Rocket® COBOL

Problem: How do I use the RENAME subprogram call? Resolution: Please see the attached file RENAME-EXAMPLE.CBL Attachments: RENAME-EXAMPLE.CBL Old KB# 6125

Problem: How can I compute Square Roots and Cubed Roots? Resolution: To find the square root of a number in RM/COBOL, use this statement: compute RESULT rounded = NUMBER ** 0.5 Use 0.33 for the cubed root. The "rounded" phrase is needed because the number 4 returns a root of 1.99..., only bigger numbers (9 and up) return the correct whole number for the root without rounding. The **  operator performs exponentiation when used with a whole number instead of a decimal.      Old KB# 6113

Problem: Can i get rid of the some of the buttons of the keyboard that appears at the bottom of the page - that appears when you run the customized application. Resolution: In builder, highlight the page you are modifying and do a right click on properties. click on the Display tab, and uncheck the "include button bar" You will then have to place your own buttons on the page, to click on the buttons for each type of keyboard function that may go with the page. Make sure you do a save and flush the cache before running to see the new pages modified, if you dont see the new pages, restart the web service to clear all cache. Old KB# 5899#Rumba#EnterpriseLink

Problem: What causes Truncated Records? Resolution: If a program defines a record length that is less than the length of the records in the data file, the data will be truncated and no warning messages are generated. This is a feature of COBOL fixed length records. Record description entries need not describe the entire record. This could be useful, for example, to allow expansion of the record description without having to enter a filler in each record description. A RECORD Clause with CONTAINS n CHARACTERS can be used to define a fixed length record. For variable length records, a RECORD Clause can also define the minimum and maximum length of the records in the file. The record descriptions cannot be less than the minimum nor greater than the maximum record area, but equality is not required in either case. The compiler issues an error when a record shorter than the minimum record length is described for a file with variable length records.     

Problem: Is there  a way to delete screens/pages from the repository without having to delete them one by one in Builder ? Resolution: We now provide 2 utilities (batch files) to delete screens and pages. Documentation for command-line batch files to Delete Screens and/or Delete Pages has been added to the EL Wiki in www.enterpriselink.com -> Authors.    Once inside EL Wiki, do a search on "Delete Pages" or "Delete Screens".   Detailed information including the batch files themselves and their operation is given.   Please pay careful attention to the "Note" at the bottom of each entry. For Deleting Screens, the file, DeleteScreens.bat should be executed. It requires two parameters with an optional third parameter. The first parameter is the project-name.   The second parameter is either 1)  the name of a file containing a list of screens (one per line) to be del

Problem: How do I do string manipulation in Cobol? Resolution: To move selected characters from one alphanumeric field to another, try using reference modification. For example, to get the 2nd through 4th characters of a PIC X(5) field into a PIC X(3) use the following: MOVE FIELD1(2:3) TO FIELD2. If FIELD1 contained 'ABCDE', this statement would put BCD in FIELD2.      Old KB# 6116

Problem: Failed attempt at using Project Manager locked my project. How can I unlock them to use outside of Project Manager? Resolution: Solution without project manangement. Notes: You don't have to actually use the Master Repository at all. Assuming your ELRepository is locked Create a new DNS (mdb)     Administration-> Repository -> Add new DNS -> *.mdb     change the Data Source Name to ELRepositorynew     Choose a new mdb file in a new location Initialize     Administration -> Repository -> schema -> ELRepositorynew -> initialize            Migrate     Administration -> Projects -> migrate projects ->        sources is ELRepository  -> choose your project        destination is

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# 5810

Problem: How can I rebuild a Sequential File into an Index File with multiple 01 levels? Resolution: The reindex sample program does not cover multiple 01 levels. If the program has multiple 01 levels with varying length records, and each record has a unique length, it is possible to write the record to the correct 01 based on the length. To do this, change the sample reindex code in the following manner:   1) Create a data name in WS , such as, WS-SIZE PIC 9(4)   2) Change the FD for the binary sequential file to read:           RECORD IS VARYING FROM 1 TO ### DEPENDING ON WS-SIZE.       where ### is the maximum length for the record and the "depending       on" clause will store the length of the record in ws-size.   3) Change GET-REC to have           03 FILLER P

