Method and apparatus for collecting execution status data of structured program

Method and apparatus provide for collecting execution status data in the execution of an object program. In compiling a source program described in a structured format to an object program, a PROBE instruction for starting a data collecting program for collecting the execution status data, with a block identification number in an operand field thereof, is inserted at a position of an exit sentence indicating an exit of the program block. When the PROBE instruction is registered in an instruction execution register of an execution unit during a period of the execution of the object program, the data collecting program is started to collect the execution status data, which is then stored in a store table.