Rocket® COBOL

Created On:  04 February 2012 Problem: Customer has a Windows Forms application which is comprised of a C# WinForm project and a COBOL class library project.  Several text boxes are entered on a C# form which then calls a COBOL program to do the validation.The C# project has a reference to the COBOL project so that it can create an instance of the COBOL program before calling it. There are several ways to pass the text box values to the COBOL program. 1. Pass them in linkage, including use of smart linkage (can use smart linkage if the COBOL program is not a class).2. Declaring properties in the COBOL program and setting them from the C# program before calling it.3. Passing the Windows form object to the COBOL program and using its Controls collection to get the Text properties of each text box that needs to be validated. What is the best method to making the textbox data available to the COBOL program? Resolution: What you suggest here in point 3 breaks all

Created On:  31 January 2013 Problem: AcuRuntime 9.1.2.1 may have introduced a bug in the way Paged Grid behaves.Here is an example of the behavior:A Paged Grid control shows a list of records: 01, 02, 03, 04 in the first page05, 06, 07, 08 in the second pageIn the first page, click on the Previous Record button.Then click on the Next Page button:records will be displayed as:04, 05, 09, 13The expected sequence should be:05, 06, 07, 08. Resolution: The bug has been corrected in next release 9.2 by ECN-4208:SUBJECT: Incorrect EVENT-DATA-2 for some PAGE-NEXT-PAGE eventsChange Number:  ECN-4208Status:         CompleteType of Change: CorrectionPriority:       HighIncidents:      2609120RPI Number: 1087460 Date:        2013-01-22Product:     ACUCOBOL-GTModule:      runtime, acuthinNew Version:

Created On:  04 February 2013 Problem: In late versions (9.0 though 9.1.2.1) querying a set of files you noticed a hit performance, either using asql or from a desktop software like Excel or Crystal Reports, compared with 8.1.2 or previous the performance decreased dramatically. Resolution: This is due to an enhancement introduced in version 9.0.0 that can be avoid by doing the following:   If the query is executed from asql:   Go int asql and type this command:             SQL (/? for help) ==> set option mkeyop off; and then run your query again,   If the query is executed from a desktop software   Right click on the "Computer" icon and select properties. Click "Advanced system settings" Click "Environment Variables..." User "System variables" (just to be safe) click "New" Add a variable "GENESIS_INITSQL" and set it to point to a

Created On:  31 January 2013 Problem: How to setup AcuRuntime to work with Oracle pro*cobol pre-processor on a linux platform? Is a relink of the runtime necessary?Any possible attempt to relink AcuRuntime 9.1 returns errors such as:"direct.c:158: error: redefinition of 'LIBDIRECT'direct.c:109: error: previous definition of 'LIBDIRECT' was here"Any attempt to launch AcuRuntime without relink returns an error such as:"program missing or inaccessible" Resolution: To have the AcuRuntime operating with pro*cobol, there's no need to relink the runtime. Two solutions are available: 1.set LD_LIBARY_PATH in the environment to the LIB directory path of the Oracle installation i.e.: /opt/oracle/OracleBase/product/11gR1/client/libThen preload the library using the -y runtime switch.i.e.: runcbl -y libclntsh.so.11.1 -c .... prog 2.add the following variables in the /ect/cblconfi file:SHARED_LIBRARY_PREFIX  /opt/oracle/OracleBase/product/11gR1/client/libSHARED_L

Created On:  04 February 2013 Problem: A customer had set the LMFCOMM environment variable indicating a custom location for the LMF long-lived named pipe, as described in the documentation in the section "Relocating the Long-lived Named Pipe" in the Development System Licensing Guide Chapter 2, Administering the License Management Facility.  The customer had set this environment variable in each user's .profile, as well as setting it in /etc/mflmrcscript, so each time the machine booted, and the LMF license manager was started, the named pipe would be created in the location specified by LMFCOMM, but they sometimes still received the error LMF - 010: Unable to contact license manager. But if the LMF manager stopped, and they manually re-started it using the command "mflmman" from the operative LMF directory, then the error message occurred again, because LMFCOMM had not been set prior to the execution of, or inside, the "mflmman" script. Resolution: The solution was t

