special debugging lines (java)

Programmer Question

Recently i've found myself writing a lot of methods with what i can only think to call debugging scaffolding. Here's an example:

public static void printArray (String[] array, boolean bug) 
{ 
    for (int i = 0; i<array.lenght; i++) 
    { 
        if (bug) System.out.print (i) ; //this line is what i'm calling the debugging scaffolding i guess. 
        System.out.println(array[i]) ; 
    }
}

in this method if i set bug to true, wherever its being called from maybe by some kind of user imput, then i get the special debugging text to let me know what index the string being printed as at just in case i needed to know for the sake of my debugging (pretend a state of affairs exists where its helpful).

All of my questions more or less boil down to the question: is this a good idea? but with a tad bit more objectivity:

• Is this an effective way to test my
  methods and debug them? i mean effective in terms of efficiency and not messing up my code.




• Is it acceptable to leave the if
(bug) stuff ; code in place after
  i've got my method up and working?
  (if a definition of "acceptability"
  is needed to make this question
  objective then use "is not a matter
  of programing controversy such as
  ommiting brackets in an if(boolean)
  with only one line after it, though
  if you've got something better go
  ahead and use your definition i won't
  mind)




• Is there a more effective way to
  accomplish the gole of making
  debugging easier than what i'm doing?




• Anything you know i mean to ask but
  that i have forgotten too (as much
  information as makes sense is
  appreciated).

Find the answer here