Debugging tips for Functional

Consultants

Prepared by : Koteswar Rao Arvapally

Date : 10th July, 2006
 Contents

 Ways of triggering Debugging

 Components of Debugging
 Tips for Debugging
 Topic 1: Ways of triggering Debugging:
There are two ways to start debugging.

• Using ‘/h’ in command prompt:

This method is useful when you want to inspect

all program events. For this you need to go to the
initial screen of the transaction( if it is a report,
go to SE38; or if it is a transaction, go to
corresponding transaction.) And in the command
prompt, give /H and click on ‘Enter’.
• Putting a break point at a required position in
the corresponding program:

This method is used when you want to

investigate a particular block of code. If you know
those subroutine or statement details, you can go
to SE38, enter the program name you want to
debug in the area meant for program name, enter
into the program in display mode by clicking on
the ‘Display’ button and put a breakpoint there.
Then click on execute button (Functional Key:
F8)
 Screens of ‘/h’ Debugging :
This is for ‘/h’ debugging. As mentioned in the previous slides, enter the
program name you want to debug as step1, enter /h (case insensitive) in the
command line and click on execute button as 3rd step as shown in the below
screen.
 Screens of ‘/h’ Debugging :
Debugging will be started right from the processing of selection screen as shown
in the below screen.
Screens for Debugging with Break-point :

In this example, a program ZYUGA1 from Satyam

IDES is taken. Let us suppose, in this program we
want to investigate a particular subroutine called
‘PERFORM f_get_trans_type_indicator’.
Following screens will show how to set a break point
at that position and how to enter into debug mode.
 Screens for Debugging with Break-point :
As mentioned in the previous slides, for this go to SE38 transaction. Enter the
program name against the title ‘Program’ and click on the ‘Display’ button.
Screens of Break-point Debugging :
Then you will go to the second screen. In this screen, put the cursor where you
want to set the break point. Now click on the ‘Set/delete Break Point’ button as
shown below.
Screens of Break-point Debugging :
If break point is successfully set, you will get the following yellow shade.
Topic 2: Components of Debugging

There are different components available in

debugging. They are:
1. Step Into ( Function Key F5)
2. Execute ( Function Key F6)
3. Step Out ( Function Key F7)
4. Run ( Function Key F8)
Functionality of Functional Keys:
F5 Key: If you want to debug the program statement by Statement, you need to
use this button.

F6 Key: If you want to skip a particular subroutine, you can use this button. In
case you are in the initial lines of the program of if you are already in the
subroutine, then this works same as F5 button.

F7 Key: Already if you are in a subroutine and you want to come out of the
subroutine by skipping all the remaining statements or if you want to go the next
break-point, you can click on this button.

F8 Key : If you want to directly execute the program without investigating any
more or if you want to go to next breakpoint position, you can click on this
button.
You can find the above
mentioned Function Keys
in two ways as shown in the
screens here.
First way is through Menu,
secondly on tool bar.
Conventionally we operate
using the buttons shown in
the second screen and using
Functional keys
F5,F6,F7,F8. Menu is used
to get the result as well as to
come out of debugging
abruptly. These two
activities are achieved by
menu items Debugging
Off, Restart respectively.
 Topic 3: Tips for Debugging
 Accurate use of F6 and F7 buttons minimizes the debugging time and efforts.

 If you are not required to investigate a particular subroutine, click on F6. If you
would have entered into that subroutine by mistake, click F7 to come out of
subroutine.

 If you want to see the contents of a particular field or an internal table or a

structure, double click on those components (field/internal table/structure). Then
the contents of the them will be copied in the editable area which could be found
at the bottom of the debugging area.

 If you want to see fields values, you need to select ‘Fields’ button found on the
top of debugging area and click on the fields you want to see the values of.

 If you want to see internal table contents click on the ‘Tables’ button found above
on the debugging area and click on the internal table you want to see the values of
.
Field values can be seen as shown in the following screen:
Contents of internal table can be seen as shown in the following screen.
Structure values can be seen as shown below.
V.Imp tip :Some times you need to check for a particular value of a field, which is
not available in the program. In that case we can modify the field value
dynamically with required value and test with that value.
 For example in our case, wa_anekpv-bwasl’s value is 100 and we want to
check for the value 500. Following screen shots will depict how to achieve
this. In the following screen, the original value 100 is being shown.
Following screen shows how to modify this value to 500
This involves 2 steps. First of all modify the value to 500 and click on the save
button (Pencil button ) shown beside the value. Then value will be saved.
Another Imp. Tip: Setting up Watch Point

Some times you may need to stop the process for a particular value
of a particular field. For example you have 1000 records, and you
want to do some investigation for a particular record. For example
in that record, for a particular field’s particular value. In this case
there is an option called ‘Watch Point’. Lets see how to create a
watch point and how to stop the process for that field value.
In this first screen we can see a push button on the top of debugging area called
‘WatchPoint’. Please click on that push button to create a watch point.
By clicking on the ‘WatchPoint’ push button you will get a pop-up like the following. In the
‘Field Name’ area you need to mention the field name for which you to set the watch
point. In the ‘Relational Operator’ area, F4 functionality is given. You can select any of
the operators like =, =>,<=, <> etc. And in ‘Comp. field/ value’ you need to mention
the value for which processing should be halted. Then click on Enter and click on
Execute. Process will be halted at that particular value of that particular field.
 There are so many such options such as break point at
a particular statement, a function module, a subroutine
etc….; displaying all the breakpoints, deleting all the
breakpoints. All these options are useful also for
functional consultants.

 Please explore the Menu options for more

options……. and Happy debugging.
Thank you……

Koteswar.