Rocket® COBOL

This article explains that Net Express 5.1 WS4 for Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 requires installation of a new cut of the base Net Express 5.1 product before being applied. Problem: Net Express 5.1 has been retooled to support Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2. How does this work? Resolution: To use Net Express 5.1 WS4 on Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2, a re-cut base 5.1, or 5.1 WS1 product must be installed before applying the Websync. To use Server 5.1 WS4 on Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2, the re-cut Server 5.1 GA must be installed before applying the Websync. Once any existing 5.1 product installation has been removed, and the re-cut product installed, WS4 can be applied. Net Express 5.1 GA and Server 5.1 GA can be ordered from your Sales representative. Net Express 5.1 WS1 can be downloaded from the SupportLine website. Old KB# 14830

This article explains how to configure the location where target build files are created. Problem: By default when you build a project the int/gnt/exe/dll target files are created in the debug or release folders in the project directory. Is it possible to override this option? Resolution: This is configurable in the Build Types. On the main Net Express menu you use the Project / Types of build menu option. This allows you to override the directory specified. Incident Number: 2422601 Old KB# 14829

This article explains the return code from the runtime system for abnormal terminations. Problem: A COBOL program can end "returning numeric-value" which will put a value in the return-code special register, but the COBOL runtime system can terminate abnormally before the program ends and this statement will never be executed. For example, a run time error 114 (memory bounds error) or 173 (called program not found) will cause abnormal termination of the runtime system. What return code one will one see via "echo $?" thereafter? Resolution: If the COBOL runtime system terminates due to an error, for example, program not found, RTS 114, etc., the return code is always 255. If the runtime system terminates because the program terminates ("stop run" or top-level "goback"), the value of the return-code special register is returned. The return code can be tested in a script or from the command line with the echo command. The variable

This article explains the error 000000 000: Illegal command line when attempting to compile in Net Express 6.0. Problem: Having installed Studio Enterprise Edition 6.0 and then activated it with a stand-alone time-limited license with your 16-digit Authorization Code you may encountered error message ‘000000   000: Illegal command line’ when attempting to compile any program in Net Express 6.0.This problem is caused by an error in populating the lservrc.stn file which is found here: C:\\Program Data\\Micro Focus (on Vista/Windows Server 2008) C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\Micro Focus (on XP). When inserting the Authorization Code into the appropriate field in the Studio Enterprise Edition 6.0 product, a hand-shaking process takes place between the client machine and Micro Focus’ license server machine. If all is well, the license server machine issues the client machine a license via the Internet in the form of a license string which is compose

This article explains why the Net Express Startup screen appears, but the IDE will not load. Problem: Net Express attempts to load the last project on startup but for some reason the IDE won't load. Does this mean it is corrupt? Resolution: It may mean the IDE is corrupt, therefore try the following: Open a Net Express Command Prompt. Go to Start > Programs > Micro Focus Net Express 5.0 > Net Express Command Prompt. At the command line enter: mfnetx /n. If this works, you probably have a corrupt project (.APP) file. If the project is corrupt, you will need to recreate your project from scratch. You may want to turn off the feature Reload files and last project on startup by performing the following: Start > Programs > Net Express > Command Prompt. Enter MFNETX /N(no project) which will bring up the Net Express IDE. Select Options > Customize IDE. Select Workspace. Disable Reload Files and Last Project on S

This articles explains how to ensure a Server Express deployment and development environment is licensed properly and ready for use on HP/UX systems. Problem: In Server Express deployment and development licensing is enforced. How can you ensure that the deployment / runtime environment is licensed properly and ready for use? How can you ensure that the development environment is licensed properly and ready for use? Resolution: To ensure the Server Express deployment and development environment is licensed properly and ready for use, you can run the command Apptrack to check deployment license usage. The attached MFLicenseCheck tool will find and report the number and types of installed deployment licenses. It will also analyze deployment license usage for only Server for COBOL/Application Server. It will also report deployment license usage, generated when development licenses are installed. The attached file is for the HP/UX operating system only. To use this

This article describes which processors are supported for native code Problem: Not all processors are supported for native code. To increase the performance it can be necessary under certain circumstances to determine which processor will be supported and how the code can be implemented. Resolution: ACUCOBOL-GT supports several options that cause it to generate and execute object files that contain native instructions for select families of processors. These options may not be combined with other options into a single option. For example, it is an error to specify "-nv"; you must specify "-n -v" instead. The compiler uses cblutil to produce the native-code object file. cblutil is installed in the same directory as the compiler by default. The compiler searches the execution path if it cannot find cblutil in its own directory. You run a native-code object module just like a portable-code object module. You may mix native-code obje

This article provides CBL_OPEN_FILE Documentation clarification. Problem: When opening a file that is, or will, be greater than 4GB using CBL_OPEN_FILE, a file status 181 is returned: Invalid Parameter Error Why is this? Resolution: CBL_OPEN_FILE is used to open an existing file for byte stream operating. When using CBL_OPEN_FILE one of the parameters the routine requires is “access-mode”. The documentation shows the following valid modes: 1. Read only 2. Write only (deny-mode must be 0) 3. Read/write 64  Read/write files greater than 4GB Deny-modes are as follows: 0 Deny both read and write (exclusive) 1 Deny write 2 Deny read 3 Deny neither read nor write Device is reserved for future use (must be zero). When opening a file that is greater than 4GB it looks as if the “access-mode” should be “64”. In actuality you must also pass value 1, 2, or 3 along with the 64. The call to CBL_OPEN_FILE would look

This article explains how to resolve a 197 screen handling system initialization error. Problem: When running a batch job we are receiving the following messages: sh: line 1: cursor: not found Execution error : file 'ADIS' error code: 197, pc=0, call=1, seg=0 197 Screen handling system initialization error Resolution: ADIS checks for both screen input and output at the same time. For example, there has to be both screen input and output on the command line, even though there may only be DISPLAY statements in the program. While running in batch, System is missing the terminal definitions of stdin and stdout. Therefore, create an empty file with read permissions for everyone, then use: cobrun progx < empty_file > /dev/null & This is an example: $ cat start.shnohup sh -x run.sh & $ cat run.shecho $TERMecho $TERMINFOecho $COBTERMINFOcobrun test < empty > /dev/null $ cat test.cbl procedure division. display &quot

This article explains why User Scripts are grayed out and cannot be enabled in the host wizard when creating a new session. Problem: When a new session is created in the host wizard, the Enable User Scripts option on the Keyboard Map, Auto Macro and VBA Scripting tab is grayed out and cannot be selected. Why is this? Resolution: In order to enable the user scripts feature, HLLAPI must be enabled for the session first. To enable HLLAPI: Select the HLLAPI Configuration tab in the host wizard. Select a Session Short name for the session. Select the Keyboard Map, Auto Macro and VBA Scripting tab. The Enable User Scripts option can now be checked. Note: The Session Short name for a session must be unique for all session instances. If more than one session will be running concurrently, they each must have a different HLLAPI short name assigned. Old KB# 14668#Rumba#Web-to-Host#OnWeb#ProClient

This article describes how to enable cursor blink when running Web-to-Host sessions on a Windows terminal server. Problem: When running W2H (Web-to-Host) sessions on a Windows 2003 terminal server, the display cursor doesn’t blink. Why is this, and how can we make it blink again? Resolution: For bandwidth conservation reasons, the cursor blink is disabled by default for applications running on a Windows 2003 terminal server. Perform the following steps to enable cursor blink: Make a backup copy of the registry. On the Windows Terminal server open the registry editor, regedit.exe. Select this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Terminal Server Right-click on the key, and select New | String Value. Type CursorBlinkEnable for the name, and set the value to “1”. Close the registry editor. Future terminal server sessions will now allow the Web-to-Host display cursor to blink. Note: This registry change will only w

This article explains how to create a application with an Acu COBOL module and a Micro Focus COBOL module. Problem: We would like to use an Acu module and a Micro Focus module in the same application. How is this done? Resolution: The document attached to this article explains how to create an application with an ACUCORP module and a Micro Focus module. Prerequisites : AcuCobol-GT version 8 with shared libraries for UNIX Platforms. Server Express version 5.0 or earlier. Old KB# 14628

