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Path is not a Legal Form

  • March 5, 2020
  • 9 replies
  • 0 views
D

After a clean compile of the MF sample program AIRCODE.CBL, I got this statement from the 'OUTPUT';

------ Build started ------
C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\MSBuild\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\v1.0\\MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets(364,9): error : MSBMF002 - An internal error occurred. Exception text follows:


C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\MSBuild\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\v1.0\\MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets(364,9): error : The path is not of a legal form.


========== Build failed ==========


Time Elapsed: 0.06 seconds

 

I do not know what the 'legal form' means nor how to correct it.

 

    9 replies

    D

    After a clean compile of the MF sample program AIRCODE.CBL, I got this statement from the 'OUTPUT';

    ------ Build started ------
    C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\MSBuild\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\v1.0\\MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets(364,9): error : MSBMF002 - An internal error occurred. Exception text follows:


    C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\MSBuild\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\v1.0\\MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets(364,9): error : The path is not of a legal form.


    ========== Build failed ==========


    Time Elapsed: 0.06 seconds

     

    I do not know what the 'legal form' means nor how to correct it.

     

    This error is actually coming from MSBuild, part of Visual Studio.

    It's complaining about something in the Micro Focus Visual COBOL rules for MSBuild. The file named in the message (MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets) is an XML file that tells MSBuild how to compile COBOL programs, among other things.

    It would help to know what's on line 364 of the version of that file that you have on your machine, and what XML element it's part of.

    The message text, "The path is not of a legal form", appears to mean that MSBuild is trying to resolve some file pathname, and the pathname it has is malformed. For example, it might have two drive specifiers ("c:c:\\a\\b\\c"). Or it might be that something has put a URL where a path is required.

    A web search for "The path is not of a legal form" turns up many hits, including several for MSBuild specifically.

    Chris Glazier
    Forum|alt.badge.img+2

    After a clean compile of the MF sample program AIRCODE.CBL, I got this statement from the 'OUTPUT';

    ------ Build started ------
    C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\MSBuild\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\v1.0\\MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets(364,9): error : MSBMF002 - An internal error occurred. Exception text follows:


    C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\MSBuild\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\v1.0\\MicroFocus.COBOL.CurrentVersion.targets(364,9): error : The path is not of a legal form.


    ========== Build failed ==========


    Time Elapsed: 0.06 seconds

     

    I do not know what the 'legal form' means nor how to correct it.

     

    Can you please provide us with more detail by answering the following questions?

    1. What Visual COBOL product is this, VC Personal Edition or VC full license?
    2. Which VC Patch Update do you have applied?
    3. Which Airport demo are you trying to compile as there are 4 of them in the Samples browser?
    4. Under which OS are you running?
    5. Under which build of Visual Studio are you running? Look in Help, About Visual Studio.

    Thanks.

     

     

     

    D

    Can you please provide us with more detail by answering the following questions?

    1. What Visual COBOL product is this, VC Personal Edition or VC full license?
    2. Which VC Patch Update do you have applied?
    3. Which Airport demo are you trying to compile as there are 4 of them in the Samples browser?
    4. Under which OS are you running?
    5. Under which build of Visual Studio are you running? Look in Help, About Visual Studio.

    Thanks.

     

     

     

    Chris

    Thanks for your response. I will try to answer your questions:




    In response to Chris Glazier (Micro Focus Expert) posted a new reply in Visual
    COBOL - Forum
    on
    2020-03-05 14:27:


    1. What Visual COBOL product is this, VC Personal Edition or VC full
    license?

    VC Personal Edition #91584435033629
    from John Frederick
    Account Manager - Inside Sales Micro Focus
    John.Frederick@microfocus.com


    2. Which VC Patch Update do you have applied?

    The package was sent with a patch, which I applied. I am now looking for
    the patch, but have not found it yet.


