Breakpoint Manager

This window lists every breakpoint currently defined for the active kernel and lets you create, edit, enable, disable and delete them from a single place. It complements the breakpoints you can set directly in the Source window: source-line breakpoints created from the Source window appear here as well, and any change you make in the Breakpoint Manager is reflected back in the Source window margin.

Most breakpoint operations are only allowed while processing is idle (stopped or paused). The toolbar buttons are automatically disabled while a kernel is running.

The breakpoint list

Each breakpoint is shown on one row with the following columns:

  • Type — a short code identifying the kind of breakpoint (for example ISN, CLN, VAR, DIAGSEV). A small icon to the left of the type shows whether the breakpoint is currently enabled or disabled.

  • Value — the value the breakpoint matches, such as a sequence number, a record class, a variable name or an identifier. This column is editable for the breakpoint types that take a value.

  • Hit Count — the number of times the breakpoint has been reached during the current run.

  • Description — a readable summary of what the breakpoint matches.

Click a column header to sort the list by that column; click the same header again to reverse the sort order.

Toolbar buttons

  • New — adds a new breakpoint. Click the button (or its drop-down arrow) to display a menu of the breakpoint types available for the current mode (see below). Selecting a type adds a row to the list and immediately puts its Value cell into edit mode so you can enter the value.

  • Toggle Selected — enables or disables the selected breakpoints. If the selection contains a mix of enabled and disabled breakpoints, they are all switched to the same state. This button is available only when at least one breakpoint is selected.

  • Delete Selected — removes the selected breakpoints. This button is available only when at least one breakpoint is selected.

Enabling, disabling and editing

  • Click the icon at the left of a row to toggle that single breakpoint between enabled and disabled. A disabled breakpoint is kept in the list but is ignored during processing.

  • Double-click the Value cell to edit a breakpoint. Depending on the breakpoint type you will either type the value in a text box or pick it from a drop-down list (for example a list of variables, controller identifiers or diagnostic messages). The new value is validated before it is applied; if it is not valid the breakpoint is left unchanged.

Breakpoint types

The breakpoint types offered by the New menu depend on the run mode. Some types are only available when the matching feature is active — for example the virtual-machine event breakpoints are listed only when simulation is enabled, and the variable-tracing types are hidden in restricted/dedicated configurations.

Post-processor (GENER) mode

  • Internal Sequence Number (ISN) — break when the given internal sequence number is reached.

  • Tape Sequence Number (SEQNO) — break when the given output tape sequence number is reached.

  • CL Record Class (REC) — break on the next CL record of the given class. The value may be entered as a class:subclass pair or as a CL major word, which is converted to its class and subclass.

  • Generated Record Class (GEN) — break on the next generated (output) record of the given class, entered the same way as a CL record class.

  • Local / Object / Global / System Variable Tracing — break whenever the value of the named variable changes. The four entries restrict the choice to variables of the corresponding scope.

  • Diagnostic Number — break when a diagnostic with the given message number is issued. The value is chosen from the list of known diagnostic messages.

  • Diagnostic Severity — break when a diagnostic whose severity meets the given threshold (0–99) is issued.

  • VM Collision Event — break when the virtual machine reports a collision. (Simulation modes only.)

  • VM Over-travel Event — break when the virtual machine reports an axis over-travel. (Simulation modes only.)

Control Emulator (CERUN) mode

  • Code Identifier (CODE) — break when the selected controller CODE register is executed.

  • Data Identifier (DATA) — break when the selected controller DATA register is used.

  • Local / Object / Global / System Variable Tracing, Diagnostic Number, Diagnostic Severity, VM Collision Event and VM Over-travel Event behave the same as in post-processor mode.

Source-line breakpoints

Breakpoints set on a source line from the Source window also appear in the list (shown as CLN for the post-processor or MCD for the Control Emulator). They can be enabled, disabled, edited and deleted from the Breakpoint Manager, but new source-line breakpoints are created from the Source window rather than from the New menu.

Persistence

Breakpoints are saved automatically with your other user settings, so the breakpoints you define are restored the next time you run the same job. When you change the active debug kernel, the list is refreshed to show the breakpoints belonging to that kernel.