modifying large variable

bbxrider · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:53 pm

in cobol, is there some way to paste into a larger variable, eg pic x(2000), all 2000 bytes at once? so far it seems I can only type over or paste into the 24 characters available on the right side of the data area screen or with a peek
if I paste some chunk of data larger than the 24 available it just runs down the page into the other variables below the line where I just pasted?
perhaps on the memory screen, if I figure out how to find start of memory by its address offset,
see 2 pics attached, showing starting memory display and after pasting about 80 bytes into a pic x(2131) variable

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:24 pm

whi not lookat the docs to see if an <expand> facility is available to see all the data of a variable

also hitting the hekp key might hint You something

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 1:11 am

there are scripts,
as well as routines that can be added to code,
during your session.

Ed Goodman · Active Member Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 556 Location: USA

Easiest way I think: Put a working-storage variable in your program that has the data you want. Then put a move statement in your program moving the new variable to the target variable. (put it somewhere that doesn't get executed normally, like an error routine)

Then during your session, "goto" the line with the move statement, then step 1. Then "goto" back to the line you were on.

You can make several at once this way, just use different variables, with a move statement for each.

bbxrider · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:40 pm

thanks for the replies, tried the help key and the big manual, will have to investigate the expand and scripts. a co-worker suggested the move thing, that just seemed so non-interactive debugging, guess I'm spoiled. xped is so sophisticated in so many ways, this seems like something that there should be a way to do it. With the move thing there is only 1 shot per compile if you need to change the value. I even sent an email to compuware, if I get answer for sure will post it back here.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 2:39 pm

with scripts you can modify the code (and insert code to modify data areas)
without compiles.

don.leahy · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 5:53 pm

OT: IBM's Debug Tool lets you type a MOVE statement on the command line and then executes it interactively. I am surprised that xpeditor (a product I have not used for many years) doesn't have something similar.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 6:31 pm

Thing is, bbxrider has a 2000-byte literal he wants to "paste" into his field. He has the literal available for pasting, but wants to know if it is possible to get it into a field somehow.

Short of defining the literal in W-S (and then using one of the techniques suggested above) can it be done?

Down to dbz's scripting as the most likely, I think, I have no idea about that.