Can you attach a code snippet showing the definition of your field, and could you specify which version of the product you are using ? I just tried creating a simple test program with an item defined As EXTERNAL and was able to do a Quickwatch without any problem. I tried defining an elementary item and then as a group item and both were okay.

Gael

There is a known limitation when trying to do a hover or watch or quick watch on a variable that is defined as part of a data file record where that file is itself defined as being external.

This limitation exists only for managed code and should not be a problem in native.

There is a current enhancement request open for this functionaility.

To get around this you could move the record from the files record area to a different area in working-storage that is defined as external and this should work ok.

Example:

      program-id. Program1 as "externaldebug.Program1".

          select test-file assign to "testfile.dat"

                           organization is indexed

                           access is dynamic

                           record key is key1

                           file status is file-status.

      data division.

      fd test-file  external.

      01 test-record.

         05 key1   pic x(3).

         05 rest   pic x(5).

      working-storage section.

      01 file-status  pic x(2) external.

      01 test-record2 external.

         05 key2   pic x(3).

         05 rest2   pic x(5).

      procedure division.

          open output test-file

          display file-status

          move all "1" to test-record

          move test-record to test-record2

          *> if you hover over test-record or one of its fields it will fail but it will work if you hover over test-record2 or one of its fields.

Is this perhaps what you have run into?

Thanks.