Use the integrated debugger to debug applets and applications running in the IDE. In the debugger, you can view running threads, suspend them, and inspect their visible variable values.
You can open the debugger manually or you can have it open automatically by setting breakpoints or specifying caught exceptions to notice. It will also open automatically if an uncaught exception is thrown.
When a program is running, the debugger lists running threads. Suspend a thread to view a list of methods that represent the current stack state. Select one of these methods to inspect the visible variables in that stack frame.
While a thread is suspended you can do a number of things:
The debugger can work with multiple running programs concurrently, which can be useful, for example, when you are debugging client and server portions of an application. In the Debugger window, threads are grouped by the program that started them, for easy manipulation.
The integrated debugger lets you set regular or conditional breakpoints, and it supports debugging inner classes. Also, it can optionally generate a class loading and initialization trace.
Debugging During the Development Cycle
Opening the Debugger Manually
Suspending, Resuming, and Terminating Threads
Setting Breakpoints in Source Code
Configuring and Setting Conditions on Breakpoints
Setting Breakpoints in External Classes
Selecting Exceptions for the Debugger to Catch
Clearing and Disabling Breakpoints
Inspecting and Modifying Variable Values
Stepping Through Methods
Modifying Code while Debugging
Evaluating Expressions in the Debugger
Generating the Class Trace
Setting Debugger Options