Using Breakpoints › Set Breakpoints › Why Should You Set Breakpoints?

Why Should You Set Breakpoints?

You might want to set a breakpoint at the first statement in the COBOL

Procedure Division, the Assembler CSECT, or PL/I program. This gives you the opportunity to set the execution pace and to determine the program path that you want to take during testing. If program control is passed from another program, examine the COMMAREA at this point.

Often, breakpoints are set at the following locations for debugging purposes:

• At paragraph names to examine variables at the start of the sections
• Before a branch to dynamically control the program path during execution
• At each location named in an EXEC CICS HANDLE CONDITION to verify error handling

An easy way to track data items during testing is to set a variable-change breakpoint on troublesome data, and then add the data item to a Keep window.During program execution, the program stops each time the variable’s value changes, and its value displays at the top of your screen in the Keep window.

For more information:

Breakpoint Activities