Debugging a macro
When a macro doesn't go according to plan, you need to determine what exactly caused the macro to fail. The Script Editor provides a debugging feature that allows you to observe and correct errors in a macro. To activate the debugging feature, simply play the macro in the Script Editor.
Running Macro in Debug Mode
To debug the macro, you should launch the macro in the debug mode. You just open the macro in Script Editor, then select the menu Play, next select Play, or press F5. In the debug mode, you can see the playback on the Play Log pane.
Setting Breakpoints
A breakpoint pauses the macro execution immediately before the breakpoint line. Breakpoints can be set whether the macro is running or not. Once a breakpoint is set, the breakpoint icon will appear next to the line number of the step. To set a breakpoint, follow these steps:
- Go to the line want to set the breakpoint.
- Press the key F9, or click the menu Play, then select the Toggle Breakpoint.
Controlling Execution
Breakpoints are used to pause macro execution in order to give you a chance to inspect the state of the action at that point. When execution stops at a breakpoint, you can control execution by using any of the following on the menu Play or toolbar.
Continue
Continue to play the macro without pausing, until another breakpoint is encountered.-
Step
Continue to the next line of macro in the current method, and then pauses. -
Reset
Stop the execution. -
Break
Pause the running macro.
Inspecting Variables
Local variables and global variables can be inspected through the User Variables pane and Global Variables pane. To inspect variables:
- Set breakpoint(s)
- Play macro in debugging mode, or break (pause) the running macro.
During execution, the debugger will pause at the line with the breakpoint. Once execution is paused, variables in User Variables pane and Global Variables pane can then be inspected.