Rocket® COBOL

Problem: How to write all the console output (including errors) from a batch program to a text file? Resolution: 1) You will need to compile your programs with the CHARACTER option rather    than GRAPHICAL.  This ensures that any errors are display as plain text    rather than in a Windows message box. 2) You will need to set the following runtime switches:    set cobsw=-I2 S5 3) You then run your program with redirection:    paddy01.exe > x.txt For example, the following program:        procedure division.            display "Before CALL...".            call "fred".            display "After CALL...".       

Problem: Method to uninstall Net Express 4.0 and any applied fixpacks silently from a command line Resolution: End-users can silently uninstall any Micro Focus products (which use Micro Focus' proprietary wrapper install technology), without the need to go to Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. First, users need to establish the values of %UNINSTALLER% and %UNINSTALLTAG% as referenced below in the [Setup] section of the wrapper.ini file, which can be found in the root of the Micro Focus product Installation CD. Users should be logged on as the same user which originally installed the product.  Use the following command template as a guide to uninstalling products silently: START/WAIT %UNINSTALLER% /FILE=%UNINSTALLTAG%UNINST.DAT /SMS As an example for Net Express 4.0 this would equate to: %UNINSTALLER%=NETEXPRESS40UNINST.EXE and %UNINSTALLTAG%=NETX40 The version of the file related to %UNINSTALLER% resides in the C:\\WINDO

Problem: ProgramA is compiled with the directive $set CallFH "MyProgram".  When any file access occurs (e.g. Open i-o File) this correctly calls the "New file Handler" MyProgram.  However, the means to access the FCB of the relevant file is not at all clear.  For example, including the Directive FCDREG in the calling and called programs has no effect. Resolution: The following is a workable example of accessing the FCD below. The program turns on key compression in a file by setting the appropriate bits in the file's Key Definition Block. $set fcdreg select masterfile assign to ... organization is indexed record key is rec-key alternate key is m-alt-key-1 with duplicates alternate key is m-alt-key-2 alternate key is m-alt-key-3 with duplicates. select indexfile assign to ... organization is indexed record key is rec-key alternate key is t-alt-key-1

Problem: A program uses more than one copybook, but only one or some of the copybooks show up in the project tree window of the Net Express IDE. The program can be compiled successfully despite of that. Resolution: Try executing the Update All Dependencies option from the Project menu. If that does not resolve it, the project file  has possibly become corrupt. Just create a new project, and this should display the dependencies correctly. Make sure also to apply all latest fixes for Net Express. Old KB# 5253

Problem: When compiling from a command line the linker is requiring that the file external.obj be linked in but when running a .int from within the project it is not required. Resolution: .int format programs within a project will load and use the util.lbr file which contains the externl inside it. When linking OBJs the util.lbr is not used so the externl.obj module is required when there is an EXTERNAL phrase specified within an FD. Old KB# 5233

Problem: File status 9/004 returned on a file that has an environment variable set to the file name when creating a new project. Resolution: This requires the directive ASSIGN(EXTERNAL). The other projects were using a COBOL.DIR file within the application directory. If the COBOL.DIR should be used for all projects then move the COBOL.DIR to the Net Express\\Base\\Bin directory and all projects will use that one. This can be overridden in any program or project by using the directive NOCOBOLDIR. Old KB# 5234#AcuCobol#RMCOBOL#COBOL#netexpress#ServerExpress

Problem: FSVIEW enters a FSVIEW command line environment. Resolution: The XFH05N40 fixpack which is part of the ALL04N40 wrappack adds the file FSVIEW.EXE to Net Express but the add pack FSV01N40 must be installed before it can be used. To exit the FSVIEW command prompt enter the word EXIT. Old KB# 5210#RMCOBOL#netexpress#ServerExpress#AcuCobol#COBOL

Problem: field A pic s9(11)v99 added to B pic s9(11)v99 A=  780.10 B= 4354.34 sum = 5134.50   should be 5134.44 Resolution: the problem in this case was the input was using an ebcdic sign doing $set sign"ebcdic"     corrected the problem Old KB# 5218

Problem: how to use files bigger than 4 gig Resolution: 1. use compiler directive IDXFORMAT"8" allows the creation of large indexed files up to 128 Tb **this step only has to be used for a program creating new files 2. Need to set FILEMAXSIZE=8 in extfh.cfg file under [XFH-DEFAULT] ex.  this file is just a text file. [XFH-DEFAULT] FILEMAXSIZE=8 3. Next  set environment variable EXTFH to point to path and file name of the cfg file (if using a project can set environment variable under Project Properties> Environment>IDE) Old KB# 5197#ServerExpress#netexpress#AcuCobol#RMCOBOL#COBOL

Problem: CBL cards are embedded in the source, before the identification division. CBL begins in column 9, followed by options. For example:         CBL nodynam,lib,cbject,apost Resolution: Compiler directive COBOL370 disregards the CBL card. Old KB# 5215

Problem: Return code 194 received with CBL_OPEN_FILE for file over 4GB in size. Resolution: CBL_OPEN_FILE does not use the EXTFH.CFG so the setting of FILEMAXSIZE=8 will not work. If you add 64 to the access mode parameter then this will create the same results as the FILEMAXSIZE=8. 65 Read only 66 Write only (deny-mode must be 0) 67 Read/write Old KB# 5211#netexpress#ServerExpress#RMCOBOL#COBOL#AcuCobol

Problem: Used the anim directive to compile but then moved the .exe program. A message pops up prompting for animation but then the .idy file cannot be found. After entering the location of the .idy file then the COBOL source cannot be found.l Resolution: The resolution is to move the .idy and COBOL source files to the same location as the .exe file. Old KB# 5217

