Program Modifications Required by Convert3 [ Micro Focus COBOL Compatibility Guide ] MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation
Micro Focus COBOL Compatibility Guide
Program Modifications Required by Convert3
The following sections list the areas in which you may need to make
modifications to an RM/COBOL source program before you use it as input to
Convert3.
The REDEFINES Clause
Convert3 cannot process data files whose definition includes a REDEFINES
clause. If a record description in the File Section contains a REDEFINES
clause, you must divide this record description into separate record
descriptions.
You must also make sure that each record type in a file with multiple
record types is identifiable by either:
* a user-written subroutine, or
* an item that is common to each record type
See the section Record Type Specification in the chapter Running Convert3
for more information about handling multiple record files.
The USAGE IS INDEX Clause
Convert3 cannot process items with USAGE IS INDEX in a record
description. If a record description contains such an item, you can
alter the item to have a picture-string of S9(4) COMP-1.
The USAGE Clause with Group Items
Convert3 cannot process group items with a USAGE clause at the group
level. To overcome this, add a USAGE clause to each elementary item in
the group.
Continuation Columns
Convert3 cannot process source program statements with a continuation
marker in column 7. This limitation applies only from the beginning of
your source program to the end of the file section. To overcome it alter
the layout of your source program so that it does not require
continuation markers.
The DECIMAL POINT IS COMMA Clause
Convert3 cannot process the DECIMAL POINT IS COMMA clause in the
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. To overcome this limitation remove the DECIMAL
POINT IS COMMAclause.
Uniqueness of Names in Record Descriptions
All data-names in record descriptions must be unique. Therefore, you
must remove all qualified data-names from record descriptions in the
RM/COBOL source program.
DEPENDING Names
If a record description contains a DEPENDING phrase, the data-name in the
DEPENDING phrase must occur in the same record.
Picture-strings
The maximum length of a picture-string in a record description is 20
characters. However, you can overcome this limitation by splitting any
picture-strings which exceed this limit into two, and defining a FILLER
item with a picture-string which corresponds to the size of the second
half of the original string.
MPE/iX 5.0 Documentation