cole software

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cole software

• Presents

A powerful diagnostic tool for Assembler language
programmers
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What is z/XDC?
z/XDC is the premier Assembler language
debugging tool for applications- and
systems-level programmers. z/XDC is used by
most of the worlds mainframe Assembler language
developers and many Fortune 500 companies to
help them deliver quality applications that work
in extremely complex environments. This
12-minute presentation will give you a brief
overview of what z/XDC is, and what it can do.
If you have questions about z/XDC, or wish to
obtain a trial copy of z/XDC, please contact us
at www.colesoft.com, or call Bob Shimizu at
(800) XDC-5150
www.colesoft.com
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How did z/XDC come to be?
z/XDC, and the XDC family of debugging tools that
preceded it are the work of one man Dave Cole.
Dave wrote z/XDC out of frustration with TSO
TEST.
Dave wrote something BETTER!
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How does z/XDC work?

• z/XDC is an ESTAI or ESTAE, a powerful
  abend-handler.
• All breakpoints and traces are done by
  inserting a X00 into the execution stream.
  
• The resulting 0C1 abend is trapped by z/XDC.
• z/XDC then shows you the code.
• z/XDC is simple, and transportable throughout
  the OS!

This is just like forcing a dump, BUT z/XDC
allows you to work interactively without wasting
time or paper!
www.colesoft.com
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Programmers Have you ever

• Done hexadecimal arithmetic in your head?
• Kept track of several addresses at a time?
• Pored over a dump, trying to find a problem?
• Tried to follow the logic in an unfamiliar
  program?
• Re-coded an exit for a new version of the OS?
• Supported entire systems that someone else
  wrote?
• Developed a new, never-before-tried technology?

This is hard work! It takes time - often many
weeks of effort.
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And meanwhile

• You maintain your existing applications
• You answer questions and build fixes
• You try to re-create problems reported by
  customers
• You handle ad hoc requests
• You investigate bugs in programs your system
  relies upon
• You interface with your team-mates
• You report regularly to your management
• You try to keep up with new technology
• New projects just keep coming, dont they?

But wait! Things get worse!
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If youre in Management

• Head-counts are lower.
• Budgets are shrinking.
• Resources are more expensive.
• Good programmers are harder to find.
• New programmers take more time to become
  effective.
• You MUST generate ROI in shorter time-spans.
• You MUST keep ahead of your competition.
• The technologies keep on evolving.

Congratulations. You live in interesting times.
You are NOT bored, but you could use a bit of
help, right?

www.colesoft.com
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You want help? Thats what z/XDC does!
z/XDC brings CLARITY to the debugging process.

• You can SEE whats going on.
• You save time.
• You get more done.
• You save resources.
• You solve problems conclusively.
• You go on to the next job.
• Youre back in control of your to-do list.

Debugging might even become fun!
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z/XDC allows you to debug

• Your TSO programs
• Your ISPF programs
• Your multitasking programs
• Your batch jobs
• Your started tasks
• Your SVC routines
• Your PC routines
• Your IRB routines
• Your SRB routines
• Your CICS, DB2 and IMS routines
• Your System exit routines (SMF, DADSM, VTAM,
  RACF, JES2)
• Your Vendor product exit routines

z/XDC can go to places that no other tool can
take you.
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z/XDC as a power tool
z/XDC can be used

• In your TSO address space
• In someone elses TSO address space
• In a background address space (batch or started
  task)
• In common storage
• In MLPA, FLPA, DLPA and the PLPA

We fully support 64-bit architectures.
z/XDC is a POWERFUL TOOL! But
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z/XDC as a learning tool
You can start a z/XDC session and investigate

• Applications that have poor documentation
• Applications that have NO documentation
• Exit interfaces that arent behaving as
  advertised
• Bugs in programs that your system depends upon

z/XDC makes it easy to find out what is
REALLY happening in black box programs!

www.colesoft.com
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z/XDCs philosophy
Programmers incur a lot of mental overhead
figuring out pointer chains, memorizing hex
addresses, visualizing esoteric structures,
decoding object code, and doing hex math all
in their heads.
This is a waste of resources!
Let z/XDC do this grunt work. It will free your
mind of mental overhead, allowing you to think
strategically about the problem.
We make you more effective.
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z/XDC is an object code debugger
It doesnt matter to z/XDC whether the original
program was written in Assembler or not. It
could have been written in COBOL, or PL/I or
Fortran or C or C. If you have the right sort
of compiler listing, and you have an
understanding of Assembler language, you can
work on nearly any code at all.
And THAT means.

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You dont NEED source code!
z/XDC can work on code in the operating
system and nearly any OCO program. You can
find out what is REALLY going on in unfamiliar
programs. Now, writing a user exit or a system
exit is going to be much easier, isnt it? Of
course, if you have access to source statements,
we can show them to you in your z/XDC displays.
z/XDC is like an off-road vehicle for
programmers. Other debuggers cant leave the
pavement. With z/XDC, you lock your hubs and keep
on going!

www.colesoft.com
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How does z/XDC help?
z/XDC gives you

• Point-and-shoot disassembly
• Point-and-shoot memory display
• Formatted displays of key system structures
• The ability to FIND hex or character data
• Full source-statement support
• Four kinds of breakpoints
• Five kinds of traces
• The ability to investigate other address spaces

z/XDC saves effort. You save time!
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z/XDC goes way beyond TSO!
Thats right. If you wish, you may run z/XDC
in a batch address space. z/XDC will execute
your batch program so you can debug it. You can
also grab control of ANY OTHER ADDRESS SPACE at
will, and debug it too (security permitting, of
course).
Using z/XDC, you can easily find and fix bugs in
any csect within any module, running under any
Request Block under any Task Control Block,
within any address space on the system,
including the system itself.
Whoa Thats COOL!

www.colesoft.com
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Lets Review

• z/XDC can be used on very simple, or extremely
  complex applications.
• z/XDC does the grunt work so that you can
  think about the problem strategically.
• z/XDC can help you understand undocumented
  programs.
• z/XDC handles APF-authorized code, SVCs and PC
  routines.
• z/XDC works on multi-tasking programs.
• z/XDC works on started tasks, batch programs
  nearly anything in Assembler!
• z/XDC supports 64-bit architectures.
• z/XDC offers full source statement support, but
  doesnt REQUIRE source code in order to
  operate.
• z/XDC makes new AND experienced programmers
  MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.

