Rocket® COBOL

Problem: 114 error when starting Net Express 4.0. Resolution: Please check the following points: 1) To correctly install Net Express and setup the license you must have    administrator rights to the local machine.  This is due to the fact that    we make changes to the registry as part of the setup process. 2) Ensure that you have applied all the latest fixpacks applied to your installation    of Net Express.  These can be downloaded from the SupportLine web site via    a valid user ID.  Please contact your local Micro Focus Support centre if you have    problems accessing the site. So, our advice is: 1) De-install the existing installation and revoke the license if asked. 2) Log on with Administrator ID on to the local PC. 3) Install NE40 and apply all the latest FixPacks. 4) Generate the new request key. 5) Then using the gene

Problem: the code pasted below compiles without any Problem with Net Express 3.1, generates errors 1309 == File related section or paragraph not allowed. ( Severe error ) with Net Express 4.0.... ====> compile errors: Micro Focus Net Express V4 Version 4.0.38 Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Micro Focus International Ltd. URN AXCGG/AA0/00000     43 INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.   *> !!!!! *1309-S************                                                          ** **    File related section or paragraph not allowed.     46 FILE SECTION.           *> !!

Problem: Release 4.0: The knowledge base articles KB: 20942 and KB: 21122 refer to SupportLine Newsletter articles, which show how to use the Windows XP Visual Style controls. The latest version of the sample is now available on the Net Express Examples page. Resolution: The sample demonstrates how to create a Dialog System screenset, which uses the Themed Controls of the XP Visual Style: http://supportline.microfocus.com/examplesandutilities/nesamp.asp#DialogSystem Demo: VisualStyleDemo.zip ---- The method used by the newletter article http://www.microfocus.com/mfnewsletter/technicalarticles/20050701-002.asp mentioned in KB: 20942 shows a purple line in each entry field. The newsletter article http://www.microfocus.com/000/XP-style-21_tcm21-5782.pdf, mentioned in KB: 21122, shows that the NoBorder-method from the class library can be used to get rid of this line. The example VisualStyleDemo.zip from the examples page minimizes the number

Problem: A file created or viewed using a DOS editor tool or UNIX editor tool will most likely be saved in the OEM character set. Resolution: To view the correct character set created using a DOS editor then: Go to the 'Options' menu | 'Edit' | 'DOS compatibility' tab. Then select or tick the 'OEM/DOS' option. Old KB# 5736

Problem: What does a status 1 code returned from a WinApi call mean? Resolution: A status 1 returned from a WinApi call means "Error - invalid function". Old KB# 5759

Problem: I want to create a new environment variable in the registry from within a program - how can I do this? Resolution: There is an example of how to do this on the SupportLine website -  look for the cobreg program on the sample programs page. Old KB# 5751

Problem: t:\\NE\\obj\\program.obj cbllds00000714.obj    Creating library t:\\NE\\dll\\program.lib and object t:\\NE\\dll\\program.exp CVTRES : fatal error CVT1107: t:\\NE\\dll\\program.exp is corrupt t:\\NE\\dll\\progam.exp : fatal error LNK1123: failure during conversion to COFF: file invalid or corrupt link finished with errors T:\\PR\\SRCE> Resolution: cbllink uses Microsoft "link" under the covers the 1123 occurs sporatically for unknown reason when trying to place the linked module onto a mapped lan drive. MicroSofts position on this matter is that they do not support linking over the network Old KB# 5770

Problem: Can I improve my SQL Server performance from COBOL via ODBC? This relates specifcally to SQL Server cursor performamce. Resolution: Using ODBC to SQL Server there is a lot of scope for tuning your performance. MS SQL Server's performance can vary greatly depending on what cursor type is being used. By default all cursors are Server Side cursors. This can be inefficient for example when reading through large sets of data. Setting concurrency to READONLY and making it FORWARD only should those type of cursors go much faster. Where you need server side cursors you could try the SQL(PREFETCH=n) directive. This will get individual rows in blocks rather than in a single row. This can speed up performance. Some work has taken place to help with people migrating from mainframes. There is a new compiler directive SQL(BEHAVIOR=....). This allow you to specify what behaviors you want and it then does some optimisations to cursor types. Some ex

Problem: While executing a program this error occurs: Load error : file 'EXTSM' error code: 173, pc=0, call=1, seg=0 173     Called program file not found in drive/directory What must we do to correct this problem? Resolution: There is a simple solution. Use the following command to create a Extsm.dll. cbllink -d -RS -k -v extsm.obj>cbllink.txt<Enter> Place the extsm.dll in the folder where your application is executing. This will make the sort available to all .EXE and .DLL programs. Cbllink.txt will capture all the details published by the "verbose" switch (-v) and the "keep" switch (-k) will retain the module definition file (.def) and the import library (.lib) for the dll. Old KB# 5735