Problem: Can Screens.GS be in another directory and be found at runtime or animate time? Resolution: Yes, by adding the directory that contains the GS files to the COBDIR they will be found at animation time. For deployment a safer method would be to follow the instructions in the packaging knowledge base article 4150. Old KB# 5244

Problem: A program using an open extend statement for a file defined without the optional phrase works fine on one computer. If the file does not exist then a file status code of "05" is returned, which is fine. On another machine the program cannot create the file if it does not exist unless the optional phrase IS specified. Resolution: The compiler directive option-file is the default for the Micro Focus dialect. If the RM or ansi'85' directive is used then the nooptional-file directive is also set. This could be the problem. If one of thes directives is being used then defining the optional phrase in the select statement overrides this and it will work correctly. Old KB# 5238#RMCOBOL#netexpress#AcuCobol#ServerExpress#COBOL

Problem: There have been instances in Net Express 4.0 when after installing the all04n40 fixpack the 'Dialog System' option has dissapeared from the 'Tools' dropdown menu. Resolution: To permanently have 'Dialog System' on the 'Tools' dropdown menu: From the menu bar go to 'Options', 'Customize IDE' and select the 'Tools' tab. Select 'New Tool' and type in the desired name to display (i.e. Dialog System) and then select 'Program' and navigate to: C:\\Program Files\\Micro Focus\\Net Express\\DialogSystem\\BIN\\DSWIN.EXE Dialog System should now permanently be on the 'Tools' dropdown. Old KB# 5220

Problem: Net Express 4.0 on 32 bit Windows. When running an application an error stating that the runtime DLL OOPS entry point is not recorded in the Windows registry occurs. Resolution: This error is normally caused by previous versions (e.g. Net Express 3.1) of runtime files being picked up via the PATH.  Carefully check the PATH setting via Net Express command prompt and ensure no rogue entries are present. Old KB# 5222

Problem: The following error is received during the install. Failed to set up Integrated Development Environment. At least one Net Express option failed to install. Please exit setup and start install again. Resolution: Check the share path to the server for spaces. If there are spcaes in the path, remove the spaces and attempt the install again. Old KB# 5245

Problem: The GNT code will require that ANIM is located in another location other than the project directives. Cannot animate the GNT code. Resolution: The GNT code will require that ANIM is located in another location other than the project directives. It can be added to the project pull down menu. Projects      Types of Build              Debug      CHANGE                    OPT(1) ANIM    OK    CLOSE Old KB# 5219

Problem: The MFDS Service hangs when attempting to apply the Net Express 4.0 fixpack collection. Resolution: Before attempting to run the Net Express 4.0 fixpack updates updates, go into control panel and right click on the MFDS service, and change it's properties to disabled - then reboot the machine. This will ensure that the service isn't started on boot up. Now there should be no problems in applying the updates. After they have been successfully applied, change the service back to automatic. Old KB# 5193

Problem: The output file seems to be sorted incorrectly. Resolution: Perhaps the file was to be sorted in EBCDIC order. Use the compiler directive native"ebcdic" . Old KB# 5237

Problem: When running a program that makes a call to a program that is included in a dll file, for some reason it is not finding the program that is being called. A RTS173 error message is being reported. What is the search path for finding programs found in dll? Resolution: The path that Windows searches in order to locate DLL files is specified in the PATH environment variable. If the DLL is not located within one of the paths defined by this environment variable, Windows will not be able to load the DLL. A DLL named, for example, "MyDLL.DLL", has a primary entry point of "MyDLL" that consists of a goback or exit program statement. Included within this DLL is a second program named "MyEntry1". To gain access to "MyEntry1" it is first necessary to call "MyDLL" to expose the entry point to your second program. Then "MyEntry1" can be called. Use the cancel verb with caution when you have

Problem: Error received; "cannot run 16 bit window program - access to specific devise is denied" Resolution: copy cd installation to a directory on the hard drive that has no spaces in the name Old KB# 5201

Problem: Trying to install Net Express 4.0 from CD. Receiving error cannot  write to silent script log file unable to continue Logged on as administrator, TMP and TEMP point to C:\\temp Resolution: Running the following command where X: represesent the CD=Rom drive installed the product X:\\SETUP\\SETUP /INI=X:\\SETUP\\NXSETUP.INI /LOGFILE=C:\\TEMP\\SETUPLOG.TXT Old KB# 5202

Problem: How can the HIDE-OBJECT function be used in Dialog System dialog on a ListView? Resolution: The HIDE-OBJECT function cannot be used in a Dialog System dialog on programmed controls like a ListView or a TreeView. But the corresponding routine from the class library can be invoked in the control program. Please use the method "hide" of the class abstract window, which is inherited by the programmed controls:     INVOKE aControl "hide" This will hide the ListView. Old KB# 5207

Problem: A program has been developed and compiled on Net Express and then copied over to a UNIX machine. When running the program on the UNIX system, an RTS0165 error is encountered.   Resolution: The problem here is that there is likely a library file or COBOL module which isn't looking in the correct pathname caused by a missing or wrong $COBDIR, or a newer version of Object Cobol Developer Suite, Server Express, or Application Server has been installed while parts of a previous product installation have not been removed correctly. Therefore a check should be done of the opt/lib or cob/lib  (or shlib) and also where the $COBDIR is pointing to.  If it is unknown which versions of product modules and libraries that are installed on the system on which the error is encountered, it is advisable to remove the products completely and reinstall the product to insure that the modules available are not from mixed product releases.