Starting Microsoft Script Debugger

You can make Microsoft Script Debugger available in different ways, depending on how it will be used.

If you are debugging scripts on the client side, make sure that you have Internet Explorer and the Script Debugger installed properly. If you are debugging scripts on the server side, you must explicitly enable debugging mode for each ASP application you want to use the debugger with, or you cannot invoke the Script Debugger. For information about client-side and server-side scripts, see Debugging Scripts. For details about enabling and disabling the debugger for IIS, see ôDebugging ASP Scriptsö in the IIS documentation.

The Script Debugger can be started in these ways:

• Manually You can open the Script Debugger as a standalone application. You would do this, for example, if you wanted to start the debugger in order to trace a logic error.
  
  
• By Viewing Source If you are working in a browser on the client side, you can open the debugger by choosing Source from the View menu of Microsoft Internet Explorer. If you are working on Microsoft Internet Information Server, you cannot open the Script Debugger this way.
  
  
• Programmatically You can include a command in your script (such as Stop in VBScript or Debugger in JScript) that stops execution and starts the debugger.
  
  
• By responding to a script error If an error occurs while a script is running, a message is displayed. If the error is in a client script, the message offers you the opportunity to open the debugger to view the error. For example, if you see a message such as the following, you can choose Yes to start the Script Debugger.

  

If the error is in a server script and debugging is enabled for the ASP-based application, the server opens the Script Debugger automatically and displays an error message, as shown in the following illustration:

Note Debugging scripts in the Global.asa file works slightly differently. For details, see Debugging the Global.asa File.

To start the script debugger manually

1. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, display the document you want to work with.
   
   
2. Choose the Windows Start menu, and then choose Microsoft Script Debugger from the Programs menu.
   
   
3. In the Script Debugger, choose the document to work with. For details, see Choosing a Document to Work With.

To start the script debugger by viewing source

1. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, display the document you want to work with.
   
   
2. From the View menu, choose Source.

After you have started the Script Debugger, you set one or more breakpoints, return to the document in Internet Explorer, and perform an action. For more information, see Setting Breakpoints.

See Also

Choosing a Document to Work With

Debugging Java Programs

Executing Script Commands

Setting Breakpoints

Stepping Through Scripts

Viewing and Changing Values

Viewing the Call Stack