# WDEBUG
Updated: 10/14/2021, 2:20:00 PM
Created: 10/14/2021, 2:20:00 PM
Last Updated By: mikes
Read Time: 3 minute(s)
The WDEBUG program is a debugging tool for REST services.
# WDEBUG Syntax
WDEBUG
# WDEBUG Setup
Use the WDEBUG program to:
- View REST request headers, variables, body and response
- Modify request headers, variables, etc. and re-run the request
- Invoke your REST handler so you can use the system debugger to debug your handler
In order to use WDEBUG, the MV Connect startup routine WDB.INIT saves request details in the WDB.DEBUG file. When you first install MV Connect, only the dictionary of the WDB.DEBUG file is created. To use WDEBUG, you need to create the data section for the file:
CREATE-FILE DATA WDB.DEBUG 101
Debug information is enabled for each REST resource independently. Attribute 7 of the WDB.RESOURCE record for each resource contains a flag to enable debugging for that resource. Set attribute 7 of the resource record to 1 to enable debugging.
# WDEBUG Debugging
With debugging enabled for the desired resource, submit a REST request you want to debug, from a client (browser, PostMan, curl, etc.). After the request has been processed, type WDEBUG from a command (TCL, ECL, jsh, etc.) prompt. Recent requests will be displayed, showing some of the request details to help identify the specific request you intend to debug. Select the request by entering the line number at the command prompt. You can also display the previous or next page of requests, refresh the list of requests, clear all requests in the WDB.DEBUG file, or quit the WDEBUG program.
Command: (Q)uit (R)efresh (C)lear (N)ext (P)rev (##) Line to debug:
After selecting a request, you can view, edit or run the request. If you run the request, any edits you have made are applied to the request. The first time you edit a request, you are prompted to select the editor you want to use (ED, JED, SED, AE, or an editor of your choice).
Debugging C/HELLOWORLD/182324137882516 - command: (Q)uit (V)iew (E)dit (R)un:
When viewing or editing a request, the request details are organized into sections:
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| INFO | General request information (not editable) |
| HEADERS | Request headers, including some pseudo-headers like PATH_INFO |
| COOKIES | Any cookies associated with the request, parsed from the HTTP_COOKIE header |
| PARAMS | Parsed from the PATH_INFO header |
| SESSION | The session ID and any session variables set by calling PUT.SESSION.VAR |
| RESPONSE_HEADERS | Headers returned by your REST handler |
| RESPONSE_CONTENT | Content returned by your REST handler |
Any changes you make to the request are saved in a temporary copy of the request. The original record in WDB.DEBUG is not changed. When editing the request, if you need to modify any cookies, make your changes in the COOKIES section rather than in the HTTP_COOKIE header. Similarly, for request parameters, edit items in the PARAMS section rather than the PATH_INFO header.
When you select (R)un from the command prompt, the original environment used for handling the request is reconstructed, including any edits you have made to the request. Your REST handler is called and the new response is saved in the tempoary copy of the request, which you can view, edit or run again. If you want to use the system debugger to debug your REST handler, you can test if the request is being run from WDEBUG by querying SESSION$WDEBUG.MODE:
CALL WGETINFO(IS.DEBUGGING,SESSION_WDEBUG_MODE)
IF IS.DEBUGGING THEN DEBUG
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