Debugging your RealWeb Subroutines - RW_DEBUG

RW_DEBUG is an interactive TCL program that allows RealWeb subroutines to be debugged using the DataBasic Debugger. RW_DEBUG prompts for subroutine name, parameters and cookies A cookie is a small amount of named data stored by the web browser and associated with a particular page or web site. Cookies serve to give the web browser a memory, so that it can recall user preferences or other state variables when the user leaves a page and subsequently returns, or can pass data between pages.  . It then calls the subroutine in the correct RealWeb context. When the subroutine completes, the control, output buffer and cookie parameters can be printed on the console.

Procedure

To start a debugging session, enter 

RW_DEBUG

You will see the following prompts:

Enter subroutine name ?

Enter the name of the subroutine you wish to debug.

Enter parameters in the form a=b
?

Enter the name of a parameter that you wish to pass to the subroutine, followed by an equals sign and the parameter value. Each time you press return, you will be prompted with a question mark to enter another parameter. When you have entered all your parameters, press return without entering anything.

Enter cookie name ?

Enter the name of a cookie that you wish to be available to the subroutine. You will be prompted:

Enter cookie value ?

Enter the value of the cookie.

When you have entered all your cookies, if any, press return in response to the Enter cookie name ? prompt.

Hit RETURN to call subroutine ?

Press return to run your subroutine.

Print control string ?

If you enter Y, RW_DEBUG will output the RealWeb control string containing any system parameters set using RW_SET_TIMEOUTand RW_SET_TYPE.

Print output buffer ?

If you enter Y, RW_DEBUG will output the HTML generated by the subroutine.

Print cookie control ?

If you enter Y, RW_DEBUG will output the RealWeb cookie control string. This is a multivalued string containing any cookies created or modified by the subroutine. The values for each cookie appear in the order: name, value, timeout, path, secure, domain.

Common Errors

Error message: Subroutine not allowed

Your subroutine has not been enabled.

Error message: [B34] Insufficient number of parameters passed to external subroutine; abort!

Your subroutine is expecting to be passed one or more parameters. RealWeb subroutines cannot accept any parameters. Enter your parameters at the Enter parameters  prompt and use RW_GET_PARAMto access them (when calling the RealWeb subroutine from a web browser, these parameters would be included in the URL).

Example 1

:RW_DEBUG
Enter subroutine name ?PJD4
Enter parameters in the form a=b
?REG=G74GUX
?
Enter cookie name ?FRED
Enter cookie value ?A VALUE
Enter cookie name ?
Hit RETURN to call PJD4 ?
Print control string ?
Print output buffer ?Y
<vehicle><reg>G74GUX</reg>
<type>4 DOOR SALOON</type>
<make>FORD</make>
<colour>GREY</colour>
<keeper>FREDA MAY LEONARD</keeper>
<address><street>16 SCHOOL ROAD</street>
<district></district>
<city>DUNDEE</city>
<postcode>DD5 9ZZ</postcode>
</address>
</vehicle>

Print cookie control ?Y

:

Example 2

:RW_DEBUG
Enter subroutine name ?COOKIE
Enter parameters in the form a=b
?
Enter cookie name ?FRED
Enter cookie value ?JUNK
Enter cookie name ?
Hit RETURN to call COOKIE ?
Print control string ?Y

Print output buffer ?Y
NAME: MYCOOKIE<BR>VALUE: <BR>
<BR>
NAME: FRED<BR>VALUE: JUNK<BR>
<BR>
COOKIE LIST: FRED<BR>
Print cookie control ?Y
MYCOOKIE]MY_VALUE]l0^FRED]FRED_VALUE]20]/]FALSE
: