Problem:

Trying to compile into executable with "cob -x".  Getting error message:

   "Can't open Z for reading: No such file or directory"

Tried adding "-vDD" onto the "cob" command line, example:

    cob -x -vDD  <file.cbl>

This causes the "cob" command to become more verbose and to reveal everything it is doing behind the scenes.

In this case it revealed that the error message was coming from the system assembler "as":

Entry points defined in module: UNS500.o

        *UNS500

as Z DA1.1 -o /usr/unitest/tmp/cobAAAa00372/%cob0.o

/usr/unitest/tmp/cobAAAa00372/%cob0.s

Assembler messages:

Can't open Z for reading: No such file or directory

Z:0: Can't open DA1.1 for reading: No such file or directory

Resolution:

The user in this case had PATH set such that the assembler "as" was found first in /usr/local/bin.  Micro Focus actually requires the system assembler usually found in /usr/ccs/bin.

The problem was solved when the user changed PATH so /usr/ccs/bin came before /usr/local/bin.

HP/UX machines at Micro Focus do not have an "as" in /usr/local/bin.  The origin of the customer's "as" in /usr/local/bin is a mystery.