z/OS Debugger runtime options

This topic describes the runtime options that you can use to control the operation of z/OS® Debugger.

"Table 10" in the IBM® z/OS Debugger User's Guide describes most of the methods you can use to specify the TEST runtime options. Use that table with the information in the topic "Planning your debug session" in IBM z/OS Debugger User's Guide to select the method that works best for your site.

Some methods use the standard Language Environment® runtime options. Other methods use z/OS Debugger keyword options with the same syntax and semantics as the corresponding Language Environment option. In all cases, you can omit these options if the default values are acceptable.

When you specify runtime options for a Language Environment program, they are handled by Language Environment and the following rules apply:

  • You can mix them with other Language Environment runtime options in any order.
  • Separate them with either blanks or commas.
  • Separate all runtime options from user-program options with a slash ('/').
  • The placement of these options (before or after the slash) depends on the programming language of the MAIN routine.

When you specify runtime options for a non-Language Environment program by using EQANMDBG under z/OS batch or TSO, z/OS Debugger processes the options and the following rules apply:

  • You must specify the name of the program to be debugged as the first parameter; this is a positional parameter.
  • Specify the runtime options in any order following the name of the program to be debugged.
  • Separate all options with commas.
  • Separate the runtime options from user-program options with a slash ('/'). If you do not specify any runtime options, the slash follows the name of the program.
  • Specify any parameters to the user-program after the slash.
  • If no user-program parameters are required, you can omit the slash.

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

  • Related tasks
  • "Planning your debug session" in IBM z/OS Debugger User's Guide
  • Related references
  • z/OS Language Environment Programming Reference