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Share Linux to Windows IIS view COBOL

  • June 1, 2015
  • 11 replies
  • 0 views
D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

11 replies

Thomas Morrison
  • Thomas Morrison
  • Participating Frequently
  • June 1, 2015

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

My recommendation would be to use RM/InfoExpress for access to your data files from the service programs.  You may also wish to use InfoExpress to load the service programs (.COB files) so that they can remain on the Linux box.  Everything else (XSL, SRF, etc) should be on the Windows box.

My guess, after a very brief examination of the trace, is that you are having difficulties due to the fact the Xcentrisity BIS uses the location of the SRF as the current directory.  Difficult to know...

You might want to read the section "How XML Extensions Locates Files" in the XML Extensions User Guide.

Tom Morrison, Consultant, South Carolina, USA
D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

Ya at first I had just /bin and ../Common then I thought if I included the full path it might work in the RunPath. Didn't work either. What I basically did was take the Samples folder and copy it to the linux machine. It seems to do with having access to a file or something. How would I read this error:

Service Exporting sudoku-interface to XML.   0.192

Service Status: 0030 0.134 0.326

Service Error: 30[34] - in function: LoadStyleSheet   0.326

Service [30] Called from line 1011 in SUDOKU

There doesn't seem to be any line 1011 in the cob sudoku file or the source code. Is it from one of the Copy statements possibly. Do I have to find each file used in Copy and add them into the source file to find line 1011?

Thomas Morrison
  • Thomas Morrison
  • Participating Frequently
  • June 3, 2015

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

The RM/COBOL User Guide provides information about interpreting error messages. 

Line 1011 is indeed the 1011th line of the total program.  I believe the easiest place to look for line 1011 would be in the listing file.  Look in the samples\\Sudoku\\bin directory, since the installation places a listing file there.

"It seems to do with having access to a file or something"

It has everything to do with access to a file.

Tom Morrison, Consultant, South Carolina, USA
D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

Because of the redactions, it's not completely clear to me what the paths actually are.  However, this seems suspicious:

  Default directory for service set to "\\\\---[REDACTED]----\\screens\\sample2\\".

Windows can't set a default directory to a UNC path. Have you tried mapping a drive letter onto the remote UNC path that contains the application?  You should be able to use the IIS adminstrator and just point the BIS application at the new drive letter path.

D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

Oh, and Tom is completely correct -- while BIS can likely read the programs, .SRF files, and XML files over SMB, for reliability and safety, you should definitely use InfoExpress to access any data files.

D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

Thanks guys for the quick answers. Can I set the startservice path and runpath to mapped drives? So having server on drive U: It doesn't seem to be working. I have:

{{ Handler * }}{{//}}

{{ Trace(start,page) }}{{//}}

{{ RunPath(U:\\apache2\\html\\samples\\sudoku\\bin,U:\\apache2\\html\\samples\\common) }}{{//}}

{{ StartService(U:\\apache2\\html\\samples\\sudoku\\bin\\sudoku -v) }}{{//}}

{{ XMLExchange(onexit=goodbye.srf) }}

Is there something I have to set to connect to the mapped drive first before trying to see files there?

I'm getting BIS Service procedure error 234 (no object file found). I just can't find anything in the documentation about mapped drives. If no one else has anything for me I'll let my sales rep know I'm interested in InfoExpress, just hope it works the way I'm trying to set it all up. But he said to check here first in case anyone else possibly tried something similar. So I guess this is my last question is if anyone knows if BIS can read from mapped drives.

Thomas Morrison
  • Thomas Morrison
  • Participating Frequently
  • June 4, 2015

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

As Uwe (who is THE expert for BIS on Windows) said above, use mapped drives with BIS.

The reason you are getting the 234: you probably don't have the RUNPATH set to map ALL the places where object files might be found.  It should be telling you in the error message which program file it couldn't find.  Do you have the XMLIF.DLL library autoloading?  If not, then none of the XML Extension subprograms can be found.  

