Understanding Keyword Frames

AutoLISP Developer's Guide > Using the Visual LISP Environment > Debugging Programs > Using Visual LISP Data Inspection Tools > Understanding the Trace Stack Window >

A keyword frame indicates a specific type of operation that occurs within the VLISP environment. The keyword indicates the type of operation. Keyword frames will appear in only two locations: at the very top of the stack, or at the very bottom of the stack.

The following types of keyword frames will appear only at the bottom of a stack:

Keyword frames (bottom)
Frame type	Operation that occurred
:ACAD-REQUEST	A call to the function shown in the frame immediately above the :ACAD-REQUEST keyword frame was invoked from the AutoCAD command prompt.
:DCL-ACTION	Execution of a DCL tile or dialog action was requested from AutoCAD. The keyword :DCL-ACTION is followed by two strings: the DCL dialog name and the value of the $KEY variable in the DCL action body. If a number appears, it is the value of the $REASON variable in the DCL action body. The frame immediately above the keyword describes the function call built from the action string.
:INSPECT-EVAL	Evaluation of an Inspect command.
:INSPECT-VERBOSE	Entrance into a drawing Inspect hook function.
:TOP-COMMAND	The VLISP IDE requested the action resulting in the first element placed within the stack. This situation occurs, for example, when a function is invoked directly from loading a selection or a file.
:USER-INPUT	The character string shown in the frame was entered from the VLISP Console window. The frame immediately above the keyword describes the expression as it was translated from the user input. If the input string is too long, right-click to open a shortcut menu, and choose Show Message to view the entire text. You can also choose the Inspect command to inspect the entered string.
:WATCH-EVAL	Evaluation of a watch expression.

Keyword frames (bottom)

Frame type

Operation that occurred

:ACAD-REQUEST

A call to the function shown in the frame immediately above the :ACAD-REQUEST keyword frame was invoked from the AutoCAD command prompt.

:DCL-ACTION

Execution of a DCL tile or dialog action was requested from AutoCAD. The keyword :DCL-ACTION is followed by two strings: the DCL dialog name and the value of the $KEY variable in the DCL action body. If a number appears, it is the value of the $REASON variable in the DCL action body. The frame immediately above the keyword describes the function call built from the action string.

:INSPECT-EVAL

Evaluation of an Inspect command.

:INSPECT-VERBOSE

Entrance into a drawing Inspect hook function.

:TOP-COMMAND

The VLISP IDE requested the action resulting in the first element placed within the stack. This situation occurs, for example, when a function is invoked directly from loading a selection or a file.

:USER-INPUT

The character string shown in the frame was entered from the VLISP Console window. The frame immediately above the keyword describes the expression as it was translated from the user input. If the input string is too long, right-click to open a shortcut menu, and choose Show Message to view the entire text. You can also choose the Inspect command to inspect the entered string.

:WATCH-EVAL

Evaluation of a watch expression.

Keyword frames (top)
Frame type	Operation that occurred
:ACMD-CALLBACK	Registered AutoCAD command call.
:AFTER-EXP	Indicates that your program is interrupted in a debugging break mode, and the Step Into or Step Over command just stepped out of an expression.
:ARQ-SUBR-CALLBACK	Indicates a normal call from AutoCAD to a VLISP-defined function.
:AXVLO-IO-CALLBACK :DWF :DWG	Saves or restores a VL object in a DWG.
:BEFORE-EXP	Debugger break upon entering the function. This message will appear whenever you are stepping through using Step Into or Step Over, and the step is entering an expression (as opposed to just leaving an expression, which is indicated by the :AFTER-EXP keyword).
:BREAK-POINT	User-specified breakpoint.
:ENTRY-NAMESPACE	A call in the context of a separate-namespace VLX.
:ERROR-BREAK	General runtime error. The Show Message shortcut menu selection allows you to view more specific error messages.
:FUNCTION-ENTRY	Debugger break upon entering the function. The stack element following this message contains the call frame for the function in which the break occurred.
:KBD-BREAK	The PAUSE key was pressed, placing the program on hold.
:PROTECT-ASSIGN	Assignment of a value to a protected symbol. From the right-click shortcut menu, you can choose Show Message to view the variable name, the current value, and the new value that was attempted to be assigned to the variable. You can also choose the Inspect command to view the list containing the symbol, and the new value indicated following :PROTECT-ASSIGN.
:REACTOR-CALLBACK	Reactor call.
:READ-ERROR	Error during a read operation. The Show Message shortcut menu selection provides additional information about the error.
:SYNTAX-ERROR	VLISP encountered incorrect AutoLISP program syntax.

Keyword frames (top)

Frame type

Operation that occurred

:ACMD-CALLBACK

Registered AutoCAD command call.

:AFTER-EXP

Indicates that your program is interrupted in a debugging break mode, and the Step Into or Step Over command just stepped out of an expression.

:ARQ-SUBR-CALLBACK

Indicates a normal call from AutoCAD to a VLISP-defined function.

:AXVLO-IO-CALLBACK

:DWF

:DWG

Saves or restores a VL object in a DWG.

:BEFORE-EXP

Debugger break upon entering the function. This message will appear whenever you are stepping through using Step Into or Step Over, and the step is entering an expression (as opposed to just leaving an expression, which is indicated by the :AFTER-EXP keyword).

:BREAK-POINT

User-specified breakpoint.

:ENTRY-NAMESPACE

A call in the context of a separate-namespace VLX.

:ERROR-BREAK

General runtime error. The Show Message shortcut menu selection allows you to view more specific error messages.

:FUNCTION-ENTRY

Debugger break upon entering the function. The stack element following this message contains the call frame for the function in which the break occurred.

:KBD-BREAK

The PAUSE key was pressed, placing the program on hold.

:PROTECT-ASSIGN

Assignment of a value to a protected symbol. From the right-click shortcut menu, you can choose Show Message to view the variable name, the current value, and the new value that was attempted to be assigned to the variable. You can also choose the Inspect command to view the list containing the symbol, and the new value indicated following :PROTECT-ASSIGN.

:REACTOR-CALLBACK

Reactor call.

:READ-ERROR

Error during a read operation. The Show Message shortcut menu selection provides additional information about the error.

:SYNTAX-ERROR

VLISP encountered incorrect AutoLISP program syntax.