Problem:

Solution is only to have on-line the LINK.exe Version 8  thru PATH environment variable  and the link Version 8  libraries thru LIB  environment variable...

These ressources having to be invoked firtsly before the ones delivered under Net Express ( ie: [NetxInstallDIR]\\base\\bin\\link.exe

&

[NetxInstallDIR]\\base\\lib\\user32.lib & kernel32.lib & advapi32.lib & msvcrt.lib & gdi32.lib & advapi32.lib

LINK.exe version 6 is delivered with Net Express...

Resolution:

Working in a DOS command prompt and manage so Net Express uses MS LINK.exe Version 8

=================

1) ---> Launch Visual Studio 2005 Command Prompt

this shortcut launches ...

%comspec% /k ""C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\\VC\\vcvarsall.bat"" x86

which correctly sets  PATH & LIB envt vars so MS LINK.exe Version 8  can be used ....

====> You can of course COPY what's needed from these .MS BAT files to create your own .BAT which then  has to CORRECTLY set  PATH & LIB Envt vars...

At this STEP, you can use the MS LINK.exe Version 8 delived in MS VS 2005.

2) --->  Now just set the PATH & LIB environment variables  so

PATH points to Netx\\base\\bin

and lib points to Netx\\base\\lib

--> set NetxInstallDIR= [Your NetExpress InstallDIR]

set PATH=%PATH%;%NetxInstallDIR%\\base\\bin

set LIB=%LIB%;%NetxInstallDIR% \\base\\lib

...

AND you, NOW, use MS VS LINK.exe Version 8.... with the MF CBLLINK.exe command

=================

When you like Net Express IDE ( MFNETX.exe) to use MS LINK.exe Version 8  when building projects ( ...)

or create a MF shortcut  ( MFNETX.bat for example ) which correctly sets PATH and LIB environment variables as described in 1) above  and launches MFNETX.exe,

taking as a setting example file the setenv.bat file generated on %TEMP% by MF command prompt

( see %NetxInstallDIR%\\base\\bin\\createnv.bat

and comment the line del /q "%temp%\\setenv.bat" )

and set PATH & COBDIR as specified in 1)

or updates registries  ( HKLM\\SOFTWARE\\Micro Focus\\NetExpress\\5.0\\COBOL\\5.0\\Environment ):

set PATH & LIB so MS LINK.exe Version 8  is invoked firtsly from the PATH & MS VS LINK.exe Version 8 libraries are invoked firtsly from LIB

!!! Do a Save of these registries before to update them !!!