This article illustrates four ways to start a program containing spaces in the path or filename from COBOL. Problem: How can an EXE be started by a COBOL program when the path or EXE name contains spaces? Using a Move “My Path\\My Prog.exe My Parameters” to my-command-lineand trying to start the EXE by CBL_EXEC_RUN_UNIT will fail. Resolution: The attached demo shows four ways to start a program.exe with spaces in the path or filename. The main idea is that the path\\program has either to be included in quotes: Move ‘“My Path\\My Prog.exe” My Parameters’ to my-command-line, or Convert to short name following the 8.3 convention immediately before the program is called. You can use either a CALL “system”, or the WinApi CreateProcess, or the CBL_EXE_RUN_UNIT to start the EXE. Incident Number: 2352021 Old KB# 14614

This article provides a sample COBOL routine to display the HEXA value of COBOL variables. Problem: How can you retrieve and display the HEXA value of COBOL variables? Resolution: The routine named HEXAutil.cbl attached to this article will sh you how to retrieve and display the HEXA value of COBOL variables. Following is a sample COBOL program: ... linkage section. 01 aCobolVar pic x ANY LENGTH. procedure division using aCobolVar.... The test program callHEXAutil calls the routine HEXAutil: working-storage section.78 HEXAUTIL value "hexautil".01 anInt pic s9(9) comp-5 value 123456789.01 aStr pic x(40) value "0123456789abcdefghijklmopqrtsuvwxyz".01 aComp-2 comp-2 value 123456789.01.01 aComp-3 pic 9(9) comp-3 value 123456789. procedure division.working-storage section.78 HEXAUTIL value "hexautil".01 anInt pic s9(9) comp-5 value 123456789.01 aStr pic x(40) value "0123456789abcdefghijklmopqrtsuvwxyz".01 aComp-2 comp

Problem: When using the compiler directive RM"ANSI" to enable support for RM/COBOL source programs the default behavior of the ACCEPT statement is to sound an audible BEEP. This is the default behaviour for RM/COBOL programs and we would like to turn it off, how can this be done? Resolution: The BEEP can be prevented in two ways: Add the NO BEEP option to the ACCEPT statement. This is tedious for large programs. Use the (currently) undocumented compiler directive RM(NOBEEP), i.e. $set RM(NOBEEP) Incident Number: 2349342 Old KB# 14613

This article addresses why the Close browser after session starts option no longer appears in the host wizard for Pro sessions, as it did in previous versions of Web-to-Host. Problem: In the Web-to-Host 5.2 Host wizard, there is an option to run a session in a separate browser window. This option would cause the session to load in its own browser window, while hiding the browser’s tool bar, menu bar, address bar, etc. This option had three sub-options, including Close browser after session starts. With this sub-option selected, the original browser window that was used to navigate to the Web-to-Host session would be automatically closed after the session started, leaving only the stand-alone session window. This is how the option appeared in the version 5.2 Host Wizard: This option no longer exists in Web-to-Host 5.3.2: Resolution: The same functionality can be achieved by selecting the Client Options 2 tab, and checking Start Zoomed: The result will be the same as with the pre

This article explains alignment in COBOL when using the EXTERNAL and SYNC clauses. Problem: What address is set to the data item in runtime if the SYNC clause is specified in 32 bit and 64 bit mode: a multiple of 2 bytes, multiple of 4 or multiple of 8? Does this depend on the data item being EXTERNAL? Resolution: There is no guarantee about the alignment of external items. Generally, there are 4 byte aligned in 32 bit mode and 8 byte aligned in 64 bit mode. The sync phrase is documented in the Language Reference Manual. Sync only has an effect when the directive IBMCOMP is also on. Old KB# 14615

This article provides examples on how to handle SOAP Exceptions in Web Services Client consuming Web Service deployed on Enterprise Server. Problem: It can be quite interesting to catch SOAP Exceptions and get more details about this SOAP Exception when it occurs. How is this done? Resolution: The attached sample and .zip file explain how to proceed. The sample attached will only work with a service generated by Net Express 5.1 WebSync3 or higher (Net Express 6.0). The .ZIP file attached contains: A Net Express Project that contains a sample legacy code named LEGACY from which a service of type Web Service was created with Interface Mapping toolkit (IMTK). Attachments NET-51-20090918.zip Old KB# 14624

