Re: [cdt-dev] stop on main by default

[John Cortell <rat042@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

-1.

Dobrin pretty much voiced my concerns with changing the out-of-the-box
behavior to not stop on main. 

Also, while it's true that Visual Studio's Debug action doesn't
stop on main, most users know to use Step In to both launch the
debug session and get to main. So, really, Visual Studio supports
both use cases and does so without using a preference.

John

At 09:35 AM 4/26/2011, Alexiev, Dobrin wrote:

I think having "stop at main" is a good feature for novice user coming from different IDEs and have never used to Eclipse before. 

Consider the scenario:

- start Eclipse - an empty workspace
- the user just wants to try debugging a simple C program.
- New C project Wizard, hello work example.
- click the bug button to start debugging.
- the debug view comes up with stepping button, variables and _expression_ view, etc.
- My PC is at the begging of my program, ready to step, look at variables, etc.

If we didn't have 'stop at main' on by default:

- the user clicks the Debug button, but no debugging whatsoever is offered
        - either the program continues running or it exits.
        - so the user intention to debug the program is not quite met.
        - either he has to suspend the program at random place or debugging is not even possible.

Yes,
- he may not have main,
- he might not be interested to stop at main,
- stopping at main is not possible in some programs,
- stepping at main is useless,
- etc, etc, etc,,

But, most probably if this is true he is not a novice user (at least for Eclipse).

Once you are familiar with the IDE then you will probably figure out how not to stop at main.

I remembers when we initially introduced Eclipse our customers were very annoyed there weren't simpler way of setting a breakpoint.
- can't I just press F4 to insert a breakpoint - why "Ctrl-Shit-B" (three fingers instead of one) for a breakpoint?
- can't I just double click anywhere in the editor, why do I have to move the mouse to the left to insert a breakpoint?

Once you deal with different programs or framework probably you don't need to stop at main even for the Plain Wizard case.

Anyway, this is just my vote: -1.

PS. In our debugger we do not depend on this CDT option specifically, but we introduced one that has the same meaning.

Regards
Dobrin



-----Original Message-----
From: cdt-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:cdt-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Schaefer, Doug
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 10:07 AM
To: CDT General developers list.
Subject: Re: [cdt-dev] stop on main by default

The only thing I used it for was demos to show off the debug views quickly. But that's not something our users would do.

I'm throwing my vote in the +1 ring. I'm very keen on improving usability of the CDT and I'd hate to see an inability to change things costing us on that front.

And let's be honest. Very few vendors use the CDT's launch configurations. This change shouldn't have much impact commercially. And if we have it as a preference, vendors that do reuse them can always set it back to the old way when they package it up.

If we make the change for M7, we can use the release candidate cycle to get feedback. If there is an uprising, we can always change it back.

Doug.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cdt-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:cdt-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Andrew Overholt
> Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 10:01 AM
> To: CDT General developers list.
> Subject: Re: [cdt-dev] stop on main by default
>
> > I would also like to see Non-stop as the default.
>
> +1!  Is there presently a way to configure this as the default?
>
> Andrew
> _______________________________________________
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> cdt-dev@xxxxxxxxxxx
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