Rocket® COBOL

Problem: Is there a PDF version of the documentation available for Net Express v5.0 Resolution: Regretably no. As an alternative you can use the online documentation provided with the product or use the web based documentation that is available from the following link;  http://supportline.microfocus.com/productdoc.asp The direct link to the Net Express v5.0 documentation is;  http://supportline.microfocus.com/documentation/books/nx50/nx50indx.htm Old KB# 1359

Problem: Crystal report has a COM Interface (RDC) that allows you to generate reports from an application. How do you call the export method from COBOL? Resolution: The export method is called from VB as follows:-     myreport.export false In COBOL you can perform this using:- 01  boolval    pic x comp-x value 0. move 0 to boolval   *> Sets to false invoke myrdcreport "export" using by value boolval Old KB# 1399

Problem: What is the meaning of the codes -->01 and -->08? For example: 16/11/2006 14:34:19 RECEIVEALL Error: HPLEVENSRV_P00084     -->08 CCITC32-0008E A response failure has been detected on the given connection. 16/11/2006 14:34:20 RECEIVEALL Error: HPLEVENSRV_P00083     -->08 CCITC32-0008E A response failure has been detected on the given connection. 16/11/2006 14:36:22 RECEIVEALL Error: HPLEVENSRV_P00082     -->08 CCITC32-0008E A response failure has been detected on the given connection. 16/11/2006 14:42:47 TRANSACT Error: HPLEVENSRV_P00036       -->01 CCITC32-0001I A CCITCP call has timed-out. - Processing Continued 16/11/2006 14:43:54 RECEIVEALL Error: HPLEVENSRV_P00081     -->08 CCITC32-0008E A response failure has been detected on the given connection. 16/11/2006 14:45:08 RECEIVEALL Error: HPLE

Problem: This document describes how to open files or create new files that are not included in a Project. It is not necessary to have a project open in order to use the Data Tools. You can open or create new files using the File menu from the Main tool bar in NetExpress. For more help using the Data Tools to convert, browse, edit and create data files, refer to the Getting Start Online Book chapter called Maintaining and Creating Data Files. It contains an excellent sample on performing these tasks. Resolution: Creating New Files using the Data File Editor 1. From the File menu, select New. 2. From the New dialog box, select Data File. 3. Enter the appropriate characteristics for your data file, and select the Create button. Opening Files using the Data File Editor 1. From the File menu, select Open. 2. At the "Files of Type" option, select Data files (*.dat) or All files (*.*) 3. At the "Open As" option, select Dat

Problem: Net Express To run the utility in bulk for multiple data files conversion but unable to figure out how to redirect the output of DFCONV to a log file. For example: @run dfconv CFAB.PRO > loadCFAB.lst The command ran successfully but the output of dfconv was displayed on screen instead of being redirected to the log file loadCFAB.lst. Resolution: To do this from a netexpress commandline: set cobsw=s5 run dfconv xxx > dfconv.txt Running multiple dfconv in one command file and getting all output to go to one file (appending) To do this: set cobsw= s5 run dfconv xxx >> dfconv.txt Old KB# 1296

Problem: What Net Express features can you not use when running in 64bit on the Window operating system. Resolution: The Net Expess online help for Net Express 5.0 documents the following features are not supported in 64-bit: Dialog System (Character and GUI) GUI Class Library Panels Version 2 HyHelp The following features are not currently supported in 64-bit: COBSQL Enterprise Server SQL Option (XDB)   Old KB# 1284

Problem: The formatDateToOLE method in the olesup class only supports putting dates into a OLE Date. The OLE date format uses a floating point number with the decimal portion representing the time portion. Resolution: You can manually enter the time format into the OLE date field using code such as:-         program-id. "ConvertDateToOLE".       *****************************************************************       *       *    Program         ConvertDateToOLE       *       *    Author          davs - MicroFocus SupportLine       *       *    T

Problem: If you are using the "InsertAfter" method of the selection object to enter text into a Word document then the selection is expanded with the new text. This can cause problems when you jsut want to apply formatting (Bold etc) to some of the text. If you apply Bold then it applies to all the selection. Resolution: You can use the "Collapse" method of the selection object reset the selection down to just the current text entry position. Some example code to perform this is:-           *> Here we want to do collapse and bold the next text            set wdCollapseEnd of ws-direction to true               invoke theSelection "Collapse" using ws-direction            invoke theSelection &quot

Problem: Microsoft SQL Server Insert statement with quote within value Resolution: To specify a value that contains a quote, i.e. Del'Oro, the following can be done: 1. Move the value to a host variable previously:        01 MYLNAME PIC X(20). ...            MOVE "Del'Oro" TO MYLNAME ...            EXEC SQL                INSERT INTO SQLTEST                (ID_KEY, LAST_NAME)                VALUES                ('123456', :MYLNAME)          &n

