Rocket® COBOL

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# 5784

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: 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 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: In the Cobol program below  the field 'db_email' is filled with the value '-1' and NOT 'Null.'   ...     working-storage section.          77 ws-value     pic S9(04) comp-5.     77 ws-name      pic x(10) value spaces.          procedure division.     ....     move 'robert' to ws-name     move 1        to ws-value     compute ws-value = ws-value * -1     exec sql             insert into table (db_name,db_email)                     &

Problem: Net Express 4.0 How can you stop the run-time from checking if numeric data items have valid numeric data and stop the warning message "numeric field contains invalid data" Resolution: By default this checking is always ON, but you can override this by turning off the 'F run-time switch': - At the Net Express command prompt - set cobsw=-F; or - In the IDE, from the menu - 'Project' > 'Properties...'. Click on the 'Application...' in the Project Properties dialog and go to the 'Program Execution' tab. Under 'Error Handling', uncheck the checkbox for 'Validate numeric fields'. Old KB# 5739

Problem: In .Net Winforms how can a user hide controls when a checkbox is checked ? Resolution: In WinForms there is a CheckedChanged event for a CheckBox. You can use this and the "Checked" property of the checkbox to hide controls as required. The simplest way to hide a control is by setting the "Visible" property of a control to false. Some example code that does this is:-        method-id.  "cboxHide_CheckedChanged" final private.        linkage section.        01 sender System-Object.        01 e System-EventArgs.        procedure division using by value  sender e.                    if self::"cboxHide"::"Checked" &

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: A standard user is trying to invoke Net Express. Resolution: The user requires full access to the installation path, the demos, and the Micro Focus registry structure. Old KB# 5787

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# 5789

Problem: You may have a character based screen application that you want to run inder Windows as a full screen display. However, when you run it the screen display may be much smaller than required and you may want to extend the screen to be a full screen making the screen a 25 lines by 80 column screen. Resolution: COBOL doesn't set a 25x80 screen as default for console based applications. Instead, the screen characteristics are set by Windows. When you originally developed your app, 25x80 was probably the standard screen size, although there were some exceptions where 43 and 50 line screens were used. (These subsequently led to the intorduction of the C4 and C5 runtime switches). The only way to get a full screen is by clicking the top left corner of the application screen and selecting 'Properties'. One of the options then available is 'Full Screen'. However this only expands the display to cover the full screen and does not necess

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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