Rocket® COBOL

Problem: Open ESQL supports the WITH HOLD syntax of the DECLARE CURSOR statement. WITH HOLD maintains resources across transactions or multiple units of work. Cursors defined by WITH HOLD will remain open after a COMMIT.  This is of course dependent on whether the ODBC interface supports this functionality and whether the ODBC data source has been configured to enable this capability. If WITH HOLD is not supported you will receive a sqlcode of -19520 Connection does not support HOLD cursors on the OPEN CURSOR statement. Resolution: BUILD W/RELEASE:     NETExpress 3.1 The program creates two tables in the database and inserts records into both. A cursor is opened on the first table using the 'WITH HOLD' option of the DECLARE CURSOR statement. A row is fetched and then a row from the other table is updated and committed. The next row is fetched from the table, if sucessful the "WITH HOLD" option prevented t

Problem: This example demonstrates how to create Windows 32-bit .DLLs from a COBOL program which can be called by a Microsoft Visual Basic program. It also demonstrates how and when to use static and dynamic call-conventions and how to link .DLLs to the Net Express file handler MFFH.OBJ. Resolution: BUILD W/RELEASE:         3.1 INTRODUCTION ========== This example demonstrates how to create Windows 32-bit .DLLs from a COBOL program which can be called by a Microsoft Visual Basic program. It also demonstrates how and when to use static and dynamic call-conventions and how to link .DLLs to the Net Express file handler MFFH.OBJ. The project actually consists of a Visual Basic main program called DEMO1.EXE and a number of Net Express generated .DLLs. DEMO1.EXE displays a single form which interacts with the user. The form contains a number of buttons each of which when pressed will load a COBOL.DLL and call an entry

Problem: When a Visual Basic program creates another VB object and attempts to pass this object to a Cobol Object the the Build Error "Reference required to assembly 'xxx' containing the type 'xxx.yyy'. Add one to the project. The calling project does have all the required references. The error occured in Visual Studio 2003. Resolution: This is caused by a bug in VB and is documented by Microsoft at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818411 To work around the problem by adding a reference to the Assembly DLL rather than the project. This error was also resolved in Visual Studio 2005. Old KB# 4358

Problem: Often there is a need to read and set operating system environment variables from COBOL programs.  How can this be done? Resolution: Micro Focus COBOL provides syntax that permits the reading and setting of environment variables within the Windows system. Please note the following points though: 1)  Creating/changing the value environment variable it will only remain current for the duration of the COBOL run unit.  Other applications will still see the original setting. 2) To call MFEXTMAP to enable the setting of environment variables. 3) To use ON EXCEPTION to test for errors when manipulating environment variables. The following example illustrates the syntax required to manipulate an environment variable valled TESTENV:       $set xopen        working-storage section.        01  ws-env &n

Problem: Often there is a need to be able to calculate the length of data within a COBOL string (PIC X). Resolution: There are many ways to calculate the length of data within a COBOL string variable.  The following method is simple and hopefully easy to understand.  The code basically does the following: 1) It reverses the string using the REVERSE Intrinsic function. 2) The INSPECT verb is used to count the number of leading spaces. 3) The number of leading spaces is subtracted from the total size of the variable. Here is a small example that illustrates the idea:        working-storage section.        01  ws-string                   pic x(40).        01  ws-string-len       

Problem: There may be times when you need to coordinate work between multiple instances of a process that are sharing a resource. One process will use the resource while another waits for access to that same resource. To do this, you can use the CreateMutex and WaitForSingleObject Win32 API functions. Resolution: We can use the CreateMutex Win32 API function to protect a shared resource from simultaneous access by multiple processes. Each process must wait for ownership of the mutex before it can execute the code that accesses the shared resource. See the comments in the source files of the attached demo for details. Additional details of these functions can be found at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/ Attachments: Mutex.zip Old KB# 4289

Problem: An HTML - Form with Disabled Input Fields does not return the values back as expected. When sending the form the data in the disabled input fields are displayed normally. After submitting the data however these fields with ACCEPT HTML-FORM are not returned back. Why is this? Resolution: The reason this is happening is that Disabled fields do not return any value to the server. Therefore the form fields get 0. (not the data expected). See for further explanation: http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/interact/forms.html#h-17.12.1 Old KB# 4297

