February 20, 2006 - Profound Logic Software today announced the release of a full-featured Visual Debugger for RPG-based Web applications and traditional RPG applications. This new product is the first of its kind and allows developers to edit and debug their applications in the same window. For the first time, developers can set breakpoints and visually step through running applications while reviewing both RPG and HTML code in one view. The debugger is available as part of Profound Logic’s popular Web Development solution RPGsp, or as a stand-alone product.

Debugging is the process of finding bugs by stepping through a running application and evaluating its variables. One of the many things that sets the RPGsp Visual Debugger apart is how fast and easy it is to start debugging, evaluate variables, and find problems in iSeries applications.

For example, to evaluate variables, the developer can simply hover the mouse over any scalar variable in the editor, and its value will display in a tool tip. Variables can also be evaluated by pressing a function key. The RPGsp Visual Debugger mimics the functionality of green-screen debugger (STRDBG) function keys to make for an easier transition. There is also an Evaluate Window, which allows developers to display the contents of entire data structures, arrays, or complex expressions. Another way to view evaluate variables is to use the Variables Snapshot Window. The Variables Snapshot Window presents all program variables and their values in a convenient tree structure. Arrays and data structures can be expanded to view the individual elements and subfields. Each time the developer takes a step through the application, the Variables Snapshot Window is refreshed with the new values.

Using the Variables Snap Shot Window while stepping through an application.

Starting debug is just as easy. With the click of a mouse, it’s started. The Visual Debugger offers transparent debugging capabilities, which eliminates the need to manually identify the Apache Web Server job and use the STRSRVJOB command to service it. The job is automatically found by the debugger when you start it. No other iSeries debugger makes it this easy to start debugging Web applications.

“The typical iSeries developer today uses a debugger only as a last resort. It takes too many steps to get going, especially for Web applications. With the RPGsp Visual Debugger, you can start debugging and fix your problem faster than it takes to launch a traditional debugger”, said Alex Roytman, Profound Logic’s Chief Technical Officer.

The RPGsp Visual Debugger can also be started in the middle of a running program. Let’s say a batch job has gone out of control, and you’d like to stop it to see what’s happening. Traditional debugging tools do not offer this capability, but with the RPGsp Visual Debugger, you can actually pause the process and step through the application.

Another first in iSeries debugging is RPGsp’s Back-in-Time capability. As applications grow larger and more complex, spotting bugs becomes increasingly difficult. RPGsp’s Back-in-Time capability allows developers to actually step backward through the application to view variables at earlier stages of execution. Imagine debugging a large application. You’re stepping through it and you come across an error. If only you could go back in time and look at the events leading up to the error. With RPGsp’s Back-in-Time capability, you can! Feel free to reverse the clock and step backwards through your application. RPGsp has recorded a history of each step you have made. When you step back you will be reviewing the application’s execution history. When you step forward, you are executing the application in real-time.

The RPGsp Visual Debugger is also the easiest debugger to install and setup. The install process is automated and takes only a few minutes. There are no debug servers to configure, or service jobs to contend with. The debugger is job-transparent, and will activate for any running instance of the application being tested. Since it doesn’t rely on communications with a debug server, it works equally fast over a remote connection as it does on a local machine.

The Visual Debugger for RPGsp is included with RPGsp version 5.3, which is currently available.

A fully functional trial of RPGsp is available for download at http://www.RPGsp.com.

For more information, contact:

Profound Logic Software, Inc.
370 Sentinel Oak Drive, Suite 200
Dayton, OH 45458
(937) 439-7925 phone
(877) 224-7768 toll free
sales@profoundlogic.com

 

About Profound Logic Software, Inc.

Profound Logic Software is a leading provider of application development tools for the iSeries (AS/400) platform. Established in 1999, Profound Logic started creating innovative programming tools that streamline the application development process. Profound Logic has also focused on providing excellent customer service to its clients. Today, Profound Logic Software enjoys thousands of software users in more than 50 different countries. Profound Logic offers its software along with related training, consulting, and support services.

About RPG Smart Pages (RPGsp)

RPGsp (http://www.RPGsp.com) is the first Rapid Web Development Environment based on native ILE RPG. By integrating RPG business logic in an HTML interface, an RPG developer can produce powerful business applications faster than ever before. RPGsp is analogous to web technologies such as ASP or JSP, apart from the fact that all host logic is written exclusively in RPG, the most natural and efficient language for accessing data on the iSeries. Designed specifically for RPG developers, RPGsp is the perfect tool for creating graphical intranet-based iSeries Applications or for deploying Web Applications.