for EJB home methods. Use breakpoints if you want to debug these methods.
- Step return from Java back to JavaScript is not supported: Use breakpoints if you want to be able to return back to your JavaScript code from Java.
- Debugging JSPs:
- Step-by-step debug will not work for JSPs that do not contain any executable code.
- If you use the WebSphere Application Server Debug Adapter to launch a debug session, you cannot inspect or display JSP variables and expressions.
- Run to line is not supported in JSPs.
- Setting JSP breakpoints may be slow. Please allow extra time for the debugger to initialize if you have many JSP breakpoints.
- Breakpoints on static variables in JSP declaration blocks will not work and may cause other breakpoint problems.
- Breakpoint properties such as hit count, condition, selected thread, and VM suspend policy are not supported for JSP breakpoints.
- Do not set Java breakpoints in the Debugger Editor: Java breakpoints must be set in the Java Editor and not in the Debugger Editor.
- Using the Change Source File Debug view pop-up menu item: If you change the source file that is displayed by using the Change Source File popup menu item on the stack frame, the new file may not open in the editor. To work around this, click another stack frame and then click the original stack frame again. The new file should then open in the editor.
- Debug console: In the Debug console, hyperlinks to open types will not work.
- Stack frame labels after hot swap: If, after a hot code replace, some of the stack frames have labels like
<unknown receiving type>(<unknown declaring type>).<unknown method name>(<unknown arguments>) line: not available <unknown line number>you can get the correct labels by switching to a different perspective and then back to the Debug perspective.
- A JavaScript object is not available for examination until its constructor is complete: You can step through the execution of the constructor, but you cannot examine the object being constructed until construction is complete (you have exited the constructor).
- Stepping and stack frames below the top stack frame: Step over and step return of a stack frame other than the top stack frame is not supported for JavaScript.
- JSP include: Debugging JavaScript in a JSP include is not supported.
- Stepping out of recursive functions: Users debugging recursive JavaScript functions will find that when they step out of a recursive function, they return to the top execution level.
- Do not expand objects containing writer or inputStream variables: When examining JavaScript objects, users are cautioned not to expand objects containing the variables writer or inputStream. This will cause the debugger to become unresponsive.
- Test Environment: JavaScript debug will not work when using the WebSphere V5 Test Environment. This problem is fixed under APAR #PQ73036.
Consider the following when deciding to run a server in debug mode:
- Servers may start and run slower than running in non-debug mode.
- WebSphere Application Server takes significantly longer to compile JSP pages.
Information about the known problems and limitations with the Java development tools is available in the Java development tools (JDT) release notes and in the Workbench (IDE) release notes. These are linked to from main product readme that installed with this product.
- "Unable to find DLL" error: If starting a compiled debug session produces the Windows message "Unable to find DLL", remove the LOCPATH environment variable.
- Failure to find an existing string in source or listing view of a program: When working with large source or listing files, the find function in the Debugger editor may fail to find a string. This may occur when only a portion of the source or listing is loaded in the editor.
- Storage view shows incorrect characters: When the storage view is formatted as "hex and character", the hex data is correct, but only characters with single byte encodings will display correctly. .
- Scrolling jumps by more lines than expected: Scrolling forward or backward in the Debugger Editor may jump by more lines than expected. To get to a specific line use the go to line action (Ctrl-L).
- Bidirectional (BiDi) limitation: You will not be able to use the Debugger editor when debugging JSPs that have been encoded in a codepage other than the native codepage.
- Compiled Language Debugger:
- On single byte (SBCS) systems, the Compiled Language Debugger does not support program names or the passing of program parameters that contain characters above 0x7F.
- The use of NL characters in debuggee names and debuggee arguments is not supported.
When performing hot swap while debugging with the J9 JVM, if there are any SQLJ methods on the call stack, you will get an Obsolete methods on the stack dialog. If the hot swap was of an SQLJ class, the class will be reloaded in the JVM, but you will not see the new code being executed until the next time a method in the class is called.
If you hot swap an SQLJ class, SQLJ breakpoints may not work for this class during the current debug session.
HTML Script Application
You may experience the following problems when trying to launch an HTML Script Application debug session:
- A persistent "Error creating debug target" message.
- When trying to attach to an existing browser for debug, the debugger is unable to obtain a list of running browsers.
You may correct these problems by doing the following:
- Close all running browsers and Microsoft(R) Windows Explorer windows before trying to start another debug session.
- If the above step does not solve the problem, the mdm.exe process is corrupted. Close all running browsers and file explorers, and then terminate mdm.exe from the Windows(R) Task Manager. Restart the debug session.
When trying to attach to an existing browser for debug, do not attempt to attach to the WebSphere Studio workbench internal browser. Attaching to the internal browser for debug will cause your workbench to stop responding and unexpected results may occur.
You may experience the following problems during an HTML Script Application debug session:
- The current location is not highlighted in the editor when the debug session is suspended.
- Breakpoints cannot be installed.
- Source is not available for display if the source is located outside of the workbench workspace.
You may correct these problems by doing the following:
- The browser may not be loading the page properly. Refresh the page in Microsoft(R) Internet Explorer (you may need to do this several times).
- If refreshing the page does not correct the problem, terminate the debug session. Close all running browsers and file explorers, and then restart the debug session.
- If the above step does not solve the problem, the mdm.exe process is corrupted. Terminate the debug session, all running browsers and file explorers. Then terminate mdm.exe from the Windows(R) Task Manager and restart debug session.
Having the workbench Help window or internal browser opened during Active Script Debug may interfere with the debug session and result in unexpected behaviors.
Breakpoints set before a debug session are ignored if the page is deployed onto a server. To set breakpoint, suspend the debug session to bring up the source and set the breakpoint at that temporary page. Refer to "Setting Line Breakpoint" for details.
The Active Script debugger makes use of the Microsoft(R) Script Debugger to obtain debug information. For additional issues related to Microsoft(R) Script Debugger, refer to its ReadMe.htm.
Script Host Application
You may experience the following problem when trying to launch a Script Host Application debug session:
- A persistent "Error creating debug target" message.
You may correct this problem by doing the following:
- Close all running browsers and Microsoft(R) Windows Explorer windows before trying to start another debug session.
- If the above step does not solve the problem, the mdm.exe process is corrupted. Close all running browsers and file explorers, and then, terminate mdm.exe from the Windows(R) Task Manager. Restart the debug session.
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