With z/XDC, your organization will deliver
quality code more quickly.
www.colesoft.com
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What are the benefits?
For management

• Faster time-to-market
• Lower error-rates
• Resource savings, both tangible and intangible
• Faster Return on Investment
• Senior programmers increase their output
• New people come up to speed more quickly
• Fewer people get more projects done on time!
• You keep up with evolving technologies
• You react to change before your competition does

www.colesoft.com
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What are the benefits?
For programmers

• z/XDC helps to amplify your capabilities.
• z/XDC helps save you time and frustration.
• z/XDC helps you learn about unfamiliar systems.
• z/XDC helps you solve problems conclusively.
• z/XDC helps you SEE whats going on in complex
  code.
• z/XDC helps you to fix in hours what used to
  take days.
• z/XDC helps makes you more effective.
• z/XDC helps you keep up with your task-list.
• z/XDC helps you get to the next project.

www.colesoft.com
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How is z/XDC priced?

• z/XDC is offered on a usage basis.
• We offer annual leases based on the number of
  concurrent user sessions desired (subject to
  some minimums).
• Maintenance and support is included in the
  lease cost.
• A 60-day trial of z/XDC is FREE.
• Your first on-site training class is FREE.

But wait, it gets better.


www.colesoft.com
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Additional business benefits

• You may upgrade the processor NO UPGRADE
  FEEs.
• You may transfer the product NO TRANSFER
  FEEs.
• You can split your user sessions site-wide
  just like a site license.
• You may add user sessions whenever you like.
• Your people will have access to the worlds
  most powerful debugging tool!

This is pure usage-based pricing.

www.colesoft.com
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What competes with z/XDC?
When you get down to features and capabilities,
not much. IBMs IDF is a competitor, as is
Compuwares Xpediter product. But neither of
these will give you the power and control that
z/XDC does.
z/XDC exceeds the requirement by a great
deal, and costs a fraction of the competitors
prices. And, even if IDF is free, we still sell
a LOT of z/XDC! There has to be a reason for
that Do you want specifics? Contact us. Were
happy to answer ANY question about z/XDC!
www.colesoft.com
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Want to see z/XDC working?
Weve left z/XDCs actual screens out of this
discussion on purpose. Thats because we offer
a far more comprehensive PowerPoint
demonstration for interested programmers. Our
z/XDC Primer also has plenty of real-life
screen-shots and demonstrations of z/XDCs
command structure. You can ask for these
things, and you can visit our web site for more
information, but remember
A 60-day, no obligation trial of z/XDC is
FREE. During the evaluation period, our Users
Class is FREE.

www.colesoft.com
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What do our customers say?
To me, z/XDC is an absolute must for anyone
planning to do 64-bit development. Chris
Blaicher BMC Software
z/XDC is a very stable, reliable product which
is also easy to install. It enables you to get
used to working with complex materials quickly
and follow and understand the interplay of all
components. No question, z/XDC is a very
high-quality product, supported by a great
team. I can only recommend them. Jens-Uwe Pohl -
Beta Systems Software
Our contacts with Cole Software have been
consistently positive. Response to problems and
questions has always been prompt, cheerful and
helpful. The product itself provides complex
systems level programming, and unique features
which gives control over the entire debugging
process. When particularly complex questions
arise, Dave Cole is available in person to
clarify the issue and provide helpful advice.
Tony Thorp - Cybermation

www.colesoft.com
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About Cole Software
Cole Software LLC is a small, solely-owned
company dedicated to the continued development of
superior debugging products for programs written
in Assembler language that run on IBM platforms.
We are an IBM Developer Business Partner and are
listed in the IBM PartnerWorld Global Solutions
Directory.
Cole Software was founded in 1988, but the
earlier versions of the product date back to the
70s. The original architect still builds and
produces the product today, which contributes to
the internal integrity of the product, and the
external integrity of our business relations.
www.colesoft.com
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Announcing z/XDC z1.8
Cole Software announces the general availability
of z/XDC Release z1.8. Major enhancements to this
release of the essential Assembler programming
tool include

• Support for debugging Service Request Block
  (SRB) mode programs
• The ability to run z/XDC as a Functional
  Recovery Routine (FRR) for task mode or SRB mode
  programs
• Support for REXX commands in z/XDCs User
  Commands Exit interface.

More information on z/XDC Release z1.8 can be
found at www.colesoft.com.
www.colesoft.com
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Thanks for your time!
Wed like you to join our user community. For
more information please visit www.colesoft.com, se
nd e-mail to sales_at_colesoft.com or call Bob
Shimizu at (800) XDC-5150
www.colesoft.com
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Work smarter, not harder!
www.colesoft.com (800) XDC-5150 sales_at_colesoft.com
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OK, why are you still here? Call us or get back
to work!
www.colesoft.com (800) XDC-5150 sales_at_colesoft.com