The service entry point feature is designed to allow easy debugging of applications that invoke business logic written in ILE RPG, ILE COBOL, ILE CL, and C/C++. The service entry point is a special kind of entry breakpoint that can be set directly from the Remote System Explorer. It is triggered when the first line of a specified procedure is executed in a job that is not under debug. Service entry points allow you to gain control of your job at that point. A new debug session gets started and execution is stopped at that location.
While the original service entry point design was meant to assist with debugging Web applications, using the feature is also beneficial when debugging applications in an environment where the job name is not known ahead of time. Some sample scenarios include:
When a service entry point is triggered and the job which is running the application is not currently under debug, a message that allows you to launch a debug session will open. If you select Yes in the message, a debug session for the program will be launched in the Debug perspective. If you select No, you will resume the program without debugging it. If you do not want to be prompted to start a debug session right away when a service entry point is hit, select the check box in the prompt dialog or use the debugger preferences settings. For further information about debug preferences, see the related topic below.
When working with service entry points, there are performance considerations that should be taken into account, as described in the Performance considerations section of Removing service entry points in the IBM i Service Entry Points view.