C# Errors & Exceptions: Options on Debugging

1. Start Microsoft Visual C#
2. To start a new project, on the main menu, click File -> New Project
3. In the middle list, click Empty Project
4. Change the Name to WattsALoan2
5. Click OK
6. To create a file, in the Solution Explorer, right-click WattsALoan2 -> Add -> New Item...
7. In the middle list, click Code File
8. Change the Name to Customer and press Enter
9. In the empty document, type the following:
   

   public class Customer
   {
       public string FullName;
       public string PhoneNumber;
   
       public Customer(string name = "John Doe", string phone = "000-000-0000")
       {
           FullName = name;
           PhoneNumber = phone;
       }
   }

10. To create a file, in the Solution Explorer, right-click WattsALoan2 -> Add -> New Item...
11. In the middle list, click Code File
12. Change the Name to Employee and press Enter
13. In the empty document, type the following:
    

    public class Employee
    {
        public long EmployeeNumber;
        public string FirstName;
        public string LastName;
        public string Title;
    
        public Employee(long emplNbr = 0,
                        string fName = "Unknown",
                        string lName = " Not Specified",
                        string position = "Loan Specialist")
        {
            EmployeeNumber = emplNbr;
            FirstName = fName;
            LastName = lName;
            Title = position;
        }
    
        public string GetEmployeeName()
        {
            return LastName + ", " + FirstName;
        }
    }

14. To add a new file to the project, on the main menu, click Project -> Add New Item...
15. In the middle list, click Code File
16. Change the Name to LoanInformation
17. Click Add
18. In the empty document, type the following:

    public class LoanInformation
    {
        public double Principal;
        public double InterestRate;
        public double Period;
        public double InterestAmount;
        public double FutureValue;
    }

19. To create a new file, on the main menu, click Project -> Add New Item...
20. In the middle list, click Code File
21. Change the Name to LoanEvaluation
22. Click Add
23. In the empty document, type the following:

    using System;
    
    public class LoanEvaluation
    {
        private Employee clerk;
        private Customer client;
        private LoanInformation loan;
    
        public LoanEvaluation()
        {
            clerk = new Employee();
            client = new Customer();
            loan = new LoanInformation();
        }
    
        private void IdentifyEmployee()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Enter the following pieces of information " +
                              "about the employee who prepared this loan.");
            Console.Write("Employee #: ");
            clerk.EmployeeNumber = long.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
            Console.Write("First Name: ");
            clerk.FirstName = Console.ReadLine();
            Console.Write("Last Name:  ");
            clerk.LastName = Console.ReadLine();
            Console.Write("Title:      ");
            clerk.Title = Console.ReadLine();
        }
    
        private void IdentifyCustomer()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Enter the following pieces of information " +
                              "about the customer for whom this loan was prepared.");
            Console.Write("Customer Name: ");
            client.FullName = Console.ReadLine();
            Console.Write("Phone Number:  ");
            client.PhoneNumber = Console.ReadLine();
        }
    
        private void GetLoanValues()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Enter the following pieces of information " +
                              "about the values used for the loan.");
    
            Console.Write("Enter the principal: ");
            loan.Principal = double.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
      
            Console.Write("Enter the interest rate: ");
            loan.InterestRate = double.Parse(Console.ReadLine()) / 100;
    
            Console.Write("Enter the number of months: ");
            loan.Period = double.Parse(Console.ReadLine()) / 12;
        }
    
        public void Show()
        {
            loan.InterestAmount = loan.Principal * loan.InterestRate * loan.Period;
            loan.FutureValue = loan.Principal + loan.InterestAmount;
    
            Console.WriteLine("======================================");
            Console.WriteLine("Loan Summary");
            Console.WriteLine("=------------------------------------=");
            Console.WriteLine("Prepared by:  {0} - {1}\n              {2}",
                              clerk.EmployeeNumber,
                             clerk.GetEmployeeName(), clerk.Title);
            Console.WriteLine("=------------------------------------=");
            Console.WriteLine("Prepared for: {0}\n              {1}",
                              client.FullName, client.PhoneNumber);
            Console.WriteLine("=------------------------------------=");
            Console.WriteLine("Principal:       {0:F}", loan.Principal);
            Console.WriteLine("Interest Rate:   {0:P}", loan.InterestRate);
            Console.WriteLine("Period For:      {0} months", loan.Period * 12);
            Console.WriteLine("Interest Amount: {0:F}", loan.InterestAmount);
            Console.WriteLine("Future Value:    {0:F}", loan.FutureValue);
            Console.WriteLine("======================================");
        }
    }

Instead of just one class or one file, we have learned, and will continue learning, that, to organize your project, you can create the classes of your project in different files. When you debug a project that uses different classes or files that contain classes, the debugger is aware of the objects and where they are created. As we will learn later, there are various windows that assist you with identifying the objects of your project. As a result, the tools such as the Locals window display their contents accordingly.

