The -debug mode

In previous chapters, we sometimes used the -debug option when transforming XML documents. This option is available with both modes XML to SVG and GRP to SVG.

The use of the -debug mode produces a graphic that contains additional graphical elements. These extra elements show the structure of boxes and springs.

1. Example

The best way to understand this mode is to have an simple example.

Save the following code under editor/XML/Examples/debugMode.grp :

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
    <!DOCTYPE grp SYSTEM "../grp.dtd">
    <grp>
      <vbox maxSize="100">
        <hbox minSize="15">
          <ebox width="20"/>
          <spring minSize="10"/>
        </hbox>

        <tbox fontSize="30">Some text</tbox>
      </vbox>
    </grp>
  

Open a console, go to directory editor/XML/Examples, and transform it with the following command :

    java -cp ../../lib/taxi.jar fr.loria.taxi.transformer.TransformerGRPToSVG -grp_in debugMode.grp -defs examples.def -svg_dtd ../svg.dtd -debug
  

You should obtain that output :

    Parsing file examples.def
    Parsing file debugMode.grp
    Creating SVG document
    Generating SVG file debugMode.svg
  

That window should appear (after resizing and expanding all the nodes of the tree) :

You can notice that the tree is the same structure than the GRP document :

• a vertical box containing :
  • a horizontal box containing :
    • an empty box
    • a spring
  • a spring

The generated graphic looks like this :

2. Explanations

The window that shows information about the structure of the boxes and springs displays only relevant information for debugging purposes of that structure.

2.1.Springs

In our example, there is only one spring :

Here is the list of the properties shown for a spring :

2.2. Boxes

2.2.1. Common properties

In our example, we have 4 boxes. Here is the list of the properties shown common to every box :

2.2.2. Special properties for box ebox

In addition to the properties common to every boxe, a box ebox has the following properties :

2.2.3. Special properties for box tbox

In addition to the properties common to every boxe, a box tbox has the following properties :