Debug Methods

Launchpad contains several methods to make debugging your script files easier.

The UI class in Launchpad provides three debug methods to help developers inspect and display variables, collections, and global state during script execution. These methods output formatted information to the console, making it easier to understand the current state of your code.

Methods

ShowVars()

Displays one or more variables with their names and values in a formatted output.

void ShowVars(params object[] variables)
void ShowVars(string title, params object[] variables)

Parameters

• title (optional): Custom title for the debug output section

• variables: Variable name-value pairs to display (must be provided in pairs)

Usage

Pass variables as alternating name-value pairs. The method expects an even number of arguments.

Examples

// Simple usage with default title
int count = 42;
string name = "Wall Type A";
UI.ShowVars("count", count, "name", name);

// Output:
// === VARIABLES ===
//   count: 42
//   name: "Wall Type A"

// Custom title
double area = 250.5;
bool isVisible = true;
UI.ShowVars("Room Properties", "area", area, "isVisible", isVisible);

// Output:
// === Room Properties ===
//   area: 250.5
//   isVisible: true

---

ShowCollection()

Displays the contents of a collection with item count and previews the first few items.

void ShowCollection<T>(string name, IEnumerable<T> collection, int maxItems = 5)

Parameters

• name: Display name for the collection

• collection: The collection to display

• maxItems: Maximum number of items to show (default: 5)

Usage

Use this method to inspect lists, arrays, or any IEnumerable collection. It automatically shows the total count and previews up to the specified number of items.

Examples

// Display a list of element IDs
List<ElementId> selectedIds = new List<ElementId> { 
    new ElementId(1001), 
    new ElementId(1002), 
    new ElementId(1003) 
};
UI.ShowCollection("Selected Elements", selectedIds);

// Output:
// Selected Elements: [3 ElementId(s)]
// --------------------
//   [0]: ElementId(1001)
//   [1]: ElementId(1002)
//   [2]: ElementId(1003)

// Display with limited items
List<string> categories = new List<string> { 
    "Walls", "Doors", "Windows", "Floors", 
    "Roofs", "Columns", "Beams" 
};
UI.ShowCollection("Categories", categories, maxItems: 3);

// Output:
// Categories: [7 String(s)]
// --------------------
//   [0]: "Walls"
//   [1]: "Doors"
//   [2]: "Windows"
//   ... and 4 more

---

ShowGlobals()

Displays all variables stored in the global dictionary or a custom dictionary.

void ShowGlobals()
void ShowGlobals(Dictionary<string, object> globalDict, string title = "GLOBAL VARIABLES")

Parameters

• globalDict (optional): Custom dictionary to display

• title (optional): Custom title for the output

Usage

The parameterless version displays the static RevitCodeGlobals.globals dictionary. You can also pass your own dictionary to display.

Examples

// Display the static global variables
globals["projectName"] = "Office Building";
globals["floorCount"] = 5;
globals["isComplete"] = false;
UI.ShowGlobals();

// Output:
// === GLOBAL VARIABLES ===
//   projectName: "Office Building"
//   floorCount: 5
//   isComplete: false
//
//   Total: 3 variables

// Display a custom dictionary
var myData = new Dictionary<string, object>
{
    { "width", 10.5 },
    { "height", 3.0 },
    { "material", "Concrete" }
};
UI.ShowGlobals(myData, "Wall Properties");

// Output:
// === Wall Properties ===
//   width: 10.5
//   height: 3
//   material: "Concrete"
//
//   Total: 3 variables

Output Formatting

The debug methods automatically format different data types for clarity:

• Strings: Displayed with quotes (e.g., "text")

• Numbers: Formatted with appropriate precision

• Booleans: Displayed as lowercase (e.g., true, false)

• Collections: Show item count (e.g., [5 items])

• Revit Elements: Display type, ID, name, and category

• ElementIds: Show as ElementId(12345)

• null values: Display as null

Best Practices

1. Use descriptive names: When calling ShowVars, use clear variable names to make the output self-documenting

2. Limit collection previews: For large collections, keep the default maxItems limit to avoid cluttering the console

3. Group related output: Use custom titles to organize related debug information

4. Clean up when done: Remember to remove or comment out debug calls before finalizing your script

Console Output

All debug methods write to the console using Console.WriteLine(). The output will appear in the Launchpad console window when running scripts.