Rocket® COBOL

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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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

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

Problem: Method to open a large data file with Net Express to view the contents. Resolution: Have the following section setup in the extfh.cfg file: [XFH-DEFAULT] FILEMAXSIZE=8 Where the FILEMAXSIZE parameter specifies the number of bytes used internally to store file offsets. This also affects internal locking mechanisms: programs sharing the same file all need to use the same FILEMAXSIZE settings to ensure semaphores and record locks are handled correctly, thereby avoiding potential file corruption in shared files. FILEMAXSIZE={4|8} Default: 4 4 Limits file addressibility to 32 bit values which is compatible with earlier versions of Micro Focus products. 8    Allows up to 64 bit values for file addressing on Windows NT platforms when accessing the NTFS file system, but changes the underlying record locking mechanism. Therefore, if you are sharing very large files, that is files greater than 1Gb in size, all programs

Problem: CBL_SPLIT_FILENAME example in Net Express Help has been updated Open Net Express 4.0 Help Click Index tab Type CBL_SPLIT_FILENAME Click Display Scroll down to reveal "Example of the use of CBL_SPLIT_FILENAME" Click adjacent checkbox Below is a compilable version of the source shown in the Help. Resolution:             copy 'CBLPROTO.cpy'.       ************************************************************       *                                                          *       *   &n

Problem: Found cblcore modules  in many directories.  Can these safely be deleted? Resolution: Cblcore is a debugging tool - it puts out a cblcore dump anytime an abend occurs. By typing in CBLCORED from a command prompt, it will put up a pop up box and you can enable or disable it. If you have already resolved the abends and do have no need to look at the dumps, you can delete them. If this is occurring on your development machine, check the animate options and uncheck core dump to stop using the function. Old KB# 5752

Problem: Issue with Greek Characters when ANSI characters are used (on .Net). In a .Net Winforms environment Greek characters are not displayed correctly when passed into a Winform. Resolution: This is caused by conversions taking place between OEM and ANSI character sets and UNICODE. To resolve the problem you need to perform the following code when your application starts:- call "PC_WIN_SET_CHARSET" USING BY VALUE 0 This sets up the COBOL system so that all conversions are ansi based. Old KB# 5731

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: 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: 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 it possible to specify a Y2K pivot date with MFSORT? Resolution: Unfortunately there is no way to specify the Y2K pivot year with MFSORT i.e. where the 20th and 21st centuries start. Old KB# 5431

Problem: Doing a static link of a ODBC program with Base release of Net Express 4.0 and base release of Application Server for Net Express 4.0. Resolution: Static link is not recommended for ODBC The issue was resolved by linking as Shared Another method would have been to upgrade development and Application Server for Net Express to the currect update levels available on our website. http://supportline.microfocus.com Old KB# 5717

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# 5400

Problem: What performance can be expected from Fileshare? Resolution: The overhead of running Fileshare is considerable.  This is only counteracted as the number of concurrent users increases.  For example: Time taken to write 100 records. Users             Non-FS               FS 1                 0.1 seconds          1.0 second 5                 0.5 seconds          1.2 seconds 10                1.5 seconds        &nbsp

Problem: Is it possible to use Telnet in a COBOL system on the .Net platform. Resolution: Neither COBOL or the .Net Framework (V1 or V2.0) has support for the Telnet protocol. There is however many 3rd party .Net libraries that provide support for Telnet on the .Net platform. Old KB# 5407

Problem: When creating an XML file from a COBOL program, how would you prevent groups/items being output to the XML file?  This may be necessary when the items or groups hold no data at all. Resolution: Define the groups/items in the COBOL program with the COUNT IN clause, e.g. 03 Main IDENTIFIED BY "Main".      05 A PIC X(6) IDENTIFIED BY "A_TAG" COUNT IN A-CNT.      05 B PIC X(6) IDENTIFIED BY "B_TAG" COUNT IN B-CNT.           07 B-ATTR PIC X(6) IDENTIFIED BY "B1_A" IS ATTRIBUTE.           07 B-SUB PIC X(6) IDENTIFIED BY "B_SUB_TAG" COUNT IN B-SUB-CNT.           ... Moving 0 (zero) to the count variables wil stop the associated elements or groups being output to the XML file. Old KB# 54