Debugging from a remote workstation

You may want to interact with the IBM Distributed Debugger on a workstation that is remote from the client application, the OLT viewer, or both.

The following steps assume that you intend to run your client application on one workstation, OLT on a second workstation, and the Debugger interface on a third workstation. Your application server can be running on any of these machines or on a fourth machine.

To create a trace, then debug in step-by-step mode from a remote workstation, follow these steps:

  1. From a command line on the workstation where you want to view the trace, enter olt. OLT starts.

    ngwin.gif (1069 bytes)Do not close the OLT command prompt window until you have finished your trace session.

  2. From a command line on the workstation where you want the Debugger to open, enter the following string:

    idebug -qquiet -qdaemon -quiport=8001

    where 8001 = your desired port number

    The Debugger daemon starts.

  3. You can specify that OLT uses the default trace settings for tracing applications. However, you have to set these default settings prior to starting any client application. To set the default trace settings, do the following:
    1. Select the Default settings node in the tree view of the Client Controller page.
    2. Set the execution mode to be trace and debug.
    3. Enter the host name of the machine where debugger daemon has been started in the Debugger hostname entry field.
    4. Verify that the Debugger TCP/IP port corresponds to the one that is used for starting the debugger daemon (default 8001).
    5. Click Apply.
  4. Start your client application.

    C++ client application:
    Start your C++ application from a command prompt.

    Java client application:
    At a command prompt, enter the command for the appropriate level of the JDK:

  5. After starting a client OLT will immediately start to trace. If step-by-step debug mode has been selected, tracing will stop on the first debuggable method; otherwise tracing will stop on the first method breakpoint.
  6. To use different settings for each application, do the following:
    1. Deselect the Use default settings for all clients checkbox at the bottom of the Client Controller page.
    2. After starting a client, an OLT information box shows the client ID and host name where the client application is running.
    3. To customize settings for this client, click Change Settings. The information box closes. In the tree view of Client Controller, select the client and specify its trace settings, as follows:
      1. Choose the execution mode.
      2. In the Debugger hostname entry field, enter the host name of the machine where debugger daemon has been started.
      3. Verify that the Debugger TCP/IP port corresponds to the one that is used for starting the debugger daemon (default 8001).
      4. Click Apply.

    OLT will immediately start to trace. If step-by-step debug mode has been selected, tracing will stop on the first debuggable method; otherwise tracing will stop on the first method breakpoint.

  7. Switch to the OLT View page to start viewing your trace.

Note: In Step-by-step debug mode, OLT stops each time a debuggable method is encountered. OLT then asks whether you want to step into, or over, the method.

ngrelc.gif (533 bytes)
How to read the trace


Running the Debugger from OLT
Starting the OLT server and viewer on separate workstations
Navigating the trace


OLT troubleshooting
Java commands for tracing and debugging