Segmented debugger

Abstract

A debugger for debugging, from a central location (e.g., a user terminal 13), jobs or processes running on one or more remote units (11) connected to the user terminal (13) via a communication network (15). The user terminal (13) includes a debugger (21) that receives and interprets debug commands produced by a keyboard and display console (19). The debug commands fall in any one of three categories--debug commands directed to the user terminal (USER TERMINAL CONTROL commands); debug commands directed to a particular remote unit (REMOTE UNIT CONTROL commands); and, debug commands directed to a specific job or process of multiple jobs or processes running on a particular remote unit (LOCAL JOB/PROCESS commands). The USER TERMINAL CONTROL commands are executed at the user terminal (13). The REMOTE UNIT CONTROL commands and LOCAL JOB/PROCESS commands are transmitted to the remote units (11) via the communication network (15). Each of the remote units (11) include a remote unit debugger (23) and a local job/process debugger (25) for each job or process subject to debug control. The remote unit debuggers (23) and the local process debuggers (25) receive and carry out the REMOTE UNIT CONTROL commands and the LOCAL JOB/PROCESS commands, respectively. The remote unit and local job/process debuggers send ACKNOWLEDGE or NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE messages to the user terminal debugger (21) after a debug operation is executed, depending upon whether the execution was successful or unsuccessful. If successful, data accompanying the ACKNOWLEDGE message is displayed at the user terminal. Contrariwise, a NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message creates a suitable error display at the user terminal. Further, the local job/process debuggers (25) can send a message to the user terminal debugger (21) in situations where an error is recognized during the operation of a job or process or where a job or process is to be debugged prior to being placed in operation. Such local job/process messages cause the identity of the sending job/process debugger to be added to a debug control data base maintained in the user terminal and the message to be displayed for subsequent action by the user.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A segmented debugger for a computer system wherein at least one user terminal that includes a keyboard and display console is connected via a communication network to a plurality of remote units .Iadd.for distributed processing.Iaddend., each .[.of which includes.]. .Iadd.remote unit including .Iaddend.a central processing unit and at least one job/process subject to debug control, said segmented debugger comprising: (A) a user terminal debugger located in said user terminal for: (1) receiving debug commands entered by a user via said keyboard and display console;   (2) executing said debug commands when said debug commands are directed to said user terminal;   (3) sending said debug commands to remote unit debuggers located in said remote units when said debug commands are directed to a particular remote unit or a job/process in a remote unit that is subject to debug control; and,   (4) receiving debug messages from said remote unit debuggers and causing related information to be displayed by said keyboard and display console;     (B) a plurality of remote unit debuggers, one located in each of said plurality of remote units, for: (1) receiving the debug commands sent to said remote units by said user terminal debugger;   (2) executing said debug commands when said debug commands are directed to the remote unit debugger receiving said debug commands;   (3) creating messages based on the results of the execution of said debug commands by said remote unit debugger;   (4) forwarding said messages to said user terminal debugger;   (5) forwarding said debug commands to the local job/process debugger to which said commands relate when said debug commands are directed to a local job/process debugger in the remote unit receiving said debug commands; and,   (6) receiving debug messages from the local job/process debuggers in said remote units and forwarding said debug messages to said user terminal debugger; and,     (C) a plurality of local job/process debuggers, one associated with each of the job/processes in said remote unit subject to debug control, .Iadd.each job/process to be debugged comprising one of (i) a single process among other processes located in a single central processing unit of said remote unit, and (ii) a job formed of plural processes distributed between central processing units of multiple remote units including said remote unit, each local job/process debugger .Iaddend.for: (1) receiving debug commands forwarded to said local job/process debuggers by said remote unit debuggers;   (2) executing said debug commands received by said local job/process debuggers from said remote unit debuggers;   (3) creating messages based on the results of the execution of said debug commands by said local job/process debuggers; and,   (4) forwarding said messages to said remote unit debuggers for forwarding by said remote unit debuggers to said user terminal debugger.     
     
     
       2. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after said debug commands directed to said remote unit debuggers are executed, said remote unit debuggers: (1) sends a CONTROL ACKNOWLEDGE message and associated data to said user terminal debugger when the execution of said debug commands directed to said remote unit debugger are successful; and,   (2) send a CONTROL NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message to said user terminal debugger when the execution of said debug commands directed to said remote unit debugger are unsuccessful.   
     
