This chapter demonstrates a sample debugging session using TkECLiPSe, showing how some of the development tools can be used. We are by no means using all the tools or all the functionalities of any tool, but hopefully this will give you a flavor of the tools so that you will explore them on your own. You can get more information on the tools from the Help menu, and from the popup balloons which appear when your mouse cursor stops over a feature for a few seconds.
In the tutorial tour, we will assume that you have some knowledge of ECLiPSe. It is helpful if you also have some knowledge of traditional Prolog debugging, although this is not necessary.
This chapter is designed for you to follow while running TkECLiPSe. To keep things simple, the program is run with a very small data set, but it should be sufficient to see how the techniques described can be applied to real programs.
At the end of the chapter, there is a summary of the main features of the main development tools.
This chapter also contains many screen-shots, some of which are best viewed in colour, or in looking at the actual screen as you follow along.
- Balloon help
- A short description of a feature will popup in a ‘balloon’ when the mouse cursor stops over the feature for a few seconds.
- Help file
- Help files are available for all the tools and toplevel. They provide more detailed information on the tools, and can be obtained from the Help menu, and by typing Alt-h (Alt and h keys together) in the tool.
Figure 5.1: Getting Help