Corona CIDER Advanced Debugger with IDE - v 1.5.1- Update

Ninja_Pig_Studios · March 14, 2012, 2:28pm

Oh and when I tried to download it Google Chrome blocked it saying it was a malicious program, be warned.

[text]
Using phishing and malware detection
This article applies to the Google Chrome browser on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebooks.

Google Chrome warns you if the site that you’re trying to visit is suspected of phishing or malware, using Google’s Safe Browsing technology.

What is phishing and malware?

A phishing attack takes place when someone masquerades as someone else to trick you into sharing personal or other sensitive information with them, usually through a fake website. Malware is software that gets installed on your machine, often without your knowledge, and is designed to harm your computer or potentially steal information from your computer.

For more pointers on keeping your family safe on the web, read Google’s Tips for Online Safety . Learn about other security settings and additional technologies, such as sandboxing and auto-updates , that Google Chrome uses to keep you safe on the Web.

How does Safe Browsing work?

Google Chrome phishing and malware alerts

Here are the warnings that you may see when phishing and malware detection is enabled:

Message What it means
Warning: Something’s Not Right Here! This warning appears if Google Chrome detects that the site you’re trying to visit may contain malware.
Warning: Suspected phishing site! This message appears if Google Chrome detects that the site you’re trying to visit is suspected of being a phishing site.
[/text]

I know this isn’t the case, but I just wanted to let you know so you could change this problem.

Regards,
Jordan Schuetz
Ninja Pig Studios [import]uid: 29181 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93370[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 2:31pm

@Ninja: yes I got the same message. I was afraid for awhile then I thought about it and bite the bullet! Looks ok so far.

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93372[/import]

flyingaudio · March 14, 2012, 2:34pm

@jeff472
It also stopped working for me, clicked debug and nothing.
I fixed it by deleting “CiderDebugger.lua” in the project panel. [import]uid: 47723 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93375[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 2:39pm

Hello,

Great stuff once again! Congrats.

I have couple of questions if i may:
1- How to use with Dropbox? I have my app on Dropbox but I do not see dropbox as choice when opening a file. All i see is my PC or my network.

2- How to show variables? I can see on the video that the debuger seems to show all the variables (available in that place) automatically. But when I put a break point and look at the variables windows nothing show? (after the break point is reached)

3- How to fold the code (ie: hide the code under each functions)? I tried “code fold” but nothing happens?

In any event, another GREAT tool!

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93364[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 2:50pm

arrrrghhh! Anybody having problem seeing the variables after the debugger stops at a break point? My list of variables is empty?

Thanks guys.

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93377[/import]

flyingaudio · March 14, 2012, 3:01pm

@ lemsim
I am seeing variables. Does stepping work for you after the break? Are you on Mac or Win?

Edit: As a test, enter some variables in main.lua and step through them.
local var1 = 20
local var2 = 30
local var3 = 40
What do you see? [import]uid: 47723 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93379[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 3:03pm

@flyingaudio

Thanks! Yes stepping seems to work and I am on a PC (vista)

Do you need to add to the list of watch variables to see your variables or do you simply start the debug and at the break point click on the tab variables in that context? I tried adding a variable in my watch list also. It shows the name of the name of the variable but no value or type are shown so I am sure i am doing something wrong.

Thanks for any help.

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93381[/import]

M.Y.developers · March 14, 2012, 3:12pm

Hello Community,
Thanks for all the feedback! We are glad to see that you are trying it out.

@robmiracle
Does the editor auto-indent? It does not appear to and I can’t see a place to turn it on.
Not yet but it is high on the priority list. We will have a auto-format function as well.

@flyingaudio
Thanks for all your help and feedback!
Starting/stopping debugger is littering the launch bar with Corona Simulator icons. Watch isn’t showing anything.
There is a problem killing the Corona process when the stop debug button is pressed. It seems it is handled differently on a Mac than in windows. We talk to the Ansca staff about this issue.

Your History is wow! I don’t even know what type of impact that will have. What’s the VISUAL button for?
I am barely scratching the surface. This thing is loaded.
Thanks! The versioning system is very useful indeed. The visual button is for future implementation. We plan to integrate the profiler in that tab.

