在Linux中使用Netbeans调试具有GUI前端的C ++源代码

Question

I have a C++ open source code comprising of thousands of lines of code in a number of files that help run a robotic hand grasping simulator tool. It has a front end GUI with option to import a variety of robotic hands and objects and grasping actions performed on them. Although I have understood some of the concepts being used, and understood some source files by skimming through, but I am unable to get a gist of how the process works as a whole. I want to figure out that by pressing a specific gui button, which files and functions are being called. Is there a way to start debugging the software gui code from start?

I have knowledge of write technique and step debugging technique for small codes that I write by myself, but doing so for a code that have hundreds of files with hundereds of objects is way too confusing.

Also, the debugging menu has two options that I can use, 1-Debug Project: While doing so, the user interface window opens bypassing the breakpoints that I have placed. 2- step into: It always starts in Disassembly (main) and the step over,out are not grayed anymore and I can use them. Is that the assembly language of the code? Is there a simpler way to debug it?

Any kind of guidance and help would be appreciated.

EDIT: Listed below is the main file of the open source code, cant post a snapshot with breakpoints because of lesser reputation, mentioning them in comments.

/*! \file
\brief Program execution starts here.  Server is started, main window is built, 
and the interactive loop is started.

The main call returns an exit code as indicated by the graspit GUI (0 by default)
to provide feedback to calling program, if desired.
 */

#define GRASPITDBG

#include <iostream>
#include <graspitApp.h>
#include "graspitGUI.h"
#include "graspitServer.h"
#include "mainWindow.h"

#ifdef Q_WS_WIN
#include <windows.h>
#include <wincon.h>
#endif

int main(int argc, char **argv) {
#ifdef GRASPITDBG
#ifdef Q_WS_WIN
    AllocConsole();
    freopen("conin$", "r", stdin);
    freopen("conout$", "w", stdout);
    freopen("conout$", "w", stderr);
    //ios::sync_with_stdio();
#endif
#endif
    //*******placed breakpoint1
    GraspItApp app(argc, argv); //shows the GraspIt! logo splash screen in the 
                                //center of  the screen.

    if (app.splashEnabled()) {
        app.showSplash();
        QApplication::setOverrideCursor(Qt::waitCursor);
    }

    //******* placed breakpoint2

    GraspItGUI gui(argc, argv); // Implements the graspit user interface.
                                // Responsible for    creating both MainWindow and IVmgr.

    //This is the GraspIt TCP server. It can be used to connect to GraspIt from
    //external programs, such as Matlab.
    //On some machines, the Q3Socket segfaults at exit, so this is commented out by
    //default
    //GraspItServer server(4765);

    app.setMainWidget(gui.getMainWindow()->mWindow);
    QObject::connect(qApp, SIGNAL(lastWindowClosed()), qApp, SLOT(quit()));

    if (app.splashEnabled()) {
        app.closeSplash();
        QApplication::restoreOverrideCursor();
    }

    if (!gui.terminalFailure()) {
        gui.startMainLoop();
    }
    return gui.getExitCode();
}

Answer 1

GUI buttons are usually associated with callback functions. I would find out which function is associated with the button-of-interest and set a breakpoint there and start debugging.

[EDIT added after Reviewing your code]

If the breakpoints indicated in your code are not working, then the NetBeans project might have been corrupted somehow. An example, FYI

I once had the same problem but with different reason (NetBeans + CMAKE setting mismatch).

If the breakpoints are working then..

Let's see GraspItGUI , for example, if you have set a breakpoint at the line 86 of GraspItGUI.cpp (if the version is the same as this link ) which happens to be the first if -statement of GraspItGUI::GraspItGUI , the program should stop at this point.