Debug Mode Availability

[Jeff Nyman]

I just want to confirm this before I write it up as part of my tutorial. First, some context: I'm using AGS Editor .NET (Build 3.0.2.44) v3.0.2, June 2008. I'm running AGS on Windows Vista.

The manual at one point states that if you don't want the debugger options in your game (and you want to run full screen) you should use "Run without debugger" or CTRL+F5. However, when I do that I still have all the debugging options (and the game doesn't run in full screen). That clearly seems to be broken unless I'm missing something.

Further, when I build for release (i.e., F7 or "Build EXE") all of the debugging commands are still in place in the executable in my Compiled directory. The manual doesn't say if this should be the case or not but it does indicate that you would use F7 when you want to distribute your game, which would imply you want to distribute a game without debugging commands.

I am aware of the "Enable debug mode" in the General Settings and I know setting that to 'false' removes the debugging commands from the game, which seems to work.

What I'm trying to clarify, however, is if the behavior as I described it here is valid. I would think not since "Run without debugger" should presumably run without the debugging commands, which is not what happens. But also I would think the "compile for release" ("Build EXE", F7) should also remove the debugging commands by default. If the latter is not the case, I'll make sure the tutorial says that you should specifically set the "Enable debug mode" option to false, which I don't see mentioned elsewhere unless I'm missing it.

[Pumaman]

This is a bit confusing, and I'll try to clarify it in the manual for a future release.

Basically, there are two different debugging options that are not linked to each other:

1. The editor's script debugger. This is the thing that allows you to place breakpoints and step through the code line-by-line.
This is only available when you use F5 to run the game, and does not work if you use Ctrl+F5 or Build EXE.

2. The Debug() functions, such as Ctrl+X to teleport to another room. This is available if "Enable Debug Mode" is set to True in the General Settings. If that is set to true, then these commands will work no matter how you run the game.
If it is set to False then these commands will not work, even if you use F5 to run the game with the debugger.

[Jeff Nyman]

That's a great clarification so thank you for that. I'll include these details in the tutorial. (As it's shaping up the tutorial is somewhat of a rewrite of parts of the manual, too. So I might pop up here and there with more of these questions, but I'm trying to do as much looking myself as I can before posting.)

[Pumaman]

Sounds good, we do have a bit of a lack of tutorials here so I look forward to seeing what you come up with