Debugging commands and options (PL/I)

The Eclipse IDE offers a number of debugging features and techniques:

Breakpoint-setting

Run > Toggle Breakpoint or double-click in the left margin.

Data item values

To display a data item's value, you can hover over it, or alternatively right-click it and click Inspect item.

Inspect can also be triggered from a context menu in the editor or by using the Ctrl+Shift+I shortcut.

Debug configurations

Run > Debug Configurations. You can have multiple debug configurations and swap between them. These settings here override the project run-time settings

Main program to debug

Run > Debug. On the General tab, specify the main program file.

Reset execution

Moves the execution point to the cursor position. The shortcut key is Alt+F12, R.

Run to line

You can position your cursor anywhere in your code to instruct the debugger to run from the current execution point to the line on which the cursor is positioned. The feature can save time when debugging as you do not have to use the step functions to step through individual lines of code. You can use Run to line in both the main source code and copybook code. To use, position the cursor in the code and the click Run > Run to line or use the shortcut CTRL+R.

Stop debugging

Run > Terminate. You can also click the red square at the top .

Watchpoint-setting

Run > Toggle Watchpoint or double-click in the left margin.

Note: You can set a watchpoint or data break on a variable by setting a breakpoint on its declaration line.

Note: The variable's address and size are being stored away for watch instead of the procedure name and variable name. This allows the address/size to be monitored from the time it is established until the time you cancel the watch. The debugger is stopped as soon as it recognizes a change of value - regardless of where it is in the program.

Since the watch is active until you cancel it, it is possible to be watching an address/size which is no longer allocated or active depending on the flow of the program. In this situation, execution will be stopped if/when the memory space is reused for some other reason.

Keyboard shortcuts - debugging

• F5 = Step into the next statement at the current line of code and suspend execution. Equivalent of clicking .
• F6 = Step over the next statement at the currently executing line of code without entering it, and suspend execution. The method will be executed normally. Equivalent of clicking .
• F7 = Return from a method or paragraph that has been stepped into, and suspend execution. The remainder of the code inside the method is executed normally. Equivalent of clicking .
• F8 = Resume execution of the program from a suspended line of code. Equivalent of clicking .

You can also click the Drop to Frame button to reposition you at the start of the current method.

Querying the value of a data item or the file status of an internal file name

Hold the mouse pointer over a data item or internal file name and the current value or file status displays as a Text Hover. The values of variables and file statuses of internal file names contained on the current execution line and previous line are displayed in Variables View (usually displayed in the top right of the IDE).