Tracing execution
You can trace execution of an executable file built with PowerBuilder.
By tracing execution, you can troubleshoot your application if it
does not behave the same way when run as an executable file as it
does when run in the PowerBuilder development environment. You can
also use the trace output to profile your application: for example,
you can see how many times particular scripts and functions are
being executed.
Two kinds of trace files
You can generate two kinds of trace files:
- With timing information You collect trace information by adding code to the scripts
in the application or adding a window that lets users turn tracing
on and off. PowerBuilder generates a binary trace file that you analyze
using a comprehensive set of objects and functions or the Profiling tools.
For more information about tracing and profiling, see “About tracing and profiling
an application”. - Without timing information You collect information by running the application with the /pbdebug command-line
switch. PowerBuilder generates a text file that logs the creation
and destruction of objects and the execution of scripts and functions.
Tracing execution using /pbdebug
You generate PBDebug trace information for an executable file
by invoking the executable with a command-line switch.
To generate PBDebug trace information:
-
Invoke the executable file using the /pbdebug command-line
switch:1<i>EXEFILE</i> /pbdebug
As the application executes, PowerBuilder records the trace
output in a file called exefile.pbg, which
is a text file that you can read in any editor. For information
about PBDebug tracing in the development environment, see “Generating a trace file
without timing information”.
Enabling tracing If you are compiling machine code, you must enable tracing
at compile time by selecting Trace Information in the Project painter
Compile Options group. If you have not enabled tracing when you
compile for machine code, no trace information is generated and
the /pbdebug switch has no effect.
If you compile your project in Pcode, the compiler automatically
adds the information needed to enable tracing.