View source for Phonebot developer's reference/Advanced tools

Phonebot Plus introduces several tools to [[Phonebot]] in order to simplify development and to help create more manageable applications. Applications created in Phonebot Plus will run in Phonebot, but some features can only be edited in Phonebot Plus.

== Script debugger ==

Applications and modules can be executed using the Run menu to call Run, Debug, and "Step into". Run executes the application normally. Debug and "Step into" execute the application in debug mode. Debug mode displays a debug bar with debug buttons, status, and a script viewer.

[[Image:debug-paused.small.png|frame||none|The News Reader example paused while querying an RSS feed]]

The debug buttons allow you to stop the application, pause on the next line, step over the current line, and execute the code. The status displays the current object and event, and the debug state. The script viewer displays the current script with the active line highlighted.

== Resource management ==

=== Script browser ===

The Script Browser in Phonebot is used to track [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Script_language#Scope|scoped variable]] references and delete any unreferenced variables from an application. The advanced browser in Phonebot Plus adds access to all scripts within an application and management of [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Advanced_tools#User-defined_methods|user-defined methods]].

[[Image:script-browser-notepad.small.png|frame||none|The Script Browser for the Notepad application]]

The Script Browser lists the application object and every module object. Within each object line item are sections labeled Variables and Scripts. From here, scripts within every event and method can be edited without having to navigate to the specific object's properties.

=== Database browser ===

The Database browser can be used to create and manage both the schema and data for application [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Object_reference#Database|databases]].

=== Log browser ===

The Log browser opens the Logging view (also accessible from the application list view) with logs filtered to the current application.

== User-defined methods ==

User-defined methods are blocks of script not tied to any object event. Like [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Script_language#Scope|scoped variables]], user-defined methods can be attached to the [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Object_reference#Application|application object]] or a [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Object_reference#Module|module object]]. User-defined methods are useful for scripts that may be called in multiple instances. For example, an application could load a list within module.on_open or within a button.on_click when a refresh is required. The same code could be contained in a user-defined method and called from each event. This avoids duplicating the code in both places.

Methods are created from the [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Advanced_tools#Script_browser|Script browser]] by long clicking on the application or module line item. Once created, methods will show up in the Script browser's scripts along with any application or module events. They will also be listed in the [[Phonebot_developer%27s_reference/Creating_applications#Scripts|Method builder]] when creating scripts.

== Display properties ==

Modules, controls, and groups have a [[Using display properties|Display property]] in Phonebot Plus that controls background color, padding, font, and image properties.

[[Image:display-properties.small.png|frame||none|The Display property dialog]]

[[Category:Phonebot]]