Breakpoints

Breakpoints work in Enterprise Architect much like in any other debugger. Adding a breakpoint notifies the debugger to trap code execution at the point you have specified. When a breakpoint is encountered by a thread of the application being debugged, the source code is displayed in an editor window, and the line of code where the breakpoint occurred is highlighted. You can enable and disable breakpoints, or delete them from the script altogether.

An Enterprise Architect model maintains breakpoints for every package having a Build Script - Debug command. Breakpoints are displayed in a tab of the Debugger Workbench window (press [Alt]+[8]). Selecting a different package in the tree updates the breakpoints displayed, depending on whether the node selected, or its parent, has a script attached.

Note:

The debugger does not stop automatically. It runs to completion unless it encounters a breakpoint.

debug_tab_breakpoints

Breakpoints are maintained in a file according to the format:

path\prefix_username.brkpt

where:

  • path         =        The default working directory specified in your Build Script
  • prefix         =        Tree View Node Name / Package name
  • username         =        Host system username of Enterprise Architect user

Breakpoint States

DEBUGGER STATE

 

Running

Not running

active_breakpoint

Active breakpoint

Enabled breakpoint

unbound_breakpoint

Unbound breakpoint

N/a

failed_breakpoint

Failed breakpoint

N/a

disabled_breakpoint

Disabled breakpoint

Disabled breakpoint

Add Breakpoints

To set a breakpoint for a code segment, open the model code to debug, find the appropriate line and click in the left margin column. A solid red circle in the margin indicates that a breakpoint has been set at that position.

If the code is currently halted at a breakpoint, that point is indicated by a yellow arrow within the red circle.

adding_breakpoint

Delete, Disable and Enable Breakpoints

To delete a specific breakpoint, either:

  • If the breakpoint is enabled, click on the red breakpoint circle in the left margin of the Source Code Editor, or
  • Select the breakpoint in the Breakpoints tab and press [Delete].

You can also delete all breakpoints by clicking on the Delete all breakpoints button on the Debug toolbar.

To disable a breakpoint, deselect its checkbox on the Breakpoints tab. It is then shown as an empty grey circle. Select the breakpoint again to enable it.