Rocket® COBOL

Problem: Adis error messages are displayed at line 24 in Animator, Resolution: Issue caused by the fact that the Animator uses the  MFDEBUG  terminal description entry and this entry contains the definitions LINES=#24 this then limits the usable screen to 24 lines. This is not a defect and is documented as follows: Here is the information extracted from the Server Express documents; 2.2.6 Specifying Screen Size for Screen-swapping When Animator executes a program, the program might need to use the terminal for input and output. If you only have access to a single terminal, and both Animator and the executing program need access to it, Animator keeps a virtual image of the program's output in the background. This image is displayed, and Animator swapped to the background if you press F2=View, or if Animator itself displays the program's output (during Step or Zoom operations, for example). By default, the size of this virt

Problem: When Animator is invoked, the screen clears, some escape sequences are written including a 'bell' (this can be captured by redirecting stdout and stderr) then the process immediately exits back to the command prompt instead of animating as it should.  This happens for all programs including the most simple "hello world" program (use $COBDIR/demo/debug/tictac.cbl to demonstrate).  It occurs no matter how animator is invoked, including: regular "anim" From within tbox cross-session with "animsrv" cross-session with dynamic attachment CBL_DEBUGBREAK COBSW= A Animator is the only feature that's broken:  tbox and dfed work fine, and any program can be compiled successfully and will execute successfully, as long as animator is not used. The COBDIR, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and PATH environment variables are set correctly.   The LMF and ASLMF licensing systems are working correct

Problem: How to setup environment variable to point to location of file from within a program. Resolution: Search in the  net express 4.0 help  for EMBEDDED ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES and  will find the following : Embedded Environment Variables You can include an environment variable in the name of a file you want to open. It should have been previously given a value using the operating system SET command. The file specification is of the form: $env-name\\filename.ext Example $test\\app.dat where you have issued the command: set test=c:\\appdir;d:\\appdir\\appsub; env-name will only be recognized as an environment variable if it is enclosed within dollar ($) and backslash (\\) characters; thus if you simply specify an environment variable by itself it will not be expanded. The environment variable env-name can contain a list of one or more paths, separated by a semicolon (;). The open mode of the file determines the pa

Problem: During compilation is there a way to route .gnt output files to a specific location? The default is to write the file in the current directory. Resolution: Use the -Ngnt flag then specify the file location for the output file. cob -u -Ngnt="/tmp/testxx/tictac.gnt" tictac.cbl This example causes the tictac.gnt file to be written to the /tmp/testxx directory. Old KB# 7186

Problem: Net Express Release 4.0: How to get more information about interfaces writing a COM client? Resolution: The Type Library Assistant in Net Express can be used to get more information. The Type Library for a COM object defines information that can be useful when writing a COM client. A COBOL copyfile can be generated for any Type Library by using the Type Library Assistant. Click Type Library Assistant on the Net Express Tools menu followed by all registered Type Libraries. According to the Net Express doc files in Distributed Computing Part 4: COM,COBOL and .NET Chapter 16: Creating COM clients: Depending on the information in the Type Library, the COBOL copyfile includes the following: COBOL type definitions for any data types defined by the Type Library For each automation interface defined by the library: Level-78 data items containing the IID (interface IDs) of any interfaces defined by the type library A comment showing the i

Problem: projmake -Buildall  aProject.app "Generic Debug Build" ---> ERROR: "Could not open SYSTEM.DAT" Resolution: install Net Express 4.0 latest fixpack ( ALL04N40.EXE) ... Old KB# 7120

Problem: Receiving a compilation error when trying to compile from within the IDE, click on compilation error to bring up the offending program line and receiving message "cannot access message file". Resolution: Removing all the files from the debug directory and recompiling cleared the "cannot access message file" error. Old KB# 7142

Problem: Deployment of EJB mapdemo fails..."failed to create deployment package" Resolution: Make sure MFJ.CFG is pointing to JAVAC.EXE and MFJAR.CFG to JAR.EXE. These .cfg files are text files: ...Net Express\\Base\\bin\\mfj.cfg d:\\jdk\\bin\\javac.exe -verbose ...Net Express\\Base\\bin\\mfjar.cfg d:\\jdk\\bin\\jar.exe Old KB# 7110

Problem: Can I use Rollback on files without the user of Fileshare ? Resolution: To do this you still need to use Fileshare, but in single user mode. This means you don't need the external fileshare and comms processes.  See the Advanced chapter in the Fileshare Manual for more information. Old KB# 7099#RMCOBOL#COBOL#netexpress#ServerExpress#AcuCobol

Problem: Making a change to an existing form,  and trying to Save, gives an error that the form.cpf cannot be saved. Resolution: Has the project been moved ? alternatively Check whether the Working Directory field is filled in in the Project Properties. Old KB# 7079

Problem: Machine hangs when running all03n40.exe wrappack. It appears to be working but hangs in the installation of the runtime (RTS) fixpack. Resolution: Try the following:- - Open Services in Windows Administration Tool. - Stop the Micro Focus Directory Services Service - Retry the all03n40.exe wrappack. If this procedure does not work then please raise an issue with your local Micro Focus Support contact for further investigation. Old KB# 7101

Problem: You can find the data mapping between COBOL and .NET from the Net Express with .NET Help. Resolution: 1. Go to Start > Programs > Micro Focus Net Express with .NET > Net Express with .NET Help 2. Click on the Contents tab (if it is already not) 3. Go to Using Net Express with .NET > User's Guide > Interoperating with Managed Code in Other Languages 4. Click on "COBOL Type Compatibility" under the Type Compatibility section Old KB# 7116

