If you want to see context, then I think your best bet would be to use a visual debugger. Devel::ptkdb is available from the usual places, works on both Windows and Unix, and is fairly easy to setup and install. Just run: perl -d:ptkdb <your program.pl>. If you don't like the rather primitive user interface, or you need to remotely debug on a device that dose not support graphics, then you could also consider the EPIC plugin for eclipse, which incorporates a visual debugger that supports remote debugging over a network, but it is slightly more difficult to install and setup.

Having said that, I would have thought that stepping over every statement that perl runs will get very tedious quite quickly, especially if your program is running any sort of loop. When I am debugging, I usually type l <lines> to view 30-50 lines of code in one function or block, and then with them on screen just use n to step over the code. One line of context it enough if the code is already on screen. If I find myself in a repetitive loop, I just type c <line> to continue after the loop.

Yes, I've used ptkdb before and it is brilliant.

But you guessed right, the code is on a remote server, being read via a terminal.

I did mount it locally and try to run in Eclipse, but there were so many other module dependencies missing that I gave up after installing several dozen.

It looks like BrowserUk has offered a soltuon to your original question.

As for running your script with a visual debugger on your remote server, is there enough bandwith and resources to enable you to run a remote X application? I have done that sort of thing a lot when debugging perl on local servers, where the server room is across the hall from my desk, the server is a huge 16 core Solaris box, and there is plenty of bandwith between me and it.

Doesn't {{v do exactly what you've asked for?

Yes BrowserUk, yes it does. Thank you!

Thanks for the tip BrowserUk I will remember that for future reference.

Are you able to explain the syntax of the command and how it works? I can see there is a section documenting it in perldebug, but it is not clear what the difference is between a { [command] and a {{ [command] (Two curly braces)

Edit: That post had the wrong parent. will_ please ignore.

Devel::ptkdb makes it as simple as clicking on a line of code, to set a breakpoint.

Another option would be creating your own debugger extending DB.pm and add that behavior to it. The debugger's code is not hard to extend/modify. Then you can run your script using perl -d:MyDB