Tom Morrison, Consultant, South Carolina, USA
D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

Yup have:

BIS: Dynamic libraries loaded: 0.002 0.087

Service (%EXEDIR%=C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Liant\\BISv12)   0.087

Service %EXEDIR%\\librmcfg.dll - No Automatic Configuration File (v12.10/r17957) 0.001 0.088

Service %EXEDIR%\\RMAUTOLD\\xmlif.dll - XMLIF Library (v12.10/r17957)

The only thing is I am using just the sample that is included with XBIS that is why I don't think that I should have to change much. IIS has to connect to the linux machine (mapped drive) by using unc and ip so I can't set the iis virtual directory to be off of the mapped U drive I created which is where the copied files reside. So I set the Startservice and Runpath to go off of the U mapped drive rather than using ../ and current directory to avoid going off the unc path. I don't think I have to set my envir. variables since the sudoku sample works fine on the Windows server, just not from the Windows server viewing the linux server.

Thomas Morrison
  • Thomas Morrison
  • Participating Frequently
  • June 4, 2015

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

And the full text of the 234 message is?  (Might be more than one line...)

Tom Morrison, Consultant, South Carolina, USA
D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

There is a problem with mapped drives: The mapping applies only to the user who did the mapping. Another possibility is a symbolic link. An NTFS symbolic link can point to a remote (SMB) path.

D

Hi,

I have a linux server setup with XBIS RM/COBOL and XML Extensions. I also have a Windows server setup with the same. I have a website on the linux using apache and works fine with the cobol and XBIS, it is old though. On the Windows Server the new website exists. So I made a virtual directory with the BISmkdir.exe to create a place on the new IIS website that accesses the old linux directories needed. This works since I can browse the folder scheme. But when I click on an srf file I get 30[34] errors in my trace file. Then I figured let me try the Samples that come with the Xcentricity BIS. They work when BISmkdir.exe uses the local folder so C:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\XBIS12. I copied the folders over to the linux machine and some of the Samples are returning errors. I'm guessing it is accessing data issues. I've also attached an image of the trace received when trying to view Sample2. Has anybody tried this before? Should I try InfoExpress? We want to keep all of our ISAM data files on the linux machine.


Thanks,

Matt


#COBOL
#XBIS
#XMLExtensions
#RMCOBOL
#BIS
#files
#migration

Fred is correct, as usual.  I shouldn't have proposed mapped drives so quickly as there are configuration issues to be overcome.  If you use mapped drives, they will have to be mapped by the "user" that the request handler is running as.  If it's a recent version of Windows, by default, that will be the "application pool identity" but that's a non-interactive user.  As an experiment, you could try changing the application pool identity to your logon ID -- then the request handler should be able to see any persistent drive letter mappings.  But that's not a good long-term solution from a security standpoint.  Fred's symbolic link idea is interesting, although we haven't tried that.  Again, permissions could be a problem -- BISMKDIR does grant the application pool identity permission to read the physical directories that back up the BIS virtual directories, but if you change those to point somewhere else, you'll have to grant those NTFS permissions manually.  You could try using BISMKDIR to create a new application directory on top of a symbolic link -- this has not been tested though.

I do think that accessing the BIS application directories remotely can be done, but there are levels of security and permission that need to be addressed: physical access to the directories either via drive letter or symbolic link, the IIS application pool identity that BIS is using to handle requests must be able to see the drive mapping and have permission to both traverse and read the symbolically linked directories in order to serve the .SRF files. Then to actually run programs, the service engine must have permission to access the directories (again via mapped drive letter or NTFS permissions on a symbolic link) that contain the COBOL programs, and finally, the COBOL programs must have permission to read and possibly update the data files.  

So the best practice would be to copy the .SRF files and the BIS applications (.COB files) to the local server (that will help with performance as well), and use InfoExpress from within the programs to access the shared data files remotely.  That's definitely the way to go from a security standpoint.

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