Problem: Only 16 colours are displayed when using the colour option.  The computer is set to unlimited number of colours. Resolution: The Form Designer Script Assistant helps you set up event handlers that: Invoke methods Get and set properties Get and set styles The Script Assistant has five tabs: The Events tab The Methods tab The Properties tab The Styles tab The Scripts tab The Events, Methods, Properties and Styles tabs provide you with a point and click method of creating event handlers, while the Scripts tab enables you to enter and edit your code directly. The contents of the tabs and the behavior of the Script Assistant vary depending on whether you are working with HTML controls or ActiveX controls. Styles contain information about the appearance of an element. Just as with properties, you can set a style to change an element s appearance, or get a style to discover its appearance.  For example, most ActiveX

Problem: How do you setup a Listview so that it is also resized when the hosting winform is resized. Resolution: The Anchor property of the control does this. By default the control is anchored to the top left. If you anchor top / left / bottom /right it should resize as required. Old KB# 5746

Problem: To pass a structure like this: 01   LINKVARS.     03  VAR1             PIC X(02).     03  VAR2.        05 VAR3           PIC X(10). from COBOL to Java but to also  send it as a Byte[] type instead of a string.  Is there some way to do this? Resolution: You can't pass a record structure directly from COBOL to a Java method which is expecting a byte array, as there is no mapping for that within the Object COBOL runtime support.  However, we do have a means of creating arrays using the jarray class. If you create a one dimensional byte array using the jarray class, the getData/commitData methods can then be used to copy a COBOL buffer into it.  That jarray can then be passed to the

Problem: Program A call Program B, receing error on call to Program B. Works in debug mode, error produced in Release Mode. Resolution: This was corrected by a HOTFIX for  RPI 1057346 - this occurs due to a change to the compiler to accommodate mainframe dialects. the outdd and\\or  indd are the cause and the solutions is as below: Run-time system error COBRT226 ("EXTERNAL data definition        inconsistent") was returned sometimes if programs in a run unit had been compiled with a        mainframe dialect. The error occurs because the        attributes used for the SYSOUT file when using a mainframe dialect        changed in WrapPack V4.0.005.        If you receive this error you should recompile all the programs   &nbsp

Problem: Release 4.0: Keystroke Ctrl C or Ctrl V does not work as expected with the CommonControl demo "TXTENTRY". What has to be programmed to get these keystrokes? Resolution: To get a Ctrl C or Ctrl V as expected, the method "getHighLightArea" is necessary for the Ctrl C  instead of "setHighLightArea" coded in the demo. In the "EfDataKey Section" where the EfDataKey callback event is handled. Please code e.g.:             if K-keyAsNum of Keystroke = 3 *> Ctrl C                INVOKE aTextEntry "getHighLightArea" USING CursorPos                                      &

Problem: Use the same Net Express IDE settings you have on one machine on the other machines that have the same version of Net Express. This also can be a way to resolve a corrupted Net Express IDE settings. Resolution: 1. Go to Start > Run 2. REGEDIT<enter> 3. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\software\\Micro Focus\\Net Express\\4.0\\IDE 4. Make sure the IDE key is selected or has the focus on 5. Click on Registry > Export Registry File... from the menu 6. Specify a new name, which will have REG as extension 7. Click on the Save button 8. Take the REG file to the other machine 9. Make sure Net Express is not running 10. Double click on the REG file 11. Click on the Yes button to confirm that you wish to add the information in the REG file to the Windows registry Old KB# 5774

Problem: Does Application Server support Windows Clustered environments? Resolution: Micro Focus Application Server has no direct support for Clustered Services. Applications written in COBOL however should run on a Windows Server machine that participates in a Windows Cluster. However the application will not be cluster aware. There is a API that applications can use to make themselves cluster aware:- http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/mscs/mscs/windows_clustering.asp?frame=true If you need to make your application cluster aware then you will need to to use these apis. Old KB# 5742

Problem: running bat file (or commandline)- to run sort - results in sort124e - field position 201 invalid Resolution: If the record size is greater than 256, a RECORD instruction must be used. ex: Sample with the record parameter setting record of 300 bytes mfsort sort fields(1,1,ch,a) use x:\\directory\\xxx.dat record f,300 give file2.dat Old KB# 5741#netexpress#AcuCobol#ServerExpress#RMCOBOL#COBOL

Problem: Release 4.0: How to setup the File Handler configuration .cfg file a) to prevent getting this error message: 'A file which your program is accessing is too large for successful execution to continue' (extended file status code 194) and also to prevent spreading the data (file striping) under Microsoft Windows NTFS? b) to ensure that files generated and used IDXFORMAT"8" can be easily handled if they are greater than 1 or 2 or 4GB? Resolution: The .cfg file has to cover also an entry FILEMAXSIZE=8 (if not: FILEMAXSIZE=4 will be assumed by default) For additional information, under Net Express refer to: Help-> Help Topics-> Index-> FILEMAXSIZE-> FILEMAXSIZE File Handler configuration option Old KB# 5729

