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From: wallyk@tekfdi.FDI.TEK.COM (Wally Kramer)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms,comp.lang.c,comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: porting C programs from UNIX to VMS
Message-ID: <4368@tekfdi.FDI.TEK.COM>
Date: 1 Jun 90 00:13:10 GMT
References: <9528@tank.uchicago.edu> <46365@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
Reply-To: wallyk@tekfdi.FDI.TEK.COM (Wally Kramer)
Followup-To: comp.os.vms
Organization: Microwave & RF Instruments, Tektronix, Beaverton, Oregon
Lines: 32

In article <46365@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> mdchaney@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu
(M Darrin Chaney) writes:
> In article <9528@tank.uchicago.edu> phd_ivo@gsbacd.uchicago.edu writes:
> >Hint No. 1: the debugger---although generally quite nice---can't restart
> >a program :-(
> 
> Hmm, I can't figure out what you're trying to say with this.  ...

I think what "phd_ivo" means is you can't re-run the program as though it
just started from within the debugger.  This is nice to do if you accidently
step past the procedure that commits the dastardly deed you're looking for.

It implies the debugger can reset the program being debugged to its initial
state, including all (program) files closed, variables back to their initial
value, etc.

Of course, you could always exit the debugger and restart, but then you'd
lose your nice window layout, patches, modes, definitions, breakpoints,
watchpoints, etc., etc.

Debugger maniacs:  go get a copy of Turbo C++ Professional.  I don't know
if it's generally available, but I got advance notice (as a Turbo C
Professional owner).  The debugger is claimed to support "backwards single
stepping" where it reverses the effects of the step!!  I don't have any
details as yet, but this is another solution for starting over.  Turbo
Debugger, naturally, has always had program restart (Ctrl-F2).  (IMHO,
Turbo C plus a PC [cost:  $150 + $800+] is such a productive development
environment that any medium to large VMS development is best started there.
Disclaimer:  I'm just a very satisfied customer.)

wallyk@tekfdi.fdi.tek.com (Wally Kramer) 503 627 2363
Contractor from Step Technology, Inc.  503 244 1239