Techsys Mainframe Blog

One of the really bad things about working for commercial software vendors, and perhaps the only bad thing, is their lack of budget for software tool. Perhaps that is the reason I have learned so many lessons the hard way, and have a better understanding of my surroundings... 
 
As promised, as part of this audience participation exercise, I said I would furnish my list of debugging tools that I had worked with (in the order of usage): 
 
1) In the old days, the only debug tool available was the TSO "TEST" command. This one makes today's crudest debuggers look great. Just for fun, I tried this one today on my z/OS 1.10 system and it still works. It is good for debugging a batch ALC program, but has no ability to stop at statement numbers in a program, just offsets. This is one to avoid, but you can find it on an z/OS system (at least for now) and it's FREE. 
 
2) Intertest (Computer Associates) - for CICS applications, this one is my personal favorite. As a systems programmer it was fairly easy to comfigure. As an applications programmer, it was easy to maneuver around in. Works well in ALC, COBOL, or C programs. It does get a bit lost if you are using non-standard branching in & out of programs. Carries a high price tag if only a few people are using it. 
 
3) Xpediter (Compuware) - A close 2nd favorite, Xpediter works great in CICS also. The difference in Xpediter it that it has features for DB2, IMS, TSO, & works on virtually any z/OS based application. Although they have had issues with C++ in the past few years, I understand those are fixed. A hefty price tag on this one also. 
 
4) Worth mentioning, but nothing fancy, dbg is included on the Unix Systems Services (USS) side of z/OS. Again this one is free, but it's command line interface is a lot of work. People familiar with UNIX say it works as well on z/OS as any other UNIX platform. 
 
5) z/XDC (Cole Software) - I have heard so many good things about this debugger. A few years back, I trialed it for a customer and I loved it. Unfortunately one of the products above won out, but only because the salesman had a bigger golfing budget. This one is a much better bargain and the people at Cole seemed like they were much more knowledgeable when I have had occasion to speak with them. 
 
Please share your experiences also...

Hi, Ralph. You asked for feedback on debugging tools. I've used IBM debug (DTCN) for both online and batch debugging recently. It isn't so easy to use--tough to set up for batch and has limited functionality in batch. It was impossible to use debug if the batch program had IMS in it. It works better in CICS and has more functionality, but I still wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Sometimes both batch and CICS programs that worked fine without DTCN would hang up in DTCN, and even occasionally bring down the region. Sometimes a program running in DTCN in CICS would consume enormous amounts of storage, which wouldn't occur if it was run without DTCN. However, it's useful on occasion and certainly better than nothing. I prefer using Xpediter or Intertest when they are available.

When I used to write COBOL code many years ago, and then when I supported those who did, I thought Xpediter was an excellent tool ... and it is still used by the developers at my "day job".  
 
However I'd love feedback on how such 3270-based tools compare (or indeed if they can be used, or have been extended to work with) newer development toolsets. In particular I'm interested in the experiences of those using Rational Developer for zSeries for COBOL development targetting IMS/DB, IMS/TM and DB2 for z/OS.

Working for a small ISV, there is not much budget for debugging tools. 
 
I've had a trial of Cole's z/XDC and it is great, especially when most of our software is written in HLAL. 
 
I have used the CEMT transaction extensively to debug CICS applications. 
 
During developoment of z/OS subsystem code and JES2 exits I force an 0C1 abend, capture a SYSMDUMP and use IPCS to debug. This gives you all registers, control blocks, etc. 
 
The challenge is to use the tools you have to their fullest extent.

There is a comparison for the Rational Developer for zSeries (formerly Webshpere Developer for zSeries) versus traditional tools: 
 
<a>http://www.branhamgroup.com/article.php?cat=reports&id=49  
 
There are 2 offerings (versions - one with JAVA support and another for EGL support)

Whenever I think of 'tools' for MVS (ok, z/OS) I usually think first of the old "CBT Mod's tape", now available online for download at http://www.cbttape.org/ 
 
It seems to have fallen by the wayside in the last year or so, but it's an accumulation of tools and documents that used to be driven by contributions from Share attendees. 
 
There are also a large number of links on the above page that will connect you to like-minded sites. 
 
Happy hunting.

Paul, 
 
Thanks for the comment! 
 
You are correct - there are a lot of GREAT tools on the CBT tape. Some, but not all, require an occasional tweak to get working. If anyone is interested in something they find on the tape, and don't have the expertise to modify or support it, please let me know.  
 
RJ