Rocket® COBOL

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: Using Sql Server and getting error message "Connection is busy with results for another hstmt" . which is caused when using Firehose cursors (client-side). Need to force server side cursors in my application. Resolution: Although client-side cursors are much faster than server-side cursors there is the SQL Server limitation that you can only have one client-side cursor open per connection. Microsoft introduced fastfoward readonly cursors to alleviate the limitation of working with firehose cursors. To force a server side cursor you can  set scrolloption  or use the new SQL compiler directive BEHAVIOR specifying primitive options to force a fastfoward readonly (server-side) cursor. In either instance the following sql compiler directive is required  SQL(TARGETDB=MSSQLSERVER). 1. setting scrolloption EXEC SQL SET SCROLLOPTION FASTFORWARD END-EXEC or specifying it in DECLARE CURSOR statement EXEC SQL DECLARE CS

Problem: When creating an Excel file from within COBOL.Net  the formatting on numeric cells is lost, see example :- 1) Tthe value 123.40 is in a cell, but when opened the file it shows 123.4 2) Also the same with 00100, it shows 100 Resolution: Set the number format on ths cells you require. The "NumberFormat" property on a Range object lets you do this. See the Microsoft doucmentation on this property for full details on what can be set. Some example code for this is:-       $set sourceformat(variable)        program-id. MSExcel.        environment division.        configuration section.        repository.     class cExcel as "Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.ApplicationClass"     class c

Problem: Release 4.0: Migrating from IBM's DB2 and compiling a source including Oracle's SUM and CASE function respectively: SELECT ...        SUM(CASE TRIGGERTABLE                           WHEN 'RS032' THEN 1 ELSE 0            END)                         ... and getting back compiler error: COBCH0149S No SQL directives have been set  : N:\\mf_ora\\Source\\cobol\\RS032.cbl(143,15) COBPR0000S 000400:Encountered the symbol "TRIGGERTABLE" when expecting one of the fol   : N:\\mf_ora\\Source\\cobol\\RS032.cbl(147,44) COBPR0000S 000400:Encountered the symbol ")" whe

Problem: trying to use comp-6 directive and getting invalid command line error Resolution: An additional integer  of "1" or "2" is required comp-6"1"   or comp-6"2" Old KB# 5402

Problem: If you have applied IBM FixPak 10 to DB2 UDB V8.1 / V8.2, a SYSIBM:CLI:-805 error trying to access SYSIBM.SQLTABLES may occur when attempting to connect to the DB2 database to retrieve the list of tables from within the ESQL Assistant. Resolution: Per the IBM FixPak Readme for FP 10, you will need to manually re-bind to the database. See the IBM Support Alert at http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=71&context=SSEPGG&dc=D600&uid=swg21215626&loc=en_US&cs=UTF-8&lang=en for information on how to solve this. As documented in the IBM FixPak Readme file for DB2 Version 8.1 FixPak 10, you will need to bind the db2schema.bnd file against each database, as follows: At a command prompt: db2 terminate db2 connect to <database-name> db2 bind <path>/db2schema.bnd blocking all grant public sqlerror continue db2 terminate ...where <database-name> represents the name of a database to which the utilities sh

Problem: With the CBLLINK command, an EXE (or DLL) can be linked with the dynamically bound shared runtime library using the -rs option. Resolution: From the Net Express IDE, you can link an EXE (or DLL) with the dynamically bound shared runtime library as follows: 1. Right-click on the EXE from the project tree, the left pane of the IDE 2. Select Build Settings 3. Click on the Link tab 4. Make sure Shared is selected 5. Click on the check box for Dynamic 6. Click on the Close button 7. Rebuid the EXE Old KB# 5447#ServerExpress#COBOL#netexpress#AcuCobol#RMCOBOL

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: Release 4.0: Receving a return code 14605 for a file operation using a call_by_name CBL_  routine Resolution: 14605 is a decimal number representing the related run time error in two bytes basically in hex format: '390d', the most right byte hex '0d' describes a value of '013' decimal. You can find more information about run time error '013', and all other cases, here: Net Express Help -> Index -> Run-time system -> error messages -> Run-time System Error Messages ->refer to 013 -> File not found If you want to act programmatically take a look here: http://www.microfocus.com/Resources/Newsletters/SupportLine/20051101-index.asp#TechnicalArticles >Interpreting the Return Code of a Library Routine< Old KB# 5427#netexpress#COBOL#RMCOBOL#AcuCobol#ServerExpress

