Rocket® RM/COBOL

Problem: Is there a general purpose example of RM/COBOL's built-in line draw facilities? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: lin.cbl Old KB# 6135

Problem: Is there a normalize data file example? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: normal.cbl Old KB# 6136

Problem: Is there a line draw graphics example? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: linedraw.zip Old KB# 6133

Problem: How can I return a value to the O/S upon termination? Resolution: See the attached source code example. Attachments: returnc.cbl Old KB# 6138

Problem: Is there a POP-UP window example? Resolution: See the attached source code example. Attachments: window.cbl Old KB# 6147

Problem: How can I use ACCEPT to test for an escape key with a SCREEN SECTION? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: scrntst.cbl Old KB# 6141

Problem: How do I send control sequences to a printer? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: printest.cbl Old KB# 6137

Problem: How can I test a field to see if it is alphanumeric? Resolution: Please see the attached source code example. Attachments: alpnmtst.cbl Old KB# 6131

Problem: How do I round numeric data? Resolution: See the attached source code example. Attachments: round.cbl Old KB# 6139

Problem: What are High-Values and Low-Values? Resolution: COBOL programmers sometimes use the figurative constants HIGH-VALUES and LOW-VALUES as if these constants will have a numeric meaning when moved to or compared with a numeric data item. Unfortunately, this intuitive understanding conflicts with the definition given by COBOL. Worse yet, COBOL explicitly allows the combination of alphanumeric and numeric data in MOVE statements and relation conditions. Therefore, past RM/COBOL compilers have not diagnosed programming problems that may result. Modern versions of the RM/COBOL compiler will warn you when HIGH-VALUES or LOW-VALUES are moved to a numeric data item and the result is not well defined. The following paragraphs help clarify the actual meaning of HIGH-VALUES and LOW-VALUES. HIGH-VALUES and LOW-VALUES are defined in COBOL as always being alphanumeric. This contrasts with the figurative constant ZEROES, which is numeric when associated with a numeric data item a

Problem: How can I use C$SCRD to create a print file? Resolution: See the attached source code example. Attachments: scrd.cbl Old KB# 6140

Problem: Is there a C$SCWR example? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: scwrtest.cbl Old KB# 6142

Problem: Is there a POP-UP window demo using program and subprogram? Resolution: See the attached source code example. Attachments: windemo.zip Old KB# 6146

Problem: How do I compensate for different printer's printable area's? Resolution: See attached example (POffset.zip) Attachments: POffset.zip Old KB# 6128

Problem: Is there an example LINAGE clause code? Resolution: See attached example source code. Attachments: linage1.cbl Old KB# 6134

Problem: How do I correctly specify the inetd.conf entry for WOW Thin Client? Resolution: The /etc/inetd.conf (UNIX systems) entry for WOW Thin Client should read: rpcplus stream tcp nowait root /bin/sh rpcplus /usr/rmcobol/rpcstart The "rpcplus" part of this entry will show up in a process table listing (ps command). The "root" part of the entry may be changed to which ever account you wish to run the service. The beginning of the usr/rmcobol/rpcstart file (or where ever the rpcstart file is located), should have the following as the first line: #!/bin/sh Remember to do a kill -HUP on the process ID of inetd whenever you have changed the configuration file. This will save you having to reboot the system.      Old KB# 6438

Problem: How do Isearch a HEX table? Resolution: See the attached source code example. Attachments: searchx.cbl Old KB# 6143

Problem: Is there an index file handling example? Resolution: See attached source code example. Attachments: ismalt.cbl Old KB# 6132

Problem: How can I prevent or terminate disconnected WOW Thin Client Server process? Resolution: Use the Server configuration option under the [ServerConfig] section of the Server rpcplus.ini file: InactiveLimit This option specifies the maximum amount of time a server will wait for an already connected client to make another remote program call. Also, try UseKeepAlive, also in the [ServerConfig] section of the Server rpcplus.ini file. This option checks for connection terminations at the TCP/IP level. For it to work, the TCP/IP parameters KeepAliveTime and KeepAliveInterval must be set in the Windows system registry or the UNIX/Linux kernel. The Windows default is 2 hours. If you want to set a shorter time period, use regedit and go to: HKLM\\System\\CurrentControlSet\\Services\\Tcpip\\Parameters Add two DWORD Parameters named "KeepAliveTime" and "KeepAliveInterval". The values depend on what time you'd like. For example: if you use 600000 (ms

Problem: Why are my bitmaps not displaying in my WOW Thin Client application? Resolution: The WOW bitmap control invokes the Windows API.  Since WOW Thin Client calls the Windows API on the client machine, any bitmap file that you wish to display needs to be accessible to the client machine. *The WOW bitmap control can use the RUNPATH environment variable/synonym to locate files on the client PC.      Old KB# 6447

Problem: Why doesn't the A option work with WOW Thin Client? Resolution: You can't  use the A option because the RPC Server uses it to pass the socket number to the COBOL process.  However, you can append arguments to the end of the command line tail like this: [ServerConfig] CmdArgs=myarg1 myarg2 myarg3 and the RPC Server will build this: A="5000 myarg1 myarg2 myarg3" where 5000 is the socket number being used, as defined by the rpcplus.ini file. From the RPC User's Guide: CmdArgs Restrictions: Windows Only Specifies alphanumeric data that should be appended to the command line used to start the server process. This data will be placed on the command line after the socket number and working directory (if specified). This is intended for use with thin client implementations on the server where rpcinit is not the initial program executed.  It is supported for all languages, but is particularly important when us

Problem: What is the correct way to configure/debug WOW Thin Client on a UNIX system? Resolution: First, make sure that you are using the version of WOW Thin Client on the Windows system that matches the version of the runtime. You cannot mix versions. Next, make sure you are using a Runtime Plus version or Development version of the runtime on the UNIX/Linux system. The Runtime Plus and Development versions support Thin Client, while the regular Runtime does not. If unsure, contact Support and give us the serial number; we can check for you. For normal execution: 1. Make sure the rpcstart script has execute permissions. For this example, it is located in the /usr/rmcobol directory and should look like this: #!/bin/sh # TERM=dumb; export TERM RM_LOAD_WOW_CLIENT=yes; export RM_LOAD_WOW_CLIENT cd /usr/rmcobol && runcobol ./helowrld.cob k (You can locate the rpcstart script anywhere, but make sure the rpcplus.ini file is in the same directory, and have the script change to th

Problem: How do you right-justify a numeric value? Resolution: If a numeric value is accepted in an alphanumeric field, (which is left- justified) and it needs to be right-justified, try the following code: 01 alpha-item pic x(10). 01 move-item redefines alpha-item pic z(10). 01 num-item pic 9(10). ...     accept alpha-item.     move move-item to num-item.     display num-item. This should cause num-item to be right-justified. A direct move won't work because we pad alphanumeric fields with trailing spaces, and these spaces don't get stripped.      Old KB# 6114

Problem: How do I do string manipulation in Cobol? Resolution: To move selected characters from one alphanumeric field to another, try using reference modification. For example, to get the 2nd through 4th characters of a PIC X(5) field into a PIC X(3) use the following: MOVE FIELD1(2:3) TO FIELD2. If FIELD1 contained 'ABCDE', this statement would put BCD in FIELD2.      Old KB# 6116

Problem: How can I use C$SCRD to Read the Display Screen? Resolution: An example source code file is attached. Attachments: SCRD.CBL Old KB# 6118