As you know already, the starting point of a C# application is the Main() function (in C#, that would be a class that contains a method named Main). If you start debugging an application that uses many code files (files that contain classes), the debugger must first identify the file that contains the Main() function. If you are debugging a normal console application but the debugger cannot find a file that contains the Main() function, you would receive an error, indicating that your project does not contain an entry point.

1. On the main menu, click Debug -> Step Into. Notice that you receive an error:

   Error	1  Program '. . .\WattsALoan2\WattsALoan2\obj\x86\Debug\WattsALoan2.exe' 
   does not contain a static 'Main' method suitable for an entry point WattsALoan2
   

2. Change the LoanEvaluation.cs file as follows:

   using System;
   
   public class LoanEvaluation
   {
       . . . No Change
   
       public static int Main()
       {
           LoanEvaluation evaluation = new LoanEvaluation();
   
           Console.Title = "Watts A Loan?";
   
           Console.WriteLine("This application allows you to evaluate a loan");
           evaluation.IdentifyEmployee();
           evaluation.IdentifyCustomer();
   
           Console.Clear();
   
           evaluation.GetLoanValues();
   
           Console.Clear();
   
           evaluation.Show();
   
           System.Console.ReadKey();
           return 0;
       }
   }

3. To restart debugging, press F8.
   If you don't see the Locals window, to display it, on the main menu, click Debug -> Window -> Locals
4. Move the windows to make sure you can see the Code Editor, the Locals window, and the DOS window
5. Notice that the debugging yellow arrow indicator is positioned on the left of the opening curly bracket of the Main() function.
   Notice that at this time, the Locals window contains only the evaluation variable whose value is null.
   At this time, the DOS window shows a blinking caret
6. To continue debugging, on the main menu, click Debug -> Step Into
7. Again, on the main menu, click Debug -> Step Into.
   Notice that the debugger is in the LoanEvaluation.cs file and to its constructor
8. In the Locals window, click the + button of this to expand it. Notice that it show the global variables of the class
9. To continue debugging, on the Standard toolbar, click the Step Into button three times.
   Notice that the excution switches to the constructor of the Employee class in the Employee.cs file
10. In the Locals window, click the + button of this to expand
11. To continue debugging, press F8 seven times.
    The debugging returns to the LoanEvaluation.cs file and focuses on the clerk variable that is of type Employee
12. On the Standard toolbar, click the Step Into button .
    The debugging moves to the constructor of the Customer class in the Customer.cs file
13. Press F8 six times.
    The debugging returns to the client variable in the LoanEvaluation.cs file
14. Press F8 three times.
    The debugging returns to the evaluation variable in the Main() function
15. Press F8 twice
    Notice that the title bar of the DOS window has changed
16. In the Locals window, click all the + buttons to show the current values of the variables for the Employee, the Customer, and the LoanInformation variables
17. Keep pressing F8 until the title bar of the DOS window indicates that it has focus and you are asked to enter an employee number
18. When asked for an employee number, type 20584 and press Enter
19. The focus moves back to the Code Editor.
    Notice that the value of the employee number has changed in the Locals window
    Press F8 twice.
    The focus moves back to the DOS window
20. For the First Name, type Joshua and press Enter
21. The focus moves back to the Code Editor.
    Press F8 twice.
    The focus moves back to the DOS window
22. For the Last Name, type Mahmouda and press Enter
23. The focus moves back to the Code Editor.
    Press F8 twice.
    The focus moves back to the DOS window
24. For the Title, type Account Representative and press Enter
25. The focus moves back to the Code Editor.
    Press F8 seven times.
    The focus moves back to the DOS window
26. When asked to provide a customer name, type Lauren Sachs and press Enter
27. The focus moves back to the Code Editor.
    Press F8 twice.
    The focus moves back to the DOS window
28. For the Phone Number, type (301) 438-6243 and press Enter
29. The focus moves back to the Code Editor.
    Press F8 many times until the DOS window receives focus
30. value for the principal, type 24750 and press Enter
31. The focus moves to the Code Editor.
    Notice that the value of the principal has changed in the Locals grid.
    Press F8
32. Press F8 again
33. When the focus moves to the DOS window, when you are asked to provide the interest rate, type 11.35 and press Enter
34. Press F8
35. Press F8 again
36. The focus moves to the DOS window.
    For the number of months, type 60 and press Enter
    
