PROG8060 Lesson02 Debugging

PROG8061
Developing Quality Applications

Winter 2024
From the Course Outline:
 1.0 Background and relevance of Computing Systems in Software
Development
 1.3 Identify the key methods and techniques used in debugging
computer applications.
 1.4 Identify the key components and building blocks of developing
algorithms.
 Agile – Product Vision, Product Objectives, Product Roadmap

 Project Work – Project Selection, Project Proposal Development
 From Wikipedia: The process of finding and resolving defects
or problems within a computer program that prevent correct
operation.
 In other words, computer programs rarely work on their very

first attempt at execution
 Once we find that the program is not working correctly, we

need to take steps to resolve the issue(s)
 Once a defect has been noted, the next task is to clearly
identify how it can be reproduced…
 For the ProSum V 1.0 application, there is a way to make this

program crash 
 Try large numbers (say 5 digits or more)
 Not all 5 digit numbers will cause a crash!
 Often times, a customer may call in to say that they
experienced a crash of an application, but it may not be
reproducible again or in another environment (say when the
development / testing team tries)
 Factors that can influence whether a defect is reproducible

 Actual steps used to reproduce
 Actual environment – including hardware, software
 Maybe even the time of day!
 After reproducing the defect, the next area to focus on is to
narrow down the problem to the minimum amount of steps or
precise data values used
 For the ProSum V 1.0 application, there is a precise way to

make this program crash
Have 32768 and 32767 (sum 65535) as the

minimum
 Often times, we’ll need to use the “divide and conquer”
approach to problems to narrow down the exact cause
 If we have a large set of data (such as in ProSum), we can

continue to divide the data set into two until we get the exact
values.
 Testers / Developers can also try to remove various

components (UI, Business Logic, Database) to continue to
narrow down where the issue exists.
 Once, the minimum number of steps are determined,
debugging tools can be used by the development / testing team
to determine the exact cause of the defect
 These debugging tools can show the exact values of variables,

contents of memory (heap and stack), as well as performance
metrics and other key aspects.
 One key (and simplest) technique in debugging code (using Visual
Studio, C#) is called using a Breakpoint
 Inserting a breakpoint where we want to start debugging
 Using “F10” to Step Over the code or “F11” to Step Into the code
 Step Over: for that code that you know is functioning
 Step Into: for that code that you have suspicions that it is not working
 Can also hit the pause button when the application is running and
then see the values of the variables, etc…
 Click to the <left> of the line number where you want to add a
Breakpoint:
 Program here does not give any error…however, it doesn’t show
the correct result either 
 Run the program:
 Hovering over any variables will give us the value of it
 Next, press the F11 key to “Step Into” each line of code after the
breakpoint.
 To remove the Breakpoint, simply click on the red dot that is
beside the line number:
 Other information that could be valuable when debugging while
using a BreakPoint:
 Call Stack Window: will show which part of the code is calling a
particular method as well as the sequence of access (for example, if you
have multiple parts of the code calling the same method, they each
could be changing values that you were not expecting);
 Locals Window: displays the current values of all variables declared

locally in the method.
 These are useful debugging techniques that can break when (for
instance) a particular variable takes on a specific value. (This
may not be present in Visual Studio Express versions)
 Set your breakpoint (as you normally would);
 Right click on the breakpoint and select “Conditions…”
 Set your condition – in this case, let’s set i equal to four
 See that the red dot changes to include a “+”
 Copy the following code into a new project and set a BreakPoint at: static string titleAdd = "The sum of the numbers 11 and 22
is:"; use F11 to step into the code, keeping an eye out on each variable.
class Program
{
static string titleAdd = "The sum of the numbers 11 and 22 is:";
static void CalculateSum() {
int firstNumber = 11;
int secondNumber = 22;
int sum = firstNumber + secondNumber;
Console.WriteLine(sum);
}
static string titleProduct = "The product of the numbers 33 and 44 is:";
static void CalculateProduct()
{
int thirdNumber = 33;
int fourthNumber = 44;
int product = thirdNumber * fourthNumber;
Console.WriteLine(product);
}
static void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine(titleAdd);
CalculateSum();
Console.WriteLine(titleProduct);
CalculateProduct();
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
 To avoid unexpected program crashes and to generate meaningful
responses for errors, we can use try-catch blocks. When an error is
encountered, the code in the try section is skipped and execution resumes in
the catch section.
try
{
using (var myObject = new MyClass())
{
// Actual code is here
}
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
// How to handle an exception here
}
 When working with large programs (say, hundreds or thousands
of lines of code), it may be difficult to find exactly where the
error occurred
 C# allows the ability to output text to a log file using the

