The SCL Debugger

BREAK

Suspends program execution at an executable statement

Abbreviation:

Syntax
Details
Examples
See Also

Syntax

BREAK <location <AFTER count> <WHEN clause | DO list>>

location

specifies where to set a breakpoint (the current line, by default):

_ALL_: sets a breakpoint at every executable statement.
ENTRY: sets a breakpoint at the first executable statement in all entries in the application catalog that contain a program.
entry-name\: specifies a catalog entry. A breakpoint is set at the first executable statement in the program in the specified entry. If the entry resides in the current catalog, then entry-name can be a one-level name. If the entry resides in a different catalog, then entry-name must be a four-level name, and the entry must already be loaded into the application's execution stack. A backslash must follow the entry name.
label: specifies a program label. A breakpoint is set at the first executable statement in the program label.
line-num: specifies a line number in an SCL program where a breakpoint is set. The specified line must contain at least one executable SCL statement.

AFTER count

specifies the number of times for the debugger to execute a statement before executing the BREAK command.

Note: When multiple statements appear on a single line, the debugger treats them as separate statements. That is, the debugger will break on the same line as each statement on that line is executed. In the following example, the line will break three times in line number 10 because the condition is met three times

10 x=1 y=2 z=3
b10 after 3;

WHEN clause

specifies an expression that must be true in order for the command to be executed.

DO list

specifies one or more debugger commands to execute. Use semicolons to separate multiple commands.

Details

The BREAK command sets a breakpoint at a specified statement. A breakpoint is an executable SCL program statement at which the debugger suspends program execution. An exclamation mark replaces the line number in the debugger SOURCE window to designate the line at which the breakpoint is established.

When an SCL program detects a breakpoint, it

suspends program execution
checks the count that you specified with the AFTER command and resumes program execution if the statement has not yet executed the specified number of times
evaluates the condition specified with the WHEN clause and resumes execution if the condition evaluates to FALSE
displays the entry name and line number at which execution is suspended
executes any command that is specified in a DO list
returns control to you.

If a breakpoint is set at a program line that contains more than one statement, then the breakpoint applies to each statement on the source line. If a breakpoint is set at a line that contains a SAS macro expansion, then the debugger breaks at each statement that is generated by the macro expansion.

Examples

Set a breakpoint at line 5 in the current program:

DEBUG> b 5

The output to the debugger MESSAGE window is

stop at line 5 in MYLIB.MYCAT.TEST.SCL
b 5
Stop at line 5 in MYLIB.MYCAT.TEST.SCL
Set breakpoint at line 5 in program
    MYLIB.MYCAT.TEST.SCL

Set a breakpoint in each executable statement:
```
DEBUG> b _all_
```
Set a breakpoint in each executable line and print all the values:
```
DEBUG> b _all_ do; E _all_; end;
```
Set a breakpoint at the first executable statement in each entry that contains a program in the catalog:
```
DEBUG> b entry
```
Set a breakpoint at the first executable statement in the MAIN section:
```
DEBUG> b main
```
Set a breakpoint at the first executable statement in the entry TEST1.SCL:
```
DEBUG> b test1\
```
Set a breakpoint at line 45 in the entry TEST1.SCL:
```
DEBUG> b test1\45
```
Set a breakpoint at the MAIN label in the entry TEST1.SCL:
```
DEBUG> b test1\main
```
Set a breakpoint at line 45 before the fourth execution of line 45:
```
DEBUG> b 45 after 3
```
Set a breakpoint at line 45 in the entry TEST1.SCL only when both the divisor and the dividend are 0:
```
DEBUG> b test1\45 when (divisor=0 AND dividend=0)
```
Set a breakpoint at line 45 only when both the divisor and dividend are 0 before the fourth execution of line 45:
```
DEBUG> b 45 after 3 when (divisor=0 AND dividend=0)
```
Set a breakpoint at line 12 when the value of the maxLength attribute on object1 is greater than 12:
```
DEBUG> b 12 when (object1.maxLength > 12)
```
Set a breakpoint at line 45 of the program and examine the values of variables NAME and AGE:
```
DEBUG> b 45 do; e name age; end;
```