Problem: While using a Net Windows Forms application how can you ensure when you tab into a Multi Line Entry field that no text is already selected? Resolution: In order to do this you need to add a Gained Focus event handler on the control you need to bevhave in this way and add the following lines:- set self::"textBox1"::"SelectionStart" to 0 set self::"textBox1"::"SelectionLength" to 0 On entry to this field the above code will ensure that no text is selected. Old KB# 5783

Problem: How can I send to a printer connected to a USB port using the standard ASSIGN TO clause in the SELECT statement? Resolution: The way to print via a USB-port and not to LPT1/2 etc is to use the printer_redirection run-time tuneable. The printer_redirection tuneable causes ASSIGN TO PRINTER statements to go to the print spooler rather than LPTn. Therefore, provided the printer attached to the USB has been installed properly there should be no problem printing to it. There is no way to access ports directly in our product because the operating system APIs used for file handling do not handle USB port names. To set the printer_redirection runtime tuneable you need to create a runtime configuration file and then set the run time tuneable in this file. The default filename is 'cobopt.cfg' and this is just a standard text file. However, the file can be any name of your choosing (eg; myconfig.cfg). Then, to have the runtime system access the fil

Problem: The comp-3 arithmetic should only retain the result equal to the defined pick value not what it can hold.        WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.       *****************************************************************        01  PIC-S9X4-COMP-3         pic S9(4)   COMP-3  value 5001.        01  PIC-S9X9-COMP-3         pic S9(9)   COMP-3  value 5001.        01  WRK-S9X4-COMP-3         pic S9(4)   COMP-3  value 0.        01  WRK-S9X9-COMP-3         pic S9(9)   CO

Problem: Are there any further documentations on how to use INCLUDE or OMIT control statements in MFSORT? Resolution: Here is the description of the INCLUDE/OMIT control statements in the Net Express Help: ----------------------------------------- INCLUDE/OMIT Specifies conditions in which records will be included or omitted from the sort process. For details, see the IBM documentation to be found at Using DFSORT Program Control Statements. INCLUDE and OMIT are mutually exclusive. ----------------------------------------- You will note there is a link (http://www.microfocus.com/docs/links.asp?nx=dfs2) for details on how to use them. If you click on the link, it will take you to the documentations on DFSORT Program control statements. You will find from that site all the details about how to use INCLUDE/OMIT control statements. Old KB# 5733#AcuCobol#ServerExpress#COBOL#RMCOBOL#netexpress

Problem: Release 4.0: When compiling a program with a single syntax bug, this causes an aftereffect of about 1500 error messages. It may end with an "Unexpected Error while syntax checking", or a hanging IDE, or it may take several minutes until the IDE can be used again. Killing the IDE using taskmanager does only help if the IDY-file is deleted also. Resolution: A better solution is offered by the compiler directive MAX-ERROR. Limiting the number of errors, e.g. to: MAX-ERROR"50 E" MAX-ERROR"40 S" e.g. placed in the COBOL.DIR file, will improve the situation. After reaching the specified number of messages, the compilation will be aborted by a (last) "Too many errors" message. Old KB# 5778

Problem: How to uninstall Net Express 4.0's All WebSync WrapPack? Resolution: To uninstall the Net Express 4.0's All WebSync WrapPack, you just need to follow the steps below: 1. Go to "Add/Remove Programs" 2. Select "Micro Focus Net Express 4.0" from the list 3. Click on the Remove button 4. Check the "All WebSync WrapPack" option 5. Click on the Uninstall button As results, Net Express will be back at its original version. That is, it is without any patches at all. If you want to apply any previous version of WrapPack, you can download them from the Micro Focus SupportLine site at http://supportline.microfocus.com. There is a link for "Net Express 4.0 All WebSync WrapPack Archive" from the "Net Express 4.0, Net Express with .NET and Mainframe Transaction Option" download page However, we highly recommend to apply the latest WrapPack. If you experience any problems with the latest WrapPa

Problem: Client was getting error COBCH0250S status field is missing or illegal on every compile. This was occurring for every field specified as a FILE  STATUS in their SELECT clause. The file status field had been set as follows: pic xx comp-5 Resolution: The first character of the file status field cannot be defined as a comp field. Only the 2nd character can be defined as comp. For example: 01  file-stat.      05  fs-1     pic x.      05  fs-2     pic x comp-x. This format will allow for the extended Micro Focus file status codes to be retrieved. Old KB# 5723