We investigate sketch-like pen input as an alternative way to support execution control in interactive debugging. In our interface, programmers draw lightweight marks to set breakpoints, use symbolic strokes to control execution, and extend strokes into spirals to repeat traversal actions. The prototype combines gesture recognition with Python execution tracing in a conventional editor interface. In a controlled study with 24 programmers, we compared the sketch interface with conventional mouse-and-keyboard input on debugging tasks that required breakpoint placement, step-wise execution, and runtime state inspection. The results show that sketch-like input can support these execution-control tasks, while also introducing challenges in precision, recognition, and gesture recall. Our findings suggest that pen input is most promising where debugger interactions benefit from spatial grounding or continuous movement, rather than as a wholesale replacement for conventional debugging controls.

翻译：我们探索了类草图笔输入作为交互式调试中执行控制的一种替代方式。在该界面中，程序员绘制轻量级标记设置断点、使用符号化笔触控制执行、并将笔触延伸为螺旋状以重复遍历操作。该原型在传统编辑器界面中结合了手势识别与Python执行追踪功能。在针对24名程序员的受控实验中，我们比较了草图界面与传统鼠标键盘输入在需要断点设置、逐步执行及运行时状态检查的调试任务中的表现。结果表明，类草图输入能够支持这些执行控制任务，但在精度、识别准确率及手势记忆方面仍存在挑战。我们的发现表明，笔输入在调试器交互受益于空间锚定或连续运动的情境下最具应用潜力，而非作为传统调试控件的全面替代方案。