37. Keep pressing F8.
    Observe the values in the Locals window and see the new lines in the DOS window
    
38. Continue pressing F8 until the DOS window closes
39. Make sure the LoanEvaluation.cs file is displaying.
    Click the margin on the left side of loan.FutureValue = loan.Principal + loan.InterestAmount;
40. On the main menu, click Window -> Employee.cs
41. Click the margin on the left site of return LastName + ", " + FirstName;
42. On the main menu, click Debug -> Start Debugging
43. In the DOS window, enter the values as follows and press Enter after each
     
    

    Employee #:	41920
    First Name:	Donna
    Last Name:	Jones
    Title:	Account Manager
    Customer Name:	Hermine Simms
    Customer Phone:	410-573-2031
    Principal:	3250
    Number of Months:	36

    
    The focus moves to the LoanEvaluation.cs file in the Code Editor
44. Press F5 to continue.
    Debugging switches to the Employee.cs file
45. Press F5 to see the result in the DOS window
46. On the main menu, click File -> Close Solution
47. When asked whether you want to save, click Discard

You are probably familiar with the Error List window because if you have ever made any mistake in your code, it would come up. The Error List is a window that displays the list of the current errors in your code. Most of the times, the Error List is present, usually below the Code Editor. At any time, to display it, on the main menu, you can click View -> Error List or press Ctrl + W. While you are working on your code, the Error List may be minimized. To permanently keep it showing, you can click its AutoHide button.

The Error List uses two sequences of how it decides to show the errors. While writing your code, if the live parser, which continuously runs while you are writing your code, finds a problem, it makes a list of all types of violations, even if there is only one mistake, or there appears to be only one mistake. It shows the list in a table:

Another sequence, or a different list, gets created if you build your code. This time, it is the debugger's list that would show:

It is important to know that one mistake could be violating more than one rule of the C# language.

As seen in our introduction to syntax errors, if you are using Microsoft Visual C# (whether Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express or Microsoft Visual Studio), while you are writing your code, if the parser senses a problem, it underlines the section in the Code Editor and the Error List shows its analysis of that problem. The Error list uses a table made of 5 columns that are Description, File, Line, Column, and Project. You don't have to use all those columns. To specify what columns to show or hide, right-click anywhere in the body of the Error List and position the mouse on Show Columns:

To show a column, put a check mark on its menu item. To hide a column, remove its check mark. The list of errors displays in an incremental order specified by the parser. Otherwise, you can arrange the order based on a column of your choice. To do this, right-click any entry in the Error List, position the mouse on Sort By, and click the column of your choice.

As mentioned already, the Error List uses various columns to show its findings:

•  The Description column shows a string that translates some meaning of the problem. The parser and the Error List make an effort to point the actual problem. For example, the parser indicates here that "unsigned" is not a valid C#Keyword. Another entry rightly points out that an integral variable should not be initialized with a floating-point number:
   
  
  Sometimes, the error pointed out is not easy to understand. That's the case for Description 1 in our entry. Some other time, the error may not be completely true. For example, in the above code, the Error List indicates a semicolon problem, which is not true: we know that all expressions in C# must end with a semicolon. In this case, the actual problem could be something else.
  Sometimes, if you fix one problem, all the other problems are solved. In our lessons, it is impossible to list all types of errors or all possible types of errors. With experience, you will know how to address and correct them
• The File column shows the name of the file. This is valuable if your project includes many files
• The Line column is probably a junior programmer's best friend. The Error List strives to display the line number in code where the problem happened, or probably happened. With experience, you will know that this is not always exact
• Like the Line number, the Column attempts to exactly point out the character area where the problem occurrent. Also with experience, you will find out that the Error List sometimes shows where it sensed the problem, not necessairy when it happened
• The Project column gives the name of the project in which the error occurred. This can be valuable if you are working on many projects, or rather on a solution that includes many projects

To jump to an error from the Error List, locate its entry in the Error List window and double-click it. The caret would be positioned to that Line number, that character Column or word, and in that File of that Project. If you correct the problem and if the parser concludes that your correction is fine, the error would be removed automatically from the Error List. You can continue this to correct all problems and, eventually, the Error List would be emptied.

