Debugging a COBOL Program > Debugger Features

Breakpoint

A breakpoint is a marker at which the debugger stops in the program. The debugger stops execution at each breakpoint encountered during program execution. The corresponding thread stops temporarily to enable referencing of the thread stack and the contents of variables at that moment.
In addition, Step Over or Step Into can be used to check program execution step by step, starting from a breakpoint.

+To add or delete a breakpoint

You can add a breakpoint to a file by using the following procedure:

1. Using the editor, open the file.
2. Selecting [Add Breakpoint] from the context menu on the marker bar adds a breakpoint to the left side of the current line.
3. A breakpoint mark appears on the marker bar, and a breakpoint is displayed on the list in the Breakpoint view.

Alternatively, you can double-click the marker bar to set a breakpoint.

Not only can a breakpoint be deleted using the marker bar in the editor area but it can also be deleted from the Breakpoint view according to the following procedure:

1. Select the breakpoint from the Breakpoint view.
2. Select [Remove Breakpoint] from the context menu.

You can open Breakpoint Properties either from the marker bar or a breakpoint, and Breakpoint Properties allows you to enable or disable the breakpoint or specify a hit count.

+Breakpoint Persistence

Breakpoints that are set are stored through multiple sessions. All breakpoints in a file are saved when the file is closed. The next time the file is opened, the previously set breakpoints are displayed.