Created On:  30 January 2013 Problem: Is it possible to set the background color of any given cell in a Windows Form dataGridView control to one other than the default? Resolution: Yes, you can set the background color of the individual cells in the same place where you set the ReadOnly property. This should be placed in the Form_Shown event handler in order for it to take effect immediately. Example:    set dataGridView1::Rows[sub-1]::Cells["Amount"]::ReadOnly to true    set dataGridView1::Rows[sub-1]::Cells["Amount"]::Style::BackColor to type Color::Red Old KB# 36768

Created On:  30 January 2013 Problem: Customer has a Windows Forms application that uses a dataGridView control. They would like to use the key to behave like the key but the key currently moves down the grid rather than across. How can the Enter key be used as a tab key in order to navigate through the columns of the dataGridView? Resolution: The best way to get the Enter key to behave like the Tab key is to subclass the dataGridView class and override the methods ProcessDialogKey and ProcessDataGridViewKey so that the Enter key can be trapped and processed as a Tab. In the following example there is a second class near the bottom called CustomDataGridView which inherits from dataGridView and then overrides the two methods. When this is compiled a new control called CustomDataGridView will appear in the Windows Forms Toolbox and then it can be selected and pasted to the form just like the standard dataGridView only the Enter key will behave like a Tab key. T

Created On:  04 February 2013 Problem: Customer is using the Enter key to traverse through a Windows Form with a number of controls on it.When the Enter key is pressed, the application needs to find out which control on the form the user was in. They have tried using the TabIndex property like: if self::TabIndex = 0     invoke self::processEmployeeNumber()    exit methodend-if But it always seems to return the same value.How can this be done? Resolution: The following code should work for you. A new method called GetFocusedControl has been created which is called in the Keydown method. This will return null if no control has focus or will contain the control that has focus. This control can then be tested with an evaluate statement. method-id Form1_KeyDown final private.01 mycontrol type Control.procedure division using by value sender as object e as type System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs.     set mycontrol to

Created On:  31 January 2013   Problem: When using the PuTTY terminal emulator in its VT100 emulation mode, and when setting the TERM environment variable on Linux/UNIX to TERM=vt220, emulation is generally good but function keys F5 and higher do not work.   Resolution: Attached to this Knowledgebase article is a file named "vt220_src.txt".  This is a terminfo source file with improved function key entries.  It is identical to the file originally supplied with the COBOL product: $COBDIR/terminfo/vt220.src except that the kf5 through kf10 entries have been updated to values the PuTTY terminal emulator expects for these function keys, when operating in VT100 emulation mode. To install this new terminfo entry: (1) Download the attachment "vt220_src.txt" (2) Transfer it to the Linux/UNIX machine where it will be used (3) Log in with root credentials (4) Change directories to where MF COBOL is installed, then set these environment variables: export COBDIR=

Created On:  30 January 2013 Problem: Is it possible to trap if a function key has been pressed while the user is on a Windows Form? Resolution: Yes, it is possible to trap function key values by using the KeyDown event on the form. Example:    method-id Form1_KeyDown final private.    procedure division using by value sender as object e as type System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs.          if e::KeyCode = type Keys::F1              invoke type MessageBox::Show("F1 was pressed")             set e::Handled to true          end-if    end method. Old KB# 36770

Created On:  07 February 2013 Problem: Customer was trying to add the TESTCOVER environment variable in the Project Properties-->Micro Focus COBOL-->Run-time Configuration-->Environment Variables in the Eclipse IDE but it was not being picked up at run-time.Where should environment variables be set in the Eclipse IDE?  The following failed:  Resolution: The customer has stumbled on to an annoying ‘feature’ in the Eclipse IDE.  When setting the env vars in the Project Properties/MF Cobol/RT Config page as shown, a .gcf file will be created with the values in it.This file is read by the run-time system and contains the values you have set.This file is created when the run launch configuration is created (usually when you first run the program). The settings are then remembered by the launch configuration.  Changing the .gcf on disk will not reload them into the run/debug launch configuration.   There is a also feature where the .gcf file is

Created On:  04 January 2013 Problem: How can Visual COBOL updates (wrappacks) and hotfixes be installed silently? Resolution: Visual COBOL Updates and Hotfixes are provided as standard Microsoft patch files (.msp) and so they can be installed using the msiexec command and its available switches. To silently install hotfix3 for example you can use: msiexec /p c:\\yourfolder\\visualcobolvisualstudio21_hotfix03.msp /qn Incident #2607705 Old KB# 36707#EnterpriseDeveloper#VisualCOBOL#Enterprise#COBOL