Problem: File Handling; for indexed files under exclusive access mode, the maximum size is 4 GB by default using MF format (IDXFORMAT 3) and default FILEMAXSIZE at 4. Because fileshare open file in exclusive mode, does it mean that the maximum is also 4GB even multiple processes are using fileshare to gain access to a file concurrently.  As the documentation does not mention fileshare, please confirm. Resolution: Fileshare opens the files exclusively and maintains the locks. Even if two separate process are accessing the records thgrough fileshare the locks are still being maintained under the control of fileshare. Therefore as the file is opened exclusively the limits are the same as any other process opening the file exclusively. Old KB# 1376#COBOL#ServerExpress#AcuCobol#netexpress#RMCOBOL

Problem: A quick trick on how to speed up the loading of the Net Express product is by disabling the Splash screen when the product is started. Resolution: To do this after loading Net Express you go to the Option pull down menu, choose Customize and then click on the Workspace tab.  Under the Workspace tab you will find a pull down menu called "Splash screen", you then choose "None".  Finally, just click on OK. From this point on the Splash screen will no longer show when invoking the Net Express product. Old KB# 1312

Problem: Many customers use share names to map the data files that they are using with their applications. For example instead of using the following:            SELECT INPUT-FILE ASSIGN TO "DRIVE:\\DIRECTORY\\FILE.DAT"                   ORGANIZATION IS ........                   ............ The SELECT statement is being altered with the following:            SELECT INPUT-FILE ASSIGN TO "\\\\MACHINE\\DIRECTORY\\FILE.DAT"                   ORGANIZATION IS ........ This is done to avoid having to map a drive to another machine in most circumstances. Reso

Problem: Unix Options: Setup disabled Resolution: Ensure that the Unix options are installed and a project is opened or create a new project. Old KB# 1297

Problem: The RaisePostBackEvent receives every event from an ASPX page. In contrast to other events like Button1_clicked, the RaisePostBackEvent routine isn't automatically generated from the COBOL wizard. How can the RaisePostBackEvent routine be implemented in COBOL. Resolution: Add the following code to the generated class:        method-id. "RaisePostBackEvent" protected override.        procedure division using by value a-source as System-PostBack                                          eventArgument as string.            invoke super "RaisePostBackEvent" using value a-source eventArgument  &

Problem: Doing a statement: ACCEPT MAIN-MENU ON ESCAPE GO TO 20-CK-FUNCTION. This allows PF keys to be depress for different answers. But every time hitting a PF key for the answer the screens states: THAT KEYSTROKE HAS NO MEANING HERE. The older version (workbench) worked just fine. Resolution: First check the old system for this file  --> ADISCTRL and place it  in the directory with the .EXE If it does not exist to create a new one using the utility ADISCF, to find this in help, on the index tab type in adiscf Then to manually link in these modules if using static linking for the .EXE: Highlight the exe, go to build settings, go to the link tab change the category from "general" to "advanced" and on the line that says link with these objs list these modules; adis,adisinit,adiskey,adisdyna Old KB# 1291

Problem: There is a need to determine what database to connect to at runtime,  to override the default set up through the ODBC DSN. Resolution: 1. Using a EXEC SQL USE DATABASE END-EXEC statement to change database, but this cannot be a host variable but is a hardcoded name. 2. Using a connection string (with a named connection is necessary) as specified in Format 6 of Connect syntax Format 6 >>----EXEC SQL---CONNECT USING input_connection----------> >-----.-------------.---.---------------------.---------->         --AS db_name-     --WITH-.----.-PROMPT-                                   -NO- >-----.------------------------------.------END-EXEC----><         --RET

Problem: Using MFSORT utility but it may also has a requirement to define collation sequence in some cases. For example: sort input file  a.inp  on position1, size 10 , output file is a.out Command for this using MFSORT  is: mfsort sort fields(1,10,ch,a)    use a.inp    give a.out So the question is how to define Collation Sequence using MFSORT? By definition MFSORT supports DFSORT syntax, but what about about alternate collating sequence (ALTSEQ Control Statement). How does this work on WINDOWS, and how to use it with different code pages? Resolution: In this example to presume the codepage in question is 1250. ALTSEQ function can be used in MFSORT by using the same command as in DFSORT. The attached demo - demo.zip contains a file to sort where we want to sort the file as if an 'A' has the same value as an 'a' and a 'B' as a 'b'. By sorting with 'SORT FIELDS=(1,10,AQ

