[ESS] ess-tracebug behavior [probably wishlist]

[Ross Boylan]

On 4/24/2013 1:21 PM, Vitalie Spinu wrote:
> Hi Ross,
>
> Dev ESS has now true toggleble breakpoints that you can
> activate/deactivate during the debug session without the need of
> re-sourcing. Toggling is bound to C-c C-t o.
>
> I have also much improved the ess-dbg-flag-for-debugging. It sees all
> the functions from the current context, and all the internal functions
> in the namespaces of the packages listed in ess-developer-packages. So,
> if you are on SVN or git please test the stuff out. I would be happy to
> hear your comments.
I am now using the latest git: 650a142597a3be857407e180381acf617f333676.

C-c C-t d to debug a function.  It was exported from a package, and did 
appear on the autocompletion list.

I did enter the debugger when I hit it, though no special code display.  
The status area of emacs listed a bunch of keys like (M)-N for next.  I 
hit Esc-n and got an error"M-n is undefined".   If I enter the R window 
I can debug in the usual R way.  Apparently Esc-N (uppercase) works; 
having to hit the shift key for a basic debugging operation is awkward.

I wanted to trace into a function that had not been exported.  C-c C-t d 
did have it on the completion list--impressive.  However, although it 
told me it had set debugging, I did not actually get a debugger on it.  
I typed n in the debugger prompt and it simply returned 
(mice.impute.2lmixed.logit was the inner function I was trying to debug):

debug: type <- c(2, type)
Browse[2]>
debug: if (any(type == 1)) return(mice.impute.2lmixed.logit(y, ry, x,
     type))
Browse[2]> any(type==1)  # set debug on mice.impute.2lmixed.logit here
[1] TRUE
Browse[2]> n
debug: return(mice.impute.2lmixed.logit(y, ry, x, type))

I tried using debugonce() from the command line in the debugger; it too was ineffective.

I verified that when I'm at top level the non-exported function is not in the completion list of functions to debug.

After using ess-developer on the package (C-c C-t a mice) the private 
function is part of the completion list for C-c C-t d at the top level. 
I thought the first time I tried this it did not stop, but when I try to 
reproduce it's OK.  However, the completion lists the function twice, 
once as mice.impute2l.mixed.logit and once as 
mice::mice.impute.2lmixed.logit.

C-c C-t D did not remove the debugging from the function.  Actually, I'm 
not sure the uppercase D is getting through; when it was echoing I only 
saw a lower case d, and the status message is "flagged for debugging" 
after I select the function.

Some possible extensions
C-c C-t D (unflag for debugging) lists all functions; it would be nice 
if it only listed ones actually flagged for debugging.  BTW, is typing 
undebug(foo) equivalent to C-c C-t D foo?

C-u C-t d does debugonce.

For the record:
options(deparse.max.lines) limits the stack trace (an R, not ESS, 
feature).  It's only partly effective, limiting the stack trace but not 
the function body dump as you enter the browser.

Ross Boylan