debugging modal dlg boxes

[J. Landman Gay]

Charles Hartman wrote:
> I know this is a dumb question -- but I'm having a hard time  debugging 
> a modal dialog box. What am I missing?
> 
> When the box is full, the "Done" button processes its data (and sends  
> it off to a MySQL database). But debugging the mouseUp script for  that 
> button isn't working -- because when I try to stop at a  breakpoint in 
> it, though the script does stop, I can't click in it,  or in anything 
> else at all: menus, message box, the Done button  itself . . . so 
> there's nothing to do but Force Quit, which doesn't  exactly give me the 
> information I need for debugging.
> 
> Is there some method for debugging modals that I don't know about?  
> Can't find anything in the docs . . .

Unless you have put in some kind of escape route for debugging, you are 
stuck. Modals just don't allow anything else to happen until they are 
dismissed.

Fortunately, Rev has a built-in escape from these. Hold down 
Command-Control-Shift (on Mac, anyway) and click on the stack; you'll 
get the contextual menu that allows you to change the stack style to 
something other than modal. Then you won't have to force-quit.

While debugging, I usually call the stack in some other mode until I 
know it works; toplevel, or modeless, or anything besides modal. Once it 
is working correctly, then I change the code back to modal. Note that 
modal dialogs are universally hated and shouldn't be used unless 
absolutely necessary. ;)

-- 
Jacqueline Landman Gay         |     jacque at hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software           |     http://www.hyperactivesw.com