Rocket® COBOL

Problem: A window that contains a screen with the MapPoint ActiveX control on it becomes the one on top even though the MapPoint window is in a thread waiting for the current thread to end. However, the window for the current thread still is the focused window (the title bar is not grayed out). Resolution: A possible workaround would be to set the properties of the MapPoint ActiveX control directly to set the MapPoint floating window action to action-minimize instead of covering it over with another floating window and subsequently restoring it when required. However, there have been reports in the Internet regarding window focus issues with Visual Basic and Delphi with non-modal windows. Please see the following URLs for details. http://www.mapforums.com/mp-2002-2004-major-problem-non-modal-forms-vb6-1967.html http://thesource.ofallevil.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.mappoint&tid=db94 02e1-2734-4194-af7f-29

Problem: A program makes use of the C$OPENSAVEBOX and it used to work without error but with Version 8.0 the second call to C$OPENSAVEBOX causes a runtime memory access violation. Resolution: This is fixed by ECN-3767 in Version 8.1. There is a patch for verson 8.0.1 attached to this article.  First download and install the extend 8.0.0 WS1 code update (which is version 8.0.1), then download 8.0.1.1001.msp and execute it to install the patch. Attachments: 8.0.1.1001.msp Old KB# 2759

Problem: When a program executes a sort on a large file it gets a disk-full error. Resolution: By default the runtime uses the current directory for the temporary files used in the sort. Specify another directory with the SORT_DIR runtime configuration variable.  Set it to a directory large enough to accomodate the sort, roughly twice the size of the data to be sorted.  Make sure that permissions allow users to create files in the specified directory. Avoid using a network drive as latency can cause the sort to be very slow. Old KB# 2768

Problem: When a COBOL program calls a function in a DLL from two different locations in the COBOL program, the second call will fail with a MAV. Resolution: ECN-3752 corrects this runtime behavior that affects version 8.0.0 and later on the Windows platform. There is no known workaround. This ECN is scheduled for version 8.0.1. Old KB# 2752

Problem: lk-i-row-address is defined as pic 9(02) and ws-pos-row is defined as unsigned-int.  lk-i-row-address has a value of 4 yet after the move ws-pos-row contains a value of 60. This only happens the second time into this subroutine. Resolution: This behavior was introduced in version 7.1.0 by ECN 3214 (text included below) and can be corrected by setting "ECN-3214   OFF" in a configuration file. SUBJECT: LINKAGE data binding optimization Change Number:  ECN-3214 Status:                 &nbsp ;   Complete Type of Change:    Enhancement Priority:                 &nb sp;  Medium Incidents:               &nbs

Problem: He used the variable renew_timeout and found that it does not work. Resolution: RENEW_TIMEOUT only works for non-graphical screens. In a GUI-Environment it does not work Old KB# 2748

Problem: How can Vision files be upgraded from version 4 to version 5? Resolution: Rebuild the files using the vutil utility (vutil32 on Windows) version 6.0.0 or later, e.g.: vutil32 -rebuild -5 [filename] where [filename] is replaced with the name of the file to be rebuild.  They -5 lets vutil know the rebuilt file should be a Vision 5 file. If there are any questions on which versions of Vision vutil supports simply type "vutil" or "vutil32" and the output will look like the following: c:\\acucorp\\600\\acugt\\bin>vutil32 vutil -info    [-kpxq] [files]       -check   [-afkqx] [files]       -zero    [-q] [files]       -rebuild [-acdlt2345q] [-bfgkp #] [ ce] [--slow] [files]       -gen     [-2345q] [filelist

Problem: Executing programs that display the drop down or drop list style of the combo-box control on Windows-based systems allows the user to actuate the drop down list by pressing the F4 key or clicking the control's down button. However, on character-based systems without mouse support, clicking the control's down button is not an option and pressing the F4 key has no affect. Resolution: Character-based systems can be configured to react to the F4 key in a similar fashion as Windows by setting the following KEYSTROKE entry in the runtime's configuration file: KEYSTROKE EDIT=TOGGLE-EDIT-MODE k4 Setting this variable will allow the user to deploy or retract the drop down list by pressing the F4 key.  Alternately, this variable can be set in the COBOL program using the following syntax: Set environment "KEYSTROKE" to "EDIT=TOGGLE-EDIT-MODE k4" Additionally, keys other than the F4 key may be chosen. Fu

