This section describes the direct commands the debugger provides for controlling the program flow during a debugging session. For a summary of all commands available with the debugger, refer to Command Summary and Syntax.
The commands listed below only apply when the debugger interrupts program execution.
This command can only be used when a Natural object has been interrupted within a processing loop.
When you enter this command, the interrupted Natural object will be continued with the first statement following the processing loop.
Note
This command can be disallowed by Natural Security as described in Components of an Environment
Profile in the Natural Security
documentation.
When you enter this command, processing of the interrupted Natural object will be stopped
and processing will continue with the object from which the interrupted Natural object was
invoked; it will continue with the statement following the corresponding
CALLNAT, PERFORM or FETCH RETURN statement.
If you apply the command ESCAPE ROUTINE to a main program,
Natural ends the program and returns to the command mode.
Note
This command can be disallowed by Natural Security as described in Components of an Environment
Profile in the Natural Security
documentation.
If you are displaying the Debug Main Menu and want to invoke the
exit function, choose PF3 (Exit) or enter the execution control command
EXIT, the debugger returns either to the calling program
(that is, to the interrupted Natural object which is then continued) or to a command
prompt, if the debugger has been invoked with the direct command
TEST, or to the corresponding input field if it has been
invoked by the terminal command %<TEST. However, if a
breakpoint or watchpoint is currently active, the next command of this breakpoint or
watchpoint is executed.
If you are not in the Debug Main Menu and enter the direct command
EXIT or choose PF3 (Exit), you leave the current
function and return to the previous step of your debugging session.
When you enter the direct command GO (or choose
PF14), the debugger returns control to the execution of the interrupted
Natural object. If a breakpoint or watchpoint was active at the time the Natural object
was interrupted, the remaining commands of this break or watchpoint are not
executed.
When you enter the direct command NEXT (or choose
PF13), the next command specified for a breakpoint or watchpoint is executed.
If no further command has been specified, program execution continues.
When you enter the direct command RUN, test mode is switched
off and program execution continues, without investigating any further breakpoints and
watchpoints.
When you enter the direct command STEP, an interrupted Natural
object is continued for n executable statement. The default
value for n is 1.
When you enter the direct command STEP SKIPSUBLEVEL upon a
statement which invokes another object (for example, CALLNAT), processing is
continued with the next executable statement in the current object instead of the first
executed statement in the invoked object).
If this command is applied to a statement that does not invoke another object, the
debugger reacts as if the command STEP had been entered.
With the command STEP SKIPSUBLEVEL, you can specify a superior
level number n. Step mode then continues within the next object
at the specified level. For example: If you enter STEP SKIPSUBLEVEL
2 in an object at level 4, you continue step mode in the object at level
2.
Object level information can be obtained with the command OBJCHAIN as described in the section
Navigation and Information Commands.
When you enter the direct command STOP, both the debugger and
any interrupted Natural object are terminated.
Note
This command can be disallowed by Natural Security as described in Components of an Environment
Profile in the Natural Security
documentation.
