Gen DTU with C client shows NEXTLOCATION system variable as null

Products

• Gen
• Gen - Run Time Distributed
• Gen - Workstation Toolset

Issue/Introduction

The Gen NEXTLOCATION system variable remains null within the Diagram Trace Utility (DTU) of Gen 'C' client modules.  Even after being set to a valid value in the Procedure Step.  Also, during DTU tracing the value of this system value cannot be change.  Can change other System Variable values during trace but not this one.

Environment

Gen 8.6 Diagram Trace Utility

Resolution

The NEXTLOCATION System Variable is not populated for Gen 'C' client modules within the DTU, but the system variable value actual contains the value that was set in Procedure Step.  

If users are interested in using the NEXTLOCATION and want to change the value through DTU, they would need to set the NEXTLOCATION in the Procedure Step and then set it through a local view.   Then the view value can be changed through the DTU which will then update the value of NEXTLOCATION.

For example add the line below to the Action Diagram:

SET NEXTLOCATION TO local ief_supplied next_location 

and through the DTU, the value of the local ief_supplied next_location attribute could be changed,  which then is set to the NEXTLOCATION value.