Problem: How to print a PDF directly, without open it? Resolution: http://support.adobe.com/devsup/devsup.nsf/docs/52080.htm The following command line prints test.pdf on a network printer AcroRd32.exe /t "C:\\test.pdf" "\\\\servername\\printername" "AdobePS Tektronix Phaser 840" "123.45.678.910" The following command line without drivername and portname works, too. AcroRd32.exe /t "C:\\test.pdf" \\\\servername\\printername This prompt command line can be used with C$SYSTEM to print PDF files without open them. Old KB# 2755

Problem: Performed a rebuild on a Vision file using vutil -r.  When prompted to replace the file and answering yes an error that access to the file was denied was displayed. Resolution: Rebuilding files should only be done when there will be no other access to the file. The situation described occurred due to the timing of vutil locking and unlocking the files. Vutil -rebuild closes the input file (the original) before the output file (rebuilt file). The default mode for vutil -rebuild is bulk-addition. Vision 4 and Vision 5 files have separate data and index files, so it is possible when the lock on the input file is released the output file's index is still being updated by the bulk-addition mode. For a large file there could be a lengthy delay before the output file is closed and ready to copy.  It is during this delay another process likely opened the original file causing vutil to be denied access for the copy. 

Problem: What is the cause of an "Accept recursion limit reached" message? Resolution: The reason for this message is the program processing an ACCEPT invokes another ACCEPT without finishing the previous one, and continues to follow this type of logic until the runtime reachs 10 pending ACCEPT's (it's limit). This generally happens when in ACCEPT an event procedure procedure is invoked and the event procedure contains an ACCEPT. This can be solved by using an exception procedure instead of an event procedure.  Exception procedures do finish ACCEPT's. Also, the program can force an ACCEPT to finish by moving either EVENT-ACTION-TERMINATE or EVENT-ACTION-FAIL-TERMINATE to EVENT-ACTION. There is a configuration varaible WARNING-ON-RECURSIVE-ACCEPTS  that can be use to turn off the warning to the user when the limit is reached.  By assigning this configuration variable a non-zero value it give

Problem: Is there a way to unlock a vision file on Unix/Linux when a lock is held by the OS even though there are no runtimes accessing the file. Resolution: First make sure there are no runtimes holding the file open.  If there are, stopping them should solve the problem, but if not: $ cp ORIG.DAT TEMP.DAT $ mv ../ORIG.DAT $ mv TEMP.DAT ORIG.DAT $ vutil -rebuild ORIG.DAT Old KB# 2707

Problem: Where to find .def copy to interoperate with Word, Outlook, Crystal Report? Resolution: You can create your own .def copy using ACUCOBOL-GT utility axdefgen.exe located in the BIN directory of AcuGT installation. Under Components you can find a list of all COM installed into your computer. Under Libraries all ActiveX are listed. Old KB# 2721

Problem: If you use a sintax like this one runcbl -e error_log_file o display_log_file programme_cobol to redirect the DISPLAYS of your application into a log_file and you have control characters all over the place, what to do to have a clean display_log_file? Resolution: The solution on this case is pretty simple. Position this two variables : A_TERM=none SHUTDOWN_MESSAGE_BOX=0 And compile your program with -Ca (ansi compatibility for accept and display). This way the display_log_file will be clean and proper. Old KB# 2740

Problem: Attempting to use the indexed file record editor, Alfred, with an EFD (encrypted XFD) results in an error message "error reading or parsing the XFD file". Resolution: Alfred does not use EFDs.  Generate new XFDs or use Alfred with XFDs. Old KB# 2667

Problem: He has Version 4.3. and 5.2. and wants to install it for Win XP and Vista. But he gets into trouble. Resolution: For XP you need at least Version 6 For Vista Version 8 Old KB# 2732