Problem: Larger interfaces slow down operations when using the Interface Mapping Tools in the IDE. Some operations (such as canceling changes) can take an increasingly long time to perform as the size and complexity increases. Resolution: This has been accepted as a bug and fixed in the all04n40 wrappack released November 2004. The fix released is contained in the Interface Mapping Fixpack V4.0.005. Old KB# 7105

Problem: When installing Net Express 4.0 under XP Professional from a Net Express 4.0 CD dated 2003, the following Internet Explorer display will be presented: The Internet Explorer Titlebar will display the following jump-to-target - Microsoft Internet Expolorer In the body of the Internet Explorer display, a yellow tinted "security report" will appear with this information. To help protect security, Internet Explorer has restricted this file from showing active content that could access your computer. Click here for options... Resolution: Right mouse click on the yellow tinted "security report" and a context menu pops up with these buttons: Allow Blocked Content... What's the Risk? Information Bar Help Click "Allow Blocked Content..." (button) A Windows MessageBox opens with "Yes" and "No" buttons and this message: Allowing active content as script and A

Problem: Fatal error LNK1181: cannot open input file "winspool.lib" when linking a Net Express application. Resolution: winspool.lib is not supplied with Net Express. This file is supplied by Microsoft with their Platform SDK for Win32 systems. It is freely available for download from the Microsoft website. Old KB# 7078

Problem: Microsoft SQL Server readonly cursor locking records without using AUTOCOMMIT Resolution: If you want to make the CURSOR read only within a program You can use after the connection is made.  This applies before the cursor is open. EXEC SQL        SET CONCURRENCY READONLY END-EXEC. Old KB# 7082

Problem: I need constants in my code for an apostrophe and a quote. I've got an apostrophe ("'"), how do I define a nonnumeric literal that is a quote (") character? Resolution: 1) When you need to embed a quote character within a nonumeric literal that is delimited by quote characters, use two consecutive quote characters. 77  aQuote pic x value """". 2) Both quotes and apostrophes can be used within the same source text to delimit nonumeric literals, but the delimiters for any individual literal must match. 77  anApostrophe pic x value "'". 77  aQuote pic x value '"'. 3) There is a figrative constant avialable (QUOTE) that can be used to initialize variables and analyze values. 77  aQuote pic x. procedure division.     move QUOTE to aQuote     if aQuote = QUOTE    

Problem: To be able to control a ListView via the keyboard you need to set focus on the control.  Is there a way of doing this? Resolution: Unfortunately the Dialog System SET-FOCUS function does not work with ListView controls.  So, it is necessary to look at the control program and add the following code: ... PROCEDURE DIVISION. ...    when "SET-FOCUS"       invoke Object-Reference "SetFocus"          ... This new function is then called from the screenset via the following code: ...           SET OBJECT-REFERENCE(1)  LVIEW MOVE "SET-FOCUS" call-function(1) CALLOUT "lviewctl" 3 $NULL ... Functions can also be added for hiding and showing the ListView control if required. Old KB# 7122

Problem: FAQ Net Express 4.0 old runtime availablity Resolution: On November 24 2004 the back level wrappacks for the Enterprise server for Net Express 4.0 and Application server for Net Express 4.0 were made available on the support website just under the current level of the runtime patches. http://supportline.microfocus.com Old KB# 7118

Problem: Which 'User rights' are needed when running Net Express in general? Resolution: Net Express must be run under a user account with a user-ID that has write access to the registry structure under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, and HKEY_CURRENT_USER so the installation software can set the environment for running Net Express. To uninstall Net Express, the same user-ID must be used as when you installed it. Especially, apart from this you should check the registry as follows: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\MICRO FOCUS HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\SOFTWARE\\MICRO FOCUS Old KB# 7124

Problem: Is it possible to configure how Net Express searches COBDIR to locate programs ? Resolution: The COBOL runtime which is responsible for the loading of programs is configurable using runtime tunables. The locations searched for during the call of a program is configurable using the "program_search_order"  runtime tunable. Old KB# 7117

Problem: Is Net Express 4.0 compatible with Windows XP SP2? Resolution: Net Express 4.0 has been tested on SP2 and the results did not show any problems.  Full support will be announced from the WebSync released in November 2004 (ALL04N40.EXE). Old KB# 7113

Problem: Trying to use Net Express 4.0 Help via IDE returns an error similar to: "Internet Explorer script failure" or "object does not support methods and properties" It is completely impossible to run the Net Express 4.0 Help via IDE. Resolution: There is a related Microsoft Knowledgebase article to resolve this problem if you have included some additional cumulative patches for Internet Explorer after Feb 2003: HTML Help Update to Limit Functionality When It Is Invoked with the window.showHelp( ) Method Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q811630: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811630 Old KB# 7106

Problem: From time to time, you may encounter the need to uninstall one or more FixPacks, AddPacks, or Service Packs that you have installed for the Net Express, Mainframe Express, and/or Revolve products.  There are two separate mechanisms that you can use to accomplish this task. Resolution: They are: 1) Go to the Windows Control Panel (select the Start button and then Settings > Control Panel) and select the "Add/Remove Programs" function.  You should see the individual FixPacks, AddPacks, and Service Packs for the products listed in the list of programs.  Simply select the individual 'Packs' that you wish to uninstall and select the 'Change/Remove' button to uninstall. 2) You can also use the Webpacks utility to perform the same task.  The Webpacks utility can be found at http://supportline.microfocus.com.  Use your SupportLine login ID and Password to logon.  Under

Problem: How can I autoconnect to an Oracle database when using procob /  COBSQL ? In OpenESQL.ODBC you can by using the SQL(INIT) directive to connect to a database. How can you do this using Oracle and the COBOL Precompiler (procob) ? Resolution: Procob has the AUTO_CONNECT configuration option. Old KB# 7074