Problem: How to check what version of fixpacks are applied to the product? Resolution: (1) Download MFSupportInfo.zip utility from http://supportline.microfocus.com/examplesandutilities/nesamp.asp#Utilities Unzip MFsupportinfo.zip and run the MFSupportInfo.exe. This will create a MFSupportinfo.log that shows what versions and fixpacks that were applied. From Net Express 5.0 onwards MFSupportInfo.exe is part of the ..\\Net Express 5.0\\base\\bin installation directory. (2) Also , Start Net Express. click on Help -> About Net Express. click on more info at bottom right. Under installed options and fixpacks . See what fixpacks and installed options are applied. Old KB# 4316

Problem: FILLER in a COBOL data structure given as for this structure: 01 daten.                02 Eine   pic x(5).    02 filler   pic x(5).    02 Zwei  pic x(5). The CBL2XML wizard produces the following XD structure:         01 Pre-daten identified by "daten" count in Pre-daten-count.          02 Pre-eine pic X(5) identified by "eine" count in             Pre-eine-count.          02 Pre-filler pic X(5).          02 Pre-zwei pic X(5) identified by "zwei" count in             Pre-zwei-count.

Problem: A customer wanted to know if it is possible to use the  "_" and '$" characters in data item names. Resolution: It is possible to use the underscore character in a data name by specifying the ISO2002 compiler directive. However the dollar sign can only be used for what is was origianlly intended, viz. a currency sign. Old KB# 4274

Problem: When installing Net Express 5.0, getting the message "Installer terminated prematurely" at the step "deleting services". Resolution: If a previous uninstallation of Net Express was not done completely, Micro Focus Directory Service (MFDS) may not be uninstalled. Please reboot the PC and try again. The reboot may take a while longer than usual when the operating system removes the no-longer existing service. Old KB# 4323

Problem: .cblproj not installed when loading a Visual Studio 2005 COBOL Project. The Visual Studio integration was installed with Net Express V5 however the error message above was still displayed. Resolution: To resolve this issue:- - Open a Net Express V5 command prompt - cd c:\\program files\\micro focus\\net express 5.0\\packages - regsvr32 cblprj.dll The issue was caused by some previous Beta versions of Net Express 5 being installed on the same machine. Old KB# 4307

Problem: How to prevent CTRL-C (CTRL BREAK) keyboard interrupt in 32bit applications? Resolution: According to the doc files (Help -> Help Topics -> Index): X"B0" function 4 Disables keyboard interrupts (Ctrl Break). Syntax: call X"B0" using function-code                  parameter ... This routine disables keyboard interrupts for the rest of the application. It should be called before any subprograms are called. Old KB# 4285

Problem: This issue applies to Net Express 4.0 pre-all07n40 wrappack v4.0.007. Assuming that there is an existing htm/html web page form with the <PRE> tag included in the html text, then it was possible that saving this form in Form Designer could alter the format of the page. Resolution: This happened during EHTML preprocessing where line splitting did not keep the format of the text. This is fixed with the All Websync WrapPack v4.0.007 (all07n40.exe) and higher. Old KB# 4306

Problem: If you try to run the Net Express demo program PRINTRAW you might get the error "OPEN PRINT A" PG not found" Resolution: This demo will be linked with Microsoft's SDK winspool.lib, therefore the demo will run correctly if you have the right path addressed while linking the demo project. You should check first: Project Build Settings -> Tab: Link -> Category: Advanced under  'Link with these LIBs' - you need a path correctly pointing to winspool.lib. There is a demo 'printrawHP6P' attached that uses a HP LaserJet 6P printer - you are able to change the name under 'printer-name'  in printraw.cbl. For additional information check the README file included, but be aware the demo runs for ESC codes supported by this model and other HP LaserJet printers only. Attachments: printrawHP6P.zip Old KB# 4283

Problem: Are Centrino Core 2 Duo processors that are 64-bit capable compatible with Net Express 5.0 64 bit? Resolution: According to:- http://www.intel.com/products/centrino/duo/310199.pdf the chip is compatible with X64.  This should be compatible with 64-bit applications created for X64 as long as they have a 64-bit operating system installed onto it. Old KB# 4300

Problem: How to pass a Picture Object to an Active X control? Resolution: The control will expect an IPicture interface. You can pass this from COBOL using the GUI and OLE Class libraries as follows:- - Create an OLEPicture object from our class library (perhaps the fromICON or fromBitmap) - use GetDomainObject to get an object reference - pass that object reference as the parameter This should then pass the Picture to the control as expected. Old KB# 4326

