The watches pane keeps track of variables, buffer fields, attributes, data, and built-in ABL functions on which a watch is set. For more information on functions as watches, see Watchesfor built-in functions.
The watches pane has a context (right-click) menu containing the following options: Copy, Cut, Paste, Add Watch (adds a new variable to the watches pane), Remove Watch, and Dataview (displays attribute or field information for the selected variable in the Dataview dialog box).
You can add a watch by doing any of the following:
Entering the watch into the last line of the watches pane directly.
Entering the watch in the Add Watch dialog box. For more information, see Debuggerdialog boxes.
Selecting text in the source code pane, or selecting a variable or parameter in the variables pane, and then choosing the Add Watch option on the context (right-click) menu.
Selecting text in the source code pane and dragging it to the watches pane. For more information, see Watches pane.
Selecting an entity in the Dataview dialog box and choosing the Add Watch button.
Note the following with respect to validity checking of the selected text:
Selected text that is improperly formatted displays "** Error **" in its Value cell.
Selected text that is properly formatted but that refers to an out-of-scope or nonexistent variable displays "** Unavailable **" in its Value cell.
{ SUB-MENU | MENU-ITEM }widget-name:attribute [ IN { MENU | SUB-MENU }menu-name]
You can chain attribute and property references. For example, the following attribute reference displays the value of the TITLE attribute for a window containing a fill-in (assuming the fill-in is three levels from the window):
FILL-IN-1:PARENT:PARENT:PARENT:TITLE
If a variable is currently out of scope, or you add a watch for an unknown variable name, the following message appears in the Value cell:
** Unavailable **
If evaluation of properties is disabled (by means of the -noevalprops startup parameter), the following message appears in the Value cell for properties that have a non-empty accessor method (ABL properties that have an empty GET method are always evaluated):
** Property evaluation disabled**
Note: You can use the Value tab of the Dataview dialog box to inspect the value of a property, whether or not evaluation of properties is disabled. See Dataviewdialog box for more information.
Double-clicking on a cell containing the value of a variable makes the value editable. You can modify the value by entering a different value and pressing the ENTER key or clicking out of the cell. Pressing the ESC key when editing a value restores the current value and cancels the editing operation.
You can remove a watch for a variable by selecting the watch in the watches pane and then:
Pressing the DELETE key
Choosing the Remove Watch option on the context (right-click) menu or Debug menu
Entering the watch into the last line of the watches pane directly.