    3. Which Airport demo are you trying to compile as there are 4 of them in
    the Samples browser?

    The contents of my C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Micro Focus\\Visual
    COBOL\\Samples\\COBOL\\AirportDemo\\AirportConsoleApplication

    03/08/2017 10:39 AM 3,972 airport.cbl
    03/03/2017 10:13 AM 1,852 AirportConsoleApplication.cblproj
    02/24/2020 06:54 PM 4,489 AirportConsoleApplication.dep
    03/03/2017 10:13 AM 686,032 airports.dat
    03/01/2017 06:19 PM 4,501 airports.str
    5 File(s) 700,846 bytes


    4. Under which OS are you running?

    Windows 10 Home (see attached)


    5. Under which build of Visual Studio are you running? Look in Help, About
    Visual Studio.

    No luck with the 'HELP' -- I could not find it. I downloaded and installed
    VS for the installation of the VF Cobol just last week,. I do not know the
    version but I assume it is still current.


    I have attached several screen shots. Hopefully, one or two might be
    helpful.

    I certainly appreciate your assistance and that of John Frederick.
    Hopefully I can get on with my project soon.

    Richard Leinbach
    2117 Abby Knoll Drive
    Apex, NC 27502-4307
    919 303 9534 preferred
    919 924 2814 cell
    leinbachrr@gmail.com
    Chris Glazier
    Forum|alt.badge.img+2
    Chris

    Thanks for your response. I will try to answer your questions:




    In response to Chris Glazier (Micro Focus Expert) posted a new reply in Visual
    COBOL - Forum
    on
    2020-03-05 14:27:


    1. What Visual COBOL product is this, VC Personal Edition or VC full
    license?

    VC Personal Edition #91584435033629
    from John Frederick
    Account Manager - Inside Sales Micro Focus
    John.Frederick@microfocus.com


    2. Which VC Patch Update do you have applied?

    The package was sent with a patch, which I applied. I am now looking for
    the patch, but have not found it yet.


    3. Which Airport demo are you trying to compile as there are 4 of them in
    the Samples browser?

    The contents of my C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Micro Focus\\Visual
    COBOL\\Samples\\COBOL\\AirportDemo\\AirportConsoleApplication

    03/08/2017 10:39 AM 3,972 airport.cbl
    03/03/2017 10:13 AM 1,852 AirportConsoleApplication.cblproj
    02/24/2020 06:54 PM 4,489 AirportConsoleApplication.dep
    03/03/2017 10:13 AM 686,032 airports.dat
    03/01/2017 06:19 PM 4,501 airports.str
    5 File(s) 700,846 bytes


    4. Under which OS are you running?

    Windows 10 Home (see attached)


    5. Under which build of Visual Studio are you running? Look in Help, About
    Visual Studio.

    No luck with the 'HELP' -- I could not find it. I downloaded and installed
    VS for the installation of the VF Cobol just last week,. I do not know the
    version but I assume it is still current.


    I have attached several screen shots. Hopefully, one or two might be
    helpful.

    I certainly appreciate your assistance and that of John Frederick.
    Hopefully I can get on with my project soon.

    Richard Leinbach
    2117 Abby Knoll Drive
    Apex, NC 27502-4307
    919 303 9534 preferred
    919 924 2814 cell
    leinbachrr@gmail.com

    I do not see any screenshots attached to your post.
    Does this error occur only for this particular project or for any sample within the samples browser?

    I can build the solution associated with that project fine.

    How are you building it?
    Are you opening up the solution file here?:
        C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\Samples\\COBOL\\AirportDemo\\AirportDemo.sln
    If I open this file in Visual Studio and Rebuild the Solution everything compiles fine.

    If you are also performing this same task and getting the error then I would recommend that you try doing a Repair on Visual COBOL from within Control Panel.

    D

    I do not see any screenshots attached to your post.
    Does this error occur only for this particular project or for any sample within the samples browser?

    I can build the solution associated with that project fine.

    How are you building it?
    Are you opening up the solution file here?:
        C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\Samples\\COBOL\\AirportDemo\\AirportDemo.sln
    If I open this file in Visual Studio and Rebuild the Solution everything compiles fine.

    If you are also performing this same task and getting the error then I would recommend that you try doing a Repair on Visual COBOL from within Control Panel.

