debugger.txt ForVim version 9.2. Last change: 2026 Feb 14VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Gordon PrieurDebugger Support Featuresdebugger-supportThese features are for integration witha debugger or an IntegratedProgramming Environment (IPE) or Integrated Development Environment (IDE).For the debugger running ina Vimterminalwindow seeterminal-debugger.1. Debugger Featuresdebugger-features2. Vim Compile Optionsdebugger-compilation==============================================================================1. Debugger Featuresdebugger-featuresThe following features are available:Alternate Command Inputalt-inputDebug Signsdebug-signsDebug Source Highlightdebug-highlightMessage Footergui-footerBalloon Evaluationballoon-evalThese features were added specifically for use in theMotif version of gvim.However, thealt-input anddebug-highlight were written to be usable inboth vim and gvim. Some of the other features could be used in the non-GUIvim with slight modifications. However,I did notdo this nor didI test thereliability of building for vim or nonMotifGUI versions.1.1 Alternate Command Inputalt-inputFor Vim to work witha debugger theremust beat least an input connectionwitha debugger or external tool. In many cases there will also be an outputconnection but this isn't absolutely necessary.The purpose of the input connectionis to let the external debugger sendcommands to Vim. The commands sent by the debugger should give the debuggerenoughcontrol to display the current debug environment and state.The current implementationis based on theX Toolkit dispatch loop and theXtAddInput() function call.1.2 Debug Signsdebug-signsMany debuggersmark specific lines by placinga small sign or color highlighton the line. The:sign command lets the debugger set this graphic mark. Someexamples where this feature would be used would bea debugger showing an arrowrepresenting the Program Counter (PC) of the program being debugged. Anotherexample would bea small stop sign fora line witha breakpoint. Thesevisible highlights let the user keep track of certain parts of the state ofthe debugger.This feature can be used with more than debuggers, too. An IPE can usea signto highlight build errors, searched text, or other things. The sign featurecan also work together with thedebug-highlight to ensure themarkishighly visible.Debugsigns are defined and placed using the:sign command.1.3 Debug Source Highlightdebug-highlightThis feature allowsa line to havea predominant highlight. The highlightisintended to makea specific line stand out. The highlight could be made towork for both vim and gvim, whereas the debug sign is, in most cases, limitedto gvim. The one exception to thisis Sun Microsystem's dtterm. The dttermfrom Sun hasa "sign gutter" for showing signs.1.4 Message Footergui-footerThe message footer can be used to displaymessages froma debugger or IPE. Itcan also be used to display menu and toolbar tips. The footer areaisat thebottom of theGUI window, below the line used to display colon commands.The display of the footeris controlled by the'guioptions'letter 'F'.1.5 Balloon Evaluationballoon-evalThis feature allowsa debugger, or other external tool, to display dynamicinformation based on where the mouseis pointing. The purpose of this featurewas to allow Sun'sVisual WorkShop debugger to displayexpression evaluations.However, the feature was implemented inas generala manneras possible andcould be used for displaying other informationas well. The functionalityislimited though, for advanced popups seepopup-window.Another way to use the balloonis with the'balloonexpr' option. Thisiscompletely user definable.The Balloon Evaluation has some settable parameters too. ForMotif the fontlist and colors can be set viaX resources (XmNballoonEvalFontList,XmNballoonEvalBackground, and XmNballoonEvalForeground).The'balloondelay' option sets the delay before an attemptis made to showaballoon.The'ballooneval' and/or the'balloonevalterm' option needs to be set toswitchit on.Balloon evaluationis only available in theGUI when compiled with the+balloon_eval feature. For theterminal the+balloon_eval_term featurematters.The Balloon evaluationfunctions are also used to showa tooltip for thetoolbar. The'ballooneval' option does not need to be set for this. But theother settings apply.==============================================================================2. Vim Compile Optionsdebugger-compilationThe debugger features were added for use with Sun'sVisual WorkShop IntegratedProgramming Environment (ipe). However, they were done inas generica manneras possible so that integration with other debuggers could also use thesefeatures.The following compile time preprocessorvariablescontrol the features: Alternate Command InputALT_X_INPUT Debug GlyphsFEAT_SIGNS Debug HighlightsFEAT_SIGNS Message FooterFEAT_FOOTER Balloon EvaluationFEAT_BEVALThe support specifically for SunVisual WorkShop has been removed, since theproduct no longer exists.For SunNetBeans support seenetbeans. vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:noet:ft=help:norl: