Changes introduced with Debug Tool V9.1

Describes the changes introduced with Debug Tool V9.1 that affect the compiled language debugger.

More Debug Tool commands are available to use in remote debug mode

Additional commands that were previously available only in full-screen mode are now available in remote debug mode. A list of Debug Tool commands supported in remote debug mode has been moved from Debug Tool User's Guide to the topic "Debug Tool commands supported in remote debug mode" in Debug Tool Reference and Messages. This topic has been updated to include instructions on how to enter these commands in the compiled language debugger.

Display data types in the Variables and Monitors window

If you are debugging a program compiled with Enterprise COBOL for z/OS, V3.4 or later, or Enterprise PL/I for z/OS, V3.5 or later, you can now show the data type of variables in the Variables window or Monitors window. To do this, first you disable viewing variables by columns, then you enable the display of data type names.

To disable viewing variables by columns in the Variables window, do the following steps:
  1. In the Debug perspective, open the Variables window.
  2. Click on Window>Navigation>Show View to display the window's view menu.
  3. Click on Layout. If there is a check mark by Show Columns, click on it to remove it.
To disable viewing variables by columns in the Monitors window, do the following steps:
  1. In the Debug perspective, open the Monitors window.
  2. Right-click in the Monitors window and click on Layout. If there is a check mark by Show Columns, click on it to remove it.

To enable the display of data type names in the Variables or Monitors window, click on Show Types Names. The compiled language debugger displays the data type name to the left of the variable name.

Display the value of a variable before or after it is updated

You can now display the value of a variable on a statement before or after the statement runs. This feature is available only for variables in a local scope.

Before you run the statements that contain the variables you want to monitor (or watch), right-click in the Variables window, then click on Filter Locals. The compiled language debugger displays a list of filters you can use to display fewer variables in the Variables window. If you want the compiled language debugger to display the value of a variable after a statement is run, make sure there is a check next to Automonitor Previous. If you want the compiled language debugger to display the value of a variable before a statement is run, make sure there is a check next to Automonitor current. You can enable both filters to show you how variables values change as you step through statements.

Changes introduced to Debug Tool V9.1 with the PTF for APAR PK72833

Describes the changes introduced to Debug Tool V9.1 when the PTF for APAR PK72833 is applied that affect the compiled language debugger.

You can now assign Debug Tool commands to breakpoints. When the compiled language debugger encounters the breakpoint, it runs the commands. If the breakpoint has an expression, the compiled language debugger runs the commands only if the expression is true. To assign a command or commands to a breakpoint, do the following steps:
  1. In the Debug Perspective, open the Breakpoints window and right-click on a breakpoint or create a new breakpoint.
  2. Click on Next until you display the "Optional parameters" page.
  3. In the Action field, enter the command or commands that you want run. Separate multiple commands with a semicolon. For a list of commands that you can enter, see the topic "Debug Tool commands supported in remote debug mode" in Debug Tool Reference and Messages
  4. Click on Finish.
When you run your program and the compiler stops at that breakpoint, it runs the commands and displays any results in the Debug Console.

Changes introduced to Debug Tool V9.1 with the PTF for APAR PK74749

Describes the changes introduced to Debug Tool V9.1 when the PTF for APAR PK72833 is applied that affect the compiled language debugger.

Enhancements to support for Enterprise PL/I INCLUDE files and C/C++ header files

When the compiled language debugger stops at a breakpoint set in an Enterprise PL/I INCLUDE file or C/C++ header file, the Debugger editor now displays the source of that file and marks that line with the breakpoint.

The compiled language debugger now saves and restores breakpoints set in these files.

For PL/I programs compiled with the SEPARATE compiler option, when you click on the Debugger editor that is displaying the INCLUDE file, the compiled language debugger now displays the source of the INCLUDE file.

If you compiled your programs with any of the following compilers and compiler options, you can automonitor variables in INCLUDE files:
  • Enterprise PL/I for z/OS, Version 3.7, with the TEST(SYM,SEP,AALL) and the PP(MACRO(INCONLY)) compiler options
  • Enterprise PL/I for z/OS, Version 3.8, with the LISTVIEW (AALL) compiler option

The compiled language debugger displays the source of the INCLUDE or header file in one Debugger editor. For example, if you have three compile units (PROGA, PROGB, and PROGC) in a single load module, and all three compile units reference the INCLUDE file INCLZ, the compiled language debugger displays the source for INCLZ in one Debugger editor. If you set a breakpoint in INCLZ while debugging PROGA, the compiled language debugger marks that breakpoint in the Debugger editor. If you debug PROGB or PROGC and then click on the Debugger editor showing INCLZ, the compiled language debugger displays the mark for the breakpoint you set while debugging PROGA. However, the compiled language debugger stops at that breakpoint only when it runs PROGA.

Displaying the output of COBOL DISPLAY statements in the Debug Console

You can now instruct the compiled language debugger to display the output of COBOL DISPLAY statements to the Debug Console by doing the following steps:
  1. Before you run your program, open the Debug Console.
  2. In the Debug Engine Command field, type in the command SET INTERCEPT ON. Press Enter.
  3. Run your program. Whenever a DISPLAY statement is run in a COBOL program, the Debug Console displays the output of the DISPLAY statement.
To stop the display of output, enter the SET INTERCEPT OFF command in the Debug Engine Command field. To find out if the INTERCEPT setting is on, enter the QUERY INTERCEPT command in the Debug Engine Command field.

Changing the number of DISPLAY statements displayed

Debug Tool displays, by default, only the 50 most recently run DISPLAY statements. Debug Tool saves this number in the REWRITE setting. If you want to change this number, before you run the section of program that has the DISPLAY statements, do the following steps:
  1. Open the Debug Console view.
  2. In the Debug Engine Command field, type in the command SET REWRITE n, where n is the new number.
  3. Run your program.
To display the current number in the REWRITE setting, in the Debug Engine Command field, type in the command QUERY REWRITE. The Debug Console displays a message with the number.

Instructing Debug Tool to ignore new enclaves

In the CICS environment, you can set Debug Tool to ignore enclaves created by EXEC LINK or EXEC XCTL statements. Enter the SET IGNORELINK ON command in the Debug Console. To find out how to debug programs created in new enclaves, see the topic "SET IGNORELINK command" in Reference and Messages. To find out if the IGNORELINK setting is on, enter the command QUERY IGNORELINK in the Debug Console.