Update: Added alternate link to screen-cast. Workaround to start plug-in
I have been debugging a lot lately which included open source libraries, closed source web-service engine and parts of closed source application server (WebLogic). During this painful debug-fest I felt a strong need for several features missing in Eclipse (NetBeans as well, for that matter) . Debugging closed applications is a pain beyond imagination, even with IDE integrated decompilers, it takes incredible amount of patience and time to debug.
To improve productivity (or prevent burnout), I jotted down a plugin to export/import live variables, filter variables view with a xpath like expressions etc. The plugin, called 'evars', features a small expression interpreter (similar to xpath) which can do a wonderful job of filtering variables on current stackframe. It also allows you to export variables to a file and reload them at a later point.
For the first time, I have attempted to create a screencast to explain its usefulness. You may watch it over here [10mb non-streaming, 1275x860], alternate link (open with your browser).
I have also created a beta release to see if it finds any interest which you can download it from here [JAR ~800kb, Jdk6] (Click here for Java 5 version) and drop it in dropins folder [Eclipse 3.4+]
If you find it interesting, please leave feedback here.
9 comments:
It would be neat if instead of adding completely new view you could add a custom page to the variables view. Like it is done for Java and tabular view there.
This is really cool.
It would be nice if you could give a summary of the expression language. A short table with a few examples would help a lot.
I also have a problem getting it to run in a java 1.5 environment. Are there features of java 1.6 that needed for this plug-in?
Michael
This is very cool.
The screencast is unavailable; Google Pages says the bandwidth limit has been exceeded. Is there somewhere else you can host it so we can watch?
@Eugene
I am considering that, thanks for the tip.
@Michel
I will add a quick reference in project wiki as soon as I can. The plug-in doesn't really need 1.6 JVMTI to run it may be my compiler setting. I will be adding download for 1.5.
@Eric
I have added alternate link, just open it in your browser (Sorry I am not aware of any good hosting place).
Thanks for comments!
I have created OPath quick reference http://code.google.com/p/evars/wiki/OPathQuickReference. Also created alternate download for Java 1.5 vm.
Very nice -- thank you!
The only thing I don't understand is the '.' the context step...
Michael,
The context step really refers to the start of the graph. Consider following graph in your variables view for example,
A
+-B
+-C
+--D
+--E
If you have selected variable C in variables view it is considered the context and whenever you write '.' in your expression it refers to C.
Following OPath expression
./*
Will select variables 'D' and 'E'.
./*/./D
will select variable D. Hope that clears up some confusion.
I love it. This is really a nice plug-in. I will try my hand on it.
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