Missing arrow indicating paused line when debugging (2022b)

I recently updated to Matlab 2022b which I've installed on my windows virtual machine on my mac.

The problem: When I debug scripts, I don't see the green arrow indicating the line Matlab is paused at. I can set breakpoints, step through lines, and see variables being created in the workspace, but the arrow indicating which line never shows up.

The question: I'm unsure if I'm missing a setting I need to adjust, or if this is a bug. Has anyone encountered this issue and solved it?

Example: In the screenshots below, I've run the same script in 2021a (top) and 2022b (bottom). In both cases I created a breakpoint on line 11, then stepped to line 18. However, in the 2022b, there is nothing telling me it's on line 18 other than the variables that have been created.

[Joshua Freeman]

I'm having the same problem with 2022b and 2022a. I can change the setting mentioned below to see the line I'm on, but that doesn't show the line that the debugger is on, just the line that my cursor is on. Once in a blue moon, it shows the green debugging line arrow for just a moment.

On the page, https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/debugging-process-and-features.html , I do not see "MATLAB indicates the line at which it is paused by using a green arrow and green highlighting." There is no green arrow or green highlighting. The execution does stop at the requested location and the step works normally. Just with no indication of where it is at. Really hard to debug code when you can't see what line Matlab is executing when you "step" through the program.

Also running Windows Matlab on a Mac with a Parallels virtual machine - since our school only has Windows licenses. The whole setup works great other than this one issue!

[Theo Husby]

The workaround I found was to revert back to R2021a. That release seems to work fine on parallels.

I didn't end up following up with tech support because I've got too much on my plate and 2021a works fine for me, but let me know if you find a solution.

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

Mine has an arrow. Not sure why yours doesn't unless you're not running it yet.

Go to Home tab -> Preferences -> Editor/Debugger -> Display -> Highlight current line. Check that box and select a color for it, like pastel green. This will show you what line you're on.

[Les Beckham]

Actually, that highlight tells you where the cursor is in the editor, not the execution point where the debugger is paused.

FWIW - the green arrow is still there for my copy of r2022b as well.

[Theo Husby]

Thank you both for getting back to me on this. Yes, I've set my current line to highlight green. You can see it in line 1 of the screenshot, but like Les said, it doesn't follow the current line in the debugger.

Good to know that the arrow shows up in your copy, Les. I'm leaning toward bug at this point.

[Image Analyst]

Call tech support. Maybe you're missing an icon resource or it's a graphics card driver problem. Try updating your graphics card driver.

[Juan Cabello Sanchez]

Any updates? How did tech support solved this bug?

[Theo Husby]

I didn't end up calling tech support because I was short on time. My workaround was to go back to 2021A. Since then, I've upgraded to 2023A and the bug seems to have been fixed.

Sorry I don't have a more comprehensive solution.

Answer 2

[Theo Husby]

This isn't a rigorous answer, but it's a workaround that works for my situation that I'll share in case anyone else has my issue.

Close the tab that the script is running in and reopen it. The arrow will return.

I'm now on 2023a, and the bug occasionally comes back.

Answer 3

[Mr64]

MATLAB R2022b, Windows 10 or 11.

I seem to have the problem only when the file is located on a network drive. My workaround is to map the network drive (or actually a network path) to a local drive and re-open the file via this local drive.

Since the problem appears to be intermittent, it is hard to tell whether it is really the network drive. More data points needed. For example, in my case, the files in question are also under "My Documents", which plays a somewhate special role in Windows; also, it contains a blank in its name; and then there are the moon phases ...