Return (4-5)

Chapter 4-5: The Debugger

Return

This option allows you to “step through” the routine one statement at a time by executing the current line (which is highlighted). After you select return (by pressing the enter key, or selecting either the enter icon on the APPX toolbar or the enter button on the right side of the title bar), three actions occur:

· The logic of the current statement executes.

· The data values change to reflect the result of executing the current statement.

· The cursor moves to the next logical line in the routine, and it becomes the new current line (and is highlighted).

One important thing to note about return is that the next statement is the next executable statement, not necessarily the next sequential statement. For example, in the following routine:

          IF       TAR WORK AVAILABLE CREDIT      LT     0
    T     WARNING  Customer Has Exceeded Credit Limit!
          DISPLAY  TAR WORK AVAILABLE CREDIT

If the IF statement in this example encounters a false condition and sets the first true/false status indicator to F, the WARNING statement is not executed. By using return to single-step, the debugger skips from the IF statement directly to the DISPLAY statement.

Additionally, using return at a COPY or GOSUB statement takes you to the first executable statement immediately following the COPY or GOSUB statement, allowing you to skip over the statements in the subroutine.

APPX Application Design Manual (01/13/03)