Xcode 4.3 Breakpoint Logging object descriptions

Question

I'd like to move from NSLogging all over the place to using breakpoints for logging where the performance hit doesn't preclude it.

I know I can just po an object with a Debugger Command action, and I know I can just log any string by choosign the Log Message action.

And I think I should be able to combine both by choosing Log Message and entering something like SomeText giving context for object description: @(const char *)[[anObject description] UTF8String]@. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to work, and always gives me what I assume to be the pointer to the description string.

What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

It's kinda tricky but I think that this will work. Set the breakpoint Action as a debugger command. Then use this text as the action:

po (NSString *) [@"Some text describing: " stringByAppendingString:(NSString *)[anObject description]]

You must always be very careful to cast return types when working in the debugger. Both with GDB and LLDB.

I like your idea of using breakpoints to avoid the performance hit, but this also means that your logs will only be printed when connected to a debugger. While NSLogs will buffer their output to the system log, viewable from the Organizer (Devices) in Xcode.