Problem: This error was encountered on a machine with Net Express 5.0 with Support for .Net installed. This error was encountered after installing the Micro Focus Net Express 5.0 WrapPack 2, NXP3250020077.msp. After completing the install process they tried to open a .NET COBOL solution and received the following error: Unable to load C:\\Program Files\\Micro Focus\\Net Express 5.0\\Packages\\cblprj.dll Resolution: The wrappack installation notes state that before installing this WrapPack, you must uninstall Net Express support for .NET in Net Express 5.0 if you have it installed. To uninstall the Net Express support for .NET: Go to Add or Remove Programs in Windows Control Panel. Navigate to Micro Focus Net Express 5.0. Click Change. Follow the wizard and choose to uninstall the Net Express support for .NET. You can reinstall the updated Net Express support for .NET after installing the WrapPack using the same procedure as above but choosin

Problem: When running an EXE outside the netexpress ide received the error about cbl_ctf_tracer_get entry point not found in dyamically linked cblrtss.dll Resolution: The program has been compiled with a higher version of cobol and is finding a cblrtss.dll that is a lower version. Search machine for all cblrtss.dll s - and delete them or change environment so newer EXE does not find the older cblrtss.dll. Old KB# 1384

Problem: Release 5.0: After installing very new this Net Express 5.0 developing environment: (1) How to start an user application developed with NetExpress 5.0 not using the Net Express 5.0 IDE? (2) Is there a need to install a Micro Focus Server (Application Server) on the same machine? Resolution: (1) This can be done starting a Net Express 5.0 command prompt: Start -> All programs ->  Micro Focus Net Express 5.0 -> Net Express command prompt (on Vista 64 bit machines there are both Net Express 32-Bit Command Prompt, also Net Express 64-Bit Command Prompt available) and to go to this own .exe to start the user application, it could be necessary to adjust Windows PATH environment variable first if the .exe calls dll's needed for this application. (2) It is not possible and there is no need to install a Micro Focus Server (Application Server) on the same machine having this Net Express 5.0 product already instal

Problem: Sometimes when executing a Cobol program under a deployment environment you may encounter an Application Server for Net Express Semaphore error. Resolution: One way that this can be accomplished would be to use a BAT file to drive the execution of the program. An example would be as follows; @echo off rem 0001 The license database for Net Express Application Server does not exist rem 0002 ASLM: No license database header rem 0003 The license database for Net Express Application Server cannot be opened rem 0004 The license database for Net Express Application Server has been moved from its original location or removed and recreated rem 0005 A checksum has failed in the license database for Net Express Application Server rem 0026 No App Server License available for CGI rem 0027 No license is installed for Net Express Application Server rem 0028 All number Application Server Licenses are in use rem 0044 ASLM: Semaphore failure.

Problem: If you use the ESQL Assistant to create host variable declarations and then compile with the DB2(...) directive then you will get syntax errors on the SQL TYPE IS clauses on the variable declarations. Resolution: The SQL TYPE IS syntax is designed for OpenESQL (ODBC) precompiler and is not compatible with the IBM DB2 precompiler. In Net Express you can use the menu option Options / Embedded SQL. On this dialog there is a checkbox to disable the use of SQL TYPE declarations. If you use this the code should compile with the DB2(..) directive. Old KB# 1352

Problem: getting an ILLOGIC (Eibresp=21, 110) when trying to read a RRDS file.   The CFLE program (DFHZDFDM) reads it fine.    It is a standard CICS READ.                   EXEC CICS READ                   DATASET (WS-DATASET)               RIDFLD (WS-RECORDKEY)                INTO (WS-RECORDAREA)                LENGTH (WS-RECORDLEN)                EQUAL                NOHANDLE   &nb

Problem: The COBOL intrinsic function random generates after each program start the same sequence of numbers again - it is a pseudo-random number. How can a better random number be generated? Resolution: The WinApi UuidCreate computes a unique random number. The probability to get the same number twice on different computers is very low, because UuidCreate uses the Ethernet or token-ring hardware address for this computer to be unique between different computers. Please check, if the UUID computed with the attached demo resolves your requirements. Attachments: UUID.zip Old KB# 1295

Problem: Bei einem Kunden funktioniert jetzt die Software, die mit Net Express 3.1 ohne Application Server entwickelt wurde, nicht. Es wird vermutet, dass es an dem zuvor installierten Net Express 4.0 Application Server liegt. Wie kann  bei einem Kunden der Application Server von NE 4.0 wieder deinstalliert werden? Resolution: (1) Eine Deinstallation wird wie folgt vorgenommen: Start -> Systemsteuerung -> Software -> und den Micro Focus Application Server in der Liste der installierten Programme markieren und deinstallieren (2)  Nachfolgend sollte in der Windows-Registry der Schluessel 'Micro Focus' geloescht werden, damit der dort eingetragene Verweis auf den Installationsort des Application Servers ebenfalls entfernt wird: Start -> Ausfuehren...-> regedit-> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> Schluessel 'Micro Focus' loeschen (3) Die Vorgehensweise unter (1) und (2) kann automatisiert werden