The Immediate window is a special text editor that can be used to test values, operations (calculations), variables, and methods. There are two ways you can get the Immediate window:

• If you start debugging code from clicking Debug -> Start Debugging (or pressing F5) or Debug -> Step Into (or pressing F8) from the main menu, the Immediate window would come up
• If you are not debugging, on the main menu, you can click Debug -> Windows -> Immediate

The Immediate window appears as a blank object:

To use it, you must write something. What you write depends on what you want to test. An expression you write should start with a question mark but in some cases you can omit that symbol. Because the Immediate window is a text editor, you can copy code from somewhere else and paste it in it. If the immediate window starts being crowded, to empty it, you can right-click inside the window and click Clear All.

After typing or pasting the expression, press Enter. The next line would show the result. For example, imagine you want to test an arithmetic operation such as the addition of 248.49 and 57.26, you would type ?248.49 + 57.26 (the empty spaces are optional and you can include as many as you want) and press Enter. Here is an example:

If you want to test a variable or a method, you must first write code that has the variable. That is, before testing a variable, create a method or use the Main() function and declare the variable in it. If you try testing a variable that is not declared, you would receive an error. One way you can test a variable consists of assigning a certain value, probably a wrong value, to it and observe the result. You can start the assignment expression with a question mark but that mark is not necessary. Here is an example:

The Immediate window allows you to test the value that a variable is currently holding. To get this information, in the Immediate window, type the name of the variable preceded by a question mark and press Enter:

If the variable had previously received a value, when you enquire of it in the Immediate window, its current value would show:

Another test you can perform on a variable consists of adding a value to it to increase it or subtracting a value from it.

To test a method in the Immediate window, the method should return a value. To get the value that a mehod is currently returning, type its name in the Immediate window and press Enter. Here is an example:

In the same way, you can create more elaborate methods and test them in the Immediate window.

1. To start a new project, on the main menu, click File -> New Project
2. In the middle list, click Empty Project
3. Change the Name to PayrollEvaluation1
4. Click OK
5. To create a file, in the Solution Explorer, right-click PayrollEvaluation1 -> Add -> New Item...
6. In the middle list, click Code File
7. Change the Name to Evaluation and click Add
8. In the empty document, type the following:
   

   using System;
   
   public class Evaluation
   {
       public static int Main()
       {
           double grossPay = 0D;
           double timeWorked = 0D;
           double hourlySalary = 0.00D;
   	// double federalIncomeTax = 0.00D;
     	// const double FICATaxRate = 0.0765; // 7.65%
       	// double FICATaxAmount = 0.00D;
           double totalDeductions = 0.0D;
           double netPay = 0.00D;
   
           Console.Title = "Payroll Evaluation";
   	/*      
   	Console.WriteLine("To test a payroll, enter the following pieces of information");
           Console.Write("Time Wored:    ");
           timeWorked = double.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
           Console.Write("Hourly Salary: ");
           hourlySalary = double.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
           Console.Write("Enter the amount of the deductions: ");
           totalDeductions = double.Parse(Console.ReadLine());
           */
           
           grossPay = hourlySalary * timeWorked;
           netPay = grossPay - totalDeductions;
           Console.Clear();
   
           Console.WriteLine("=======================");
           Console.WriteLine("Payroll Evaluation");
           Console.WriteLine("-----------------------");
           Console.WriteLine("Time Worked:   {0, 7}", timeWorked.ToString("F"));
           Console.WriteLine("Hourly Salary: {0, 7}", hourlySalary.ToString("F"));
           Console.WriteLine("Gross Pay:     {0, 7}", grossPay.ToString("F"));
           Console.WriteLine("Deductions:    {0, 7}", totalDeductions.ToString("F"));
           Console.WriteLine("Net Pay:       {0, 7}", netPay.ToString("F"));
           Console.WriteLine("=======================\n");
   
           Console.ReadKey();
           return 0;
       }
   }

9. To execute the application, on the main menu, click Debug -> Start Debugging
    
   
10. Press Enter to close the DOS window and return to your programming environment
11. To step into code, on the main menu, click Debug -> Step Into
12. If the Imediate window is not displaying, on the main menu, click Debug -> Windows -> Immediate.
    Just in case, right-click inside the Immediate window and click Clear All.
    If you are using Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express, press F11 to step into code.
    If you are using Microsoft Visual Studio, press F8 to step into code
13. Continue pressing the key (3 times) to step into code until you get to the line double netPay = 0.00D;
14. Click inside the Immediate window
15. Type timeWorked = 42.50 and press Enter
16. Type hourlySalary = 24.65 and press Enter
17. Type totalDeductions = 286.50 and press Enter
     
