Late Night SW's Script Debugger

Late Night Software’s Script Debugger is a “must have/learn” for serious AS work?

Model: G5 PowerPC
AppleScript: v1.10.7
Browser: Safari 533.19.4
Operating System: Mac OS X (10.4)

For me: YES !

Stefan -

Would you consider Debugger a NECESSITY from the start?

While I’m a newbie to AS, I have worked with other languages & their debuggers.

The question is… do I spend the money for Script Debugger NOW, or can I hold off for a bit? Or would the lack of Debugger slow my learning of AS?

I think I’m talking myself into this… if I’m going to be serious about AS, I HAVE to have Debugger, right?

Model: G5 PowerPC
AppleScript: v1.10.7
Browser: Safari 533.19.4
Operating System: Mac OS X (10.4)

Not from the start.
I’ve learned the language without SD.
I bought it when I was going to write more complex scripts
As the name implies SD makes it very easy to debug scripts with its excellent tracer and variable monitor.

Meanwhile I can’t go without it

Well If you have worked with a compiler language like C, C++ or Objective-C for example, script debugger is nothing like you’re used to. I’m familiar and can’t program C++ for example without a debugger but I can with Applescript. It’s not necessary for me because I can faster debug in my way of programming than using a debugger. But this is a preference for me and it can be useful for other scripters. I just want to warn you “ because you said you’ve worked with other debuggers “ that it’s nothing like a debugger for a compiler language.

I learned scripting using the Script Editor only and, like Stefan, moved to the Script Debugger when my scripts began getting much more complex. The feature of SD that I appreciate the most is that when you run a script, the value of all your variables are shown – not just the result – which saves you a good deal of logging.