Besides Lua hints, will you also have Corona SDK hints? How soon can we expect this? Will this include parameter prompting?
The IDE will be geared toward Corona so expect Corona specifics. A preview of this are the code templates feature. for instance:
dnr expands to display.newRect(
dnc expands to display.newCircle(
dtlrc expands to display.TopLeftReferencePoint
And more features such as this to come, soon we will have the entire api hotkeyed.

Will your debugger be able to set variable values during code execution?
Yes, although we will first fix the most pressing issues.

I already have Profiler, but I look forward to the integration.
We hope to have everything integrated into one tool. Perhaps under the visual tab, we will see.

Thanks,
M.Y. Developers

[import]uid: 55057 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93382[/import]

flyingaudio · March 14, 2012, 3:19pm

@ lemsim
As variables come into scope, they will show up in the Variables tab.
NOTE: When you break at a line, that line hasn’t execute yet. It executes as you step into it.
The line highlighted is cued and ready to be stepped into.

Watches aren’t working yet, so ignore them for now.

A variable inside an object (a property of an object) when modified, collapses the object, so you have to expand it again to see it. Hopefully they will have that fixed soon. [import]uid: 47723 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93383[/import]

M.Y.developers · March 14, 2012, 3:28pm

@RSCdev,
Thanks for the interest!
EDIT: I did not get to set the Corona Simulator into Cider. Under preference window I am unable to set the path for the simulator. Am I doing something wrong?
You should see a “Corona Preferences” tab under the preferences tab.

auto-insert for brackets, quotations marks, parenthesis, etc as well.
All these features are def. on the high priority list when we refine IDE features.

The auto-complete code only works typing the initials? because I thought it would auto-complete or give sugestions as we`re typing as well
This will also come when we work on the IDE features. Thanks for your suggestions.

@nick_sherman
can I make a formal request for a functions list tab within in the project explorer when you get round to the IDE functions?
Yes some sort of function navigator is def. on the list.

@jeff472
Thanks for giving it a shot. There are two more steps you need to follow. First as flyingaudio suggested you need to set the path to the corona executable. Next you have to require “CiderDebugger” in main.lua. Please let us know if you have any more questions.

@Mo
Can you please send us the project file that is having the problem. Perhaps the variables are not being sent.

@Ninja Pig Studios
I think this would be even cooler if the text editor looked more like Sublime
You can fully customize the colors going to preferences->Fonts and colors->lua

And about the malicious error. That is just bogus, we can assure you there is spyware or viruses :). Any ideas why its showing up like that?
Thanks,
M.Y. Developers
[import]uid: 55057 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93385[/import]

flyingaudio · March 14, 2012, 3:29pm

@M.Y. Developers
“Will your debugger be able to set variable values during code execution?
Yes, although we will first fix the most pressing issues.”

Totally agree, this would be icing, just didn’t know if you could make that happen. It will be awesome.

My biggest things are solid functionality of what you have already, plus the code completion bit, so I do not have to reference other docs. [import]uid: 47723 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93386[/import]

M.Y.developers · March 14, 2012, 3:31pm

@lemsim
Please send us your code so we can look at it. If the program is stopping then the communication should be working properly. Watches are not supported right now but will be in the future. Basically what they allow you to do is set breakpoints when certain conditions are met (ie myVar>20).

Thanks,
M.Y. Developers [import]uid: 55057 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93387[/import]

_RSCdev · March 14, 2012, 3:43pm

This customer attention “on-by-one” is a +PLUS IMHO.

Keep it up M.Y. developers.
So looking forward these implementations.
Thanks,
Rodrigo. [import]uid: 89165 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93389[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 4:14pm

@flyingaudio: Thanks so much for the explanations. I am not sure what i did but i can see the variables now! I am sure it was me.

@M.Y: I am trying to figure out this debugger since I am really new to it (I used a debugger a while ago but very a short time) For instance if I wanted to see that all the variables that I tried to clean using the director clean function, would i just need to put a break at the end of my module (gameScreen.lua) and see what variables are still left around? I know i can use mode 4 of the profiler but I am just curious…

Thanks for a great tool!