Problem: When a program is executed stand-alone, it is possible to change the focus of the cursor with no problems; but if this same program is called by another one, the called program loses focus. Resolution: This problem is caused by having a floating window on top of a standard graphical window, and in the event procedure of an entry field raising a message box. Upon return from the message box, it would be sent back to the original entry field, regardless of the event handler coding in the program to go to another entry field. This problem has been fixed with the ecn3763, and will be part of the 8.1.0 version. The workaround is to use an exception procedure instead an event procedure. Old KB# 2701

Problem: A call to the C$SOCKET library routine with the AGS-READ opcode and a read length of zero should populate RETURN-CODE with the number of bytes of data available on the socket. That value can then be used for the read length to obtain all the data in a single read (if the buffer is large enough). If the call to C$SOCKET AGS-READ with length zero doesn't occur within an ACCEPT then RETURN-CODE is always zero even if there is data available on the socket. Resolution: First call C$SOCKET AGS-READ with a length of negative 1 (-1) then call C$SOCKET AGS-READ with length zero.  This will ensure that RETURN-CODE contains the number of bytes of data available in the socket regardless of whether the call is made within an ACCEPT statement. It will look something like this:      **** read with length -1 to set up the read with length zero ****           &nb

Problem: The execution of COBOL programs incorporating ActiveX controls results in a memory access violation when compiled with the version 8.0.0 compiler and specifying the "-Z61" (or earlier) compiler flag. Resolution: Install ACUCOBOL-GT Dev System version 8.1 when available or compile COBOL programs with version 7.2.2 or earlier compiler. Old KB# 2692

Problem: An XML file was submitted to the xml2fd utility and the resulting FD stops after the 01 level. The XML file, test.xml contains: <company>                  <name>Acucorp</name>     <address>8515 Miralani Drive</address>   <city>San Diego</city>   <state>CA</state>   <ZIP>92126</ZIP>   <remarks>COBOL tools</remarks> </company> using "xml2fd -p cust- test.xml" the resulting FD contains only: *  .\\test.fd - Generated by xml2fd from test.xml on 2008/01/18 fd  cust-company. $XFD NAME = name 01  cust-name               & nbsp; pic x(7). Resolution: The XML inside test.xml is interpreted by x

Problem: Executing the JavaCallingCobol sample program it generates an error on UNIX using the standard, statically linked, ACUCOBOL-GT runtime. Resolution: In order to call COBOL from Java the shared object version of the ACUCOBOL-GT runtime must be used. It is important to note that a shared object version of the runtime does not exist for all UNIX platforms, e.g.: VAX VMS HP3000 SCO OpenServer TRUE64 Old KB# 2706

Problem: Due to size resctrictions, files needed to be converted from VISION 3 to VISION 5; but when these files were copied to another server an error 98,68 is encountered by the COBOL program. Resolution: When moving Vision 4 and Vision 5 files it is important to transfer both the data segment and the index (.vix) segment. When the index segment is missing a 98,68 will be generated. Old KB# 2694

Problem: When installing the Web Thin Client on Vista, Internet Explorer will prompt for permission to install the web thin client activex control.   Even though permission is granted the Web Thin Client will not properly install due to Vista's UAC. Resolution: Thin Client and Web runtime Installations Vista's UAC mechanism blocks the installation of ActiveX controls, such as Acucorp's Thin Client, onto systems that are not running Internet Explorer 7 in administrator mode. To run in administrator mode right click on the IE7 shortcut and select "Run as Administrator". Vista also includes an ActiveX installer service that allows IT administrators to use Group Policy to specify Web sites from which standard users will be allowed to install ActiveX controls. Old KB# 2728

Problem: Trend Micro released an update to their anti-virus program which caused a serious performance issue when accessing vision data files.   Resolution: It is unknown if there is a method to not have Trend Micro scan vision files.  To date the only proven resolution used was to uninstall Trend Micro. Old KB# 2714

Problem: How to invoke WORD and show it on the screen. Resolution: There are many things we can do with WORD but usualy we will want to invoke it, show it on the screen and open a file and start working with it, this is easily done following these steps. Create a WORD.DEF file using the utility axdefgen. Use the following word sample code :        IDENTIFICATION         &nbs p;    DIVISION.        PROGRAM-ID. TestWord.        ENVIRONMENT          & nbsp;      DIVISION.        CONFIGURATION         &nbsp ;     SECTION.        SPECIAL-NAMES.  &nbsp