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Visual COBOL and AWS Storage solution

  • February 27, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 3 views
Amy McDonough

We are working with a 3rd party and they will need to get data to the repository on a regular basis.  The third party uses an AWS storage solution, S3, which uses an access key-pair to access. We are currently on version 5.0 of Visual Cobol - does that version handle something like this, or would we have to upgrade to 10 first?  Would we maybe have to write it in something like .net?



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Amy McDonough
Senior Software Developer
N. Harris Computer Corporation
IL US
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    3 replies

    Chris Glazier
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    • Chris GlazierModerator
    • Moderator
    • 3697 replies
    • February 28, 2025

    We are working with a 3rd party and they will need to get data to the repository on a regular basis.  The third party uses an AWS storage solution, S3, which uses an access key-pair to access. We are currently on version 5.0 of Visual Cobol - does that version handle something like this, or would we have to upgrade to 10 first?  Would we maybe have to write it in something like .net?



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    Amy McDonough
    Senior Software Developer
    N. Harris Computer Corporation
    IL US
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    Hi Amy,

    I don't know much about S3, except what I have read. 

    It looks like it is accessed from programming languages by means of the AWS SDK, which calls the underlying Amazon S3 REST API.
    This is documented as being available in the .NET Framework so I would say yes if you compiled your programs as managed .NET code then you should be able to use the API.

    The bigger problem, as you mention, is that you are using V5.0, which is an old, unsupported version of Visual COBOL, which supports an older version of the .NET Framework where this functionality may not be available. I would definitely upgrade to V10 before attempting this.



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    Chris Glazier
    Principal Technical Support Specialist
    Rocket Forum Shared Account
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    M
    • Marcos Ramos
    • New Participant
    • 1 reply
    • March 3, 2025

    We are working with a 3rd party and they will need to get data to the repository on a regular basis.  The third party uses an AWS storage solution, S3, which uses an access key-pair to access. We are currently on version 5.0 of Visual Cobol - does that version handle something like this, or would we have to upgrade to 10 first?  Would we maybe have to write it in something like .net?



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    Amy McDonough
    Senior Software Developer
    N. Harris Computer Corporation
    IL US
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    Hi Amy may be i can help you a little but i need some information ,  could you describe the environment  you are working , but i understand your application has  to  communicate with  the AWS service and transfer the data   and use the access key to get granted to storage the data and it maybe need to be transfer in  json format ,  this  is all  can say  for now because you question  have to content more info .    



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    Marcos Ramos
    Self Registered
    Panama PA
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    Michael Bleistein

    We are working with a 3rd party and they will need to get data to the repository on a regular basis.  The third party uses an AWS storage solution, S3, which uses an access key-pair to access. We are currently on version 5.0 of Visual Cobol - does that version handle something like this, or would we have to upgrade to 10 first?  Would we maybe have to write it in something like .net?



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    Amy McDonough
    Senior Software Developer
    N. Harris Computer Corporation
    IL US
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    Hi Amy, this should be possible in 5.0 or 10.0 but it will depend on the nature of the S3 APIs. From what I can see in the AWS SDK, it appears there is at least one version of the S3 API for .NET that relies on Asynchronous methods. If this is used then the .NET COBOL Await syntax is needed. I "believe" the Await syntax was available in 5.0 but certainly is in 10.0. 

    If there are REST APIs that are directly invoked you "should" be able to use 5.0 or 10.0. You could use .NET's WebClient or HttpClient in those scenarios to invoke the S3 REST APIs. Obviously 10.0 is going get you the best support.



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    Michael Bleistein
    Principal Solutions Consultant
    Rocket Software, AMC North America
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