Debugging overview

As an automation developer, there are moments when you must troubleshoot your automations if there is an error or if it does not produce the desired results.  An error can occur while running an automation, and the debugging tools within Pega Robot Studio can help you understand where the error is happening. The debugging concept in Pega Robot Studio is similar to how developers troubleshoot code within a typical development environment, such as Microsoft Visual Studio.

The automation links or data links between the automation blocks represent lines of code in conventional development tools. You can insert breakpoints where you need to pause the execution of automation to examine how it works. The blue dots or data ports in the automation represent data values on these blocks.

There are two modes in Pega Robot Studio that you can use for debugging: Run and Test. The Test debugging mode allows you to run through any automation and its sub-automations that you are currently working on. You can also use an already-opened instance of the target application. Depending on the automation opened in test mode, a prompt may display to supply input value for an entry point with input parameters or a notification that the an event is waiting to happen to trigger the automation. 

You can use the Run debugging mode to troubleshoot all types of automations, and much like the test mode with breakpoints, you can step through the execution. While using either debugging mode, developers can view changes in the data values. The ability to track values during execution is vital because it allows you to fix issues before deployment. You can see the changes made to the data values on the design blocks' data ports in the automation after that block has been executed.

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