Tips: Visual Studio IDE Equivalents to IDE Features in Net Express

The following table shows Net Express IDE features and their corresponding equivalents and locations in Visual Studio.

Functionality In Net Express In Visual COBOL for Visual Studio
Project Control
Project filename *.APP *.cblproj
Add file to project To create a new file from the supported types in the project directory, click File > New, specify the type of file to create, and click OK. Click Project > Add Files to Project to add existing files to the project. Right-click the project in Solution Explorer. Choose Add > New Item to create a new file from the supported types in the project directory. To add an existing file, choose Add > Existing Item and browse to the location of the file to select it. This adds a link in the project to the file but does not copy it in the project directory. To add existing COBOL files, choose Add Existing COBOL Items.
Copybook path Click Project > Properties, then click IDE and specify the COBCPY environment variable. Click Project > projectProperties and select the Copybook Paths tab.
Build settings for the project:
  • COBOL
  • Preprocessor
  • Additional Directive
ALT+F7 or click Project > Build Settings and select the corresponding tab Click Project > project Properties, go to the COBOL tab and choose a configuration in the Configuration field. To create a new build configuration or to edit one, click Build > Configuration Manager.
Execution environment settings:
  • General
  • COBOL
The execution environment is Micro Focus Server The execution environment is COBOL Server.
Debug settings:
  • DateWarp
  • Stored Procedures
Click Debug > DateWarp Specify debug settings in the project's properties - click Project > project Properties and click the Debug tab.
Editing
Suggest Word/Content Assist CTRL+G Press CTRL+Space or, if specified in the IDE options, IntelliSense suggestions are displayed automatically as you type.
Locate F12 (or context menu Locate) F12
COBOL Find CTRL+Shift+F12 (or context menu COBOL Find) Shift+F12
Compress Tool bar compress Tool Bar Compress (or context menu Compress) Check the Breakpoints window (click Debug > Windows > Breakpoints) to see a list of all breakpoints.
Bookmark CTRL+F2 CTRL+B, T
Compiling
Single file Compile CTRL+F7 (or click check markCheck Mark) In Solution Explorer, right-click the file you want to compile and click Compile.
Note: This applies to native code only.
Build F7 (or click buildBuild) F6
Build All ALT+B A Click Build > Build <project>.
Debugging
Start Debugging Alt+D A Choose Debug > Start Debugging or press F5.
Stop Debugging Shift+F5 Choose Debug > Stop Debugging.
Restart Debugging Ctrl+Shift+F5 Choose Debug > Restart.
Run F5 F5
Step F11 (or click stepStep) F11
Step All Ctrl+F5 No IDE equivalent. Keep pressing F11 to continue stepping through the code.
Run Thru Run > Run Thru Click Debug > Step Over.
Run Return Run > Run Return Click Debug > Step Out.
Run to Cursor Shift+F10 (or context menu) While debugging, choose Run To Cursor from the editor context menu or press Ctrl+F10.
Skip to Cursor CTRL+Shift+F10 No IDE equivalent. You can use Set Next Statement from the context menu.
Skip Statement Debug > Skip Statement F10 or Debug > Step Over
Skip Return Debug > Skip Return No IDE equivalent. You can use Set Next Statement from the context menu.
Examine data item' Shift+F9 Shift+F9
Breakpoint set F9 Double-click in the left margin of editor next to the a line of code, or right-click the line and choose Breakpoint > Insert Breakpoint, or press F9.
Conditional Breakpoint Click Debug > Breakpoint > Set Advanced. Right-click a breakpoint in the editor or in the Breakpoints window and click Condition.
Break on Data Change Via list view You can break on data change in native COBOL projects, by right-clicking and choosing Add COBOL Watchpoint.
Attach to Process Click Debug > Debug settings and enable Attach to running process Click Debug > Attach to Process, or Ctrl+Alt+P.
Just-In-Time Debugging Select Just-In-Time Debugging from the Error Handling list Click Tools > Options > Debugging > Just-In-Time Debugging, and check Micro Focus Native Debugger.
Note: This applies to native code only.