Created On:  07 January 2013 Problem: In previous releases of Visual Cobol 2.1 update 1 the contents of the Link with OBJS field is duplicated when you move away from the COBOL LINK tab. Resolution: You will need to upgrade to the latest version of Visual COBOL so that there is no duplication created for the Link with objs field. Incident #2602784 Old KB# 36713

Created On:  07 January 2013 Problem: Is it possible to generate a WSDL file in WS-I standard 1.1 in Net Express 5.1? Resolution: Even though Net Express 5.1 indicates that it is creating a WSDL file in 1.0 standard, our generated WSDL is 1.1-compliant (although not fully 1.2-compliant). You should have no problems using the WSDL file if your require it to be in 1.1 standard. Incident #2601114 Old KB# 36715

Created On:  20 December 2012 Problem: Does WIN$VERSION work on newest Microsoft platforms?  What are the values returned? Resolution: The values returned by a WIN$VERSION executed using ACUCOBOL Runtime 9.1.2.1 are:for Windows 8:WIN-MAJOR-VERSION = 6WIN-MINOR-VERSION = 2WIN-PLATFORM = 3WIN-WORDSIZE = 3WIN-BUILDNUMBER = 9200 WIN-CSDVERSION =WIN-SERVICEPACK-MAJOR = 0WIN-SERVICEPACK-MINOR = 0 WIN-SUITEMASK = 0256 WIN-PRODUCTTYPE = 1for Windows Server 2012:WIN-MAJOR-VERSION = 6WIN-MINOR-VERSION = 2WIN-PLATFORM = 3WIN-WORDSIZE = 3WIN-BUILDNUMBER = 9200 WIN-CSDVERSION =WIN-SERVICEPACK-MAJOR = 0WIN-SERVICEPACK-MINOR = 0 WIN-SUITEMASK = 0272WIN-PRODUCTTYPE = 3The attachements shows the same values in a graphical way. Incident #2600608 Attachments winversion-of-win8.jpgwinversion-of-win2012.jpg Old KB# 36689#COBOL#archive

Created On:  18 January 2013 Problem: Errors are shown during the execution of the tar command to extract the Server Express installation tar file. For example:tar: 0511-188 Cannot create bin/caspcrd32: The file access permissions do not allow the specified action." Resolution: This problem occurs because you've attempted to extract the Server Express installation tar file without first becoming root. To resolve: 1) Log in as root2) Delete any contents that were created in the folder that was the intended extraction location (by default, this would be /opt/microfocus/cobol)3) Retry the operation to extract the tar file Incident #2600283 Old KB# 36749

Created On:  11 January 2013 Problem: Customer has a Visual COBOL application that resides on a remote server, on which COBOL Server is installed.  They install all of their user licenses on this remote server using the Micro Focus License Manager.Users attached to this remote server also have COBOL Server installed on their workstations as they will be running the application locally, executing it from the remote server.Instead of installing a user license locally onto each of these workstations, the customer would like the local Micro Focus License Manager to look on the remote server for the centralized license that has been installed.Is there a way to configure the local Micro Focus License Manager to look at the remote server for licenses as part of a silent installation of the COBOL Server product on the workstations? Resolution: Yes, there is a command line utility that can be run after the silent install of COBOL Server has been done on the workstation. The fol

Created On:  07 January 2013 Problem: Animator is not reflecting the colors you've selected in your .Xdefaults file.Animator is the COBOL debugger on UNIX/Linux.  It operates in character-mode on a terminal.  There are various ways of invoking Animator, such as by entering the “anim” command, or by setting the COBSW= A environment variable, or calling CBL_DEBUGBREAK from within a COBOL program, or using cross-session animation with “cobanimsrv”. In most cases, when Animator first starts, it looks for an environment variable named DISPLAY.  If the DISPLAY environment variable is set (and appears to refer to a valid X-windows server), Animator opens a new ‘xterm’ terminal on that X server, and the user sees the xterm window appear on X-windows.  This could even be an X server on a separate machine than the UNIX/Linux machine where the COBOL program is running.  If DISPLAY is not set, Animator operates within the user’s original terminal session. Resol

Created On:  21 January 2013 Problem: Customer is using the PREXML preprocessor in Server Express to use COBOL syntax to create XML files.By default, these files are written as formatted XML files with CRLF following each record as well as spaces between record so XML will appear formatted when viewed as text file.Customer would like to know if these files can be written without the formatting characters in them. Current program looks something like the following:        $set p(prexml) endp                                                    id division.                        &nbsp

