Eclipse Cookbook

5.5. Stepping Through Your Code

Problem

Your code is stopped at a breakpoint, and you want to execute it line by line, or until it encounters the next breakpoint.

Solution

Use the code-stepping options available via toolbar buttons, menu items, or keyboard shortcuts.

Discussion

The most basic way to move through paused code is by single-stepping. Eclipse gives you four main options here, corresponding to the four arrow buttons in the Debug view toolbar, beginning with the double-headed arrow and moving to the right (these items also are accessible in the Run menu when you’re paused in a debugging session):

Step With Filters (also Shift-F5)

Steps into the selected statement using predefined filters, or filters you’ve created. If the statement you’re stepping into is a method call, execution continues inside the called method unless you’ve filtered out the method.

Step Into (also F5)

Steps into the selected statement. If that statement is a method call, execution continues inside the called method.

Step Over (also F6)

Steps over the selected statement. Does not step into method calls.

Step Return (also F7)

Executes until the end of the current method and then returns, pausing after the method returns (or when a breakpoint is encountered).

In our example, clicking the Step Into button makes the debugger move to the next line of executable code. Because we were paused at the line if(loopIndex == 0) in the previous recipe, and because loopIndex is equal to 3, not 0, the body of the if statement ...