Using Source Debugger APIs

The Source Debugger APIs can be used to write debuggers for the iSeries^(TM). The users of these APIs include:

• The source debugger that is shipped with the i5/OS^(R) licensed program. A source debugger is a tool for debugging Integrated Language Environment (ILE) programs or original program model (OPM) programs by displaying a representation of their source code.
  
  
• Any other debugger that IBM^(R) or a business partner writes.

Debugger functions are designed to help you write and maintain your applications. You can run your programs in a special testing environment while closely observing and controlling the processing of these programs in the testing environment. You can write a debugger application that interacts with the APIs provided in this chapter, or you can use the debugger provided with the system.

No special commands specifically for testing are contained in the program being tested. The same program being tested can run normally without changes. All debugger APIs must be called within the job in which the Start Debug (STRDBG) command is issued. The debugger APIs should not be called from within the program being tested. With the debugger APIs provided, you interact with your programs symbolically in the same terms as the high-level language (HLL) in the program. You refer to variables by their names and to locations as the line and the column within a view. In addition, the debugger functions are only applicable to the job in which they are set up. The same program can be used at the same time in another job without being affected by the debugger functions set up.