Created On:  07 January 2013 Problem: When compiling your application you receive a 114 error:Executon error : file 'pic4mat'eror code: 114, pc=0, call=1, seg=0114 error message text not found(Signal 11) Resolution: This error is given on applications which were compiled using Net Express 4.0 or previous versions. You will need to upgrade your development environment to version later than 4.0 and recompile your application (preferably the latest version of Net Express). Incident #2605630 Old KB# 36711

Created On:  21 January 2013 Problem: The output of the Apptrack "License List" and "License Summary" is sometimes confusing. Resolution: In Apptrack the first menu item is "1. License List".  This shows the properties of all licenses installed in Apptrack, with a sequence number for each, and separated by lines of hyphen characters, for example: --------------------------------------------00001...--------------------------------------------00002... All licenses in Apptrack are "runtime" licenses, i.e. they give permission for COBOL programs to run.  This is in contrast to Server Express licenses, also known as "compiler" or "development" licenses, which allow the COBOL compiler to be used, and which are installed into the separate LMF license manager, and administered using a separate utility named "mflmadm" (not Apptrack). There are two main types of runtime licenses in Apptrack.  The first is Developer Usage runtime licenses.  In the Apptrack Licen

Created On:  22 January 2013 Problem: When executing an application which resides on a mapped network drive and the application makes a call to a dll you get an Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131515 similar to: Resolution: The problem is that the CLR v4 security policy model has changed since previous versions and are not sandboxing assemblies as before.Adding the snippet below to an app.config file will allow your application to load dlls from remote systems:<CONFIGURATION>  <RUNTIME>    <LOADFROMREMOTESOURCES enabled="true" />  </RUNTIME></CONFIGURATION> You may also be able to fix the error by finding the assembly DLL in Windows Explorer, right clicking, choosing Properties, and then pressing the "unblock" button. The DLL has a stream that is marking it as an external file - and by clicking unblock you remove that designation. Incident #2609953 Old KB# 36760

Created On:  21 December 2012 Problem: If you use keybcf to configure any key which starts with the escape character as the first character in its sequence, you cannot use the Escape key. Resolution: In order to resolve this, configure the Escape function as escape escape, that is, two escapes. You are then able to use this function by pressing Escape twice.Use adiscf to set the compatibility key list option in the ADISCTRL file. Use option 22 for this.Use option 2 to say use the compatibility key list.Save and exit adiscf.Now you can configure the cobkeymp file, using keybcf. Function key 0 press x getting into hex inputmode. Type in 1b 1b   ( press the space bar) press return.The escape key is now configured it will return a 1, 0, 0 in crt-status when you press the escape key twice in the application.Make sure the x’1B’ is not configured anywhere else if it is remove it check function key 27.Use the review option to look at the compatibility key list the e

Created On:  03 January 2013 Problem: Customer has created a Windows Forms application in Visual COBOL.The Form has a textbox control and a button control labeled Save.There is a validation event handler for the textbox which displays a message if the textbox is blank and sets e::Cancel to true.The AutoValidate property for the window is EnablePreventFocus and its AcceptButton property is set to the save button.  The button's text property is set to "&Save" so that ALT-S will cause the button's click event.The button has a handler for the click event which closes the form.If the textbox is left blank and the button is clicked, the validation fails and focus remains on the textbox which is correct. If text is then entered in the textbox and either ALT-S or ENTER is pressed, the validation event code successfully completes but the button's click event handler is not performed.If the button is clicked again the click

Created On:  11 January 2013 Problem: Customer is using Visual COBOL for Visual Studio 2012 2.1 and when trying to display Help either from the Start Menu-->All Programs-->Micro Focus Visual COBOL for Visual Studio 2012-->Documentation or by selecting Help directly within Visual Studio 2012 the help content is displayed using raw HTML tags instead of rendering the help properly.Customer is running under Windows 2008 Server R2.  How can this be fixed? Resolution: This is a problem with the security settings for Internet Explorer.  The link below gives the fix. By turning off IE ESC for administrators the Micro Focus help could be displayed properly.Displaying the help through Firefox also works correctly.  See this link for more details. Incident #2608460 Old KB# 36727#Enterprise#VisualCOBOL#EnterpriseDeveloper#COBOL