    
18. Press F8 or F11 three or four times to step into code until you get to the line that has Console.Clear();
19. Click the next empty line in the Immediate window
20. Type ?grossPay and press Enter
21. Type ?netPay and press Enter
     
    
22. Press the F8 or F11 key to step into code a few times until the DOS window gets focus
     
    
23. Press Enter to return to Microsoft Visual C#
24. Press F8 or F11 continuously until you get to the end of code and the DOS window closes

As debugging progresses, sometimes you may want to know the values that the variables are holding on the current and the preceding lines. To give you this information, Microsoft Visual Studio provides the Autos window (Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express doesn't have the Autos window). Normally, when you start debugging, the Autos window comes up. If it is hidden while you are debugging, on the main menu, click Debug -> Windows -> Autos.

Imagine you have a variable that is accessed in various parts of your code. One way you can test the behavior of that variable is to test its value as it circumstancially changes time after time. The Watch window is an object that allows you to monitor the values that a variable (or many variables) holds (or have) in various parts of a method.

To get the Watch window, start debugging your application (Debug -> Start Debugging or Debug -> Step Into). The Watch window would appear, usually next to the Locals window. The Watch window appears as a table with three columns. Their roles will be obvious to you once the window contains something.

To actually use the services of a Watch window, you must create one or more entries, which are referred to as watches. Before creating a watch, you must start stepping into your code, which is done by clicking Debug -> Step Into or by pressing F8 (Microsoft Visual Studio) or F11 (Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express). If the Watch window doesn't display in Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express, on the main menu, click Debug -> Window -> Watch.

To create a watch, if you are using Microsoft Visual Studio, on the main menu, click Debug -> QuickWatch... In the Expression combo box, type the name of the variable you want to watch. Here is an example:

You can also type an expression such as a value added to a variable. Here is an example:

If you want to submit the entry, click the Add Watch button. As an alternatice, in both Microsoft Visual C# versions, in the Watch window, double-click under the Name header, type either the name of the variable only or an expression that has the variable and an operation, then press Enter.

After creating the desired entries in the Watch window, continue debugging. You will see the values being automatically updated in the Value column of the Watch window.

If you don't need a certain entry in the Watch window, you can remove it, or you can delete all entries in the window. To remove an entry, right-click it and click Delete Watch. To remove all entries, right-click anywhere in the Watch window and click Clear All.

1. To start debugging, on the main menu, click Debug -> Step Into
2. If the Watch window is not displaying and if you are using Microsoft Visual C# 2010 Express, on the main menu, click Debug -> Windows -> Watch and, just in case, right-click inside the Watch window and click Clear All
3. In the Watch window, double-click under Name, type timeWorked * 1.50 and press Enter (this will be used to evaluate overtime)
4. Still in the Watch window, click under timeWorked * 1.50, type hourlySalary + 0.55 and press Enter
5. Click under hourlySalary + 0.55, type timeWorked * hourlySalary and press the down arrow key
6. Type (timeWorked * hourlySalary) - totalDeductions and press Enter
    
   
7. Make sure you have access to the Immediate window.
   Click inside the Immediate window
8. Type timeWorked = 7.50 and press Enter
9. Observe the update in the Watch window
10. In the Immediate window, click the empty line, type hourlySalary = 18.24 and press Enter
11. Check the change in the Watch window
12. In the Immediate window, click the empty line, type totalDeductions = 38.75 and press Enter
13. See the result in the Watch window
     
    
14. Click the next empty line in the Immediate window
15. Press the up arrow key to see the previously entered lines until you get to timeWorked. Change it to timeWorked = 12.50 and press Enter
16. Press the up arrow key until hourlySalary = 18.24 is selected. Edit it to show hourlySalary = 20.08 and press Enter
     
    
17. Press F8 or F11 continuously until you get to the end of code and the DOS window closes

While debugging, you are usually curious to know what line, section, or file is currently being examined:

• To know the method inside of which the current execution is proceeding, you can look into the Code Editor
• To know the line whose code is executing, in the Code Editor, you can see a yellow right-pointing arrow on its margin
• Since the lines of code are numbered, to know the number of the line of code that is currently executing, you can look in the right section of the status bar with a label marked with Ln
• If the project is using more than one file, to know the file whose code is currently executing, you can check the label that has focus in the top bar of the Code Editor

If you are using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate, to get all of this information in one group, you can use a window named IntelliTrace. To get the IntelliTrace window (in Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate)

• On the main menu, click Debug -> Windows -> IntelliTrace Events
• On the main menu, click Debug -> Intellitrace -> IntelliTrace Events
• Press Ctrl + Alt + Y, F