Rocket® COBOL

Problem: When running a program and calling the CBL_DELETE_FILE-routine, files being write-protected are not deleted. How to change the file attributes for those files with a CBL-routine without using a DOS box? Resolution: Windows API functions can be used to unset the read-only attribute of files.        copy Windows.cpy.        program-id. main.        special-names.            call-convention 66 is WinApi.        working-storage section.        01 Attrib           DWORD.        01 ReadOnlyOff-Mask DWORD.        01 B-RetVal         BOOL.   &nbsp

Problem: NetExpress releases 4.0 - 5.0 Overview of file handler parameters. Resolution: To get an overview of file handling, please refer to: Net Express  Help -> Help Topics -> Content -> Reference -> File Handling -> File Handler -> Configuration -> Configuration file parameters - Overview Old KB# 5307

Problem: If a program has a long running block of code that adds items to a listbox or listview then the User Interface does not reflect the changes until the code has completed. Is it possible to update the control while the processing takes place ? Resolution: This occurs because all the processing is taking place on the same thread as the user interface. While the COBOL is processing data and adding items to a listbox the user interface will not respond as the Windows message Q is not being processed. The simplest mechanism to do this is by calling the "DoEvents" on the Application class at various points in the code. This will ensure that the Windows message Q will be processed at that point to reflect changes in your user interface. A more complex approach would be run the COBOL processing on a seperate thread from the user interface. This will ensure that the user interface is responsive while the COBOL processing takes place. Ol

Problem: Method to trap COM Errors without the black console box popping up Resolution: Code/logic a registered COM Exception Handler: The exception handler does not automatically terminate but allows users to determine the best action. In many cases this would be to terminate (ie STOP RUN). However, users can decide on the correct course of action for themselves. An Example of this is:-       $set ooctrl( P)        program-id. ADSIDemo.       ******************************************************************       *       *    Author  - David Sands (Micro Focus Technical Support)       *       *    Date    - December 2003       *  &n

Problem: Some directives that configure how files are dealt with, their internal format , for example FDCLEAR & IDXFORMAT, can be especified in any part of the source code. This article will set out the procedures to set those directives only for a particular file, as supposed to all the files in the program. Resolution: There are quite a few compiler directives that configure the behavior of the file handler. A few of them can only be set at the begining of the program (or outside, in cobol.dir or in the Net Express project...) and its settings will affect all the files defined in your program. But quite a few of them can be set/unset in any part of the program and this feature allows us to configure different behavior for each file defined in our COBOL program. You know that this is possible because when you access the online help for that directive (Contents / Reference / Compiler Directives ) you will see in the description for that directive somethin

Problem: From the Installation Options screen, the IDE option is already checked and greyed out. It is not then possible to change the directory where to install Net Express. Resolution: This would imply either Net Express is already installed on the machine or a previous uninstall of Net Express was not properly completed. If Net Express is already installed: 1. uninstall Net Express 2. make sure to retain the license 3. install Net Express 4. change the default directory for IDE to a new directory If Net Express is not installed: 1. go to Start > Run 2. regedit<enter> 3. go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Micro Focus\\ 4. delete the Net Express key (or subfolder if you prefer) 5. go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Micro Focus\\ 6. delete the Net Express key (or subfolder if you prefer) 7. start the Net Express install again Note: the steps #3 through #6 can be combined in 2 steps ***IF*** there is no other Micro Focus products instal

Problem: Error when attempting to silently install the Net Express product. In the log file from the install the following error is displayed: Error:  Invalid silent script file, unable to start unattended install. when using a script that was previously recorded. Resolution: This can be caused by the ordering of some parameters in the install command. Run the install with a command using the following syntax: setup.exe /INI=C:\\mynetx.ini /LOGFILE=C:\\nxsetup.log /NO_SILENT_REPORT /SILENT=C:\\mynetx.sss This should produce the desired result. Old KB# 5291

Problem: Receiving message "ASLM Semaphore failure" when trying to run an application deployed using Net Express 4.0 Application Server when logged in with standard user priviliages. Resolution: This is actually a known issue when installing from the base release (or first release) of the Net Express Application Server. This version had a problem with setting the registry privileges correctly. This has been fixed.  Simply update the current version of Application Server using the latest build on the Micro Focus SupportLine web site: http://supportline.microfocus.com/websync/aps40.asp - (as of 6th September 2005) the file to be  downloaded and applied is APS06A40.EXE. This will install the latest build of the Application Server and allow users to run applications when logged in with standard user privilages. Old KB# 5309

