Assembler Applications

Debugging Assembler

Chapter 15: Multiple Assembler Programs

Use Assembler Option to link Assembler programs. You can link them as a single module or separate modules.

You need to have read the chapter Start Here for the Tutorials and worked through the first session, Using Mainframe Express, and the session Assembler Applications, before you do this session.

You need to have installed Assembler Option to do this session. We assume you are familiar with Assembler on a mainframe.

15.1 Overview

This session shows you how to get an application that includes multiple Assembler modules working on your PC.

The demo application used in this session is a simple application that you might have downloaded from a mainframe. In this session, you get it working on your PC. It consists of several Assembler modules, and no COBOL. There is no CLIST file or JCL jobstream - you run it from the command line in a TSO session.

15.2 Preparation

Creating a project for an Assembler application is just the same as for a non-Assembler application. Since this application does not use CICS, IMS or DB2, it is just like in the chapter Using Mainframe Express.

To save you creating the project used in this session, we supply the project amuldemo.mvp.

1. If you have closed Mainframe Express, open it as before. If any project window or other windows are open, close them.

2. Click Open Project on the File menu and open \mfuser\projects\gsdemo\amuldemo\amuldemo.mvp.

15.3 Sample Session

In this session you:

• Modify the build settings
• Build the project
• Run the application

15.3.1 Modifying the Build Settings

Some of the files require linking together while others are single linked:

1. Right-click Mfprog.mlc and click Build Settings for Mfprog.mlc.

2. On the Link page, click the Automatically link module check box to delete the check mark, then click OK.

3. Right-click the remaining .mlc files in the right-hand pane in turn, setting Automatically link module on or off as follows, and then clicking OK:
   
   

   Mfload.mlc	On
   Mfcall.mlc	Off
   Mfacon.mlc	Off

   
   
4. Double-click Mfprog.lin to open a source view window.

   This file ensures that Mfacon.mlc and Mfcall.mlc are linked with Mfprog.mlc.

5. Close the source view window.

15.3.2 Building the Project

To build the project:

1. Click Build on the Build menu.

   As you saw in the chapter Using Mainframe Express, the correct compiler is automatically called for each source file - in this case, for the Assembler source and Assembler link files. The Assembler modules are linked.

   The build finishes with "Build finished with no errors".

15.3.3 Running the Application

Because there is no COBOL in this application, Run and Start Debugging have the same effect.

To run the application:

1. Click Run on the Debug menu.

2. Check Enable Assembler debugging. This causes the Assembler module to be debugged.

3. Click the TSO tab and delete whatever is in the Clist field, so the field is empty, then click OK.

   The Application Output window appears. It is emulating a TSO session, and is waiting for a command.

4. In the TSO emulation window enter call mfprog and press Enter.

   We did not turn off Assembler debugging when we built, so this takes you into the Assembler debugger.

5. Click in the Application Output window, then press N (Next) repeatedly to execute through the various programs.

   Notice how the status line changes to show which program is executing.

6. Press Z (Zoom) to execute without further debugging.

7. When the application pauses, click in the Application Output window and press Enter.

8. Type logoff and press Enter to terminate the TSO session.

15.4 Before Continuing

Hide the Application Output window.

Close the project. If you want to take a break before going on to the next session, you can close Mainframe Express.

Return to the Tutorials Map in the chapter Start Here for the Tutorials and choose which session to go on to next, depending on your interests.

Assembler Applications

Debugging Assembler