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VISUAL MICRO for ATMEL STUDIO - DEBUGGING YOUR ARDUINO CODE

Published : 16/10/2018 21:33:19
Categories : Proto Shield Plus



VISUAL MICRO for ATMEL STUDIO - DEBUGGING YOUR ARDUINO CODE


This is not intended to be an exhaustive tutorial covering all the debugging features of Visual Micro for Atmel Studio, it is just a sneak peek to start looking at this feature.


First of all let’s open an Arduino sketch file


Let’s start opening an existing .ino file.

i.e. Let’s open the APSP_demo_I2C.ino available from the Proto Shield Plus sample sketches (https://www.gtronicsshop.com/en/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=2).

Open INO file in Atmel Studio

Open INO file in Atmel Studio

Open INO file in Atmel Studio

Once opened, your code will be shown in the code window.

Open INO file in Atmel Studio

We’re now ready to start discovering the Visual Micro IDE debugging features.


Open an existing Atmel Studio project file


If you have an existing Atmel Studio project (.atsln) file you can directly open it.
i.e. In case you red the article (VISUAL MICRO for ATMEL STUDIO FEATURES) and you tested the features as it describes, you should have the APSP_demo_I2C.atsln available.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Open project


Configure the project for debugging


In the Solution Configurations drop down menu select Debug.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Your project is now ready to be debugged.


Breakpoints


With breakpoints you can:

  • Pause your code execution (and continue on your input)
    • Always
    • When certain conditions are met
  • Probe variables value


Setting a new breakpoint


To set a new break point, just position the mouse pointer on the left side of the line where you want to insert the breakpoint.

Now assume that you want to monitor adc_key_in variable value in read_LCD_buttons() function (line 34).

 Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

As soon as you click, a red dot will appear indicating that the new breakpoint has been created.

By default a new breakpoint will act like it is supposed to be: it will pause the execution of your code.
By clicking the Build and Upload button Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug your project will be compiled and uploaded to your Arduino board. 

The Output window will appear showing the compile and upload process status.

At the end of the upload, the program will start running….and then it will pause on line 34 waiting for your action.
On the output window shows the sequence of actions:

  1. Program Running
  2. Execute Line 34
  3. Pause on line 34

 Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Click the Continue button  (or press F5) to resume code execution.

The code will start and run till execution of line 34… then it will pause again.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug


Stop debugging session


If you want to add or remove a breakpoint (or change breakpoint settings), you need to stop the debugging session by clicking the Stop Debugger buttonVisual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Make your modification to the breakpoints and then Build and UploadVisual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debugyour project to let it run with the new breakpoints settings.


Breakpoint Actions


Now let’s assume that you want to probe the value of adc_key_in variable on line 34.

Positioning the mouse over the red dot of the breakpoint, a little pop-up shows.

Click on the Settings… button

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

The Breakpoint Settings window appears

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Select the Actions checkbox

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

to expand the Actions setting section

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

You can now choose a message to show in the Output Window and you can also choose to Continue or Stop code execution.

To probe the adc_key_in variable, you just have to insert:

{adc_key_in}

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Everything that is in between curly brackets is interpreted as the variable to probe.

Now Build and Uploadyour project to let it run with the new breakpoints settings.

Once the project is uploaded, you will have:

  • The new popped up Expression Window: it shows the current, the minimum and the maximum value of the variable
  • The Serial Monitor Window: it shows the serial communication with the Arduino board (in case that you are using serial communication)
  • The Output Window: it shows the custom message log (in this case there is no custom message, we will see the custom message soon…)

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

The Output Window shows some useful additional informations:

  • The Execution Timestamp for each execution of line 34 
  • The time elapsed between one execution and the next one

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Now try to click the Proto Shield Plus buttons to check the corresponding value on the adc_key_in variable.


Custom message to the Output Window


If you want to log a custom message, just stop debugging (as explained before), click on {adc_key_in}

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

And add your custom message

i.e. Current adc_key_in value is: {adc_key_in}

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Build and UploadVisual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debugyour project to let it run with the new breakpoints settings.

The Output Window now shows your custom message…

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug


Continue or Stop execution


The Action settings let you to stop or continue the code execution.

To just probe a variable value Continue execution checkbox must be selected.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

If you want to stop code execution just uncheck Continue execution checkbox.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug


Conditional breakpoint


Now suppose that you want to probe adc_key_in value, only when a certain condition is met.

Just select the Conditions checkbox, the Breakpoint Settings window expands showing you the Conditions fields.

In the example below the breakpoint will execute only when adc_key_in value is less than 600.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Build and UploadVisual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debugyour project to let it run with the new breakpoints settings.

You notice that the Expression Window and the Output Window, even clicking the A-SELECT button on the Proto Shield Plus, are not logging any information…

That’s because adc_key_in value is greater than 600.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

But as soon as you click the B-LEFT button on the Proto Shield Plus, the Expression Window and the Output Window start showing adc_key_in value.

And, as you can see, its value is lower than 600.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

The same happens if you click the C-DOWN button on the Proto Shield Plus….

You will also notice that, as soon as you release the buttons, the Expression Window and the Output Window stop logging the current adc_key_in value.

Now experiment by yourself with different Conditions...


Disabling breakpoints


Disabling breakpoints is very useful: by disabling a breakpoint it will not be compiled and executed, but you do not lose its settings. So if you want to turn it on again, you just have to enable it without setting it up from scratch.

To disable a breakpoint, just place the mouse pointer over the red dot, and the little pop-up shows.

Notice that even a pop-up showing the current breakpoint settings shows. This pop-up is very useful when you want to monitor breakpoints settings while their Settings window are “contracted”.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Click Disable Breakpoint and that’s it…the breakpoint is disabled.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

Now just remember that if you want to contract the Breakpoint Settings Window, you have to click the Settings button or the X of the Breakpoint Settings window.

Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug

DO NOT CLICK THE RED DOT, otherwise the breakpoint will be DELETED.


Understanding breakpoint symbols


Visual Micro For Atmel Studio - Debug


Conclusion


Of course you can implement your own debugging, using the serial monitor provided with the Arduino “standard” IDE, but you have to write additional code to do that.

Visual Micro IDE do it for you and, of course, having these features ready to be used with such an easy interface is really useful and handy!

Just consider that under the hood, it consist in additional extra hidden code that do the debugging serial communication, so consider it if you’re dealing with time critical applications!

When you’re done debugging, just remember to switch the Solution Confirurations back to Release.

VMDB0401

It will remove all the additional extra hidden code added by Visual Micro for debugging.



https://www.gtronicsshop.com/en/12-protoshield-plus

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