How to debug TW code

[Bob Jansen]

I am trying to debug some TW code that is not working as expected. The code is in a macro. I have tried to display the value of a variable but that does not seem possible from within a macro.

Are there any debugging facilities apart from dumpvariables which gives way too much for me to follow?

bobj

[Saq Imtiaz]

I wrote a widget that I use for debugging: https://saqimtiaz.github.io/sq-tw/sandbox.html#%24%3A%2Fsq%2Fwidgets%2Faction-log

So within a macro you can do something like

<$log $message="any descriptive text" myvalue=<<myvariable>> />

The output gets logged to the browsers developer console, which you can bring up with ctrl+shift+I and then choose the Console tab.

[TW Tones]

Bob,

I have a range of methods I use to debug but they are just co-opting other methods I use to write the code in the first place. Eventually I would like to publish a debug bundle 

but for now some pointers;

• Where possible test the code as you develop it, small ongoing tests, the preview can help with this
• Buttons can have variables displayed in their tiles (although they look terrible)
• You could have little buttons whos tooltip shows a value of something
• I have some macros that test $:/config/debug = yes then display content 
• Popups and messages, or modals could be used to display "out of stream info"
• Many values can be global or stored externally, you can monitor this outside you code
• <$text text=<<variablename>> /> will often show you need to wikify its content before further use by returning not the result but the code.

More advanced ideas

• Using the browser inspect or debug tools can solve some problems, especially CSS
• the https://tiddlywiki.com/#transclusion%20Variable can provide information in nested transclusions
• I have a varied that can identify the tiddler in which the code is defined.
• The storyTiddler variable can be used when currentTiddler has being used in a list to identify the tiddler displayed in the story list (normally currentTiddler)
• I think dump-variables in a modal may be helpful
• Some operators allow you to test variables exist or have values

I expect i will think of more, as may others!

Tones

[Bob Jansen]

Thanks Tones and Imtiaz helpful ideas.

Maybe a manual tiddler should be prepared from these comments as I am sure I am not the only one to face this issue.

As a general question does anyone peruse all the questions and answers to update the manual?

Bobj

Dr. Bob Jansen

122 Cameron St, Rockdale NSW 2216, Australia

Ph: +61 414 297 448

Skype: bobjtls

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[Atronoush Parsi]

Bob,

 There is a resource called TW-Scripts which has collected selectively some Q&A but unfortunately the author is absent for a few months.

See: https://kookma.github.io/TW-Scripts/

Atro

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