JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

What's new for JScript developers in IE8

Notes about JScript — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:54:51 GMT

If you have ever struggled to debug a JScript bug in Internet Explorer, you have a new friend – Developer

The New JScript Debugger in IE8

Janakiram MSV — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:51:53 GMT

JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

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re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

mickeysuda — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:01:53 GMT

so cool!

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

Jitendra — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:30:33 GMT

Too good

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

Brian LePore — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:28:54 GMT

Would love to try the new JScript Debugger, but, like the IE7 version with it simply does not work. On my genuine Vista Business PC IE7 always locked up whenever it the Internet Options for Script Debugging was turned on. While disabled by default on my PC, turning debugging on for this instance causes even the simplest page to lock up when trying to refresh.

This does look like a nice Developer Tool, I just wish I could actually use it. So far I've only been able to get the script debugging to work on the MS provided XPSP2 VM with IE6. =/

Any chance that the Developer window can have the sections on the right be broken out to use their own window? Keep it the way it is by default, but for those of us with multiple monitors this is handy.

JScript Debugger does very little for Eval Code and Dynamically Added Scripts.

mov__ax — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:46:40 GMT

With an ajax call, try getting a complex JSON object or even a simple file containing a function of about 300 lines, eval it, select one of the "eval code" items in the dropdown of the script tab. You will notice that the code is truncated, and as well, you can not place break points, etc. I find this extremely debilitating. Seeing code is different from debugging it, and in this case, i can't even see all the code. Also, scripts which are added dynamically are not discovered in the Developer Tool's script tab.

JScript Debugger does very little for Eval Code and Dynamically added Scripts

mov__ax — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:47:45 GMT

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

Eric Anderson — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:28:56 GMT

Guys, an open piece of advice. We have not subscribed to this blog to teach us what a breakpoint/watch/local/call stack etc. window works. I think that's quite obvious by their name. For me I did not expect the following:

1. Developer toolbar window does not have an icon.

2. No error console. For God sake have one.

3. Provide inline editing of the code and things like coloring and drop down in immediate window.

4. UI should be polished a lot more.

5. Plans for next release. It's time to be open.

Just putting some snapshot and explaining the obvious thing does not make even a nickel sense to me.

Eric.

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

John Riggins — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:58:05 GMT

Just one comment, it took you 10 days to do this post. Someone from Visual Studio team blogged about their experience on the same day. Please look at http://blogs.msdn.com/webdevtools/archive/2008/03/05/jscript-debugging-made-easy-with-ie8.aspx.

I keep saying learn from Visual Studio.

Can someone also tell me the future plans?

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

matt — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 05:30:56 GMT

Thank God. I can't STAND debugging in anything but Firefox right now.

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

deepak.jain — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:35:20 GMT

This has been some good feedback. This is Beta1 of the debugger and you will definitely see a more matured and polished IE Debugger in future releases.

@Chris: I would really like to thank you for such a detailed feedback.

1. The icon location depends on the number of items on your toolbar. We really can’t give it higher preference as this is not going to be used by most of the IE users. You can always customize the toolbar and make it always visible.

2. We will also try to explain the technical challenges in doing debugger in coming blogs which will give more visibility on the design decisions.

3. The current release of DevToolbar is not totally accessible. We are working on this and you will see a more accessible product in future.

4. We are working on getting this fixed.

5. You will get “Debugging Not enabled” dialog box only if script debugging is disabled from IE->Tools->Internet Options->Advanced Options. In case it is already enabled, debugger does not need to enable it, so you don’t see that dialog.

6. This sounds like a bug. Thanks for reporting this.

7. I know we all have became so used to F10 :), but we had some technical challenges to get F10 working in time for Beta. We are working on getting this fixed as you can imagine the development team also uses VS all the time and wants the same keyboard.

8. We don’t support search and conditional breakpoints at present.

9. Thanks for the suggestion, we are also looking at improving current UX.

10. We will take a look at this issue.

11. This is a limitation as each eval/anonymous code is treated as a new code block by the script engine, but we are working at making it better.

We will have more posts and screencasts focused on the debugger features. Stay tuned for them.

@Eric: I can understand the need of yours to come with more detailed blog which will be beneficial for our advanced user. We are working on it. So please keep watching this space for more informative blogs. Thanks for your time to come up with the list of ask. This definitely helps us in knowing the common ask from all the users.

@John: We will let everyone aware of our future plans at an appropriate time. Please keep watching this space for more information.

@Matt: I would love to win you as a user.

BTW if you want to file bugs and track them please refer to http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/03/05/ie8-beta-feedback.aspx

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

Jeff — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:53:45 GMT

Cool, but does it fix the issue where you cant put a breakpoint on the first 2 lines or so of an anonymous function? :P

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

mov__ax — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:07:32 GMT

<quote>11. This is a limitation as each eval/anonymous code is treated as a new code block by the script engine, but we are working at making it better</quote>

You may be underestimating the importance of debugging dynamic code, especially because we are working with a dynamic language.

JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2

JScript Blog — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:55:28 GMT

In Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 JScript team has focused on improving developer productivity. You can read

What’s new in JScript for IE8

IEBlog — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 02:28:09 GMT

During Beta1 and Beta2 pre-releases of IE8, we’ve blogged about the performance optimizations done in

What’s new in JScript for IE8

JScript Blog — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 05:58:57 GMT

During Beta1 and Beta2 pre-releases of IE8, we’ve blogged about the performance optimizations done in

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

nba ve basketbol forum — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:52:39 GMT

Ie8 still has problems,especially with the javascipts

re: JScript Debugger in Internet Explorer 8

darkyndy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:14:36 GMT

Hi,

I'm working at a greasemonkey script and now I want to make it available on IE. I'm interested if there is a way to put my debugging data into javascript console (in FireFox there is console.log , in Opera there is window.opera.postError). So there is something like this? If not maybe you would like to implement it because as a web developer I need easy debug tools.