Problem: You may see this error message reported when using Net Express Application Server when attempting to execute a deployed application. The problem is that error gives in some customers and in others no. The environment is the same for all customers.      Could you help us to solve this problem, please? Regards, Resolution: The most common reason you would see this message is because you are attempting to run an application that has been built using the Net Express 4.0 runtime on a machine that only has the Net Express 3.1 run time installed. Because the Net Express 4.0 runtime cannot be found on the machine the error is produced. So the solution would be to either install the Net Express 4.0 runtime onto the client machine(s) or if possible to rebuild the application in Net Express 3.1 which will then use the Net Express 3.1 runtime available on the machine. Old KB# 5415

Problem: You open a Net Express Command prompt and you enter the adiscf command to be able to configure adis behavior for screen i-o. But although you can see the menu bar at the bottom, you can not see any of the menu options in the main panel. Resolution: Adiscf was designed when the command prompt window had a fixed size and there were not any screen buffer. So to get it working properly, you need to reduce the screen buffer size to match the real window size. For example, if you wanted to configure adis to enable function keys, these are the steps that you would need to do: 1. Open a Net Express command prompt 2. At the command prompt window you need to reduce the Screen Buffer Size to match exactly the Window Size, or you will have problems with adiscf. Click on the top left corner and select properties. Then reduce the Screen Buffer Height to 25, that is the same value that you see in Window Size. Then click OK. If you select "Apply prop

Problem: When attempting to install Net Express .NET the Visual Studio.Net prerequisite CD asks you to insert cd-1 and then hangs. Resolution: Ensure that you have at least 128MB of RAM on the machine you are installing to. Old KB# 5441

Problem: If COBDIR is defined with the correct values, as an environment variable for the Windows system, there are no compilation errors. When it is removed from the environment variables in the Windows system and defined with the same values in the Project Properties in Net Express IDE, compilation errors are seen: ASLM: Semaphore failure. ASLM: Errno 1002 Rebuild complete with errors Resolution: The COBDIR environment variable lists the paths of the COBOL system directories where INT, GNT, LBR, DLL and EXE files, which are used by an application, occur.  Setting this in the IDE, will cause the COBOL runtime to look only in the path specified.  You should set the COBDIR environment variable in the Windows System.  If you do set the COBDIR environment variable in the IDE, you will have to prefix your path with '%COBDIR%;' to ensure the application finds the run-time files needed, for example: Variable - COBDIR

Problem: Migrating to Microsoft SQL Server from the mainframe, the stored procedure returns both a cursor and output parameters. Is this supported in OpenESQL? Resolution: No. We do not support returning output parms and a cursor simultaneously from a stored procedure with OpenESQL. (net express 4.0 all05n40) Old KB# 5715

Problem: Animating .EXE and .DLL Debug Build Programs that are located in multiple Project folders: Resolution: Animating .EXE and .DLL Debug Build programs located in multiple Project folders. The directory structure for this example is as follows: C:\\Animation\\ApplicationTrigger             \\DynamicLibrary1             \\DynamicLibrary2 The ApplicationTrigger folder contains the project for the main program, AP470T01.EXE. The DynamicLibrary1 folder contains the project for the AP470D01.DLL and the DynamicLibrary2 folder contains the project for the AP470D02.DLL. The AP470D01.DLL file contains two sub programs, AP470S01 and AP470S02, which are called by the main program AP470T01.EXE. The  AP470D02.DLL file also contains two sub programs, AP470S03 and AP470S04, which are called by the sub programs in AP470D01.DLL. T

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# 5409

Problem: How to search a directory for a given file specification (e.g. *.cbl)? Resolution: The routine x"91" function 69 can be used to search a directory for a given file specification. Another way also is to call to FindFirstNext, a WinAPI function. You will find a demo for each of this routine at the Micro Focus SupportLine site (http://supportline.microfocus.com) in the "Net Express Examples & Utilities" page. The one for x"91" function 69 is called DIRLIST.ZIP while the one for FindFirstNext is called FINDFIRSTNEXT.ZIP. Old KB# 5716