     
       3. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 2, wherein a CONTROL ACKNOWLEDGE message received by said user terminal debugger from a remote unit debugger causes a display of the data associated with said CONTROL ACKNOWLEDGE message and wherein the receipt of a CONTROL NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message by said user terminal debugger from a remote unit debugger causes a related error message to be displayed. 
     
     
       4. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 3, wherein, after said debug commands directed to said local job/process debuggers are executed, said local job/process debuggers: (1) send a local job/process ACKNOWLEDGE message and associated data to said remote unit debugger for forwarding to said user terminal debugger when the execution of said local job/process debugger command is successful; and,   (2) send a local job/process NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message to said remote unit debugger for forwarding to said user terminal debugger when the execution of said local job/process debugger command is unsuccessful.   
     
     
       5. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the receipt of a local job/process ACKNOWLEDGE message by said user terminal debugger causes a display of the data associated with said local job/process ACKNOWLEDGE message and wherein the receipt of a local job/process NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message by said user terminal debugger causes a related error message to be displayed. 
     
     
       6. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 5, wherein said user terminal debugger includes a data base of information related to the remote unit debuggers and the local job/process debuggers with which it is communicating and wherein the receipt of a message from a remote unit debugger causes the opening of a new data base if said remote unit debugger and any associated local job/process debugger are not identified in the existing data base and a display of the message. 
     
     
       7. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 6, wherein said user terminal includes a data base containing information about the job/processes that are subject to debug control and wherein said data base is searched by said user terminal debugger when a command directed to a local job/process debugger is received to determine the state of said job/process and wherein a suitable error message is displayed if said job/process is not found in said data base. 
     
     
       8. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 7, wherein the state of said job/process is analyzed by said user terminal debugger when a command directed to a local job/process debugger is received to determine if it is consistent with the command directed to said local job/process debugger and, if inconsistent, a suitable error message is displayed. 
     
     
       9. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after said debug commands directed to said local job/process debuggers are executed, said local job/process debuggers: (1) send a local job/process ACKNOWLEDGE message and associated data to said remote unit debugger for forwarding to said user terminal debugger when the execution of said local job/process debugger command is successful; and,   (2) send a local job/process NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message to said remote unit debugger for forwarding to said user terminal debugger when the execution of said local job/process debugger command is unsuccessful.   
     
     
       10. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 9, wherein the receipt of a local job/process ACKNOWLEDGE message by said user terminal debugger causes a display of the data associated with said local job/process ACKNOWLEDGE message and wherein the receipt of a local job/process NEGATIVE-ACKNOWLEDGE message by said user terminal debugger causes a related error message to be displayed. 
     
     
       11. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 10, wherein said user terminal debugger includes a data base of information related to the remote unit debuggers and the local job/process debuggers with which it is communicating and wherein the receipt of a message from a remote unit debugger causes the opening of a new data base if said remote unit debugger and any associated local job/process debugger are not identified in the existing data base and a display of the message. 
     
     
       12. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 11, wherein said user terminal includes a data base containing information about the job/processes that are subject to debug control and wherein said data base is searched by said user terminal debugger when a command directed to a local job/process debugger is received to determine the state of said job/process and wherein a suitable error message is displayed if said job/process is not found in said data base. 
     
     
       13. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 12, wherein the state of said job/process is analyzed by said user terminal debugger when a command directed to a local job/process debugger is received to determine if it is consistent with the command directed to said local job/process debugger and, if inconsistent, a suitable error message is displayed. 
     
     
       14. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user terminal debugger includes a data base of information related to the remote unit debuggers and the local job/process debuggers with which it is communicating and wherein the receipt of a message from a remote unit debugger causes the opening of a new data base if said remote unit debugger and any associated local job/process debugger are not identified in the existing data base and a display of the message. 
     
     
       15. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user terminal includes a data base containing information about the job/processes that are subject to debug control and wherein said data base is searched by said user terminal debugger when a command directed to a local job/process debugger is received to determine the state of said job/process and wherein a suitable error message is displayed if said job/process is not found in said data base. 
     
     
       16. A segmented debugger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the state of said job/process is analyzed by said user terminal debugger when a command directed to a local job/process debugger is received to determine if it is consistent with the command directed to said local job/process debugger and, if inconsistent, a suitable error message is displayed.