This article explains if WS-I Basic compliant WSDL can be generated by the IMTK. Problem: Net Express is being used to create Web Services and a WSDL file is being generated.The WSDL file generated is not compliant with WS-I standards. Is there any way to generate the WSDL file so that it is WS-I compliant? Resolution: The WSDL files generated by the IMTK (Interface Mapping Toolkit) first become compliant with WS-I Basic Profile 1.0 in Net Express 5.0 GA release. The WSDL files were not compliant in any earlier releases like 4.0. Incident Number: 2155191 Old KB# 14612

This article provides an example for importing Namespaces within a COBOL project in MS Visual Studio. Problem: It is convenient to have imported namespaces in a COBOL project within MS Visual Studio so you can use classes belonging to a namespace without to specify it. How is this done? Resolution: On the COBOL project, right click, select Properties, then choose References and choose namespace(s) you would like to import. As an example, in the example code attached to this article, System.XML namespace was imported so you can directly use taking per example XmlDocument instead of System.Xml.XmlDocument leading to the COBOL .NET syntax to be lighter. A .ZIP is also attached to this article containing a Visual Studio solution with two COBOL projects: 1st project: named CobolImportNAmespaceNo and the namespace System.XML was not imported n the project 2ndproject: named CobolImportNAmespaceYes and the namespace System.XML was imported n the project

This article explains why the utility cobprof used to generate a PROFILE report might generate a value of 0 milliseconds for some paragraphs that have been executed. Problem: Why in the report generated by cobprof do some paragraphs show an execution time of 0 if they have been executed once? Resolution: In the provided example, the execution of all paragraphs but the first two have taken a lot less than 1 millisecond, and for that reason the result is 0. There are two main goals when using PROFILE: To make sure that our tests have executed all the coded paragraphs so we don’t leave part of the code untested. It is for this reason that the results show the accumulated values of all executions (delete the .ipf file to start from 0). To pinpoint those paragraphs that take most of the execution time so we know where all our optimization efforts should go. In the example, more than 83% of the time goes to 00-CONNECT, so that is the paragraph we should

This article explains how to resolve when LU1 print jobs sent to Rumba Printer print with misaligned data. Problem: When an LU1 print job is sent from the mainframe to the Rumba Mainframe printer, the output is not aligned as expected. For example, a printed form’s fields may not line up as expected, or some data may not be centered or justified as anticipated. This can be caused by null characters (0x00) being embedded in the original print job, as sent by the host. By default, Rumba printer will ignore these null characters and they will not affect the printed output. However, there are circumstances where it may be desirable to translate these null characters into spaces. Resolution: Rumba printer can be configured to translate null characters into space characters to preserve formatting. Perform the following steps to enable this behavior: Make a backup copy of the registry. Open the registry editor, regedit.exe. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Soft

This article explains what you should do if you are not prompted for a password when using AcuXUI via thin client. Problem: When using AcuXUI via thin client and SECURITY-METHOD LOGON is set in the acurcl configuration file, the user is not prompted for a password. Resolution: This issue has been resolved by ECN-XUI059. Please contact Micro Focus Support to obtain the latest AcuXUI.jar file. Incident Number: 2351252 Old KB# 14661

This article explains what to do if OEM characters aren't displayed correctly by AcuXDBC. Problem: When OEM font information is included in data returned by AcuXDBC to third party business intelligence applications, the characters display incorrectly. (With AcuODBC, this worked correctly when the “Character Set” option on the advanced tab was set to “OEM”.) Resolution: There is an undocumented option included in Version 8.1.1 of AcuXDBC that provides this functionality. Implement this by setting the OEM_CHARACTER_SET to 1 in acuxdbc.cfg. (This is not included in Versions 7.4.0 through 8.1.0, however, so upgrading to 8.1.1 is necessary.) Old KB# 14660

This article describes the procedure for disabling or enabling the automatic code suggestion dialog boxes in the AcuBench code editor. Problem: By default the automatic code suggestion (insight) features, code completion and code parameters, are turned on during installation. Some users do not desire this functionality and would like to disable it. Conversely, other users would like to enable this feature that has inadvertently been disabled. Resolution: Background information: The Code Insight functions are intended to facilitate source code creation, especially when working with graphical screens and reports. The code parameter feature displays hints (similar to the tool tips that appear when the mouse hovers over a button on a toolbar) for using certain COBOL verbs. Code completion provides pop-up lists of options to help complete some code statements and internal library routine calls. Code parameters and code completion are available for the follo