The main purpose of the script panel is to debug JavaScript code. Therefore the script panel integrates a powerful debugging tool based on features like different kinds of breakpoints, step-by-step execution of scripts, a display for the variable stack, watch expressions and more.
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[edit]Options Menu
This menu is reachable via the little arrow in the panel tab ( ) or by right-clicking on on the panel tab (since Firebug 1.9).
Option | Preference | Description |
---|---|---|
Enabled/Disabled | extensions.firebug.script.enableSites | Enables the Script Panel |
Show chrome sources | extensions.firebug.service.showAllSourceFiles | Toggles the display of program and add-on internal sources. Note that Firebug will still not activate for chrome URLs unless you also set |
Track Throw/Catch | extensions.firebug.service.trackThrowCatch | Toggles tracking of throw/catch blocks |
Show Break Notifications | extensions.firebug.showBreakNotification | Toggles the display of break notifications |
For more info about tweaks available in Firebug please see the full list of preferences.
[edit]Panel Toolbar
[edit]Break On Next
The Break On Next button ( ) gives you the possiblity to stop the script at the next executed command. This can be a user action, a timeout or anything else that causes script execution. As soon as you click on the button, it is armed. When any script execution occurs now, the debugger will halt the script and you can step through it.
There are several other Break On ... features available at the other panels.
[edit]Script Type Menu
The Script Type Menu filters the Script Location Menu by different types of scripts. Thereby three different kinds of scripts are distinguished:
Type | Description |
---|---|
static | All scripts, that are loaded together with the page (via the <script> tag) |
eval() | Scripts, that are executed using the eval() function (typically scripts loaded via an XMLHttpRequest) |
event | Scripts, that are generated through an event (like e. g. client side table sorting) |
You have the option to just show static scripts, static + eval scripts, static + event script or all types of scripts.
[edit]Script Location Menu
All scripts filtered by the type(s) selected in the Script Type Menu will be shown inside this menu. Any characters you type on the keyboard while the list of files is open will filter the list to make it easier to find files. By selecting one of the scripts it will be shown inside the Main Panel.
If you right-click on the file list, you'll get options for opening the script in a separate browser tab, copying its location to the clipboard, or opening it inside the DOM Panel.
[edit]Execution Control Buttons
The execution buttons are enabled as soon as the debugger is stopped. There are four buttons, which can be used for debugging:
Type | Button | Shortcut | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Rerun | Shift + F8 | Reruns the current call stack (see Honza's blog post for more info) | |
Continue | F8 | Continues script execution until the next breakpoint or the execution ends | |
Step Into | F11 | Jumps into the body of executed functions, so you can debug them | |
Step over | F10 | Executes functions, but doesn't jump into them, instead moves to the next line of the same scope | |
Step out | Shift + F11 | Executes the rest of the current function and jumps back to it's caller |
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[edit]Breakpoints
Breakpoints in Firebug are used to debug JavaScript code. They will stop script execution at a specific point and give you control over script execution.
[edit]Setting breakpoints
The Breakpoint Column allows you to set breakpoints. By clicking on it a breakpoint is set for the line. Clicking it again removes the breakpoint again.
[edit]Types
You can set breakpoints to stop script execution as soon as it reaches them for debugging purposes. Currently you can manually create five different types of breakpoints:
Type | Panel | Description |
---|---|---|
Script Breakpoints | Script Panel | Standard type of breakpoints |
Error Breakpoints | Console Panel | Trigger on a specific JavaScript error |
HTML Breakpoints | HTML Panel | Trigger on HTML manipulation |
DOM Breakpoints | DOM Panel | Trigger on DOM property manipulation |
XHR Breakpoints | Net Panel | Trigger on XMLHttpRequests |
Cookie Breakpoints | Cookies Panel | Trigger on cookie manipulation |
[edit]Conditions
For manually set breakpoints you also have the possibility to set conditions, at which they trigger. Doing so opens the Breakpoint Condition Editor:
These conditions can be very complex, but most of the time you'll want to limit breaking to specific variable values. An example for this could be having a counter and you want to stop execution when the counter reaches a specific value. Another situation would be to stop execution when a specific variable is defined resp. undefined.
[edit]Automatic Breakpoints
Furthermore the script execution can be stopped via the different implemented Break On ... features of each panel, which doesn't require explicitly setting of breakpoints.
[edit]Variable Tooltips
When the debugger halted the script, you are able to get information about the script variables by hovering them. A popup will appear showing the current value of the hovered variable.
[edit]Side Panels
The Side Panels of the Script Panel offer different useful information and functionality about the executed scripts.
[edit]Watch
The Watch Side Panel offers the possibility to enter watch expressions allowing to follow changes of variable values while debugging.
[edit]Stack
The Stack Side Panel contains information about the call stack trace for the currently debugged function.
[edit]Breakpoints
The Breakpoints Side Panel lists the defined breakpoints and gives the possibility to toggle their activation plus additional options for changing the behavior of the breakpoints.
[edit]Search
The text input box in the upper right corner searches the source code. When you click in to the box, an auxiliary panel allows you to pick search direction, single or multiple files, and case sensitivity. The text has special case code to support:
- Go to Line: The symbol # followed by a number will incrementally move the line number,
- Case by Case: If the case sensitivity setting is not used, then an all lower case word will mean case-insensitive search, but a mixedCase word will cause case sensitive matches.
[edit]See also
- Script Debugging
- Jsd (JavaScript interface for debugging Javascript)