Problem: Receiving an error running MFSORT - error is SORT042U.   Cannot find MFSORT documentation that lists this message - is there a complete set of MFSORT error messages ? Resolution: Open Net Express Help and click the "Contents" tab. Then open these folders: Reference   File Handling     Sorting Files       Mfsort and click the "Error messages" document. The messages are grouped into 0001 through 0099 and 0100 through 0199. Your error is within the first group. SORT042U Memory allocation failure The mfsort utility was unable to allocate the required memory. Resolution: Try reducing the value of the SORTSPACE environment variable. See Also: Environment Variables SORTSPACE The amount of memory to be allocated to internal workspace for SORT operations. This can be specified in different formats: for example, you could specify 64M, 2G, and 1000000 to give sort memo

Problem: Is it possible to communicate from a CICS region on a mainframe with an ES MTO system (Distributed Program Linking). Resolution: Inbound DPL is not possible at the moment.  This functionality will be in Net Express 5.0 which is expected to be available during the first half of 2006. Old KB# 5406

Problem: How can I create a Net Express command prompt? Resolution: Unfortunately there is no automatic way to install/setup the Net Express command prompt.  You will need to create a shortcut yourself with the following properties: Title : Net Express Command Prompt Target : C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe /K createnv.bat Start In : "c:\\Program Files\\Micro Focus\\Net Express\\Base\\BIN" You many need to amend the above to match your own installation details i.e. your Windows installation folder may not be called "Windows" and you may not have installed Net Express in the default location. The quotes on Start In are required due to the long and spacey filenames used. Old KB# 5718

Problem: You want to convert a string (e.g. "12.3") to decimal data type in .NET. Resolution:        program-id. DecStrConv as "DecStrConv".        environment division.        configuration section.        repository.             class stringClass as "System.String"             class decimalClass as "System.Decimal"             class convertClass as "System.Convert"             .        data division.        working-storage section. 1 myString object reference stringClass. 1 myDecimal object refere

Problem: 1.  Program A calls program B. 2.  Program B opens a file, then returns control to program A. 3.  Program A calls program B again. 4.  Program B accesses the file, assuming it is still open from program A's prior call.  This causes an immediate "47" I/O declarative error. Apparently, working-storage variables in program B held state from the previous call but the FILE OPEN state did not - the file has reverted to a closed status without ever being explicitly closed.  Again this behavior is different from my 3.0 system.   Is this also a compiler directive or runtime setup issue? Resolution: The sub program was using  EXIT PROGRAM to return to the calling program which using RM directive will close all open files. Adding "ANSI" to the RM directive will allow the EXIT PROGRAM to keep files open. RM"ANSI" O

Problem: A VB application needs to run a COBOL console application in the .NET environment.  Pressing a button on a VB form is required to startup a COBOL Console exe that will accept and display. Resolution: One way would be to have a COBOL COM object (a dll) as a proxy between the VB application and the COBOL Console application.  This is the documented method and is the recommended route to take when passing arguments or values between the two languages. Please refer to the documentation on COM in the Getting Started and Distributed Computing books. Please note that you cannot accept and display from a COBOL dll. On the otherhand, you can run a COBOL Console exe directly from the VB with the following statement in the VB code: System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("the COBOL Console exe file") Old KB# 5453

Problem: Enabling a cobol program to recognize a printer plugged into a usb port Resolution:   The way to print via a USB-port and not the 'normal' LPT1/2 etc is to use the printer_redirection run-time tuneable. This redirects output on a file defined as ASSIGN TO PRINTER to whatever your default printer is. So, if that is connected via USB it should work. 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. The printer_redirection mechanism is the only way that accessing a printer connected via USB can be done. To set the printer_redirection runtime tuneable you need to create a runtime configuration file and

Problem: The system has a limit of 100 GDI objects (brushes, colours, fonts, etc.), and this limit can be reached when the same GDI object (e.g. font) is being created repeatedly, leading to the error message "Cannot map any more GDI objects - Internal Limit Reached" Resolution: If you are working with List View, and this error is occurring. This may have been a result of creating the font object over and over. The problem appears to be with the wmgadgetnotify method in the control program. It is actually creating a new font for every prepaint message. You will need to make a small change in the SetFont method of the ...LVIEWITEM.CBL program. You will note there is only one single statement in that method, which is      invoke lnkfont "deepcopy" returning itemfont Please comment that statement out, and add instead:      move lnkfont to itemfont Old KB# 5420#RMCOBOL#ServerExpress#COBOL#netexpress#A