PS90C - OS/2 Warp V3 Problem Determination Workshop I - Application Trap Analysis

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Abstract

This course teaches you how to debug OS/2 Warp applications using the dump formatter. You will learn to determine why a trap occurs, how to read and interpret mnemonic instructions, how to display descriptor and page table entries and, how a stack is used by the hardware and software.

Length

5 days

What You Will Learn

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the virtual storage environment of OS/2 Warp
  • Display components of a virtual storage address and data
  • Display code segments as mnemonic machine instructions, and determine the operations they will perform
  • Gather appropriate documentation necessary for diagnosis
  • Describe why a trap occurs
  • Use the dump formatter
  • Create and analyze a valid dump of a trap
  • Determine which program or routine caused the trap
  • Describe how to use the data displayed on a trap screen

Topics

  • OS/2 Warp use of the Intel x86 hardware to implement a protected virtual storage environment
  • Determining why a trap occurs
  • Displaying descriptors, page table entries, data and instructions
  • An introduction to reading and interpreting mnemonic machine-level instructions
  • How a stack is used by both hardware and software
  • Using application documentation during problem analysis
  • Gathering proper documentation for a problem

Audience

This course has been designed for those who are assigned the task of performing problem determination and analysis of application trap errors. Technical co-ordinators, programmers, developers, technical support personnel, and others who wish to develop or improve this skill are good candidates for this course. This class is the foundation for the following OS/2 Warp Problem Determination Debug series:

  • Diagnosing Traps in Privileged Code (P1191E)
  • Using the System Trace (P1097E)
  • Diagnosing Hangs (P1098E)

Prerequisites

Before taking this course, you should have the following:

  • Experience in basic programming skills/concepts (C is preferred but not required). These basic concepts should include an understanding of arrays, pointers and linked lists.
  • Experience in Assembly language or Processor Architecture concepts (Intel X86 is preferred but not required).
  • Basic skills for using OS/2 Warp.