Mo

ps: As you can see, very newbie with debugger here! But is the variables windows shows a real time state of those variables OR do they get updated at each break? [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93397[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 4:22pm

@M.Y: Is the code collapsing works? I mean, can I hide the code under each function and then expand the code for each function one at the time?

Thanks.

Mo [import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93400[/import]

brunathaty · March 14, 2012, 5:04pm

Hey,

Really great job!

The debugger is working ok for me, except for one problem.

If the variable is of type “DisplayObject” I can see only the default variable values (isVisible, x, y, height, rotation, alpha and width) If I set other custom variables to my DisplayObject the debugger doesnt show these custom variables.

Thank`s! [import]uid: 101324 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93409[/import]

lemsim · March 14, 2012, 6:25pm

@M.Y

I am having some more issues which I am not sure what to make of it. The simulator seems to stop and wait for something. Here the message I am getting on the simulator window:

Any idea?

Thanks

Mo

EDIT: I was able to recover by quitting Cider and start again. Sorry for the false alarm…
[import]uid: 49236 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93416[/import]

M.Y.developers · March 14, 2012, 6:35pm

@Mo,

For instance if I wanted to see that all the variables that I tried to clean using the director clean function, would i just need to put a break at the end of my module
This behavior is currently not possible. The variables display only shows locals that are currently in scope and when you leave the director clean function chances are you wont see leaking variables just because they are not in the scope of the function anymore.For now we will have to use profiler for that but we have plans of integrating all this together.

But is the variables windows shows a real time state of those variables OR do they get updated at each break
The variables only get updated each break or if you pause the program. The program will execute too fast to reliably look at all the variables variables in real-time. We will have more “real time” debugging when we integrate a profiler in it.

As for your issue it is very interesting and we want to help resolve it. Do you have a gchat account? We can get correspondence much faster that way.

Thanks,
M.Y. Developers [import]uid: 55057 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93417[/import]

M.Y.developers · March 14, 2012, 6:38pm

@brunathaty,
Thanks for trying it out, glad things are working well. Are you on Mac or Windows platform?

Thank you for pointing out this error. When we send DisplayObjects we had to manually pick out values to send because these values are not readily seen from lua, they have get behaviors associated with them (ie you cannot simply walk through them with a while pairs do loop.) We just forgot to send the remaining custom variables. We will get this fixed.

Thanks,
M.Y. Developers [import]uid: 55057 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93418[/import]

Omnigeek_Media · March 14, 2012, 6:46pm

Couple of issues. I’ll need to get some specifics on a couple for you.

I do the require at the beginning of main as the tutorial says.

If I build outside of Cider without taking out that require, it locks up/crashes the app. If Cider isn’t running, that require probably should detect it and do nothing.
I see some crashes that Corona caught, flash up in Growl but I don’t see anywhere in Cider where that message shows up (would normally be in the terminal) or any thing that takes me to the line where it crashed.
It’s not catching Segment Violations/Bus Errors. I’m not sure it supposed to, but it would be nice since that’s the problems that are hard to track down.
It shows errors on some lines that are syntactically correct.

local levelData = require("leveldata").init()

and

Particles.CreateParticleType ("Rocket", {  
 imagePath = "pc/rocket.png",  
 imageWidth = 32,   
 imageHeight = 256,   
 velocityStart = 175,   
 velocityVariation = 50,  
 directionVariation = 15,  
 alphaStart = 0,   
 alphaVariation = .25,   
 fadeInSpeed = 2.0,   
 fadeOutSpeed = -3,   
 fadeOutDelay = 1000,   
 scaleStart = 0.01,   
 scaleVariation = 0.25,  
 scaleInSpeed = 0.75,  
 weight = 0,   
 killOutsideScreen = true,   
 lifeTime = 2000,   
 useEmitterRotation = true,   
 blendMode = "add",  
 colorStart = {255,128,0},  
 } )

The first line shows an error. Doesn’t seem to affect the running of the app or anything.

[import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 23072 reply_id: 93419[/import]