    Try again:

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d-9nQTuiCdZztAkYTGefTenUMFDNLXqh/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EB7pPOlNKYv-lDoUYsLVQIYhwiWqxaw7/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fxa9Aa_AdMyU_KrGP7FaJuHFKpr0AV9s/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/10eWMsM1CGfUsrlRK2FC9idVrotxHpD0p/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JoXXKLok4riQSvvApG8GZk-oQgriJPeG/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PKtBBPYlYmucDj874KYNlyavh5BiZD4y/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WdAztM5MFp7CmcCHLIJoZ9WlU9H5__x/view?usp=sharing

    Chris Glazier
    Forum|alt.badge.img+2
    Try again:

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d-9nQTuiCdZztAkYTGefTenUMFDNLXqh/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EB7pPOlNKYv-lDoUYsLVQIYhwiWqxaw7/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fxa9Aa_AdMyU_KrGP7FaJuHFKpr0AV9s/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/10eWMsM1CGfUsrlRK2FC9idVrotxHpD0p/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JoXXKLok4riQSvvApG8GZk-oQgriJPeG/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PKtBBPYlYmucDj874KYNlyavh5BiZD4y/view?usp=sharing
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_WdAztM5MFp7CmcCHLIJoZ9WlU9H5__x/view?usp=sharing

    None of these screenshots help really...

    Is this still a problem for you?
    If it is then I need you to answer the questions and try the suggestion in my previous post.
    ---------------------------

    "Does this error occur only for this particular project or for any sample within the samples browser?

    I can build the solution associated with that project fine.

    How are you building it?
    Are you opening up the solution file here?:
        C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\Samples\\COBOL\\AirportDemo\\AirportDemo.sln
    If I open this file in Visual Studio and Rebuild the Solution everything compiles fine.

    If you are also performing this same task and getting the error then I would recommend that you try doing a Repair on Visual COBOL from within Control Panel.

    Fano Razafinimanana

    None of these screenshots help really...

    Is this still a problem for you?
    If it is then I need you to answer the questions and try the suggestion in my previous post.
    ---------------------------

    "Does this error occur only for this particular project or for any sample within the samples browser?

    I can build the solution associated with that project fine.

    How are you building it?
    Are you opening up the solution file here?:
        C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\Micro Focus\\Visual COBOL\\Samples\\COBOL\\AirportDemo\\AirportDemo.sln
    If I open this file in Visual Studio and Rebuild the Solution everything compiles fine.

    If you are also performing this same task and getting the error then I would recommend that you try doing a Repair on Visual COBOL from within Control Panel.

    If this is still an issue, is it possible you have more than one license installed? You may review the license information from the License Administration.

    Did you install Patch Update 2 for Visual COBOL 5.0? You may check this with the following steps:

    1. Open Control Panel > Programs and Features
    2. Note that the version simply reveals the base version of the product with its build number.
    3. Click on View installed updates at the upper left of the window
    4. Look for the section with "Micro Focus Visual COBOL for Visual Studio 2019 (1)"

    If this section is not found, it simply means no Patch Update was installed. Otherwise, you will see the following entry:

    Micro Focus Visual COBOL for Visual Studio 2019 Patch Update 02 #242792

     

    D

    If this is still an issue, is it possible you have more than one license installed? You may review the license information from the License Administration.

    Did you install Patch Update 2 for Visual COBOL 5.0? You may check this with the following steps:

    1. Open Control Panel > Programs and Features
    2. Note that the version simply reveals the base version of the product with its build number.
    3. Click on View installed updates at the upper left of the window
    4. Look for the section with "Micro Focus Visual COBOL for Visual Studio 2019 (1)"

    If this section is not found, it simply means no Patch Update was installed. Otherwise, you will see the following entry:

    Micro Focus Visual COBOL for Visual Studio 2019 Patch Update 02 #242792

     

    Hi

    The LEGAL FORM question has been resolved and the patch has been completed.

    After three weeks of trying to identify the "Legal Form" problem, I decided
    to start over. I began to delete Visual Studio when I thought it might be
    worth the effort to update it thru SETTINGS / DELETE / MODIFY. Well, that
    worked. I finally gained access to MICROFOCUS VISIBLE COBOL 5.0 FOR
    VISIBLE STUDI0 at 1:47 pm yesterday (3/16) and was able to compile. I had
    loaded it initially on 2/22, so it took me a while to get smart.

