SAS/C Software Overview

SAS/C Debugger

The SAS/C Debugger, which is included with the base SAS/C product, offers a flexible, easy-to-use full screen user interface that supports multiple overlapping color windows on an IBM 3270, or similar, terminal display system.

The following are a few of the many features offered by the extensive command set of the SAS/C Debugger:

Programmer controlled breakpoints can be set in an executing program. When a breakpoint is reached, control of execution transfers to the debugger. Breakpoints can be set conditionally and over a range of source lines. A group of commands can be automatically executed at a breakpoint.
Program execution can be single-stepped, and program flow can be traced.
Values can be assigned to objects, and values and storage contents can be displayed.
Data objects can be checked for arbitrary changes in value using the Watch window.
Stack and heap storage areas can be examined to check for storage overlays, with the results being displayed in a debugger window.
Terminal I/O can be captured and diverted to a debugger window, allowing program output to be browsed in coordination with debugger output.
User I/O exits may be specified for specialized debugging needs.

The debugger also supports remote debugging, which enables the debugger and the program that is being debugged to execute in different address spaces or environments. Remote debugging can be used to debug programs running under CICS or the UNIX System Services shell.

If you are developing applications in a cross-compilation environment, you can use a distributed file system to access include, source, and debugger files that may reside on a workstation or PC. This feature saves you the trouble of having to maintain duplicate source files on your cross-development platform and on the mainframe.

Chapter Contents
Previous
Next
Top of Page