Microsoft Script Debugger is relatively minimal

debugger A debugger is a computer program used to test and debug other programs (the "target" programs). Common features of debuggers include the ability to run or halt the target program using breakpoints, step through code line by line, and display ...

for

Windows Script Host The Microsoft Windows Script Host (WSH) (formerly named Windows Scripting Host) is an automation technology for Microsoft Windows operating systems that provides scripting abilities comparable to batch files, but with a wider range of supported fe ...

-supported scripting languages, such as

VBScript VBScript (Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition) is a deprecated programming language for scripting on Microsoft Windows using Component Object Model (COM), based on classic Visual Basic and Active Scripting. It was popular with system admi ...

and

JScript JScript is Microsoft's legacy dialect of the ECMAScript standard that is used in Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser and HTML Applications, and as a standalone Windows scripting language. JScript is implemented as an Active Scripting eng ...

. Its user interface allows the user to set

breakpoint In software development, a breakpoint is an intentional stopping or pausing place in a computer program, program, put in place for debugging purposes. It is also sometimes simply referred to as a pause. More generally, a breakpoint is a means o ...

s and/or step through execution of script code line by line, and examine values of variables and properties after any step. In effect, it provides a way for developers to see script code behavior as it runs, thus eliminating much of the guess-work when things do not quite work as intended. Microsoft considers it to be deprecated. Also, Internet Explorer 8 comes with a different, tightly integrated JScript debugger part of the Internet Explorer Developer Tools.

Features

According to Microsoft, the Script Debugger provides these traditional debugging features: * Ability to set and clear breakpoints. * Ability to step through and over procedures. * Ability to display and change the values of variables and properties. * Ability to evaluate expressions. * Ability to view the call stack, and navigate to any currently loaded procedure. Additionally, it can open and edit HTML pages, and it supports script colorization for improved readability.

Limitations

The debugger has several limitations, including the following:Alternative web page
/ref> * The line indicator may be incorrect when stepping through inline JScript or debugging a framed document. * When debugging documents open in Internet Explorer, only one can be debugged at a time. * Commands typed in the Command window have no effect unless the user is in break mode. * A breakpoint immediately after a Document.Write is ignored. * Entering a Document.Write command while debugging, or refreshing a document in Internet Explorer while debugging it, can cause hangs or other unexpected behavior. * Unlike in other debuggers, there is no Watch window for monitoring variables; they must be checked via manual commands. * Unlike in other debuggers, breakpoints can't be set by clicking in the left margin; they must be set via keypress or menu.

Usage

After installation, new options can be found in Internet Explorer's ''Script Debugger'' menu, which gets added in the ''View'' menu. Debugging can optionally be turned off from the ''Advanced'' tab in the ''Internet Options'' dialog.

References

{{Microsoft development tools Debuggers Script Debugger

Features

Limitations

Usage

See also

References