The Debug menu controls procedure execution and Debugger-application interaction. The following table describes the Debug menu options.

Table 1. Debug menu
Command Purpose
Run (F2) Starts or restarts execution of the procedure currently displayed in the source code pane (when invoked by choosing File > Open or using the Debugger (-debug) and Startup Procedure (-p) startup parameters).
Continue (F5) Continues execution of the procedure until it encounters a breakpoint, an interrupt, or the end of the procedure.
Step Into (F7) Executes the next statement in a procedure. If the statement calls a subprocedure or causes a trigger to execute, the Debugger steps into the subprocedure or trigger and stops at the first executable line of code. The trigger or subprocedure is now the current procedure, and you can continue execution from the current stopping point.
Note: The Debugger does not step into the destructor method of an object that has been automatically deleted by garbage collection, unless the destructor contains a breakpoint. In cases where the object is explicitly deleted by means of the DELETE OBJECT statement, the Debugger does step into the destructor.and Step Into command
Step Over (F6) Executes the next statement in a procedure. If the statement calls a subprocedure, or causes a trigger to execute, the Debugger executes the trigger or subprocedure without stepping into it and stops at the next executable line of code. If the Debugger encounters a breakpoint in a subprocedure or trigger, execution stops at the breakpoint, the executing subprocedure or trigger becomes the current procedure, and you can continue execution from the current breakpoint.
Note: After stepping over a statement, if the next statement is in a destructor method for an object that has been deleted, the Debugger does not stop in the destructor unless the destructor contains a breakpoint. This is true whether the object is deleted automatically by garbage collection or explicitly by means of the DELETE OBJECT statement.
Step Out (SHIFT+F7) Continues execution until the current procedure ends, returning control to the calling procedure. The execution pointer is at the next line of the calling procedure. If the Debugger encounters a breakpoint or interrupt before returning to the calling procedure, the Debugger cancels the command. The execution pointer is at the break or interrupt line. If issued from the top-level procedure on the ABL call stack and the Debugger encounters no breakpoints or interrupts before the procedure ends, the debugging session ends. The exception is if you start the Debugger with -debug, in which case the Debugger has control, waiting for you to launch a new ABL program.
Stop Immediately terminates the executing application as if it invoked the ABL STOP statement at the current break or interrupt point, and rolls back uncommitted changes in the current transaction.
Interrupt (CTRL+CANCEL) Interrupts and halts an executing procedure and gives control to the Debugger without setting a breakpoint.
Attach To Process... Opens the Attach to Process dialog box, where you can specify a running client process to optionally make debug-ready and attach to for the purpose of debugging. This option is only available when you open the Debugger in attachable mode. For more information, see Attach to Process dialog box. Changes to Detach From Process, after the Debugger attaches to a process.
Start Animation Enables visual feedback as the Debugger automatically steps through code line by line, by updating the watches and variables panes with current values.When specified with Step Into, the Debugger steps into RUN statements; with Step Over, the Debugger steps over RUN statements. After each line executes, the Debugger pauses briefly. Use Edit > Preferences to increase or decrease the pause.
Stop Animation Terminates animated stepping. Unavailable until animated stepping is in progress.
Dataview... (CTRL+D) Displays the Dataview dialog box, which lets you examine attribute and field data for a variable. For more information, see Dataview dialog box.
Add Watch... Displays the Add Watch dialog box, which lets you add a watch for a variable in a procedure. For more information, see Watches pane.
Remove Watch Removes the selected watch.
Show Transaction Displays a message indicating whether there is a transaction active at the current line of the executing procedure.