Debugging Your Application with the Development Libraries

During development and testing, you should use the development library. The VCS error reporting system is in use by default whenever you use the development libraries. When using the error reporting system, all development and run-time errors detected by the system will automatically be reported to you. Using the development library enables Vermont Views to detect many serious errors, including some memory overwrite problems, in your application. In addition, if you need to call for technical support, the information provided by the error reporting system in the development library enables the technical support staff to answer your questions faster.

When using the development library, the VCS error reporting system is enabled by default. This system provides information to assist you in finding where an error occurred in your program and what the error is. The information provided is as follows:

• A call log, which lists all the Vermont Views functions called in the main program up to and including the function which reported the error.
  
  
• A call stack, which lists the Vermont Views functions that were open or active when the error was reported.
  
  
• The error message associated with the error code that triggered the error reporting system.
  
  
• A dump (in hex and ASCII) of the corrupted region of memory and information about the type of the structure that was affected, if the error involves memory corruption.

You can have your functions included in the list of functions displayed in the call log and call stack. For more information, see Chapter 50, "Debugging and Error Handling."

Check for run-time errors in your code. Even if you are using the development libraries, you should still check for run-time errors in your code. If a run-time error occurs, your code must recover from the error or terminate the program. When you link the final version of your application with the production libraries, your checks and error recovery code must be present for your application to run correctly. The Function Reference includes information on each Vermont Views function, including any run-time errors that may be generated by that function. Use this information to check for errors in your application and recover appropriately.

For more information about debugging your Vermont Views programs, see the following:

• Chapter 50, "Debugging and Error Handling," which explains how the error reporting system works.
  
  
• Appendix A, "Problem Solving," which lists common errors and how to correct them.
  
  
• The "Error Codes" section of the Function Reference, which lists all of the errors that the VCS error reporting system detects and how to recover from them.