Debugging Mechanisms

[Context: HL Kit … Basic Concepts and Terminology]

Overview

The development of a fully functional set of data files for a game system involves a great many steps and there are bound to be a few problems along the way. As a result, the task of fixing these problems is considered a basic part of the development process. To facilitate the fixing of problems much smooth as possible, there are a variety of mechanisms built into HL that can be leveraged when issues arise. Since errors in software are traditionally called "bugs", we refer to these mechanisms as "debugging" aids.

The topics below outline a number of incredibly useful tools and techniques for quickly figuring out what is going wrong within your data files. Familiarize yourself with these debugging mechanisms now, since you will find yourself putting them to use throughout the development process.

Debug Output Via Scripts

the "debug" language intrinsic the "notify" language intrinsic

Script Timing Issues

list of tasks debug output of script timing

Defining Timing Dependencies

naming tasks establishing before and after dependencies the timing report