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# Tag: video

## MySQL Stored Routines Debugger & Debugging API: sneak preview video

MySQL common_schema debug Stored routines video February 19, 2013

This is a sneak peek video introduction/preview of an in-development free and open source server side debugger & debugging API for MySQL stored routines.

MySQL does not provide server side debugging capabilities for stored routines. Some tools exist, including MySQL’s own, that assist in stored routine debugging. These are all GUI based and, to the best of my knowledge, MS Windows based. There is one solution in alpha stage that is developed for Java/eclipse; I did not look at the code. See discussion here and here.

An ideal solution would be to have debugging API in the server itself – independently of your client, programming language or operating system. To the best of my knowledge, nothing like that is being developed.

I’m now presenting a rdebug: a stored routines server-side debugger, Pure-SQL, based on stored routines. rdebug is developed as part of common_schema, and actually relies on some of its power.

Like some other tools, it uses code injection and manipulation: it injects debugging info into your stored routine. You need to “compile” your routine with debugging info.

Unlike some other tools, it actually runs your stored routines. It does not mimic or simulate them on client side. It does not break them into smaller routines, attempting to assemble the original behavior from lego bricks.

The quick technical overview is that you use two processes (MySQL threads): the worker process running the routine (your natural call my_routine()), and the debugger process. The debugger process attaches itself to the worker process; it controls the worker by commands like “step over”; it gets data from the worker: what’s the current stack trace? What variables are now available and what are their values?; it manipulates the worker’s data: it can utilize breakpoints to modify worker’s local & session variables. Continue reading » “MySQL Stored Routines Debugger & Debugging API: sneak preview video”