Problem: When installing Net Express 4.0 on machine, click on setup to install, gets "invalid initialization file" message. Resolution: Use the following steps to correct the problem: 1.  The SETUP.EXE that is in the root directory of the Net Express folder must not be used.      Instead the command "cd \\setup" must be typed followed by the ENTER key to make the      Net Express\\setup folder the current directory. 2.  Type "setup.exe /ini=.\\nxsetup.ini /no_subsystem" and press ENTER. This will start the setup.exe program that is in the Setup subdirectory and tell it which initialization file to use during setup. In this case it is using the nxsetup.ini file within the Setup subdirectory and specifies the /no_subsystem option. Old KB# 5258

Problem: Is it possible to develop COBOL CGI applications by using Net Express with .NET? Resolution: Unfortunately, CGI is not supported in our current Net Express with .NET product.  According to the online help the following areas are not available: * Some CBL_ and PC_ routines (the majority are supported) * ADIS (Extended Accept/Display) * CGI * Micro Focus class libraries * Multithreading syntax * Mainframe performs (perform-type(osvs/vsc2)) * SOC 7 * Mainframe pointers * ANSI debug * GLOBAL declaratives in nested programs * CICS commands * Screen section * CALL-CONVENTION * Threading syntax such as THREAD-LOCAL-STORAGE and SEMAPHORE-POINTER. Please see the .NET online help for full details. Old KB# 5306

Problem: Serial number was sold as Net Express with .NET 4.0 Installed Net Express Professional which installed the Revolve product with Net Express Resolution: Need to exit licensing windows. Go to START bar Select All Programs Select Micro Focus Net Express 4.0 Select Configuration Select License Management System Make sure that only Net Express is checked or high-lighted; depending on the license update version installed. Select full license and internet licensing Response YES; two times max; to the question; server is not responding do you want to wait License request has been completed message was received Old KB# 5316

Problem: We are writing an output file that is a Record Sequential data file. We need to convert it to a Line Sequential file. Can this be doen from a Cobol program? Resolution: Yes. Reference the following example:           Identification Division.        Program-Id.  LORINCE.       * Converts Record Sequential to Line Sequential       * via  PRINTER  keyword in ASSIGN clause        Environment Division.        Input-Output Section.        File-Control.            Select Out1  Assign to Printer 'RS2LS.Dat'.       *    Select Out1  Assign to &#

Problem: Release 4.0: Working with sources to migrate SIEMENS copybooks and getting messages for TIMEOUT as follows: > Micro Focus Net Express V4 Version 4.0.38 Copyright (C) 1984-2005 Micro Focus International Ltd. URN AXCGG/AA0/00000   1514 01      TIMEOUT                                                  00031100 * 666-S***************                                                 (   0)** **    Res

Problem: Can MFSORT be used outside of Net Express? Resolution: MFSORT is part of Micro Focus' development and application server products.  It works on Windows, Linux and UNIX. Old KB# 5305

Problem: Install Application Server for Net Express by running setup from the SERVER subdirectory on the Net Express CD (Net Express 4.0, for other versions the directory takes other names), but this will install the base version of Application Server Expres for Net Express without any fixpacks or updates. If the user has applied the latest fixpacks to their base installation of Net Express to their development environment, they will want the end-users of the application to have a version of Application Server that is updated to the same level as the development environment.  (i.e., Application Server 4.0 with NetExpress 4.0,  App Server 5.0 with NetExpress 5.0, etc.) Resolution: To install Application Server with a certain level of fixpacks applied to it, download the corresponding Application Server Service Pack from the Micro Focus SupportLine web site. Service Packs for Application Server can be used to update an existing installation

Problem: Installing Net Expresss and getting an error stating Application Server is already installed. Resolution: This sounds like an intermittent issue with the Net Express 4.0 installation.   The following steps should be followed: 1) Using REGEDIT, rename:    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall    to    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall-temp 2) Start the Net Express setup. 3) At the setup welcome screen, rename the above key back to Uninstall. 4) Continue with the installation. Old KB# 5262

Problem: If lines are entered into a Multi Line TextBox similar to the following: Line1 Line2 Line3 Line4 then how is access to each of the individual lines in the control accomplished? Resolution: On a TextBox there is a "Text" property that provides access to all the text wtih x"0d0a" delimiters (Carride Return/ LineFeeds) between the lines. The user could retrieve the test to a pic x(..) and then UNSTRING the data as required. Alternatively there is a "Lines" property that is an array of the lines. The following code example might prove useful :           *****> Access each line in the MultiLine TextBox           *****> and add it to a ListBox                         perform varying ls-str

Problem: The install of Net Express with .NET goes to a certain point, and it then abends without displaying any errors. In this case, Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 is already installed. Resolution: Net Express with .NET requires the following products to be installed first: Net Express 4.0 with at least WrapPack 4.0.001 (all01n40.exe) Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 with its own prerequesites It is worth to note that Net Express with .NET is an addon to Net Express 4.0. In other words, it does depend on Net Express 4.0. Old KB# 5283

Problem: CALL 'CBL_DEBUGBREAK' to animate a program vs. via Net Express command-line with COBSW= A or COBSW= a Resolution: The preferred way to debug programs under Net Express is to start via CALL 'CBL_DEBUGBREAK', whereas COBSW= A also COBSW= a are out of use, therefore not documented. COBSW= A was included within older 16bit/32bit Micro Focus products (e.g. Workbench), and it is not intended to use this under Net Express. Old KB# 5267

Problem: MFSORT returns 9/007 when sorting large (filemaxsize=8) file The TEMP and TMP environment variables are set to C:\\TEMP Resolution: The 'C' drive was not an NTFS drive. Creating a TEMP folder on an NTFS drive and revising the User environment variables for TEMP and TMP to the NTFSdrive:\\TEMP solved the problem. Note: Sorting a "large" file, MFSORT will be writing files to TMP and or TEMP paths that will require an amount of disk space equal to the size of the file being sorted. Sort files may also be very large as well. Therefore, TEMP and TMP must point to an NTFS drive where there is significant disk space available. Old KB# 5272#AcuCobol#COBOL#ServerExpress#RMCOBOL#netexpress

Problem: Which version of the windows compiler supports Unicode? Resolution: Micro Focus advises end-users with such requirments to employ the Micro Focus Net Express COBOL compiler, because there is now added support for many parts of the ISO 2002 COBOL standard including: o ISO2002 Object Oriented COBOL support delivering enhancements such as typed object references. o UNICODE support for global applications. Old KB# 5304

Problem: A text in your application appears differently once executed on another machine or a font routine fails to use a font that is installed in Windows. Resolution: It is possible that the selected font is not a True Type one, and Windows is set to use ONLY True Type fonts. Since Courier for example is not a True Type font, a routine such as PC_PRINTER_SET_FONT would fail with return code 13. Not only this Cobol routine cannot use it, but all applications in Windows. Here are the steps to turn off this setting in Windows: 1. Go to Control Panel 2. Open Fonts 3. Click on Folder Options from the Tools menu 4. Click on the True Type Fonts tab 5. Uncheck the only option in there, which is "Show only True Type fonts in the program on my computer" 6. Click on the Apply button 7. Click on the OK button, and you will be prompted to restart the machine 8. Restart Windows (after saving your work) Old KB# 5274

Problem: Release 4.0: Setting the compiler directive PERFORM-TYPE"ENTCOBOL" to ensure that programs have the best compatibility with the mainframe COBOL dialect. Since doing so, the user cannot do a RUN RETURN in the animator to step out of a performed paragraph or section. Resolution: This is the expected behaviour. Setting a mainframe dialect for PERFORM-TYPE has an implementation, where the appropriate information to determine the correct return point is not available. The PERFORM-statement behaves different from the default to the PERFORM-TYPE setting to mainframe compatibility (or RM).        a.     perform b through d.                display "a1".                goback.         

Problem: compiler directive set:        $set p(prexml) o(basic.pp) ENDp        $set ilpinvoke(cblxmls.dll) sum-up compiler directive ILPINVOKE ( extracted from MF .NET doc): Makes the specified unmanaged code available, so that the entry points in the unmanaged code are available to the program being compiled. See the Visual Studio Help topic Calling Unmanaged Code from COBOL Using Platform Invoke Services for more information. Syntax: >>-.----.--ILPINVOKE--"unmanaged-dll"------><     -NO- Parameters: unmanaged-dll The name of the .dll containing the unmanaged code that is required Properties: Default: NOILPINVOKE IDE equivalent: Add a reference to the unmanaged .dll to the References folder of the solution Resolution: Instead of        $set ilpinvoke(cblxmls.dll) use    &

Problem: Is there any way to run the file conversion process from the command line in a batch job. Conversion of many data files with the tool can be easier and more reliable when done within a batch job. Resolution: This can be done using the following command line: run dfconv profile-fname [input-fname] [output-fname] where: profile-fname is the name of the profile file that contains the details of the task you want to perform.   input-fname  is optional and is the name of the input file.   output-fname  is optional and is the name of the output file. The input and output file-names are optional as they can be extracted from the profile file. If you specify file-names on the command line as well as in the profile file, those on the command line take precedence. After conversion, the operating system error level ERRORLEVEL is set to non-zero if an error occurred during conversion. If you are running the con