Planning your debug session

Before you begin debugging, create a plan that can help you make the following choices:

  • The compiler or assembler options and suboptions you need to use when you compile or assemble programs.
  • The debugging mode (batch, full-screen, full-screen mode using the Terminal Interface Manager, or remote debug mode) that you will use to interact with z/OS® Debugger.
  • The method or methods you can use to start z/OS Debugger.
  • If you have older COBOL programs, as listed in the COBOL and CICS® Command Level Conversion Aid for OS/390® & MVS & VM: User's Guide, how you want to debug them.

To help you create your plan, do the following tasks:

  1. Use Table 1 to record the compiler options and suboptions that you will use for your programs. The table contains compiler options that can provide the most debugging capability with the smallest program size for a general set of compilers. See Choosing compiler options for debugging for the following information:
    • The prerequisites required for a compiler option and suboption.
    • Additional tasks that you might need to do to make a compiler option and suboption work at your site.
    • Information about how a compiler option and suboption might affect program size and z/OS Debugger functionality.
    • If you are using other Application Delivery Foundation for z/OS tools, information on how to choose compiler options so that you create output that can be used by the other Application Delivery Foundation for z/OS tools.
  2. Use Table 2 to record the debugging mode you will use. See Choosing a debugging mode to learn about prerequisites and tasks you must do to make the debugging mode work.
  3. Use Table 1 to record the methods you will use to specify TEST runtime options. See Choosing a method or methods for starting z/OS Debugger to help you determine which method will work best for your programs.
  4. If you have older COBOL programs (as listed in the COBOL and CICS Command Level Conversion Aid for OS/390 & MVS & VM: User's Guide) that you want to debug, you must decide between the following options:
    • Leave them in their old source and possibly have to debug them as LangX COBOL programs.
    • Convert them to the 1985 COBOL Standard level.
    See Choosing how to debug old COBOL programs for more information.

After you have completed these tasks, use the information you collected to follow the instructions in Updating your processes so you can debug programs with z/OS Debugger.