Beta Testing Participation

To be Released soon

AePlus is a productivity tool that provides developers with a user friendly front-end through which they can run, test and debug AppEngine programs more efficiently thereby cutting down development effort and time. This results in time saving as well as improved quality outcome.

In addition AePlus offers features that make routine tasks easily manageable. Some of the features are:



• Fast Development: With AePlus you can Run AppEngine as Normal or with Debug without going thru Web or Application Designer. It allows you to test/debug AppEngine program right from the AePlus Workbench eliminating any need of creating/analysing PeopleSoft trace. It also provides AppEngine source (Sections/Steps/Actions/Sqls/PeopleCode) in text format. You can browse/analyse multiple AppEngine source code in your preferred text editor for quick analysis. This makes it a lot easier and quicker as against browsing in Application Designer.
  
  
• Version Control: Version Control is an essential part of any Source Code in any software development environment. With AePlus you can Version Control AppEngine source code using the same Version Control Software that you use for SQRs or COBOLs. Quite often we find an AppEngine failing at run time due to missing Step, Action or Sql. With AePlus this does not happen. AppEngine source code is kept as one unit. Since Source code can be preserved in Version Control software - you always know where the master copy is and never lose your coding effort as a result of database refresh. In addition you can easily compare two versions of AppEngine source code to find out what exactly has changed. Rolling back to previous version is much controlled and quality assured.
  
  
• Data Related Issue: Quite often we get into a situation where an AppEngine works in one database but fails in another. Of course the issue is data related. With AePlus you can run your AppEngine in different database (known as Target database) without migrating your AppEngine source in the Target database. This way the same source code runs in the Target database with the Data Set that helps you to identify the cause of the issue. You can run AppEngine as Normal or with Debug to identify the cause quicker than ever before. This does not require migration of AppEngine to Target database that sometimes would not be practical or you would not like to change the source code in the Target database till the issue is fully resolved. Also you need not go thru the time consuming exercise of creating/analysing the trace file.
  
  
• Comprehensive Debugger: Debugging AppEngine is very simple and quick under AePlus. It provides very Comprehensive debug command set as listed below:
  
  
  • Set Break, Cancel Break, List/Save/Restore Break points and conditional Breaks (watch at change or value of a variable)
  • Examine, Modify, Watch State Record Field.
  • Examine, Modify, Watch Global variables.
  • Examine, Modify, Watch Global Array variables.
  • Examine, Modify, Watch Global Record/Field variables.
  • Step, Step Into, Step Over and Run to Next Break Point.
  • Commit to verify the results in the database before moving further.
  
  With AePlus you can set break, change value of the variable or data in the tables just-in-time to simulate various Business Scenarios or test conditions while testing. This helps to produce robust programs with significant savings in developers expensive time.

AePlus has two components: Workbench and Interactive Debugger. These are described further in this documemt.

AePlus Workbench

It provides developers with a user friendly front-end through which they can perform various development activities like running AE program in normal or debug mode, viewing logs, viewing output files, browse source code etc. all from one point.

AePlus Workbench has following features:



• Run AppEngine as Normal at Client (On your Desktop and not thru Process Scheduler).
• Run AppEngine with Debug at Client (On your Desktop). This is preceded by an internal AePlus compile that produces debug version of AppEngine.
• Run AppEngine as Normal at Server (Thru Process Scheduler).
• Run AppEngine with Debug at Server (Thru Process Scheduler). This is preceded by an internal AePlus compile that produces debug version of AppEngine.
• Run AppEngine as Normal or with Debug, at Client or at Server with Source Code Database being different to Target Database (where AppEngine Runs). This is preceded by an internal AePlus compile that produces AppEngine in Target Database.
• Take Snapshot of AppEngine for Version Control. This also creates AppEngine source code in text and list format contaings all the Sections, Steps, Actions, Sqls and PeopleCode.
• Analyse/Browse AppEngine Source Code in text/list format.
• Since AppEngine source code is also made available outside PeopleSoft database, you can Analyse/Browse multiple AppEngine source code in your preferred text editor.
• View AppEngine Log File.
• View AePlus Log File.
• Quick indication to developer when AppEngine program is completed.
• No need to go thru Web for testing, debugging AppEngines programs.
• Context sensitive on-line help.
• Support of MRU (recall AppEngine program and its settings from Most Recent Used list).
• User-friendly GUI interface.
• Uses PeopleSoft UserId (e.g. PS or VP1) to connect to database. Does not require sysadm username/password.
• No additional connectivity (like ODBC) is required.
• When executing AppEngine in debug mode notifies the developer if PeopleSoft Cache is not up-to-date. If running at client (Desktop), provides an option to delete the cache before running the AppEngine program.
• Ability to compile selective PeopleCode with debug facility.
• Ability to rerun debug session without going to internal AePlus Compile.

AePlus Interactive Debugger

AePlus Debugger is an on-line interactive debugger with user-friendly GUI interface. AePlus Debugger is invoked by clicking at 'Run with Debug' command button in AePlus Workbench main screen. After going through the syntax checking and implicit AePlus Compile, developer gets into an interactive session in which, he/she can execute the AppEngine program at his/her own pace using various Debug Commands examining the result of each and every AppEngine Step or PeopleCode line as it executes.

AePlus Debugger has following features:



• Comprehensive debug command set.
• Context sensitive on-line help.
• Break point Commands (Set Break, Cancel Break, List/Save/Restore Break points).
• Conditional Break point based on value of a variable or change in value of a variable. (watch on variable).
• Execute Commands (Step, Step Into, Step Over and Go).
• Variable Manipulation Commands (Examine and Deposit variables).
• Search facility in Source window. Useful option for setting break points.
• Option to compile only selected portions of PeopleCode program with debug facility.
• Option to include referenced AppEngines or PeopleCode for debugging.
• User-friendly GUI interface.

AePlus Debugger Screen Captures: