Rocket® COBOL

My legacy code generates a lot of long reports targeted at printers that used mono-spaced fonts to get all the column alignments right. Usually this was Courier. I would rather print to PDF as most of these reports are reviewed and disposed of almost immediately. I am moving the system to Windows and have found that I can print to PDF using the built in "Microsoft Print to PDF" driver. The problem is that they print with a proportional font and the columns don't line up and a few characters on a few lines go off the right side of the page. I would guess the font is Arial. Is there a config file that I can edit/create to change this font? I know there are 3rd party tools that bring in a whole slew of additional features, but that would require me to review and edit dozens of reports. Thanks, Brian

Hi everyone,As summer is in full swing and we're preparing exciting product updates for later this year, we'd love to hear about your experience with our COBOL modernization solutions.Your feedback helps us improve our products, create more relevant content and events, and better understand your evolving business needs.Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey, it should take no more than 15 minutes:https://app.userevidence.com/surveys/cdf209d1-37ff-49b7-a7da-8caaf173f4cd/shareAs a thank you, five randomly selected participants who complete the survey will receive a $50 USD Rocket Software gift card. Winners will be contacted after August 10.Thank you for your time and valuable feedback,your Rocket COBOL Team

Problem: If the RM/COBOL runtime, or, compiler abnormally terminate, then, the use counting mechanism can become corrupt.  This scenario will cause any future instances of the runtime/compiler to fail with a "unauthorized use message (loc 810). Resolution: The full text of the Loc 810 error is : System function error (Loc 810) - Semaphore OK but shared memory marked bad.The "rmucutil" utility will show that there is a shared memory issue. Either reboot or reset the locked "shared memory" to resolve the problem.Below is the syntax for the "rmucutil" utility, located in your RM/COBOL installation directory:rmucutil xx-xxxx-xxxxx-xxxx runtime|compiler detailsThe "rmucutil" utility will show that there is a shared memory issue. If the output shows there is a shared memory or semaphore issue, you can clear shared memory and semaphores manually if the ipcs (for Inter Process Communication Status) commands are available on your operati

Hi everyone,If you’re interested in exploring a new GenAI capability that helps plan, generate, and analyze unit tests for COBOL, the AI Unit Testing for COBOL beta is a great opportunity to try it firsthand. Feel free to sign up or share this post with colleagues who may benefit. COBOL applications weren’t originally designed with unit testing in mind, which has made adoption notoriously challenging. In this beta program, you’ll gain hands-on experience with GenAI-driven unit testing and learn how to adopt it without making any changes to your production code. Learn more and register here: linkIf you have any questions, please reach out. I’d be happy to help. 

My company currently uses Net Express 3.1 and will be migrating to Visual COBOL within the next several months.  We use the SPZERO compiler directive on majority of the programs we migrated off the mainframe several years ago.  This is due to having spaces in numeric fields on the old mainframe data files.  At the time of migration, it was better to use SPZERO than to modify the files/programs.  I read in the Visual COBOL documentation that SPZERO has been deprecated and is not supported in Visual COBOL.  Is there an alternate way to accomplish the same behavior as SPZERO in Visual COBOL? Thanks,Ben#VisualCOBOLautoscalemodescreenresolution#COBOL#netexpress

Hi everyone,We’re excited to welcome you to the first video in a new series COBOL in Action, launching in 2026. This series is all about short, highly technical sessions packed with hands-on product demos and practical insights.In this episode, we’re diving into the Rocket COBOL Visual Studio Code extension. We’ll walk through key capabilities such as source control integration and AI features that can enhance your development workflow.We want to make this sessions as valuable for you as possible so please share your questions and feedback in the comments. If there’s a specific topic you’d like us to cover in a future session, let us know. Your input will help shape what we tackle next.Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy the video!

HI,I am reading the book Visual COBOL. In my opinion the book is horrible. There is no punctuation in the code.  Since I am a beginner at this and Fortran, I’m not sure where it should go. So, I am putting periods at the end of every sentence. If you have read the book I am on page 14, doing the first program with Rental Agency. Also, there is no Capitalization in the text. S0, I am capitalizing words that I think are keywords.I have no idea if this is going to work.  I have another book Intro to COBOL. It  is better since it has done Cobol correctly. But I would like some help, please.Thanks for any help you can give me. Wow this site is very aggravating I keep getting post a public tag. I have 3 tags and it still is asking me for more tags, public ones.Mark

Can anyone assist me with an example of how to populate Excel from an Acucobol program?------------------------------Peter ClaytonDeveloperCobsolv CcMidrand ZA------------------------------

I’m very pleased to announce the availability of RM/COBOL® 12.21.This latest AMC product release enables our COBOL developers to build, deploy and modernize existing RM/COBOL applications using the latest technologies and operating environments.Key Release Highlights include:Support added for a 64-bit Relativity Designer and Relativity DBA. Support added for a 64-bit Relativity Data Manager on Windows. Relativity Designer enhancement RMNet support for redirectionFor a full list of product updates, please see the product release notes. This latest release of RM/COBOL is now available for order within Sales Force.  Existing on-maintenance customers may also download the latest version from the Rocket Software Customer Community.  RM/COBOL 12.21 provides important maintenance updates for critical COBOL business systems and carries with it our commitment of continued support for RM/COBOL users and their core business applications.If you have any questions about this product release, please

Hey everyone,As we step into 2026, one thing is certain: GenAI will remain a major topic this year. That raises an important question — how can you leverage GenAI to accelerate COBOL modernization?This question inspired our latest insights article:✅ When generative AI delivers real value in COBOL modernization, and when it can lead to dangerous hallucinations✅ How to address the skills shortage and improve knowledge transfer using GenAI✅ What makes Rocket Software’s approach to GenAI different, ensuring you get insights you can trust for your modernization projectsRead the full post here: The Role of Generative AI in COBOL Modernization | Rocket SoftwareIf you have any questions or want us to dive deeper into any of these topics, let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

Hi everyone, Last year we released one of the biggest updates for Rocket ACUCOBOL extend 11 -- Visual Studio Code extension. Your response has been outstanding, and we’re excited by the enthusiasm and valuable feedback we’re receiving from you. A big thank you to everyone who is using the extension.Link to the extension: Rocket ACUCOBOL-GT - Visual Studio MarketplaceWe’re committed to continuously improving the extension to make your ACUCOBOL development experience even better. Last week, we rolled out version 1.3.0, which includes: EnhancementsWorking Storage Editor - "Find in Objects" - Display and allow navigation to variable usages following search, delete or rename Environment Variables - Editing support Screen Designer - Collapse/Expand right pane Online Documentation - TutorialsBug FixesACUW-2905 - Working Storage - table refresh after each update ACUW-2909 - Right Pane - cell settings warning non-specific ACUW-2927 - Support opening several screens in parallel ACUW-3001 - Compi

Hi everyone,Thank you again to everyone who joined the State & the Future of COBOL webinar.  If you missed it or would like to share it with your colleagues, here is the recording: The State & The Future of COBOL | Rocket SoftwareStay tuned and turn on the Rocket Forum notifications so you don’t miss the next event. Here are the quiz winners:Marc C.Sebastian S.Thibaut C.Elsabe A.Frank B.Jebastin K.Paul M.Jonathan S.Juan U.Florian G.And then Allan L. who guess the author of the COBOL quote.We'll share the gift details with everyone next week.Best,Rocket COBOL team

Hi everyone, The idea that COBOL is "stuck in the past" is one of tech's most persistent myths - and one of its biggest disconnects, given how much COBOL is still actively being developed. Even those once familiar with the language can struggle to see how it fits into a modern tech stack in the age of AI. Perhaps you're one of them? There's more than a grain of truth, of course - many COBOL systems do carry the weight of their history. Real-world COBOL often contains layers from different eras, as you'd expect from software that's delivered value for decades. But to examine a few lines of code written from 1980s or earlier and conclude COBOL has no place in modern IT is like dismissing smartphones because you once used a brick-sized mobile phone in the '80s. Don't let your memory of COBOL - as it once was and when you once wrote it - cloud your judgment of what it's capable of today. And perhaps most regrettably, don't let that lead you to trade it for something that's little more tha

Hi, I'm running a program with an old version of the RM/COBOL runtime. After the recent Windows 11 update (08-2025), the runtime no longer works with the following error: "Cannot load RMGUIFE.DLL..." (see attached file). Has anyone encountered this problem? Is there a new compatible runtime? Where can I get information on purchasing one? I tried submitting a contact request on the website form, but received no response.Thanks------------------------------Simone TrezziRocket Software Forum Member------------------------------

This all works correctly with a Linux host of Centos 7 and Rocky Linux 8 but not with Rocky Linux 9. Host: Rocky Linux 9.4, docker 28.2.0 and MF Visual COBOL 6.0 When /var/microfocuslicensing/bin/startboth.sh is run as the docker image starts, lserv starts correctly and mfcesd seems to start but hangs so mfcesdchk fails to communicate with the license server.  A pstack of mfcesd shows: On a Rocky Linux 9 docker image:#0  0x00007fe3acf7c1f7 in close () from /lib64/libc.so.6#1  0x000000000040ab11 in daemonize ()#2  0x000000000040e7b5 in main () It takes over 10 minutes to actually start so that mfcesdchk returns correctly. I am just trying to debug if this is a docker on Rocky 9 issue or inside the mfcesd daemonize code.  Any ideas or trace info that can be turned on while mfcesd is starting up to determine where it is hanging?------------------------------Eric HardestyRocket Software Forum Member------------------------------

Hello, after upgrading my windows system to the newest build 25H2, the products Netexpress 5.0 or 5.1 have lost there license. Is there a method to update to the new version without licensing trouble? Thanks for help cg------------------------------Claude GreinerManaging Director - Cobol DeveloperRocket Forum Shared AccountRheinbreitbach Germany------------------------------

Hi, I starting using Instantsql with RM 12.17 and Mysql 9.3 for a backend DB. My question is how to configure or defines length of VARCHAR and LONGVARCHAR?. What I've test the max length is 257 characters. How to extent the length of these parameters?. .Also I'd like to know how to handle Json data or can I use an equivalent data item?. Thanks in advance for any help.------------------------------Humberto BetancurRocket Forum Shared Account------------------------------

Hi. We are trying to setup a COBOL project, originally setup with Enterprise Developer (Micro Focus) for Eclipse, within VSCode using the Rocket COBOL extension. This project uses multiple folders, each of one hosted within different Git repositories. At first, we just imported the main folder, containing the main .cobolProj file from the original Eclipse project. However, no copybooks or other COBOL files referred from this .cobolProj file seems to be discovered by the extensión. We get COBCH0008 errors showing  "unknown copy file filename" for example, on COBOL files using the COPY directive. We then tried to import additional folders containing these copybooks into a VSCode workspace, but to no avail. Our question is :  Does the Rocket COBOL extension for VSCode work as expected, with a multi-folder project ? Just as an example, the <copybook> section of the main .cobolProj file looks like this: <copybook-paths xsi:type="copybookPathsSettings">         <path enab

Hello ACUCOBOL Community! Last week, we brought together over 50 passionate COBOL and ACUCOBOL enthusiasts right next to the iconic London Eye, and what a day it was! The event was packed with learning, experience exchange, and networking. While every modernization journey is unique, many of you face similar challenges. That's why being part of a community matters. It gives us a chance to learn from each other, find inspiration, and grow together. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed with insightful questions, ideas, and feedback. You made the day truly special. Here's a quick look at the key topics we explored: Rocket COBOL: Edge of TomorrowWe discussed COBOL's continued relevance and evolution, highlighting how modern tools including AI are expanding its capabilities and integration potential. How to Drive New Business Value with New Features in Rocket ACUCOBOL productsA showcase of the latest enhancements and functionalities across our product suite

Hello COBOL Community! Last week, we brought together over 50 passionate COBOL enthusiasts right next to the iconic London Eye, and what a day it was! The event was packed with learning, experience exchange, and networking. While every modernization journey is unique, many of you face similar challenges. That's why being part of a community matters. It gives us a chance to learn from each other, find inspiration, and grow together. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed with insightful questions, ideas, and feedback. You made the day truly special. Here's a quick look at the key topics we explored: Rocket COBOL: Edge of TomorrowWe discussed COBOL's continued relevance and evolution, highlighting how modern tools including AI are expanding its capabilities and integration potential. How to Drive New Business Value with New Features in Rocket Visual COBOL and Rocket COBOL Analyzer:A showcase of the latest enhancements and functionalities across our product

Hello COBOL Community! Last week, we brought together over 50 passionate COBOL enthusiasts right next to the iconic London Eye, and what a day it was! The event was packed with learning, experience exchange, and networking. While every modernization journey is unique, many of you face similar challenges. That's why being part of a community matters. It gives us a chance to learn from each other, find inspiration, and grow together. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed with insightful questions, ideas, and feedback. You made the day truly special. Here's a quick look at the key topics we explored: Rocket COBOL: Edge of TomorrowWe discussed COBOL's continued relevance and evolution, highlighting how modern tools including AI are expanding its capabilities and integration potential. How to Drive New Business Value with New Features in Rocket Visual COBOL and Rocket COBOL AnalyzerA showcase of the latest enhancements and functionalities across our product

Hello All, When I tried to run the COBOL program by using the command Wrun32 <program name>, program is getting executed but the DISPLAY statements are not getting displayed in the command line. Can you please help me to fix this? and attached are the Program screen shot and run command. ------------------------------Sireesh Kumar YallaRocket Software Forum Member------------------------------

Hello ACUCOBOL community, A huge thank you to everyone who joined yesterday's How To Deliver Modern UI/UX with Rocket® ACUCOBOL® Webinar webinar! We loved seeing so much interest and engagement as we explored the role of UI/UX in ACUCOBOL applications and Railway Furnishers' modernization journey.  For those who'd like to revisit the content or couldn't attend live, we're excited to share the following resources: Check out the webinar presentation attached to this post Watch the recording here We also hosted a quiz during the webinar-congratulations to the top 5 fastest participants to answer! We'll be reaching out to the winners via email shortly. Thank you again for making this event a success, and for being such an engaged part of our community. Here's to more great webinars and learning opportunities in the future!------------------------------Sava KovalenkoPMMRocket Software Forum Member------------------------------

Hello Everyone, I'm looking to debug my ACUCOBOL program to better understand its flow and execution. However, I'm not familiar with the tools available for this purpose.Could someone please guide me on which tool to use and how to download and set it up?Thank you in advance for your support!------------------------------Sireesh Kumar YallaRocket Software Forum Member------------------------------

------------------------------Larry CarlsenPresidentSentinel Hill Software IncWest Vancouver CA------------------------------