Jul.09.2018 -- CAlive to add debugger visualization members to structs and classes

[Rick C. Hodgin]

CAlive wil allow structs and classes to have debugger visualization algorithms appended which render something to visualize their content in a way other than with raw data.  These functions can be called in user code, or by the debugger to visualize a pointer in a custom way.

There are two function prototypes supported:

    // Visualize to a custom bitmap

    struct SExample

    {

        // Normal members go here

        s32    age;

        datum  name;

    } bitmap visualize(SExample* e, bitmap bmpLast) {

        // Code here to render a visualization of this structure

        // Returns a bitmap that will be displayed by the debugger

        // Could be a birthday cake, a dial from 0..120 years, or

        // anything else.

    }

    // Indicate which fields should be displayed, and how

    struct SExample

    {

        // Normal members go here

        s32    age;

        datum  name;

    } builder visualize(SExample* e, builder bLast) {

        // Code here to indicate which fields should be displayed using what format

        // (uses one item per row):

        //

        //     member_name, source code line to use to display this member's content

        //                  // Note: this is typically an sprintf() statement

        //

        // Example, two members, but displays three lines using void for no associated

        // member name:

        //     void, sprintf(buffer, "%s", ((e->age > 70) ? "Retirement age" : ""));

        //     age,  sprintf(buffer, "Age: %d", e->age);

        //     name, sprintf(buffer, "Name: %s", e->bLast.data_s8);

    }

-- 

Rick C. Hodgin