Fine-Grade Visual Step Into in NetBeans Debugger--Project Stepping

Description

Every debugger should provide a set of stepping actions and NetBeans is really not an exception. In this demo we introduce a cutting edge version of traditional Step Into allowing to select visually any method call inside an expression to step into--this way of stepping can significantly speed up the debugging process.

The Project Stepping is a small piece of code with few little classes and one multi-call expression generating places to stay in the Space ;-)

Requirements: NB 6.5 or better

Step Into

1. Open Main.java source and toggle a line breakpoint at line 24.
2. Start debugging of the project--the breakpoint will get hit.
3. Do one Step Over (F8), the execution will be suspended at the expression computing myNewHome variable (line 28).
4. Do Step Into (F7)--a special cursor for method call selection will appear. Using e.g. cursor keys you can select any method inside the expression to Step Into. Make a choice and press return. Thanks to this, one can step into e.g. getCity() call directly without necessity to do repeatedly Step Into and Step Out through all other calls prior to getCity(). Note also that if you leave the method call (after Step Into) by Step Out (Ctrl+F7), the return value will be displayed in Variables view (see 'After return from 'getCity()' node).
5. After you have finished your experiments with step into, quit the application by stopping the debugger (Shift+F5)