Given a Value, Search which variable has the value -

saurabh39 · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:30 pm

Hi All,

I have been given a problem.

The Problem is, I have a value, and from that value i have to find which variable is having that value.

for example, I have been given a number 134454, and now I am being asked to find out the variable which has that value.

As of now, I am doing hit and trial, but it is very timeconsuming. So just wanted to know, is there any option by which we can trace it.

Please note, we don't have xpeditor, so maximum I can do is, give displays, and then search for value.

Regards,
Tushar

CICS Guy · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:47 pm

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:55 pm

it's not clear what do you want to do? You have posted in Mainframe COBOL part of the Forum but you this statement

saurabh39 · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:04 pm

@Anuj - Let me make more clear.........

In my application, we calculate premium and it comes out to be some value say 134454, now business is saying the value is incorrect and it should be something else. But the tables from which the data is arrived is correct. So the problem is happening in my application.

One way to find, from where the value is coming is by giving displays, and displaying all the numric value, but this is a tedious task, so I want to know, is there any way by which I can know, which variable is having the said value, and then by knowing the variable, I can know, where the wrong computation is happening.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:16 pm

oh, the way I'm understad it is -

saurabh39 · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:55 pm

Yes Anuj, you understanding is correct.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:32 pm

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:37 pm

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:01 pm

or if you don't have expeditor,
determine where the value comes from - desk checking, following the logic
run you test,
having displays based on an IF statement comparing the variable to the 'bad' value,
that also display the pertinent fields used in the calculation,
so that you can find your logic error.

the displays and the IF statement can be debug lines (d in col 7)
and use the Source computer clause WITH DEBUGGING MODE
to allow you to move the module to production
with only changing the SOURCE COMPUTER clause.

Robert Sample · Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:14 pm

Unless you have some form of run-time analyzer such as Xpediter, be aware that what you are wanting can be a very complex, time-consuming and expensive task -- especially since you seem to have no idea which variable(s) you need to monitor. There is no easy way to do this other than painstaking desk checking or many DISPLAY statements.

saurabh39 · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:49 pm

I was able to find out the culprit, by using displays...but as robert said, its quite complex nd time consuming. Thats why, I thought of asking the problem....and to see if there is any better way.

@Anuj - From Xpeditor, we can find the value of a variable, but finding a varbiale, which has certain value(as in my case)...i guess we cannot do it from xpeditor. Moreover, Xpeditor is not activated at my site, so could not try also.

I guess, for my problem, there is no staright solution, but to do the tedious task of anylyzing the program, giving displays of the variable, which I think may be culprit, and then keep on executing until and unless I nail it.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:40 pm

Glad to hear that you got it working.