Problem:

After compiling some .pco files (COBOL source files with embedded SQL) using Oracle's Pro*COBOL precompiler, I notice several files of zero length beginning with "cb" followed by six random characters, example:

Jan 29 09:50 cbvlsCx6

Jan 29 10:38 cb8GkGSe

Jan 29 09:50 cbBDXwbE

Jan 29 09:50 cbYYlwdC

Jan 29 10:38 cbjKuFEg

Jan 29 09:50 cbrcJzEh

Jan 29 10:38 cbkcIy2l

Jan 29 10:42 cbus91Vz

Jan 29 10:38 cb5ojrct

Jan 29 10:38 cbEq7JB5

Jan 29 10:45 cbiDACHP

Where do these files come from and what do they mean?

Resolution:

The files are produced by Oracle's precompiler, not by COBOL.  We determined this by examining the makefiles.  In the makefile rule about compiling .pco's, immediately after the Oracle pre-compiler is invoked, we inserted "sh user-input.sh".  Outside of the makefile, we created a small script named "user-input.sh" like this:

echo "hit return to continue"

read ans

This stopped the make right after the precompiler, but before the COBOL compiler was invoked.  At that time, using another telnet session login, we checked for new cb* files in the current directory, and we found three -- thus these files are created by the Oracle precompiler.

Refer to Oracle support for an explanation of the files.