After a long vacation working on my WWII game design, I’ve finally got the next two video lectures on debugging C++ done. They are up on YouTube.
The free source code and videos are also available on the free links page here.
Enjoy, but do let me know what other kinds of debugging situations you would like to see covered.
Vic
I’ve just uploaded the next lecture in debugging C++. This time, I spend some time going over the generic double linked list class because this sample will be the basis for several subsequent lectures.
In this debugging lecture, I present the debugger’s Memory Watch window. It allows you to examine any memory location in both hex and ASCII formats. Sometimes, locating the source of the memory leak can lead directly to the location of the coding error that is creating wild results. This example is one of these. By trying to locating the memory leak, we are led directly to the error.
This sample has been added to the site’s free download section along with the others.
Here’s the fast link to the video:
Debugging Lecture 05
By popular demand, I am making available all the original “bugged” programs, along with the fixed versions and the video that illustrates the debugging steps. Download them and see if you can replicate my debugging steps. Also, I’ve included the various documents shown in the videos so you can have those tips as well.
Some of the samples are simple C++ programs, some involve C++ classes, and some are Windows MFC examples. Expect a wide variety of “bugging” examples.
Have fun with these. Here’s the direct link:
Free Debugging C++ lectures and samples used in the demos.
Vic
Hi All,
I’ve just uploaded he fourth lecture on Debugging C++ to YouTube. This time, I present the 8 Steps to Effective Debugging. Failure to follow these makes debugging a nightmare. Following them makes your task easier and more productive. I also provide four key definitions that people often are a bit shaky on and also the Four Classes of bugs.
This is the starting point for our examination of more difficult debugging examples as well. However, in this video, I’ve chosen a simple Windows application that illustrates a hard crash as well as a memory leak. You don’t need to know Windows programming to follow the debug session, though.
In the near future, all of these debugging programs will be available as a free download on this website. That way, you can experiment with them directly.
Have fun with this one,
Vic
The third video in this series is now up on YouYube. In this video, I show you how to use the Call Stack feature of the debugger to help locate the errors in programs. In this session, the Dice class is discussed with two hard crash errors as well as a minor incorrect output. At the end of the video, I’ve added a Take Away list of the key points from these first three beginning lectures.
See how to more effectively and rapidly find the errors in your C++ programs. Watch the video. Subscribe to the channel to get automatic updates when subsequent videos in the series are released.
You can also comment on them and I am open to your suggestions on what other topics you would like to see hints and tip on – just let me know.
Here’s the fast link to the video:
Debugging Lecture 03
Vic
The second video in this series is now up on YouYube. In this video, I show you how to use the basic features of the debugger to find the errors in programs. Step Into and Step Over are explained along with Continue and how to set and remove breakpoints at key locations. The Watch window, Auto, and Local windows are used effectively to keep track of variable contents.
See how to use these in combination to more effectively and rapidly find the errors in your C++ programs. Watch the video. Subscribe to the channel to get automatic updates when subsequent videos in the series are released.
You can also comment on them and I am open to your suggestions on what other topics you would like to see hints and tip on – just let me know.
Here’s the fast link to the video:
Debugging Lecture 02
I’ve begun a series of videos on Debugging C++ Programs . Debugging: is it an art or science? When I’m helping my students with theirs, some claim that it could well be a magical art ! This series is intended to illustrate many methods for locating run time errors in many kinds of C++ programs. Perhaps, it is a bit of both. This series will help you learn more about the tools that are available to you, how to use them to track down errors, and something about the “art” as well.
The first step is “an ounce of prevention.” In this video on debugging C++ programs, I show you positive steps that you can take in your coding practices to keep bugs minimized. Of course, if you love to debug, then ignore and skip this video and just look at the ones to follow. In this video, I show you two excellent methods to prevent run time errors, including using the C++ error handler (i.e. try-catch logic).
Let me know what you think of this series. Also, I’m open to suggestions for further “how to” videos that you’d like to see. Let me know your ideas and we can make a fun project of learning.
Vic
