Rocket® COBOL

Problem: Release 4.0: Using the XML GENERATE statement from IBM mainframe COBOL in Net Express. Resolution: Use Net Express 4.0 with the WrapPack all06n40 or later. Old KB# 5806

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: Unable to populate an empty Net Express project from CA Harvest. Resolution: This seems to be caused by an undocumated feature in CA Harvest prior to version 5.1.2.  Either upgrade to 5.1.2 or 7 of CA Harvest to correct the problem. Old KB# 5793

Problem: Das Modify Data Tag (MDT) soll als Eigenschaft eines Feldes im Editor gesetzt werden. Kann üblicherweise bereits für ein BMS Feld eingestellt werden, nicht erst im SEND MAP Aufruf. Wo ist der Schalter im Net Express BMS Editor ? Resolution: Das MDT Bit wird  durch den Schalter FSET in den Feldattributen gesetzt (Field Properties / General). Old KB# 5790

Problem: Ported project from another machine to a different test machine. Trying to start animation from project. Resolution: One scenario for this error is as follows: The build settings for the EXE were sent to another directory other than the debug folder - **this was found by highlighting the EXE on the left hand side and doing a right hand click and choosing build settings -- the "file on disk" option had been changed to send the EXE to a different location other than the default "debug" or "release" folder. Trying to start animation from the top which was pointing to the debug folder if you hits browse and goes to where the exe is located it starts the easier method is to just highlight the exe on the left hand side and do a right hand click and choose animate Old KB# 5794

Problem: Clicked on remove and it seemed to uninstall but it is not gone from the add and remove programs list. If NX is clicked on again, it says it is not there although still visisble. Resolution: Clear Unwanted Entries from Add/Remove Programs Intended For Windows XP Windows 2000 Windows Me Windows 98 Windows 95 In Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel, a list of installed applications is displayed for the purpose of easy removal. Unfortunately, but there is no obvious method for removing these entries (either to prevent accidental removal, or if the application was removed some other way) without uninstalling the programs. To remove an entry, do the following: Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE). Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\ SOFTWARE\\ Microsoft\\ Windows\\ CurrentVersion\\ Uninstall, and remove any unwanted keys under "Uninstall." Old KB# 5756

Problem: Receving a not found error when doing a invoke such as:-                invoke wordserver "GetSpellingSuggestions"                        using       ws-work                        returning   ws-suggestion Resolution: The problem here is in the method name "GetSpellingSuggestions". This has "get" as the first 3 characters so the COBOL OLE runtime thinks you want to get a property "SpellingSuggestions" rather than do a method call. You can fix this by making a "setdispatchtype" call to tell the runtime that the next call is actually a method c

Problem: Some COBOL code from another environment does a WRITE statement to a line sequential file but a special character is not written out as expected. The special character is less that 1F hex. Resolution: This is the default behaviour. In Line Sequential files if there is a character less than x"1F" then a null is inserted before the character. You can switch off this by using the COBOL Runtime switch (N) or a file handler config entry INSERTNULL. If you set one of these options then your file will be produced as expected. Old KB# 5743#RMCOBOL#ServerExpress#COBOL#netexpress#AcuCobol

Problem: The cookie.js file was correctly deployed to the web server but the cookie used on the page was being passed between the browser and server. Resolution: This issue was caused by the Virus checker that was installed on the webserver machine. The virus checker was preventing the javascript from functioning correctly. Old KB# 5766

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: 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:   Is Visual Studio 2005 supported in Net Express 4.0? Resolution: Currently the Net Express 4.0 product works with Visual Studio 2003. The Net Express  5.0 version works with VS 2005. Old KB# 5768

Problem: Release 4.0: Creating and maintaining toolbars in Net Express, Dialog system is preferred. Where to find examples and tips? Resolution: (1)  A demo can be found in the Net Express product installation itself: ..\\DialogSystem\\Demo\\Commoncontrols\\Toolbar (2)  Additional, there is a programming tutorial "Adding and Customizing a Menu Bar and Toolbar". It can be found here: Net Express -> Help -> Help Topics -> Content -> Programming -> Dialog System -> Dialog System Guide -> Part 3 Programming Tutorials -> Chapter 21 Old KB# 5779

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: 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: 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: Has one form, wants to be able to click on a button and have a different form popup Resolution: 1) Create a new Cobol, windows form, name the project FormPopup 2) Add another form to the project ( Right click on the project in solution explorer, select Add New Item, Select a Windows Form, name it Form2, click OK) 3) Add a button control to the first Form (Form1). 4) Double Click on the button to create the button click event handler 5) In the repository add this line of code: Class form-form2 as "FormPopup.Form2" 6) Go back to the button click event handler that was created (method button1_Click) 7) Add a working storage section with the following code: 01 newForm object reference form-form2. 8) In the procedure division add the following code: set newForm to form-form2::"New"() invoke newForm::"Show"(). 9) Build and Run (Instead of using the form's Show method you could use the ShowDialog method, but then t

Problem: Is there any set of specific directives recommend whent converting from mainframe COBOL370 programs to Microfocus COBOL Net Express? Resolution: The list of directives should match the mainframe compiler version currently being used. Micro Focus creates a standard for that Dialect, but that does not mean it will match the specific environment completely. Look at Net Express Help > Start Here, Migration Cookbook, Chapter 6 Directives and Dialects for the directives associated with each Dialect. Obtain the list of directives that are used when compiling on the mainframe and match them to one of the dialects and then add/remove additional directives as needed. There is no list other than using the DIALECT(XXX) directive where XXX indicates a specific dialect. There are simply too many combinations of language elements that would enable a simple list of directives to work in all cases. This being understood the only generic list would be that provid

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: A sample program:            SELECT          customer            ASSIGN      TO "\\\\server1\\develop$\\test\\customer.dat";            ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED;            ACCESS       IS DYNAMIC;            RECORD KEY   IS cst-key;            FILE STATUS  IS ws-cst-status. . When the statement "OPEN I-O customer"  is executed the file on one PC works OK. However, on another PC,  a file locked error (status 9A) occurs. Resolution: Change the SELECT st

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: 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: 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: The following error mesage occurs when the user clicks on the "Click here to install Net Express 4.0" link from the install page of Net Express 4.0: "Impossible de trouver le fichier /d:/autorun/..\\nxsetup.asq. Vérifiez son emplacement et essayez á nouveau." [This above French error message simply means that it was unable to find nxsetup.asq] Resolution: Make sure to load the web page in Internet Explorer (IE)! It was designed to run on IE. The above error message occurred in Mozilla FireFox web browser. Old KB# 5749

Problem: How can I display a JPEG (JPG) file from a Character based application? Resolution: Character based applications do not support the display of images. You could however use the ShellExecute api routine to display a JPG in the system default application for it. Attached is a demo that gets a JPG from a website and displays it using ShellExecute. Attachments: WinHTTP GET.zip Old KB# 5745