DII/CNS/Enterprise Systems
February 24, 2000

IBM COBOL for OS/390 & VM

to replace

IBM COBOL for MVS & VM

on

March 26, 2000

UT has obtained a license for and installed the IBM COBOL for OS/390 & VM Version 2 Release 1 Compiler on the OS/390 operating system running on the IBM 9672 processor. IBM COBOL for OS/390 & VM, made generally available in June, 1997, is IBM's strategic COBOL. IBM COBOL for MVS & VM currently in production on OS/390 has been "functionally stabilized" by IBM and will not be further enhanced.

IBM COBOL for OS/390 will be moved to production OS/390 on March 26, 2000, replacing IBM COBOL for MVS. The move is expected to be completely transparent (see Compatibility section below). However, you are urged to test the new COBOL compiler prior to production installation.

Like IBM COBOL for MVS, IBM COBOL for OS/390 uses the OS/39O Language Environment (LE) subroutine libraries for program linkage and run-time services and the IBM Debug Tool for program debugging. Both LE and the Debug Tool have been updated with IBM service to support IBM COBOL for OS/390.


Enhancements


Compatibility

IBM COBOL for OS/390 is fully compatible with IBM COBOL for MVS source and object modules. No changes are required to existing production JCL (or ISPF panels that build JCL) since both compilers will use the same data set names, have the same compiler name (IGYCRCTL), and both use the OS/390 LE link-edit and run-time libraries: CEE.SCEELKED and CEE.SCEERUN respectively. The link below provides additional compatibility information with previous COBOL compilers.

The Abend-AID Release 9.0 COBOL compiler postprocessor (COBOLAID) and the COBOL program ABEND analysis tool under ISPF (L.AVF), support IBM COBOL for OS/390 without modification.

Documentation

The following COBOL and Language Environment documentation bookshelves are provided via IBM BookManager BookServer on the internet. They are also available locally on IBM BookManager Library Reader.

Testing Information

The IBM COBOL for OS/390 test data sets names in the following examples are only temporary overrides to any existing IBM COBOL for MVS job streams that you wish to test during the test phase. No JCL changes will be needed when IBM COBOL for OS/390 replaces IBM COBOL for MVS on production OS/390 on the evening of March 26, 2000.

To test the IBM COBOL for OS/390 compiler using your existing JCL for IBM COBOL for MVS, simply insert a STEPLIB DD statement in the compile step pointing to UTCC.IGY.TEST.SIGYCOMP. To also test the Debug Tool, insert a STEPLIB DD statement in the GO step pointing to UTCC.EQAW.TEST.SEQAMOD. In the following examples, the sample JCL is executable, as is, with the addition of a JOBCARD:


Sample override of UT's IBM COBOL for MVS cataloged JCL procedure to compile, link-edit, and run an IBM COBOL for OS/390 sample installation verification program (IGYIVP):

     //STEP1       EXEC COBCLG
     //COB.STEPLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=UTCC.IGY.TEST.SIGYCOMP
     //COB.SYSIN   DD DISP=SHR,DSN=UTCC.IGY.V2R1M0.CNTL(IGYIVP)


Sample override to compile, link-edit, and run an installation supplied IBM COBOL for OS/390 test program using the Debug Tool in batch mode:

     //COMPILE     EXEC COBCLG,COBOPT='TEST',GOOPT='/TEST(,CMDS,;,*)'
     //COB.STEPLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=UTCC.IGY.TEST.SIGYCOMP
     //COB.SYSIN   DD DISP=SHR,DSN=UTCC.IGY.V2R1M0.CNTL(DEBUGIN)
     //GO.STEPLIB  DD
     //            DD  DSN=UTCC.EQAW.TEST.SEQAMOD,DISP=SHR
     //GO.CMDS     DD  DSN=UTCC.IGY.V2R1M0.CNTL(DEBUGCMD),DISP=SHR
     //GO.INSPLOG  DD  DSN=&&NEWLOG,DISP=(,PASS),UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(TRK,(1,15))
     //            DCB=(DSORG=PS,RECFM=FB,LRECL=72,BLKSIZE=1440)
     //*
     //PRINTLOG    EXEC PGM=IEBGENER
     //SYSPRINT    DD SYSOUT=*
     //SYSIN       DD DUMMY
     //SYSUT1      DD DISP=(SHR,DELETE),DSN=&&NEWLOG
     //SYSUT2      DD SYSOUT=*,DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=72,BLKSIZE=1440)

To test the Debug Tool in full screen interactive mode on TSO, you must logon specifying $ISPFTST in the VTAM/TSO logon procedure name field. In batch mode, compile a test program with the compiler TEST option and link-edit the program into a private load libarary. To run the program and invoke the debugger, from the TSO command line (=6), call your program and pass the runtime TEST option. For example,

CALL 'Jnnnn.cobollib(mypgm)' '/TEST'

In interactive mode, you can enter debug commands on the command line. To (optionally) view the source statements in the debugger source window in the sequence they are being executed, save your compiler output listing in a disk data set and specify the data set name in the debugger source window by pressing PF4. Then type:

STEP *

For complete information on debugging, see the IBM Debug Tool User's Guide and Reference.

IBM COBOL & LE History, Marketing & Service

The following IBM COBOL Newsletter link clarifies IBM's renaming history for COBOL and LE and includes important information on withdrawal of marketing and service support for older COBOL products. The definition of "service support" is: IBM corrective service for identified problems in IBM code and IBM technical support for new problem resolutions. In specific, please note:

1. Service for the OS/VS COBOL Compiler & Runtime Libary 1.2.4 ended 06/30/1994. OS/VS COBOL programs relink-edited and executed with OS/VS COBOL subroutines (ILB) included in the VS COBOL II 1.4.0 Runtime Library are supported until 03/31/2001, at which time service for the VS COBOL II 1.4.0 Runtime (and Compiler) will be withdrawn.

2. For continued IBM "run-time" support for existing OS/VS COBOL and VS COBOL II programs after 03/31/2001, those programs must be relink-edited with the OS/VS COBOL (ILB) or VS COBOL II (IGZ) subroutines included with the OS/390 Language Environment (LE) runtime library.

In reference to the IBM marketing and support information in the links below, the following IBM COBOL products are currently installed and in use at UT:
   Product Name           V.R.M  Product #   Run-time used
   ---------------------  -----  ---------   -------------
   OS/VS COBOL            1.2.4  5740-CB1    VS COBOL II   <-Linklist
   VS COBOL II            1.4.0  5668-958    VS COBOL II   <-Linklist
   COBOL for MVS & VM     1.2.1  5688-197    OS/390 LE     <-STEPLIB
  *COBOL for OS/390 & VM  2.1.1  5648-A25    OS/390 LE     <-STEPLIB
 
  * Initial testing

More information will be forthcoming from CNS/Enterprise Systems to assist you with migrating older COBOL application programs to the IBM supported LE runtime. For detailed information on COBOL & LE migration issues, see these IBM documents:


Contacts

If you have questions or comments regarding the subject of this document, please contact Lonnie Gowan at (423)974-1613 or send email to lgowan@cas.gw.utk.edu.


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