The debugger affect to the code

[ylazy]

Hi!

For example I have two classes:

SearchOptions.as

package
{
    public class SearchOptions
    {
        private var _ignoreCase     :Boolean;
        private var _matchWholeWord :Boolean;

        public function SearchOptions():void
        {

        }

        public function get IgnoreCase():SearchOptions
        {
            this.ignoreCase = true;
            return this;
        }

        public function get MatchWholeWord():SearchOptions
        {
            this.matchWholeWord = true;
            return this;
        }

        public function get ignoreCase():Boolean
        {
            return _ignoreCase;
        }

        public function set ignoreCase(value:Boolean):void
        {
            _ignoreCase = value;
        }

        public function get matchWholeWord():Boolean
        {
            return _matchWholeWord;
        }

        public function set matchWholeWord(value:Boolean):void
        {
            _matchWholeWord = value;
        }
    }
}

SearchOption.as

package
{
    public function get SearchOption():SearchOptions
    {
        return new SearchOptions();
    }
}

and I have a code:

var options:SearchOptions = SearchOption.MatchWholeWord;

trace(options.ignoreCase);
trace(options.matchWholeWord);

if (options.ignoreCase)
{
    trace("???");
}

run this code, you will see the expected result:

false
true

But, if you add a breakpoint to the line trace(options.ignoreCase);, then explore the options object in the debugger, then continue, you will see the unexpected result:

true
true
???

Please view the following video capture to see the problem:

https://github.com/BowlerHatLLC/vscode-as3mxml/assets/6010183/b327a6bb-284e-4d29-a732-6fe96f58e51e

This issue happens because the function get IgnoreCase has been executed when I explored the options object in the debugger, it lead to this.ignoreCase = true; executed.

Is there anyway to turn off the auto getting properties when I explore an object?

It's just an example. In fact I ran into many issues similiar to this. For example:

override public function get width():void
{
    if (isInvalidate(INVALIDATE_SIZE)) validateSize();
    return _width;
}

Without any breakpoints, validateSize() will not run. But with a breakpoint, the width property will be get by the debugger if I explore the object, then validateSize() will run.

Please consider to add an option to turn off this feature (property getting) to prevent the debugger to affect to the code.

Thanks!

[Adolio]

Hello!

Except the fact that indeed the debugger can call methods and therefore "interact" with your system, I think your example have design issues. Technically, a getter method should never set things.

The debugger will never call a setter method without you explicitly requesting it. So if you never set things in a getter then you should never have problems with the debugger.

So from my stand point, the get IgnoreCase() & get MatchWholeWord() should actually be constructor parameters.

[joshtynjala]

This issue happens because the function get IgnoreCase has been executed when I explored the options object in the debugger, it lead to this.ignoreCase = true; executed. Is there anyway to turn off the auto getting properties when I explore an object?

This is the intended behavior. There is no way to turn it off.

[ylazy]

@Adolio I know that my examples have design issues. But it's the only way for me, because I want to build something like this:

sub = StringTool.substrBetween(str, StringSearch("foo").IgnoreCase.MatchWholeWord, StringSearch("bar").IgnoreCase, StringSearchOption.StartAt(100).EndAt(400));

It's much more readable than

sub = StringTool.substrBetween(str, "foo", "bar", true, true, true, false, 100, 400);

After a day I solved this by inserting a property check to determine if an object is expanded by the debugger or not.

private var _expandedByDebugger:Boolean;

// when I expand `options` in debugger, this property will be executed first (before any other properties)
// because the debugger will list properties in alphabet order
// so I can know that IgnoreCase and MatchWholeWord are executing by the debugger or not.

private function get ____expandedByDebugger():Boolean
{
    _expandedByDebugger = true;
}

protected function get expandedByDebugger():Boolean
{
    return _expandedByDebugger;
}

public function get IgnoreCase():SearchOptions
{
    if (this.expandedByDebugger) return this; // executing by the debugger => do nothing
    this.ignoreCase = true;
    return this;
}

public function get MatchWholeWord():SearchOptions
{
    if (this.expandedByDebugger) return this; // executing by the debugger => do nothing
    this.matchWholeWord = true;
    return this;
}

Thank you all :)