Rocket® COBOL

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: How to assign or determine the client-id that is required for a server-side file in a web application. Resolution: Look under Help>Programming>Distributed Computing>Part 8: CGI-based Applications>Part 32: Server-side programming>Maintaining Application State>The Server-side State Mechanism for a complete overview of this topic. Basically the set of MF_CLIENT_STATE callable routines can be used to manage the state for each client (Browser) session that invokes the CGI program. When the client starts the browser and the HTML page executes the server side CGI program for the first time, the CGI program can use a call to MF_CLIENT_STATE_FILE which will return a unique client-ID and will allocate the state record used by the calls. The client-ID is then stored within a cookie on the form so it will be passed back to the server each time a new form is posted. This information is all stored on the server and it is accessed by the cli

Problem: How to run a batch creation of new empty indexed files. Resolution: Create an empty .txt file using Windows Explorer. From the directory in the right hand window find an emtpy area and right click the mouse, select New and new text document name the file dummy. Rebuild dummy.txt, newfile.dat /o:seq,ind /t:mf8 /r:f100 /k:1 5 These options can be found within the documentation under index for Rebuild and select converting a file. Old KB# 5243

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Case: When migrating from Net Express 3.1 to 4.0, there exist 11 .DLL files that are believed created using Net Express 3.1 but it is unsure if the original project or source code still exists. Is it possible to tell if these Dynamic Link Libraries were indeed created by Net Express instead of by a 3rd party compiler such as Microsoft C/C ? Resolution: The answer is yes, there is a way to identify an existing executable (.EXE) or Dynamic Link Library (.DLL) file as being generated by Net Express. Using a binary editor or a program dump utility, open the .DLL file and search it using this tool. If no binary file editor is available then it is also possible to open the file using a standard text editor like Windows Notepad but since the information being displayed is not standard ASCII text it will look very strange. It will however, accomplish the task at hand. After opening the .DLL file within the editor it is necessary to perform a text Fin

Problem: The user is creating com objects with Net Express 4.0 . On  his developement machine they work fine, but on his production machine when he tries to register the com object using regsrv 32 he receives the following error message: "runtime dll "oops version 4.0, entry point "oops" not recorded in registry not found or incompatible". He has application server for Net Express with .net and application server for Net Express 4.0 installed on production machine and they both have lastest updates applied. Resolution: Adding the location of Application Server for Net Express 4.0 to the path environment variable  resolved the problem Old KB# 5216

Problem: When migrating applications from a mainframe to the Windows platform, using Net Express, or a UNIX/Linux platform, using Server Express, platform specific issues can be encountered.  One specific area that can be troublesome is when dealing with Packed Decimal data.  This article discusses the issues of Packed Decimal data and how they can be dealt with. Resolution: When migrating an application that has been compiled on the mainframe with the NUMPROC(NOPFD) directive, the behaviour expected is that when comparing x'000c' with ZERO, they should be equal. For example, the following program:        working-storage section.        01  a        pic  x(3)  value  x'00000c'.        01  b redefines a  

Problem: This article provides instruction and a demonstration regarding how one can detect when a program developed with Net Express with .NET 4.0 is running under the control of the CLR (.NET Common Language Runtime). Resolution: Functionally, the method of detection involves two steps: 1. use the MF function CBL_GET_OS_INFO 2. look at the bit 5 of cblte-osi-rts-capabilities When = 1, it means that the program is running under the control of the CLR The demo program showing how this is used follows.   Note: To run this demo, the latest update (ALL04N40.exe) needs to be installed in the Net Express 4.0 product.       $SET SOURCEFORMAT"FREE"        program-id. CLRprogOrNot as "CLRprogOrNot".        environment division.        configuration section.      

Problem: Net Express 4.0: Where to find additional information in regards to 'extended file status codes'? Resolution: Use the Net Express Help : a) IDE -> Help -> Help Topics -> Index -> Extended File Status codes -> File handling includes hints on how to check these codes by programming. b) IDE -> Help -> Help Topics -> Index -> Extended File Status code provides all run-time codes related. Old KB# 5224

Problem: Under some conditions when attempting to use Net Express 4.0 Help via IDE, an 'Internet Explorer script failure' error can be returned.  In other cases, the error returned may be 'Object does not support methods and properties'. As a result, it is completely impossible to run the Net Express 4.0 Help via IDE because all links are 'broken'. Resolution: The following will provide the methods to resolve these problems: Follow these steps: (1) Can the Net Express 4.0 Help be started via the following?: Windows -> Start -> Programs -> Micro Focus Net Express 4.0 -> Help (2) Can this Windows Registry entry be reached and/or run? HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\MICROSOFT\\WINDOWS\\HTML Help\\mfnetx40.chm Which includes a pointer to the location of doc files installation: ...\\Base\\DOCS (3) If Internet Explorer has been updated using the cumulative patches since Feb 2003, Microsoft reports an issue itsel

Problem: How to use the SetWindowText Windows API in a COBOL program. Resolution: Character user interface. RUNW.EXE -  COBOL TEXT window.        SPECIAL-NAMES.            CONSOLE IS CRT            CRT STATUS IS WA-FUNCTION            CALL-CONVENTION 74 IS WinAPI.        WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.        01   wHwnd pic xxxx comp-5.        01   statusCode pic xx comp-5.        01   SetWindowTextReturn pic xxxx comp-5.        PROCEDURE DIVISION.            display spaces upo

Problem: There is some confusion about how the VALUE NEXT phrase works when it is defined for a 78 level constant data-item that is embedded within a group item containing the REDEFINES clause. Using the example below, the following questions are asked: Is there any reason why the value of MTCount is 23 and not 12?   Is there any reason why uncommmenting TABLE-TWO will correct the problem?        01  TABLE-ONE.            78  LTSize                 VALUE 17.            78  LTStart                VALUE NEXT.            05  WS-LEVEL-TABLE.   &n

Problem: How can control be returned from a Dialog System Entry-Field after a specified time if the user does not input anything? Resolution: A TIMEOUT may be configured for this. >>> TIMEOUT 500 NEXT The second parameter of a timeout specifies the waiting time in hundredths of a second, after which the procedure defined by the third parameter is executed. Here: "NEXT" is executed after 5.00 seconds After the timeout occurs, please check, if there was a change on the entry-field. If there was a change, do not leave the entry-field, because the user may just enter something. Be aware, that programmed controls like a ListView, by default, do not cause a Lost-Focus-event for an Entry-Field. If the user can change to a programmed-control, please invoke its SET-FOCUS method to cause the LOST-FOCUS event for the entry-field. ------------------------------------------------------- data fields ------------------------------------ EF2-