Visual Cobol R3 launch

[Migrated content. Thread originally posted on 20 January 2011]

I've heard a lot about visual cobol. I am curious about a couple of specific applications.

1) what happens to Revolve? Is this still supported going forward? Is there a replacement application?

2) we currently use Microfocus Studio (MFE and Revolve). I thought I heard that existing products are still supported and the visual cobol just opens up more doors. Did I hear correctly?

3) What happens to JCL support? Any changes there? Can you develop for a mainframe environment using Visual Studio?

Hello Noel,

A quick answer to your question:

* Revolve is still there and supported but its successor called “Modernization Workbench” is now available since more than 2 years.
* Mainframe Express Enterprise Edition (MFE EE) is specifically dedicated to IBM z/OS application development and maintenance. Today Visual COBOL R3 version does not address this specific target. Nevertheless, useful to say that Visual COBOL IDE (Visual Studio and/or Eclipse) will be the foundation for MFE EE next generation
* Today Visual COBOL R3 does not support JCL

Key message to understand here:
- Micro Focus current products still continue to live
- Visual Studio R3 shows how we today deliver on current technologies and what will be our/your future for COBOL/Cobol

To get more detailed information, I would suggest that you take contact with your Micro Focus Technical account.

Thanks and have a nice evening,