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When I try to add a Java Exception Breakpoint, I get a blank white screen with no "Matching items:" At the bottom I don't have a package symbol. Is there any way I can configure Eclipse so I can add a breakpoint corresponding to a Java Exception? I am remote debugging.

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When I open up the "Add Java Exception breakpoint" dialog window, there is already "Exception" displayed in the input field and all exceptions eclipse knows are listed.

You should type in the name of the exception into the input field. If you don't know the exact name you should write lower-case and you can use "*" as a wildcard.

Then the types matching that name should occur in the list and you can choose them for your breakpoints.

Be aware that these special breakpoints may slow down the debugged process signifiantly. So don't forget to remove them after debugging. This is a lesson I learned the hard way. ;)

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The problem I am having is that all the exceptions eclipse knows are not listed. My question is -- how do I configure Eclipse so that it shows them? –  pyrrhic Jul 29 '13 at 19:48
That's strange. This is surely not most often used dialog, but I never saw it empty. Maybe Eclipse shows only exceptions which are in the buildpath of the project. In the package explorer do a right-click on the project and then "build path"/"configure build path". There at least the JDK / JRE should be listed, which contains exception types. Maybe it has something to do with remote debugging. Did you try it locally? Also you added the tag "conditional breakpoint" which is something else than an exception breakpoint. What version of Eclipse do you use? Anything special in the project? –  user573215 Aug 2 '13 at 15:58
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I have experienced the same behaviour. The build works otherwise fine, and JDK is in the build path. Eclipse Kepler SR 1, Windows 7.

For me, the dialog started to work when I went to Run -> Debug Configurations -> [my debug configuration] -> source tab and added [myjdkpath]/jre/lib/rt.jar there manually. After doing that, the other exceptions appeared as well.

When I removed it again after adding, I was still able to see all my exceptions like supposed to. I guess you can just add any library there, debug, and remove it for Eclipse to "refresh" itself.

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