Debugging Code Templates

A coding template provides example code that utilizes the Arduino Debugger to help find the bug(s) in your code. The codint templates are broken up into 3 categories - Conditional Logic, Loops, and Methods.

1. Debugging Code Templates
   1. Loops
      1. Key Breakpoints
      2. Bug Tips & Things to Check

Loops

Key Breakpoints

When working with any type of loop, there are four key areas you’ll want to place your breakpoints:

1. Before the loop

   This breakpoint will help you see the current state of your variables & pins BEFORE any part of your loop is executed.

2. Last line of your loop

   This breakpoint helps to check that your ENDING your loop with correct values.

Bug Tips & Things to Check

Counter Update

Is your counter updating by the correct amount? Try writing out all of the values your counter should reach; is your code reaching all of those values?

End Condition

Is your loop ending on the correct value? A common mistake here is using "<" or ">" when you ended to use "<=" or ">=". For example, if you want your loop to count from 0 to 10, then the last value of the counter should be 11.

For Loop Logic

  byte i = 0; //initialize for loop counter
  debugger.add(&i, BYTE, "i");//add loop counter to variable watch
  //Add other variables to watch here
  debugger.breakpoint("Before For Loop");
  for(i; i < end_condition; i++){
    //Your code here
    debugger.breakpoint("End For Loop");
  }

While Loop Logic

  byte i = 0; //initialize for loop counter
  debugger.add(&i, BYTE, "i");//add loop counter to variable watch
  //Add other variables to watch here
  debugger.breakpoint("Before While Loop");
  while(i < end_condition)
    //Your code here
    i++;
    debugger.breakpoint("End While Loop");
  }

Do While Loop Logic

  byte i = 0; //initialize for loop counter
  debugger.add(&i, BYTE, "i");//add loop counter to variable watch
  //Add other variables to watch here
  debugger.breakpoint("Before Do While Loop");
  do{
    //Your code here
    i++;
    debugger.breakpoint("End Do While Loop");
  }while(i < end_condition);