IntelliJ IDEA 12.1.0 Web Help

In the Watches pane you can evaluate any number of variables or expressions in the context of the current stack frame. The values are updated with each step through the application, and become visible every time the application is suspended.

While the Evaluate Expression command on the Variables pane enables you to see one expression at a time, the Watches pane shows multiple expressions that persist from one debug session to another, until you remove them.
You can create watches in this pane, in the Variables pane and even in the editor.

Note

Watch expressions are always evaluated in the context of a stack frame that is currently inspected in the Frames pane. If an expression cannot be evaluated, it is displayed with a question mark.

In this topic:

Toolbar

ItemShortcutDescription
add Alt+InsertCommand N; Command Enter Click this button to create a new watch.
delete Alt+DeleteCommand Delete Click this button to remove the selected watch from the list.
addToWatch Click this button to add a variable, selected in the Variables pane, to the list of watches.

Context menu options

ItemShortcutDescription
New Watch InsertInsert Choose this command to create a new watch. A text field opens, where you can enter new watch expression.
Remove Watch DeleteDelete Choose this command to delete the currently selected watch expression from the list.
Edit F2F2 Choose this command to change the selected watch expression.
Remove All WatchesChoose this command to delete all watch expressions from the list.
InspectAvailable for fields, local variables and reference expressions. Choose this command to open the Inspect window for the node, which allows you to perform the same operations as those available in the stack frame, with the only difference that the root node is the one you have selected. You can recursively call the new Inspect windows from within each other. Each window is not modal and immediately reflects all changes in its subtree.
Mark Object F11F11 Choose this command to add a label to an object.
Set ValueThis command is available on the context menu of a field or local variables, added to a watch and being currently in scope. Choose this command to assign the desired value to such variable.
Jump to Source F4F4 This command opens the source code of the selected variable or field in the editor and places the caret on a proper line.
Jump to Object Source Shift+F4Shift+F4 This command opens the source code of the type of selected variable or field in the editor.
View asUse this command to select the layout of the values. For the numeric values, you can toggle between the decimal and hexadecimal formats. The objects are usually represented by their class name and instance identifier, but you can optionally show them in string format.
  • Auto: Available for items where different layout is possible. With this layout IntelliJ IDEA looks through all available renderers searching for the first suitable layout for the current item. If none is found, the default layout is applied.
  • Hex: This layout is available for numeric variables. If checked, the variable is shown in hexadecimal format.
  • Primitive: This layout is available for primitive type variables. It shows the value appropriate for the primitive type.
  • toString(): This layout is available for all reference types where toString() is overridden except for arrays, and shows the node's toString() value in the tree.
  • Array: Available for arrays.
  • Object: Default layout. Available for all non-primitive type nodes.
  • Map: Show as a map.
  • Collection: Show as a collection.
  • User-defined renderer: Available for renderers created by the user in the Debugger | Type Renderers or in the Customize Data Views dialogs. The corresponding renderer name is shown in the menu.
Copy Value Ctrl+C; Ctrl+InsertCtrl+C; Ctrl+Insert Copies the selected node value to the clipboard.
Copy NameCopies the selected node name to the clipboard.

See Also

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