Re: Neat Debugger tricks

in reply to Neat Debugger tricks

Not so much a trick in the debugger, but I like to use it as an "interactive Perl shell", using a command like perl -de 1. Of course, any expression other than -e 1 will work, I'm just used to that one.

For example, if you're wondering whether a particular regex will match, or whether your split will work as you intended, but you don't want to mess around with shell quotes, just:

$ perl -de 1

Loading DB routines from perl5db.pl version 1.25
Editor support available.

Enter h or `h h' for help, or `perldoc perldebug' for more help.

main::(-e:1):   1
  DB<1> $s = '12345'

  DB<2> x split(/(?<=\d)/, $s)
0  1
1  2
2  3
3  4
4  5
  DB<3> q # yup, it works
[download]

I believe I first read about this in Effective Perl Programming.

Do not rebuke them with harsh words ... but rather lead them gently - with URLs - so that they may learn wisdom.

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Re^2: Neat Debugger tricks by siracusa (Friar) on Nov 17, 2005 at 13:22 UTC
I've always used "`perl -de 0`", but the too-clever version used to impress or confuse people is "`perl -demo`" :)	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Neat Debugger tricks by Aristotle (Chancellor) on Nov 18, 2005 at 12:09 UTC
I like `perl -deal`. Or, since we’re on PerlMonks, maybe `perl -deacon`? (Another classic, though it has nothing to do with the debugger, is `perl -please` as a fun if expensive replacement for `cat`.) Makeshifts last the longest.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: Neat Debugger tricks by QM (Parson) on Nov 18, 2005 at 15:28 UTC
Then I suppose Grandmother would like `perl -dearie` ??? And those bioperl folks would choose `perl -deoxyribonucleic acid` ? And the anti-DRM crowd would go for `perl -decss` ?? Archeologists: `perl -decrypt` And when everyone is tired of this, I'll be asked to `perl -desist` ;) -QM -- Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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