blocking calls

To handle blocking calls and high-firing breakpoints in Xcode, you can use several techniques to make debugging more efficient. Here are some relevant strategies discussed in the WWDC sessions:

1. Using Conditional Breakpoints:

   • You can set a line breakpoint and modify it with a condition to stop the program only when certain criteria are met. This is useful for breakpoints inside loops or frequently called functions.
   • Example: If you want to stop at a function only when a specific condition is true, you can set a condition on the breakpoint. This can be done using the break modify command in LLDB or through the breakpoint editor in Xcode.
   • Run, Break, Inspect: Explore effective debugging in LLDB (16:06)

2. Ignoring Breakpoints for a Fixed Number of Times:

   • You can configure a breakpoint to ignore the first few hits and stop only on subsequent hits. This is useful when you want to skip over initial iterations or calls.
   • Example: To ignore the first ten hits of a breakpoint, you can set the ignore count flag in Xcode's breakpoint editor.
   • Run, Break, Inspect: Explore effective debugging in LLDB (17:57)

3. Auto-Continue Breakpoints:

   • Set a breakpoint to automatically continue after hitting it, optionally performing an action like logging. This helps in monitoring without stopping the program.
   • Example: You can set an auto-continue breakpoint on a function and create a temporary breakpoint on another function to track specific events.
   • Run, Break, Inspect: Explore effective debugging in LLDB (17:57)

4. Using Swift Error Breakpoints:

   • Add a Swift error breakpoint to stop the program immediately where any error is thrown, which is useful for debugging unexpected failures.
   • Example: If your application throws and catches errors frequently, you can scope the Swift error breakpoint to specific conditions to reduce noise.
   • Xcode essentials (18:19)

These techniques can help you manage blocking calls and high-firing breakpoints more effectively, making your debugging process smoother and more targeted.