Chapter 15: Debugging the Server Program

Overview

In theory, the server program that operates your WebFaced user interface should provide the results you expect. However, you might need to debug this program to investigate how it runs the application and why the WebFacing run-time environment does not exactly mimic 5250 behavior and results. In doing so, you will discover what values are returned from the workstation file, which indicators are on or off, and which path in your program is executed.

You could use a green-screen debugger to debug the program in the server job, but the Development Studio Client workbench comes with a built-in debugger more suited to your workstation environment.

The Version 5.0 and Version 4.0 debuggers for Development Studio Client are quite different, so I have split this exercise into two parts for the two versions. The Version 5.0 debugger is easier to use because it is fully integrated into the Eclipse workbench. Version 4.0 users, however, do not worry. The debugger you will use works as well; it just needs to be launched as a separate tool.

I also added a section on how to use Service Entry Points for Development Studio Client Version 5.0.1 users, who are connected to an iSeries server with OS/400 V5R2.