Re: debugging

[leif@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

 > If you use QPRCRTPG, be aware that symbols starting with periods don't get
 > added to the OPM symbol table.  You won't be able to reference them during
 > debugging with DSPPGMVAR!  Furthermore, symbols with embedded periods do
 > get added to the OPM symbol table, but a quirk in DSPPGMVAR can't find
 > them, either.  So I avoid periods in MI symbols altogether.  How does Leif
 > debug with all his periods?

Gene,

You are quite correct about the periods. I use periods (points) to designate
that the variable is a pointer. Other people use @ or # or (Tim) P# instead,
or simply don't care. This may be personal choice, but I have found that
anything but a point, tends to stand out to strongly. What I mean is that
I prefer to READ the code as if it were text. The @, #, P# (or the like)
stand out too strongly and interfere with the reading. Points (or nothing)
are just weak enough that I don't see them unless I want to.

As for debugging, MI is so easy to use and can read so well that I
hardly ever use the debugger. In rare cases, I'll insert a BRK point
at a given place to verify that I get there. Often a pointer points to
a data structure, as in:
DCL SPCPTR .DATA INIT(DATA);
DCL DD DATA CHAR(100);

If need be I can look at DATA directly with the debugger, but, as I said
I don't use the debugger to verify that my program works, in ANY
language. One of the worst use of a debugger is the single-step
through sections of code. Use your gray cells between your ears
instead. (Please, I don't want to start a religious war about debugger)

Leif






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