Problem: Release: 4.0 Beim Starten des COBOL-Programms wird folgender Fehler gemeldet: Der Prozedureinsprungpunkt "CBL_CTF_TRACER_GET" wurde in der DLL "cblrtss.dll" nicht gefunden. Was könnte das Problem sein? Resolution: Die gefundene Laufzeitumgebung passt nicht zum Compiler, mit dem das Programm übersetzt wurde. Bitte stellen Sie dem Programm neben der aktuellen Entwicklungsumgebung die passende Laufzeitumgebung (Runtime) zur Verfügung. Die aktuellen Versionen sind: all08n40.exe für die Entwicklungsumgebung / aps10a40.exe für den Application Server (Runtime) Old KB# 4305

Problem: What is the meaning of exception error 65537? Resolution: The 65537 error normally indicates an OLE exception of some description during runtime.  We would suggest you review the following Micro Focus knowledgebase articles for further information: http://supportline.microfocus.com/mf_kb_display.asp?kbnumber=21875 http://supportline.microfocus.com/mf_kb_display.asp?kbnumber=18139 Old KB# 4281

Problem: DEMO - How to set the date on a WinForms DateTime control Resolution: INTRODUCTION ========== This demo shows how to set the date on a DateTimerPicker control in .Net WinForms DESCRIPTION ========= This demo shows: o     How to create a instance of the DateTime class o     How to set the DateTimePicker control to a specified date. REQUIREMENTS ========== Net Express V5 OPERATION ======= Build and run the example project. This has a datepicker which has been set to 25th December 2006. Look at the code in the Form_Load event. This uses the DateTime class to set the date on the picker control. Keywords: demonstration, sample, example, demo, .net , winforms , datetime , datepicker control demo.ex demo.ne Attachments: DateTime.zip Old KB# 4321

Problem: Which XFHFCD.CPY should I use? Resolution: A number of XFHFCD copybooks are provided with Net Express.  Although the following is documented it is repeated here as other customers have asked for clarification. Mainframe Express use XFHFCD2.CPY 32-bit Net Express use XFHFCD2.CPY 32-bit Net Express and creating a virtual file handler under Fileshare use XFHFCD3.CPY 64-bit Net Express use XFHFCD3.CPY .NET Support and Net Express with .NET use XFHFCD3.CPY 32-bit Server Express use XFHFCD2.CPY or XFHFCD3.CPY 64-bit Server Express use XFHFCD3.CPY Old KB# 4311#netexpress#RMCOBOL#AcuCobol#COBOL#ServerExpress

Problem: Using Visual Studio 2005 and NX 5.0: When opening an existing .NET COBOL project or creating a new one and then doing a build the following error message would occur: "Either the project file is invalid, or no project configuration matches the current active configuration.  This project will not build, and Language Service parsing will be inaccurate until the project is fixed." Resolution: Go to Add/Remove programs, highlight Net Express 5.0, click on the link that says "click here for more support information", then click the Repair button. Old KB# 4303

Problem: Net Express 4.0 Net Express hangs when opening source files if developing on a Unix machine (eg using SAMBA to access the source as NT files across the network). This will happen if the IDY files exists on the unix box. Resolution: You are only able to open the source file after the IDY file is deleted. This is fixed in fixpack all07n40.exe.  The problem is also fixed in Net Express 5.0 GA version. Old KB# 4293

Problem: MFCLBINP Error 402 when calling/invoking COBOL COM component created with the Interface Mapping Toolkit. Resolution: MFCLBINP Error 402 means "program/entry point not found". The program not found would be the one that the COM interface was built for, your subprogram that you used in the Interface Mapper. If your COBOL subprogram is a .DLL, you can place it in the same directory as the program that uses the COM interface to your subprogram, or you can append the PATH environment variable on the machine to where this .DLL resides. If your subprogram is an .int or .gnt module, you can specify it's location using the COBDIR environment variable. Old KB# 4329

Problem: Getting Error message:- 1606 - Could not access network location \\\\USERID$\\PRV\\My Pictures\\. when attempting to Install Net Express V5 Resolution: This issue is caused by a corrupt registry entry that the Microsoft Installer technology checks. In the case the corrupt registry was at:- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurentVersion\\Explorer\\User Shell Folders In this case the value of "My Pictures" was set to the location above. Setting it to the default of:- %USERPROFILE%\\My Documents\\My Pictures resolved the problem. Please see Microsoft KB at  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/886549/en-us for more details on other potential corrupt keys that could cause this. Old KB# 4299