Re: [open-cobol-list] Proposed addition to OpenCOBOL an object module generator

[David Essex]

Jeff Chimene wrote:
> ...
> The problem statement: "How can I use gdb to examine a COBOL 
> identifier's value and attributes?"
> ... 
> I'd like to propose the same thing for OC. gdb supports syntax like:
>
> * call cob_literal_describe('processing-flag')
> * call cob_identifier_describe('months(1)')
> * call cob_identifier_print('months(2)')
>
> There are at least two ways (and possibly more) to implement such routines:
>
> * Extend the compiler to produce symbol cross-reference and
>   descriptor information in a private format. Write C routines to
>   read this table at run-time.
> * Extend the compiler to produce symbol cross-reference and
>   descriptor information in Dwarf format. Use libdwarf to produce
>   this file at compile-time and consume this file at run-time. I
>   call this a "shadow" file because it would augment debugging
>   information written by the C compiler. Using libdwarf has the
>   advantage of not reinventing the wheel.

If I understand this method correctly, you are suggesting adding 
debugging information (function calls) to the C code, and syncing it to 
the COBOL code.

More or less the way GCC adds debugging information (stabs) to the 
assembler code.

Yes, I think this method could work, in theory.
However, I think further research would be required to ensure that all 
of COBOL's features (ex: PERFORM statement) would work with this method.

Certainly no small task, me thinks.

Cheers.