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When working with breakpoints in Eclipse I sometimes notice that they have different icons / annotations (markers on left sidebar). Sometimes it's just a blue ball, sometimes it has a checkmark on it and sometimes it is crossed. What do all these annotations mean?

Honza Zidek
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Fixpoint
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7 Answers7

142
  • blue ball: regular breakpoint, active (possibly with a hit count set)
  • empty ball (i.e. white): breakpoint has been disabled (remove checkmark in the breakpoint view, or disable in context menu)
  • diagonal line through breakpoint: all breakpoints have been disabled (button skip all breakpoints in breakpoint view)
  • question mark next to breakpoint: a condition is active for this breakpoint (look under properties of the breakpoint)
sleske
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    I had trouble finding the breakpoint view - as of Juno Window->Show View->Other->Debug->Breakpoints – GregM Mar 15 '13 at 00:32
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    Thanks I couldn't figure out why all the breakpoints where deactivated, thanks to you I found the skip all button :) – Janusz Aug 28 '13 at 08:12
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The tick means that the breakpoint has been successfully set. I think it may only appear when you're doing remote debugging; when you add a breakpoint, it starts out as a plain ball, but once the JPDA agent in the remote system has been told about it, and has confirmed it's set, then it gets a tick.

Tom Anderson
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11

I have created an example code with explanation inline.

public class Breakpoints {
    int field1; // watchpoint - suspend when field1 is read
    int field2; // watchpoint - suspend when field1 is written
    int field3; // watchpoint - suspend when field1 is read or written

    public void method() {
        int x;
        x = 10; // suspend before this line is executed 
        x = 11; // same as above but this breakpoint is temporarily disabled
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
            x = i; // conditional breakpoint - suspend when i==5
        }
    }
}

Eclipse breakpoint icons

Once you select Skip All Breakpoints in the Breakpoints view (Window | Show Viev | Debug | Breakpoints), all the icons become diagonally struck through like this:

Eclipse breakpoint icons Skip All

Honza Zidek
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7

I think answer given by @sleske is explaining all things except for :

Blue Ball with Tick : Breakpoint is successfully set because Your Source code matches with the Byte Code and debug control will reach there.

Only Blue Ball : Source code differs from Byte code (May be you are running a older Snapshot of code). Control will never reach at this breakpoint. You will have to update your JARs to get control to these breakpoints.

rdj7
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6

Adding to earlier answers. The small white c over a green ball icon means that the breakpoint is at the class level.

Class Load Breakpoint

Eclipse Help

Ali Khan
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If you see a "T" on the blue ball, It means a triggering point for remote debugging enter image description here

Minilik
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In Eclipse toolbar press Help > Help Contents

A new window will open, simply type JDT Icons. Select the result with the same name.

A list of icons with their respective meaning shaw appear. Scroll down until you find the Debugger section.

João Pedro Gonçalves
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