COBOL Tutorial

COBOL DEBUG-NAME Clause - Quick Reference

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Overview

The DEBUG-NAME clause is used to define debugging data items that track program names, paragraph names, and other identifiers during program debugging. This clause is part of COBOL's debugging facility and provides essential name tracking for program structure analysis and debugging.

Purpose and Usage

Name tracking - Track program and paragraph names
Identifier monitoring - Monitor program identifiers
Structure analysis - Analyze program structure
Execution context - Understand execution context
Development support - Aid in program development

Name Tracking Concept

Program Execution: [MAIN-PROGRAM] → [PROCESS-DATA] → [VALIDATE-DATA]

DEBUG-NAME: [Current Program/Paragraph Name]

Debugging Info: [PROCESS-DATA: Variable A = 10]

Tracks current program name or paragraph being executed

DEBUG-NAME provides real-time tracking of program names and identifiers.

Syntax

The DEBUG-NAME clause follows specific syntax patterns and is typically used at the 77 level for independent debugging data items.

Basic Syntax

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* Basic DEBUG-NAME clause syntax
77 debug-name-item DEBUG-NAME.
 
* Examples
77 DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME DEBUG-NAME.
77 DEBUG-PROGRAM-NAME DEBUG-NAME.
77 DEBUG-PARAGRAPH-NAME DEBUG-NAME.
 
* Complete example with data description
77 DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(30).
77 DEBUG-PROGRAM-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(20).
77 DEBUG-PARAGRAPH-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(25).
 
* Usage in program
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Display current program/paragraph name
    DISPLAY "Executing: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME
    
    * Store name for later use
    MOVE DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME TO SAVED-NAME
    
    * Check if at specific paragraph
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "PROCESS-DATA"
        DISPLAY "In PROCESS-DATA paragraph"
    END-IF

DEBUG-NAME is typically used at the 77 level for independent debugging items.

Data Type Considerations

Data Type	Size	Use Case
PIC X(20)	20 characters	Short program/paragraph names
PIC X(30)	30 characters	Standard program/paragraph names
PIC X(50)	50 characters	Long program/paragraph names
PIC X(80)	80 characters	Very long identifiers

Debugging Mode Requirements

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* Enabling debugging mode for DEBUG-NAME
* Compiler option
* Example: cobc -fdebug program.cob
 
* Runtime debugging activation
* Set environment variable
* Example: COBOL_DEBUG=1 ./program
 
* Program-level debugging declaration
PROGRAM-ID. DEBUG-PROGRAM.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
    DEBUGGING MODE IS ON.
 
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
77 DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(30).

DEBUG-NAME requires debugging mode to be enabled for name tracking functionality.

Common Use Cases

DEBUG-NAME is commonly used in specific debugging scenarios where name and identifier tracking is needed for program analysis.

Program Structure Tracking

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* Tracking program structure and flow
77 DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(30).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    DISPLAY "Starting program: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME
    
    PERFORM PROCESS-DATA
    DISPLAY "After PROCESS-DATA: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME
    
    PERFORM VALIDATE-DATA
    DISPLAY "After VALIDATE-DATA: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME
    
    PERFORM WRITE-RESULTS
    DISPLAY "After WRITE-RESULTS: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME
    
    DISPLAY "Program completed: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME

Track which parts of the program are being executed.

Paragraph Execution Monitoring

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* Monitoring paragraph execution
77 DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(30).
77 PARAGRAPH-COUNT PIC 9(5) VALUE 0.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Count paragraph executions
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "PROCESS-DATA"
        ADD 1 TO PARAGRAPH-COUNT
        DISPLAY "PROCESS-DATA executed " PARAGRAPH-COUNT " times"
    END-IF
    
    * Monitor specific paragraph
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "VALIDATE-DATA"
        DISPLAY "Entering VALIDATE-DATA paragraph"
        * Add validation debugging logic here
    END-IF
    
    * Track error-prone paragraphs
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "FILE-OPERATIONS"
        DISPLAY "WARNING: Entering FILE-OPERATIONS paragraph"
        * Add extra error checking here
    END-IF

Monitor specific paragraphs and their execution patterns.

Conditional Debugging

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* Conditional debugging based on names
77 DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(30).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    * Only show debugging info for specific paragraphs
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "PROCESS-DATA" OR
       DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "VALIDATE-DATA"
        DISPLAY "Debug info for: " DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME
        DISPLAY "Variable A = " VARIABLE-A
        DISPLAY "Variable B = " VARIABLE-B
    END-IF
    
    * Break execution at specific paragraph
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "CRITICAL-SECTION"
        DISPLAY "Breakpoint reached at CRITICAL-SECTION"
        * Add breakpoint logic here
    END-IF
    
    * Track execution frequency
    IF DEBUG-CURRENT-NAME = "HEAVY-COMPUTATION"
        ADD 1 TO COMPUTATION-COUNT
        DISPLAY "HEAVY-COMPUTATION executed " COMPUTATION-COUNT " times"
    END-IF

Use names to implement conditional debugging logic.

