Overview of the debugging process

Debugging applications that have a project

1. Ensure that the current active build configuration is compiling the project for debugging. See Compiling for debug.
2. Compile the source code - by default, Eclipse compiles your projects automatically when the projects change.

   If Project > Build Automatically is turned off, to compile click Project > Build Project.

3. Choose or create a debug configuration by clicking Run > Debug Configurations. Different types of COBOL debug configurations are available for different types of debug sessions, where each type of configuration offers different options and requires different specifications. Like build configurations, you can have multiple debug configurations and swap between them. These settings override the project's run-time settings.
4. Click Debug.

   Eclipse opens the Debug perspective that provides views that facilitate debugging.

5. Use the options on the Run menu to step through the program, stop at breakpoints and query data item values and so on.

   See Debugging features and techniques in Eclipse for tips on the commands and features that are available during debugging.

6. To stop debugging, click Run > Terminate.
7. To return to either the COBOL or the Team Developer perspective, click , COBOL, or , Team Developer, at the top right of the Eclipse window.

Debugging standalone files

You can use the IDE to debug a standalone native COBOL program/application that is not a part of a project. The file(s) must be compiled for debugging first to produce the .idy file containing the information that the debugger requires.

The debug engine, by default, takes the location of the source files from the .idy file, which is usually the location from which they were originally built; however, if you move your source files, you can override this from the Source tab in the debug configuration (for the source files) and from the Standalone > Copybook Paths preferences dialog box for the copybook files. This allows the files to maintain their context when being debugged.

To debug a standalone file:

1. If necessary, compile the program in the IDE by right-clicking in the editor and clicking Compile.

   Eclipse either used the Compiler directives provided by the associated program symbols file (.idy) or, if no .idy file is present, uses the directives specified in Window > Preferences > Micro Focus > COBOL > Standalone Files > Compile.

2. Right-click the file in the editor and click Debug As > COBOL Application.

   This starts debugging and the IDE switches to the Debug perspective.

3. Step through the program in the usual way.