Re: Problems debugging with RDi SEP - breakpoints have noeffect

Thanks, Mike.

In my case the problem seems to occur when the job on the IBM i side abends during a debug session and, for whatever reason, the debugger fails to notice it. I was advised by IBM to end all the debug sessions to remedy this, but subsequent attempts to debug another job in the same RDi session may or may not be successful. Often the subsequent job which should have invoked an SEP breakpoint runs to end of job without the debugger ever noticing.

Note that the above occurs without having closed RDi.

My colleagues here have experienced similar problems to the point where they prefer to use the Java debugger or the green screen debugger instead of RDi. The RDi debugger with SEP is great when it works. It's my go to debugger unless it's critical that the debugger gets control. Been burned too many times.

Cheers,
Lorne.
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-----Original Message-----
From: WDSCI-L [mailto:wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mike Hockings
Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2017 8:39 PM
To: Rational Developer for IBM i / Websphere Development Studio Client for System i & iSeries <wdsci-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [WDSCI-L] Problems debugging with RDi SEP - breakpoints have noeffect


Just some random comments related to this thread..

For the "ERROR decoding EStdString" I think that generally comes from an exception to the readErrString() on the debug connection (no I don't have the code). Currently there are two APARs open for this, one against the IBM i debugger (SE66930) that won't get fixed until near the end of the year I think and another one for RDI (SE67027). From what I recall they are both edge conditions that most folks should not hit.

In a suitably vague kind of way think of the SEP being set to connect the current job running for RDI (i.e., the IBM i side manifestation of the
workspace) with the Service Entry Breakpoint. So if you disconnect (close) the workspace from the IBM i the job goes away and your SEP is gone, or at least no longer associated with the current workspace. In other words when you restart RDI your SEP will be gone.

Closing RDI (or any Eclipse-based application) can lead to bad results.
Some settings may be saved some not, some partially which leads to a corrupted, and often non-functional workspace. I do realize that sometimes things end unexpectedly, the power goes out or whatever but other than that I would highly recommend shutting down apps cleanly for maximal happiness.

All just my opinion ya know - in case someone takes this seriously ...

Mike

Mike Hockings, M.Eng., P.Eng.
IBM Rational Developer for System z and Power Systems Software Technical Support IBM Canada Ltd. Laboratory hockings@xxxxxxxxxx