Rocket® COBOL

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: 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: 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: 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: The ODBC trace is somewhat difficult to decipher. Are there any other diagnostic capabilities available from OpenESQL? Resolution: Yes, you can compile your applicaion with the SQL(TRACELEVEL=n) directive. Notes : 1. The trace filename is actually OpenESQLTrace.processID.log . If your application is compiled with the SQL(DBMAN=ADO) directive, the trace filename will be ADOTrace.processID.rununitID.log . 2. If the OpenESQL application is executing under the auspices of ASP.NET, the effective user ID under which the application invokes is not your Windows user ID -- instead, the ASPNET user ID -- hence the location of the trace file may not be where you expect it. 3. If you have installed the ESQ08N40.EXE FixPack, or ALL06N40.EXE WrapPack , OpenESQL will write out trace files to the current directory. If the process doesn't have write permissions to the current directory, the trace file will get written to the directory specified by the TEMP

Problem: Compiler error "unknown class" when building a .NET project that references classes in another project. Resolution: If you reference a class that exists outside the project you are building, be sure to include the namespace for the class being referenced in the repository.  In Net Express with .NET, there is a "Default Namespace" under the "Common Properties"..."General" area. You can see the project properties by right-clicking on the project name in the Solution Explorer window and choosing "Properties" from the pop-up menu. The namespace will default to the project name. If you blank-out this name, you don't have to prefix the class name with a namespace in the repository. As an example, if I defined a class called "MyClass" in the "MyProject" project with a default namespace of "MyProject", then you would reference this class in the repository as: REPO

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: This article documents two simple extensions to the Micro Focus Dialog System ListView control/object.  Both new features are implemented by modifying the standard generated ListView control program within Micro Focus Net Express. Resolution: This article covers the ability to change the column headings and to set focus on the ListView control.  This uses a modified version of the standard Micro Focus Dialog System ListView demo to illustrate the extensions detailed in this article.  You may wish to download the attached demo so that you can review the code while reading. Our first addition to the ListView functionality is the ability to change the column headings after the control has been created.  This required us to add a new function (UPDATE-HEADER) to the ListView control program (LVIEWCTL.CBL). Firstly, open the LVIEWCTL.CBL source file within Net Express, and review the new code.  All the

Problem: If you want to make an colour expressed in Red Green Blue (as in the GUI Class Library) then you cannot simply subtract a value from each of the RGB values. Resolution: To make an RGB  lighter you first need to convert and RGB value to a H S L value. This is Hue Saturation and Light, and is an alternate way of expressing a colour numerically. The L can then then be altered to lighten the colour, and then HSL can be converted back to RGB. There are well know algorithms to do this, and I have attached a COBOL implementation to this KB Item. Attachments: RGBtoHSL.cbl Old KB# 7080

Problem: How to replace a single file using: run library file.lbt and how to note down? Resolution: a) for a single file, i.e. RUN LIBRARY FILE1.XXX LIBRARY1.LBR = LIBRARY1.LBR b) within .LBT file, i.e. FILE.LBT: FILE1.XXX LIBRARY1.LBR = LIBRARY1.LBR RUN LIBRARY FILE.LBT Old KB# 7107

Problem: Net Express was recently installed on a computer. When trying to run it, a  Semaphore failure error is reported. It is necessary to uninstall Net Express 4.0, clean up registry and previous installed folders, reboot, and reinstall Net Express 4.0 Resolution: step 1) control panel -> administrative tools-> services                stop micro focus directory server              stop micro focus xdb server step 2) control panel  -> add/remove programs and uninstall Micro Focus Net Express 4.0 step 3) start -> run -> regedit             if net express is the only micro focus product you have installed then search and               delete "micro foc

Problem: Normally, when inserted the Net Express CD starts automatically by Autostart.The setup.exe in the root directory is started and launches the Internet Explorer to start this process. How can be the Micro Focus Net Express Setup.exe started when this is failing? Resolution: 1. You may try to copy the CD to your c: drive and start the setup.exe from there. 2. if this also fails: - start a CMD prompt - insert the CD into the drive - change the actual directory to the root directory of your CD drive - enter: \\setup\\setup.exe /ini=\\setup\\nxsetup.ini to start the Micro Focus Net Express setup. Old KB# 7100

Problem: Is there a variable (or function), similar to file status code, that can be queried to find out if a file was opened for input / i-o etc ? Resolution: You can use the "fcdreg" compiler directive, the "FH--FCD" special register and the "xfhfcd.cpy" copy book to gain access to the "fcd" file descriptions compiled into your program. Define your "fcd" in your linkage section (1   myFcd.) followed by a copy statement retrieving the "xfhfcd.cpy" COBOL copy book delivered with your development system. In your procedure division set addressability to your "fcd" in your linkage section with a set statement. Compile your program with the "fcdreg" and "qual" compiler directives. 000010$ set fcdreg qual 000020 file-control. 000030     select myLogicalFile assign 'MYDATA.DAT' ... 000040 linkage section. 000050 1  myfcd. 000060     copy xfhfcd.cpy. 000070 procedure division. 00008

Problem: There is an issue when installing Net Express 4.0 on the D: drive of Windows 2003 Server machine using the standard setup.exe. When trying to compile programs you may get the error: ASLM:  Semaphore failure ERRNO 1002 Resolution: The problem here is that the setup process attempts to create a log file on the c:\\  drive by default, and if you don't have a c:\\ drive, it can't write the log. To avoid this problem, you can redirect the log file elsewhere by supplying a parameter to the setup command. So, drop to a command prompt an change directory to the location of the setup.exe (let's assume this is on D:\\) and type the command D:\\setup\\setup.exe /ini=d:\\setup\\nxsetup.ini /logfile=r:\\thelogfile.txt This will run the setup.exe from your D:\\ drive and write the logfile to your r:\\ drive. Alternatively, you can uninstall the product from the D: drive and resintall it on the default C: drive.  