    I got a clean compile on three of my programs; I could not then get a clean
    compile on any of the MF samples included in the package (I did not attempt
    to determine why I could not). I now am using Release 16.5.0. (# 5.0.77).


    A few observations:

    1. The colors are great.

    2. The minature column on the right is outstanding.

    3. The COMPILE SPEED is awsome in Visible Studio -- 0.47 seconds is
    dramatic.



    I do have a few questions and comments:

    4. COMPILE: Is the compile function documented? I could find nothing in
    print. Ultimately, I did locate BUILD / COMPILE in the tool line.

    5. EXECUTE: I did not know how to execute until I reviewed PROJECT (on
    the compiled program (yesterday) but not on the uncompiled version -- where
    is that documented?).

    6. EXECUTE: How is a .EXE created? (I see that in the upper left corner
    of one of my programs is the note: "Process [5556] C1-2017-KEEP.EXE" (where
    "C1-2017-KEEP" is my program name) -- what is the significance of that
    statement? There is no .EXE is in my active folder.

    7. DISPLAY OF LINE NUMBERS: A COBOL program I compiled (mine) displayed
    the line numbers upon opening and one did not. That was strange,
    particularly in that the line numbers are important in debugging.

    8. TAB CHARACTER: In NET EXPRESS, a line with a leading tab compiles
    clean; with VISIBLE STUDIO, the tab has to be replaced by spaces.

    9. When a line is modified, a yellow flag appears in Column 1. I suppose
    there is a reason for that.

    10. Also, the yellow flag changes to green when compiled. I suppose that
    indicates the change has been accepted.


    I am sure there will be other items in the future. Thanks for your help
    for a VS neophyte.
    Fano Razafinimanana
    Hi

    The LEGAL FORM question has been resolved and the patch has been completed.

    After three weeks of trying to identify the "Legal Form" problem, I decided
    to start over. I began to delete Visual Studio when I thought it might be
    worth the effort to update it thru SETTINGS / DELETE / MODIFY. Well, that
    worked. I finally gained access to MICROFOCUS VISIBLE COBOL 5.0 FOR
    VISIBLE STUDI0 at 1:47 pm yesterday (3/16) and was able to compile. I had
    loaded it initially on 2/22, so it took me a while to get smart.

    I got a clean compile on three of my programs; I could not then get a clean
    compile on any of the MF samples included in the package (I did not attempt
    to determine why I could not). I now am using Release 16.5.0. (# 5.0.77).


    A few observations:

    1. The colors are great.

    2. The minature column on the right is outstanding.

    3. The COMPILE SPEED is awsome in Visible Studio -- 0.47 seconds is
    dramatic.



    I do have a few questions and comments:

    4. COMPILE: Is the compile function documented? I could find nothing in
    print. Ultimately, I did locate BUILD / COMPILE in the tool line.

    5. EXECUTE: I did not know how to execute until I reviewed PROJECT (on
    the compiled program (yesterday) but not on the uncompiled version -- where
    is that documented?).

    6. EXECUTE: How is a .EXE created? (I see that in the upper left corner
    of one of my programs is the note: "Process [5556] C1-2017-KEEP.EXE" (where
    "C1-2017-KEEP" is my program name) -- what is the significance of that
    statement? There is no .EXE is in my active folder.

    7. DISPLAY OF LINE NUMBERS: A COBOL program I compiled (mine) displayed
    the line numbers upon opening and one did not. That was strange,
    particularly in that the line numbers are important in debugging.

    8. TAB CHARACTER: In NET EXPRESS, a line with a leading tab compiles
    clean; with VISIBLE STUDIO, the tab has to be replaced by spaces.

    9. When a line is modified, a yellow flag appears in Column 1. I suppose
    there is a reason for that.

    10. Also, the yellow flag changes to green when compiled. I suppose that
    indicates the change has been accepted.


    I am sure there will be other items in the future. Thanks for your help
    for a VS neophyte.

    You might want to look at the series of videos of Visual COBOL in a nutshell to help you to use the product.

    Also, I recommend starting a conversation/thread with a specific topic rather than asking many questions or addressing many issues in a single one conversation.

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