How to debug Indesign plugin source code in Xcode?

[AD4003]

Hi All,

I am beginner of Indesign plugin creation. I need to debug the InDesign plugin source code in Xcode application in Mac machine. Here I have created the plugin and placed in Plug-Ins folder.

And then I have no idea to debug this plugin source code. Could anyone please suggest, How to debug and share any document link?

Do I require the Indesign debug version to debug the source code?

Thanks,

John.

[Karoly65]

Hi,

Yes, you need debug version and you need create a debug schema

Best Regards
Karoly

[Karoly65]

 .... and you need to download the right version of InDesign SDK 
Unzip to a folder and open index.html from /docs/html 

In the first step you should to debug Adobes sample plugins. (eg BasicDialog)
You can found examples in the SDK folder /build/mac/prj folder

Good luck!   🙂
/Karoly

 

[Manan Joshi · Accepted solution]

In addition to what Karoly mentioned the other way is to use "Attach to Process" Option. Launch InDesign with your plugin loaded and then in XCode use Debug>Attach to Process and select then select InDesign process. If the plugin is loaded correctly and the debug symbols are generated for it, the breakpoints in the code would start working. See screenshot below

-Manan

[Karoly65]

You're right you can start InDesign faster than via debugger and after you can "Attach to Process". 

My method can be helpful if you want to debug your plugin under starting process. (Startup()  function) 

[Manan Joshi]

Also to mention, although access to the Debug version of InDesign is the best case to obtain the maximum possible help during debugging. However you can debug the plugin in release version of InDesign as well, make sure you generate debugging symbols when you build your project and then follow the process to debug as mentioned in the previous posts. Although this won't be an ideal situation but it would still be better than no debugging at all.

-Manan

[AD4003]

Thanks a lot Karoly65 and Manan Joshi for your reply.