1. A computer implemented method for debugging an electronic design comprising both an HDL portion and a general programming language portion, comprising: interrupting a simulator that operates upon the HDL portion of the electronic design to allow for debugging, by an external debugger, the general programming language portion of the electronic design, wherein the simulator receives a plurality of simulator requests for simulation of the HDL portion from a programming interface when the simulator is not interrupted; handling one of the plurality of simulator requests, which is identified by and sent to the external debugger by the programming interface, with the external debugger for the simulator that is interrupted, the external debugger calling a request processing module at the simulator to process the one of the plurality of simulator requests, the plurality of simulator requests for the simulation of the HDL portion; executing a process of the request processing module at the simulator to respond to the one of the plurality of simulator requests, wherein the act of executing the process of the request processing module is performed by a processor; providing continued access to the HDL portion while debugging, by using the external debugger, the general programming portion; and generating debug results based upon the act of executing the process of the request processing module and storing the debug results in a computer-readable storage medium or a storage device or displaying the debug results on a display apparatus.
1. A computer implemented method for debugging an electronic design comprising both an HDL portion and a general programming language portion, comprising: interrupting a simulator that operates upon the HDL portion of the electronic design to allow for debugging, by an external debugger, the general programming language portion of the electronic design, wherein the simulator receives a plurality of simulator requests for simulation of the HDL portion from a programming interface when the simulator is not interrupted; handling one of the plurality of simulator requests, which is identified by and sent to the external debugger by the programming interface, with the external debugger for the simulator that is interrupted, the external debugger calling a request processing module at the simulator to process the one of the plurality of simulator requests, the plurality of simulator requests for the simulation of the HDL portion; executing a process of the request processing module at the simulator to respond to the one of the plurality of simulator requests, wherein the act of executing the process of the request processing module is performed by a processor; providing continued access to the HDL portion while debugging, by using the external debugger, the general programming portion; and generating debug results based upon the act of executing the process of the request processing module and storing the debug results in a computer-readable storage medium or a storage device or displaying the debug results on a display apparatus. 17. The method of claim 1 in which the request processing function is set up ahead of time at the simulator to handle anticipated simulator requests.