Step through Java AND Perl code?

megajar wrote on Thu Aug  3 15:04:38 MEST 2006:

Hi there. I'm currently developing a project that uses both Java and Perl.
It works as follows:
-The main Java program starts up, and spawns a separate process containing
a Perl-based utility.
-Both processes continue running simultaneously; the Java driver maintains
communication with the Perl process via sockets and I/O streams.
-Once both processes are running, the Java program begins monitoring the
LAN for incoming packets. Each time it receives a packet, it does some processing
on it, and then sends the processed packet through the sockets to the Perl
utility, which does further processing. The Perl utility then sends its
results back through the sockets to the Java.

I just downloaded and installed the EPIC plugin; I successfully created
a new Perl project containing the Perl utility's code, and I'm trying to
step-through the Perl code in Debug mode. The problem is that the Perl code
is set up so that it CAN'T WORK without the sockets in place; which means
it MUST be called from the Java program first. And no, I can't rewrite the
Perl utility to avoid this problem.

I already have both the Java code and the Perl code set up as two separate
Eclipse projects. What I want to do is to run the Java project, and have
it invoke the Perl project; I want to be able to step through the Java code,
and CONTINUE stepping through the Perl code when it gets invoked. In other
words, I want Eclipse to treat both the Java and the Perl as one program,
and move seamlessly from stepping through Java to stepping through Perl.

Is there a way to accomplish this?

jploski wrote on Thu Aug  3 15:28:28 MEST 2006:

Cross-language debugging from Java into Perl is not supported and would
be difficult to implement. You could set up the sockets from a Perl wrapper,
though, and stay entirely in the Perl world.

megajar wrote on Thu Aug  3 16:22:25 MEST 2006:

Thanks for the reply.

I don't actually need to debug both the Java and Perl together. I really
only need to step-through the Perl code; but since the Perl must be called
from the Java, I need to figure out a way to do that.

What I need is, when the Java calls the Perl, instead of just starting the
Perl compiler in a separate process, instead it should invoke the Perl *PROJECT*
in Eclipse; I could then set a breakpoint inside the Perl project to begin
step-through debugging.

Is there any way to do that?

jgangemi wrote on Thu Aug  3 16:45:10 MEST 2006:

no - you would probably have to write a java wrapper around part of the
eclipse debugging interface and have a way to swap that impl in/out of your
java class that invokes the perl process.

actually - i really don't see any reason why that couldn't work - you'd
need to provide an implementation of a launch delegate that then tied into
one of the launch targets.

keep in mind that your impl would somewhat tie you to each epic version.
i'm actually working on cleaning up some of the debugger code right now,
so already you'd have changes to content w/ once committed. 

if the impl was actually successful, it might be possible to incorporate
parts of it into the epic core and provide an extension point to hook into.

either way, it seems like a lot of work, most of which would fall to you
right now.

jploski wrote on Thu Aug  3 16:56:32 MEST 2006:

So you want to "launch a run configuration" within Eclipse's JVM instead
of starting your own JVM. I don't think that Eclipse has any direct automation
support for controlling it externally. However, it should be fairly easy
to achieve your goal using a small custom plug-in. This plug-in would itself
execute in the Eclipse JVM and wait for a signal from your standalone Java
process, e.g. through a socket or a file. Ask in the Eclipse newsgroups
for more information.

megajar wrote on Thu Aug  3 17:13:39 MEST 2006:

Thanks for the info, guys.

megajar wrote on Thu Aug  3 16:51:16 MEST 2006:

Um.......

I have absolutely no idea what you just said. Can you explain please? (Sorry,
I'm not really well-versed in Eclipse developers' jargon.) *sheepish grin*

jgangemi wrote on Thu Aug  3 17:15:49 MEST 2006:

go read this: http://www.eclipse.org/articles/Article-Debugger/how-to.html

you would need to integrate launch support into your java application (via
an interface so you could swap out the "exec" vs "debug" implementations)
that knows how to interface w/ the appropriate epic launch target.

this is all speculation at this point, but i don't see why it couldn't work.

megajar wrote on Thu Aug  3 17:18:46 MEST 2006:

Cool, thanks.

megajar wrote on Fri Aug  4 17:04:02 MEST 2006:

Thanks anyway for the help, but I seem to have solved the problem on my
own. Basically, the Java code first creates a ServerSocket to listen on
a certain port, and then creates a new client process (i.e. the Perl program)
on that same port; thus the connection is made. I simply removed the line
where it creates the new client process, and instead, when it gets to that
point, I manually start up the Perl project myself, in a second Eclipse
window. This way, the connection and sockets are made, but I can now step-through
the Perl code. Problem solved. :-)

However...now I have a new problem. I'll post a new thread about it so it
doesn't get lost in this one.