StreamWriter class (in the System.IO namespace)
 As we can recall, Algorithms are simply instructions or a set of
steps for completing a task or problem.
 We can take this definition to add the words “…in an efficient

method or manner”
 If we’re able to devise a set of steps that is more efficient than

another set of steps to solve the same problem, we will be able
to make the most of the finite resources (say CPU, Memory,
Network, Disk, etc…) that are at our disposal.
 For instance, if we are given the problem “add all integers from 0
to 4 and show the result”, we can develop the solutions as
follows:
Solution A Solution B
Var1 = 0; Sum = 0;
Var2 = 1; For i in range(4):
Var3 = 2; Sum += I
Var4 = 3; Print (Sum);
Var5 = 4;
Sum = Var1 + Var2 + Var3 + Var4 + Var5;
Print (Sum);
 The key building blocks of Algorithms:
 Sequence / Action
 Selection / Decision
 Iteration / Loop
 The key building blocks of Algorithms:
 Sequence / Action
▪ For example, sum var1 and var2
 Selection / Decision
▪ If the temperature is greater than 27C, then print “it is hot outside”
 Iteration / Loop
▪ Calculate the sum of all even numbers from zero to one-hundred
 Print the name of your best friend
 Compute the area of a circle with a radius of 5cm
 Print the conversion equivalents of 0 to 100 from mph to km/h
 If Jack is taller than Jill, then print “Jack is taller”
 Print the square root of all integers between 0 and 49

 This is usually the first stage in any Agile project – defining the
Product Vision – essentially an “elevator pitch” about what your
product is and how it will support your overall company’s vision /
objectives
 Focus is applied on developing / defining:
 Goals of the product

 Intended Customers
 Need
 Competition
 Distinctive Differences
 Provides an overall view of all of the product’s requirements
 Categorizes requirements into logical groupings
 Estimates the effort required
 Outlines what features will be delivered at what point in time
 Agile Best Practices: Road Maps Video

 Within Agile, each iteration or Sprint should deliver some part
or increment of the overall product with a focus on increasing
the quality, functionality or overall completeness.
 The Definition of Done (DoD) is a definition that each team /

project group will define as to what they consider as being
“Done” for that particular sprint, iteration, or release.
 It may be something as simple as “all unit tests must pass”
 Develop a Project Proposal using the template provided in eConestoga for this week.
 Due on Friday at the end of the Lab
 One submission per group / team
 Worth 5% of your overall mark – deductions will apply for any late / absentees
 Need to include:
 Project Background and Description

 Problem Statement
 Project Scope
 High-Level Requirements
 Materials, Tools Required
 References Used
 Any questions?

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PROG8061

Developing Quality Applications

 Agile – Product Vision, Product Objectives, Product Roadmap

 In other words, computer programs rarely work on their very

 Once we find that the program is not working correctly, we

 For the ProSum V 1.0 application, there is a way to make this

 Factors that can influence whether a defect is reproducible

 For the ProSum V 1.0 application, there is a precise way to

Have 32768 and 32767 (sum 65535) as the

 If we have a large set of data (such as in ProSum), we can

 Testers / Developers can also try to remove various

 These debugging tools can show the exact values of variables,

 Locals Window: displays the current values of all variables declared

 C# allows the ability to output text to a log file using the

 We can take this definition to add the words “…in an efficient

 If we’re able to devise a set of steps that is more efficient than

 Compute the area of a circle with a radius of 5cm

 Print the conversion equivalents of 0 to 100 from mph to km/h

 If Jack is taller than Jill, then print “Jack is taller”

 Print the square root of all integers between 0 and 49

 Goals of the product

 Categorizes requirements into logical groupings

 Estimates the effort required

 Outlines what features will be delivered at what point in time

 Agile Best Practices: Road Maps Video

 The Definition of Done (DoD) is a definition that each team /

 Project Background and Description

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