Best Practices and Tips

Following these best practices ensures effective use of the DEBUG-NAME clause for program debugging and name tracking.

DEBUG-NAME Design Principles

Choose appropriate size - Select data type that accommodates your longest names
Use meaningful names - Choose descriptive names for debugging name items
Minimize overhead - Don\'t overuse name tracking to avoid performance impact
Document name patterns - Document which names are important for debugging
Consider production impact - Remember that name tracking can affect performance
Test debugging functionality - Verify that name tracking works correctly

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall	Problem	Solution
Insufficient field size	Names truncated	Choose appropriate PIC size for longest names
Overuse in production	Performance degradation	Use conditional compilation or separate versions
Not enabling debug mode	No name tracking information	Ensure debugging mode is properly enabled
Poor naming conventions	Confusing debugging output	Use clear, descriptive names
Not documenting usage	Difficult to understand name tracking	Document all name tracking items and their purpose

Performance Considerations

Name tracking overhead - DEBUG-NAME adds runtime overhead when active
Memory usage - Name tracking items consume additional memory
I/O impact - Name tracking output may affect I/O performance
Production considerations - Disable name tracking in production environments
Selective tracking - Use conditional logic for selective name tracking
Debugging levels - Consider different levels of name tracking detail

When to Use DEBUG-NAME

Use Case	DEBUG-NAME Suitability	Reasoning
Development debugging	Excellent	Essential for name and structure debugging
Complex program structure	Good	Helps track complex program flow
Paragraph monitoring	Good	Provides paragraph execution tracking
Production monitoring	Poor	Performance impact outweighs benefits
Simple programs	Poor	Unnecessary overhead for simple logic

DEBUG-NAME Clause Quick Reference

Usage	Syntax	Example
Basic name tracking	77 debug-name-item DEBUG-NAME	77 DEBUG-NAME DEBUG-NAME
With data description	77 debug-name-item DEBUG-NAME PIC...	77 DEBUG-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(30)
Multiple name trackers	Multiple 77 items with DEBUG-NAME	77 DEBUG1 DEBUG-NAME 77 DEBUG2 DEBUG-NAME
Short name tracking	77 debug-name-item DEBUG-NAME PIC X(20)	77 DEBUG-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(20)
Long name tracking	77 debug-name-item DEBUG-NAME PIC X(50)	77 DEBUG-NAME DEBUG-NAME PIC X(50)

Test Your Knowledge

1. What is the primary purpose of the DEBUG-NAME clause in COBOL?

To define data types
To track program names and identifiers during debugging
To control file operations
To perform calculations

2. At what level is the DEBUG-NAME clause typically used?

01 level only
88 level only
77 level only
Any level except 01

3. What information does DEBUG-NAME provide during debugging?

Only variable names
Only program flow
Program names, paragraph names, and identifiers
Only error messages

4. When is DEBUG-NAME most useful?

During production runs
During program development and debugging
Only during compilation
Only during program termination

5. How does DEBUG-NAME relate to program debugging?

They are completely independent
DEBUG-NAME provides essential name tracking for debugging
DEBUG-NAME overrides other debugging features
They serve the same purpose

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL DEBUG-NAME Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Name Tracking Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Data Type Considerations

Debugging Mode Requirements

Common Use Cases

Program Structure Tracking

Paragraph Execution Monitoring

Conditional Debugging

Best Practices and Tips

DEBUG-NAME Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use DEBUG-NAME

DEBUG-NAME Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

DEBUG-ITEM Clause

DEBUG-LINE Clause

DEBUGGING MODE

Data Description Entries

Working-Storage Section

Related Pages

COBOL Tutorial

COBOL DEBUG-NAME Clause - Quick Reference

Overview

Purpose and Usage

Name Tracking Concept

Syntax

Basic Syntax

Data Type Considerations

Debugging Mode Requirements

Common Use Cases

Program Structure Tracking

Paragraph Execution Monitoring

Conditional Debugging

Best Practices and Tips

DEBUG-NAME Design Principles

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Performance Considerations

When to Use DEBUG-NAME

DEBUG-NAME Clause Quick Reference

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between DEBUG-NAME and DEBUG-LINE?

Can DEBUG-NAME be used in production programs?

What types of names can DEBUG-NAME track?

What data type should be used for DEBUG-NAME?

Are there performance implications when using DEBUG-NAME?

Related Concepts

DEBUG-ITEM Clause

DEBUG-LINE Clause

DEBUGGING MODE

Data Description Entries

Working-Storage Section

Related Pages