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: If it is desired to debug .NET code (C# or VB .NET) that is invoked from an unmanaged COBOL program, please try the following: In the Visual Studio .NET Project Properties menu, select Configuration Properties, Debugging. Make sure that "Enable Unmanaged Debugging" is set to true and that "Start Application" specifies the name of the COBOL executable (or the runw.exe trigger program if using .int or .gnt code). The "Debug Mode" property should be "Program".  When debugging, the COBOL program should run and execution should stop at the breakpoint you set in the .NET code. Resolution: If it is necessary to debug .NET code (C# or VB .NET) that is invoked from an unmanaged COBOL program, please try the following: In the Visual Studio .NET Project Properties menu, select Configuration Properties, Debugging. Make sure that "Enable Unmanaged Debugging" is set to true and that "Start Application&qu

Problem: Net Express 3.0 installation on Windows 2000 service pack 3, Error duing installation of service pack 1, error 255 when trying to install compiler fixpack. Resolution: Uninstall  Net Express 3.0 and prepare machine for reinstall. Suggest installing Net Express 3.0 into a folder with no spaces, for example-> c:\\ne30 step 1) uninstall Net Express 3.0, retain license step 2) make sure no folders exist from previous installation attempts step 3) set tmp and temp environment variables in both system variables and user                      variables  to c:\\temp             How to set temp and tmp:             goto My Computer and right mouse click and select properties      &nbs

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: In DG COBOL, a file is restricted to 4 alternate keys, what is the maximun number of alternate keys supported by Net Express? Resolution: Net Express allows up to 252 alternate keys in an indexed file. Old KB# 7140#RMCOBOL#netexpress#AcuCobol#ServerExpress#COBOL

Problem: When attempting to create a window that has 3 fields that occur 7 times per line for 20 lines the following message is reported: "You have attempted to add more than 255 gadgets to a window". Can a window contain more than 255 gadgets? Resolution: The answer is that a window cannot contain more that 255 gadgets. There is a limit in Dialog System that prohibits more than 255 objects (or gadgets) PER window.  This is documented under Dialog System Limits in the Dialog System Help or just type "limits" from the Help Index and double-click on the "Limits" topic. That would show the Dialog System Limits. Old KB# 7138

Problem: A third party source code control product is installed using the SCCS interface as recommended by Micro Focus. However, after starting Net Express the 'Source control' menu item has not appeared. Resolution: If the 'Source Control' menu has not appeared, the Net Express IDE has failed to load the specified SCCS interface dll. First check that the dll specified in the registry exists. For example: If you have a Merant (Serena) PVCS VM installation, the registry setting is HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\SourceCodeControlProvider\\Data = SOFTWARE\\Merant\\Integrations\\SCC Check what HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Merant\\Integration\\SCC\\SCCServerPath Data value is. In that case this is set to C:\\program files\\merant\\devint\\vm\\devint\\bin\\pvcs_ifc.dll When you start Net Express, it loads this dll, which is the SCCS interface dll. If the load fails, no 'Source Control' menu will be displayed, and as described above: The re

Problem: Many developers find that older COBOL applications or those written for other COBOL compilers like WANG or DEC, demonstrate numeric entry that seems simpler than what Micro Focus COBOL expects.  Fewer keystrokes are needed to complete the entry and decimal alignment of edited numeric fields doesn't require the entry of a final period (.) in order to complete the ACCEPT command.  Here's a trick that works for all versions of Micro Focus COBOL, whether  you are using UNIX products like Server Express or Object COBOL Developer Suite or the PC products like Net Express or the older COBOL Workbench. Resolution: Using this short demonstration example:        Program-ID.  Numtest.        WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.        01 MY-NUMBER       PIC 9(09).     

Problem: COBOL Web Service Clients default to PIC X(100) for Strings. This can cause issues as more than 100 characters may be returned in a string. Resolution: You can amend the WSDL for a WebService to specify the expected string size and then generate the COBOL Client from the amended  WSDL. An example of this is below:- <?xml version="1.0"?> <definitions name="CATrafficService" targetNamespace="http://www.xmethods.net/sd/CATrafficService.wsdl" xmlns:tns="http://www.xmethods.net/sd/CATrafficService.wsdl" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/soap/" xmlns="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/wsdl/" xmlns:new="new"> <types> <schema xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" targetNamespace="new"> <simpleType name="string2"> <restriction base=&q

Problem: Can I specify Microsoft's linker options like -version:<major>.<minor> using CBLLINK? Resolution: No, CBLLINK does not forward options to Microsoft's link.exe. The options  -version:<major>.<minor> can be specified by a different syntax in a .RC file, which can be included into the link process after being compiled to a .RES file. Alternatively start CBLLINK using options -V and -K -V means 'verbose' -K means  'keep temporary linker files' Rerun the link.exe with additional parameter -version:<major>.<minor> Old KB# 7095

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