# Starting a Debugging Session

This page explains how to start debugging a standalone program or applet project. To begin, you must have a project that you compiled inside JDE with the `-g` option. If you don't have such a project, debugging is disabled.

To start debugging a project:

1. Double-click a project in the Project Manager window to select the project you want to debug.
   The source editor window automatically loads your program source files (if the sources are available).
2. Set a breakpoint in your program.
3. Click the Restart button on the Edit/Debug toolbar.
   The following actions occur:
   - JDE begins debugging your project. If you set a breakpoint in your source code,the line with the breakpoint changes from red to green to indicate where program execution stopped. You can now set additional breakpoints.
   - If your project is an applet, JDE launches the applet viewer. You execute the applet in the applet viewer using the Go button on the Edit/Debug toolbar.

On Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows NT, the applet viewer does not respond to window operations, such as repainting, when the applet is suspended at a breakpoint. To manipulate the viewer under these circumstances, do one of the following:

- Press Alt+Tab to bring the viewer to the front.
- Press Control+Escape to display the task list.

See also:

  Debugging in the Source Editor