Debug Tool commands

Commands and keywords can be abbreviated. The abbreviations shown with some commands are the minimum abbreviations. However, you can use a minimum abbreviation or any string from the minimum to completely spelling out the keyword; all are valid. This is true of all keywords for commands.

If you are debugging in full-screen mode, you can get help with Debug Tool command syntax by either pressing PF1 or entering a question mark (?) on the command line. This lists all Debug Tool commands in the Log window.

To get a list of options for a command, enter a partial command followed by a question mark.

The table below summarizes the Debug Tool commands.

? command Displays all Debug Tool commands in the Log window.
ALLOCATE command Allocates a file to an existing data set, a concatenation of existing data sets, or a temporary data set.
ANALYZE command (PL/I) Displays the process of evaluating an expression and the data attributes of any intermediate results.
Assignment command (assembler and disassembly) Assigns the value of an expression to a specified storage location or register.
Assignment command (LangX COBOL) Assigns the value of an expression to a specified reference.
Assignment command (PL/I) Assigns the value of an expression to a specified reference.
AT command Defines a breakpoint (gives control of your program to Debug Tool under the specified circumstances).
BEGIN command BEGIN and END delimit a sequence of one or more commands to form one longer command.
block command (C and C++) Allows you to group any number of Debug Tool commands into one command.
break command (C and C++) Allows you to terminate and exit a loop (that is, do, for, and while) or switch command from any point other than the logical end.
CALL command The CALL command calls either a procedure, entry name, or program name, or it requests that a utility function be run.
CC command Controls whether code coverage data is collected.
CLEAR command Removes the actions of previously issued Debug Tool commands (such as breakpoints).
COMMENT command Used to insert commentary into the session log.
COMPUTE command (COBOL) Assigns the value of an arithmetic expression to a specified reference.
CURSOR command (full-screen mode) Moves the cursor between the last saved position on the Debug Tool session panel (excluding the header fields) and the command line.
Declarations (assembler, disassembly, and LangX COBOL) Declares session variables that are effective during a Debug Tool session.
Declarations (C and C++) Declares session variables and tags that are effective during a Debug Tool session.
Declarations (COBOL) Declares session variables that are effective during a Debug Tool session.
DECLARE command (PL/I) Declares session variables that are effective during a Debug Tool session.
DESCRIBE command Displays the attributes of references, compile units, and the execution environment.
DISABLE command Makes the AT breakpoint inoperative, but does not clear it; you can ENABLE it later without typing the entire command again.
do/while command (C and C++) Performs a command before evaluating the test expression.
DO command (PL/I) Allows one or more commands to be collected into a group which can (optionally) be run repeatedly.
ENABLE command Makes AT breakpoints operative after they have been disabled by the DISABLE command.
EVALUATE command (COBOL) Provides a shorthand notation for a series of nested IF statements.
Expression command (C and C++) Evaluates the given expression which can be used to either assign a value to a variable or to call a function.
FIND command Provides full-screen and line mode searching of source and listing files, and full-screen searching of Log and Monitor windows.
FINDBP command Provides full-screen searching of the source for line, statement, and offset breakpoints.
for command (C and C++) Provides iterative looping.
FREE command Frees (deallocates) an allocated file.
GO command Causes Debug Tool to start or resume running your program.
GOTO command Causes Debug Tool to resume program execution at the specified statement id.
GOTO LABEL command Causes Debug Tool to resume running program at the specified statement label.
%IF command (programming language neutral) Lets you conditionally perform a command; use this syntax if you are constructing a command that might run in different programming languages.
IF command (assembler, disassembly, and LangX COBOL) Lets you conditionally perform a command.
if command (C and C++) Lets you conditionally perform a command.
IF command (COBOL) Lets you conditionally perform a command.
IF command (PL/I) Lets you conditionally perform a command.
IMMEDIATE command (full-screen mode) Causes a command within a command list to be performed immediately. For use with commands assigned to a PF key.
INPUT command (C, C++, and COBOL) Provides input for an intercepted read and is valid only when there is a read pending for an intercepted file.
JUMPTO command Jumps to the specified statement and then stops the program at that statement.
LIST command Displays information about your Debug Tool session.
LOAD command Specifies that the named module should be loaded for debugging purposes.
LOADDEBUGDATA command Specifies that a compile unit (CU) as an assembler CU and loads debug data.
MEMORY command Identifies an address in memory to display in the Memory window.
MONITOR command Defines or redefines a command whose output is displayed in the Monitor window (full-screen mode), terminal output (line mode), or log file (batch mode).
MOVE command (COBOL) Transfers data from one area of storage to another.
NAMES command Specify names of load modules or compile units to debug or ignore, and display the current setting of the NAMES command.
Null command A semicolon written where a command is expected.
ON command (PL/I) Establishes the actions to be executed when the specified PL/I condition is raised.
PANEL command (full-screen mode) Displays special panels (for example, to customize your full-screen session).
PERFORM command (COBOL) Identifies a series of commands to be run. The series of commands can be run repeatedly, if you use the UNTIL keyword of the command.
PLAYBACK commands Commands to start and stop recording application execution states and replay the recorded execution states.
POPUP command Displays the Command pop-up window, where you type in commands.
POSITION command Positions the cursor to a specific line in the specified window.
Prefix commands (full-screen mode) Apply only to source listing lines and are typed into the Source window.
PROCEDURE command Allows the definition of a group of commands that can be accessed using the CALL procedure command.
QUALIFY RESET command Resets qualification to the block of the suspended program and scrolls the Source window to display the current statement line.
QUERY command Displays the current value of Debug Tool settings (such as the current location in the suspended program).
QUIT command Ends a Debug Tool session (with a return code, if specified).
QQUIT command Ends a Debug Tool session (without additional prompting)
RETRIEVE command (full-screen mode) Displays the last command entered on the command line.
RESTORE command Enables explicit restoring of settings, breakpoints, and monitor specifications.
RUN command Causes Debug Tool to start or resume running your program.
RUNTO command Causes Debug Tool to run your program to a specific point (without setting a breakpoint)
SCROLL command (full-screen mode) Provides horizontal and vertical scrolling in full-screen mode.
SELECT command (PL/I) Chooses one of a set of alternate commands.
SET command Controls various Debug Tool settings.
SET command (COBOL) Assigns a value to a COBOL reference.
SHOW prefix command (full-screen mode) Specifies what relative statement (for C) or relative verb (for COBOL) within the line is to have its frequency count temporarily shown in the suffix area.
STEP command Causes Debug Tool to dynamically step through a program, running one or more program statements.
STORAGE command Enables you to alter up to eight bytes of storage.
switch command (C and C++) Enables you to transfer control to different commands within the switch body, depending on the value of the switch expression.
SYSTEM command (z/OS) Lets you issue TSO commands during a Debug Tool session.
TRIGGER command Raises the specified AT condition in Debug Tool, or raises the specified programming language condition in your program.
TSO command (z/OS) Lets you issue TSO commands during a Debug Tool session (this command is valid only in a TSO environment).
USE command Causes the Debug Tool commands in the specified file or data set to be either performed or syntax checked.
while command (C and C++) Enables you to repeatedly perform the body of a loop until the specified condition is no longer met or evaluates to false
WINDOW command (full-screen mode) Opens, close, resizes, or expands to full screen (zooms) the specified window on the Debug Tool session panel.

Refer to the following topics for more information related to the material discussed in this topic.