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: Why do I get a 204 Error on CALL "SYSTEM"? Resolution: The limit on the number of bytes for a Windows command line is 130 (per the RM/COBOL User's Guide). A command line greater than that could clobber data structures. If the command is too long, it will return an error 204. Old KB# 6124

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: Can symbolic characters be used in an unstring command? Resolution: Yes. See the UNSYMBOL.CBL example program attached. Attachments: UNSYMBOL.CBL Old KB# 6111

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# 5771

Problem: installing netx 3.1 on windows2000 - getting error not enough space on target directory when indeed there is more than enough space available Resolution: in this particular case - the fix was to do a regedit and delete the micro focus folder under hkey_local_machine **if there are no other micro focus products on machine if there are - only delete the net express folder Old KB# 5777

Problem: This error: "The program ... has been modified since the last compile. This may lead to unpredictable results when browsing and animating." is produced after a compile of the program. Resolution: the "$" should be in card column 7.      1          $set sql(dbman=odbc)      2        ****************************** Like this:      1        $set sql(dbman=odbc)      2        ****************************** Old KB# 5772

Problem: What is the return code of the projmake utility when a project fails to build or open? Resolution: The prokmake utility sets return-code = 1 for any error found.   You cannot specify a return-code for each type of error. Old KB# 5760

Problem: Cobol calling JAVA first call Resolution: Add the JAVA\\BIN\\classic or client directory that contains jvm.dll to the PATH environment Old KB# 5788

Problem: Is Dialog System dsbrowse included in Application Server runtime environment Resolution: DSBROWSE.gnt in included in our application server (version 4.0). The location of the Application Server directory may need to be on the COBDIR directory. The gnt format modules are located via the COBDIR environment variable. Alternatively you could link dsbrowse.obj into the main application exe. Old KB# 5744

Problem: Net Express 4.0: SWITCH-0, SWITCH-1, SWITCH-2,..,SWITCH-8  are coded in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the CONFIGURATION SECTION of a COBOL program. The program tests to see which switches are ON and behaves accordingly. The program is built as an .int or .gnt. How would you set there statuses from the Net Express command prompt, so that they are passed as parameters when the program is 'run'? Resolution: The status of the switches are set and passed to the program, at the time of program execution from the command prompt, with the following command: run ( 0 1 2) Program This sets the programmable switches SWITCH-0, SWITCH-1 and SWITCH-2 to ON and passes these settings to the program "Program", built as an .int or .gnt. Old KB# 5737

Problem: How do you apply XP Theming to a Dialog based application? Resolution: The XP Appearance is controlled by the Operating System and needs to be enabled for an application. The simplest way to do this is to have a manifest file in the same directory as the application. This is a file that matches the exe name with a .manifest extension. The customer.zip attached is an example of this method. You need to look in the release directory for the file. The other approach is to build the Manifest into a resource in the EXE. The other attachment is an example of this approach. Edit the RC as text to see what is required. These apps can also be run on pre-xp systems. The manifest ensure that that XP Theming controls library is loaded and used by the operating syste. We would recommend that the customers test their apps with theming applied so ensure that visually they look ok. Attachments: customer.zip Old KB# 5740

Problem: How can I get an error when a REDFINES source/target are different lengths? Resolution: This "error" would return an informational message from the checker and is not reported by default (as you have found).  If you want to see these errors then you will need to specify the WARNING"3" directive on your compilations. Old KB# 5734

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: 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: Problem: The install of Net Express 4.0 on a Window XP professional  failed because the Setup reported erroneously an installed Application Server for NE 4.0. Resolution: Workaround: 1. Using regedit, rename the key   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall to Uninstall-temp 2. Start the NX setup. 3. At the setup welcome screen, rename the key back to Uninstall. Old KB# 5769