How to debug variables in Autohotkey without using MsgBox?

Question

When debugging scripts, you often need to know the value of your variables to know exactly what is going on. Outputting variables with MsgBox to tackle this problem is annoying and inefficient.

Is there a function that can help me with debugging variables?

I want it to write down all my local variables, their names and corresponding values as well as the name of the current procedure being executed to an ini file. Are there debugging tools that can provide this functionality, possibly in real time?

The name of the procedure may be challenging to do, but is there a way that at least all the local variables can get enumerated and written away?

Elliot DeNolf Elliot DeNolf · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-07T13:32:50

Take a look at the ListVars command. It lists all of the variables.

You can also get more extensive information using a method like this:

MsgBox, % GetAhkStats("lines")
MsgBox, % GetAhkStats("variables")
MsgBox, % GetAhkStats("hotkeys")
Stat1 := GetAhkStats("history")
MsgBox, %Stat1%
Return

a::a
b::b
c::c
d::d

GetAhkStats(xxSection="", xxUseWindow=99, xxDestroyAfter=1)
{
  xxSectionN = Lines|Variables|Hotkeys|History
  If xxSection=
    xxSection = History
  Loop, Parse, xxSectionN, |
    IfInString, A_LoopField, %xxSection% 
      xxSection = %A_Index%
  DetectHiddenWindows, On
  SetTitleMatchMode, 2
  Gui, %xxUseWindow%:Show, Hide
  xxHidWin := WinExist(A_ScriptFullPath " - AutoHotkey v")
  xxOldpar := DllCall("GetParent", "UInt", xxHidWin)
  DllCall("SetParent", "UInt", xxHidWin, "UInt", (GuiGetHWND("", xxUseWindow)))
  WinMenuSelectItem, ahk_id %xxHidWin%,, View, %xxSection%&
  Loop {
    Sleep, 50
    ControlGetText, xxOut1, Edit1, ahk_id %xxHidWin%
    If xxOut1<>
      break
  }
  WinHide, ahk_id %xxHidWin%
  DllCall("SetParent", "UInt", xxHidWin, "UInt", xxOldpar)
  If (xxDestroyAfter)
    Gui, %xxUseWindow%:Destroy
Return, xxOut1
}

GuiGetHWND(xxClassNN="", xxGUI=1)
{
  If (xxGUI)
    Gui, %xxGUI%:+LastFound
  xxGui_hwnd := WinExist()
  If xxClassNN=
    Return, xxGui_hwnd
  ControlGet, xxOutputVar, Hwnd,, %xxClassNN%, ahk_id %xxGui_hwnd%
Return, xxOutputVar
}

Source

How to debug variables in Autohotkey without using MsgBox?

2 Answers