Technologies & Services Application and Data Management

Introduction

This document was created and is maintained by the helpdesk@simotime.com. The document is a collection of notes and has not been formally reviewed and/or edited.

Explore the SimoTime Web Site for additional information.

We have made a significant effort to ensure the documents and software technologies are correct and accurate. We reserve the right to make changes without notice at any time. The function delivered in this version is based upon the enhancement requests from a specific group of users. The intent is to provide changes as the need arises and in a timeframe that is dependent upon the availability of resources.

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SimoTime Technologies and Services
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Specialty Items

This section describes functionality and technology that is intended for use by our consultants in the field. Since this group of items has not been through a "Product Development" process it is only available as part of a services arrangement.

Summary Totals & Record Counts

This suite of programs and documentation will describe and demonstrate an approach for reading a file, calculating record counts and producing summary totals for a set of pre-defined numeric fields. The approach uses two COBOL programs that were generated using SimoTime technology. The programs are generated on a Windows System with Micro Focus COBOL and may be compiled and executed on an IBM Mainframe or a Linux, UNIX or Windows System with Micro Focus COBOL.

    Explore how to accumulate Summary Totals and Record Counts by reading a sequential file or VSAM Data Set. This suite of programs and documentation will describe and demonstrate an approach for reading a file, calculating record counts and producing summary totals for a set of pre-defined numeric fields. This technology has the capability of managing non-numeric values in numeric fields.

Space Characters in COMP-3

For files that contain records with packed or binary fields the EBCDIC to ASCII data conversion is done at the field level. Since the packed and binary fields have their unique bit structure (i.e. neither EBCDIC nor ASCII) they are left in their existing structure. Therefore, a packed field that contains all x'40' characters will contains all x'40' characters after the record is converted.

Herein lies the challenge, the x'40' character is a space character on the EBCDIC-encoded Mainframe System but it is not a space character in an ASCII-configured environment.

    Explore how to process non-Numeric Values stored in a Packed-Decimal format. This document will use examples to show how to manage a situation where non-numeric values (such as Space Characters) are placed in a Packed-Decimal field and then managed to avoid a S0C7 or RTS 163 error message and an abnormal termination of the program.

HEX-Dump of KSDS Records

This is an interesting program that would have required an assembler routine prior to the introduction of COBOL/2 for the mainframe. This program reads the Customer Master File that is a VSAM, Keyed-Sequential-Data-Set (KSDS) and writes a variable-length, sequential file that contains hexadecimal information. Records to be written to the Hex-Dump file are selected based on a list of primary keys in a control file.

    Explore How to Create Hexadecimal Dump information for the records in a Customer Master file. The Customer Master file is a VSAM, KSDS. This document describes a process for generating a COBOL program that will read a VSAM/KSDS and write hexadecimal dump information to a sequential file. The user may define the records to be dumped by providing a list of primary keys in a control file. A second COBOL program is called to write the HEX-Dump information to a sequential file that contains variable length records.

Non-Executable Load Member/Table

In the CICS environment on the mainframe it was a common practice to use the EXEC CICS LOAD function to load a data table into memory. These data tables were typically created as mainframe assembler source members. The source members were then compiled and linked as non-Executable load members.

    Explore The technology to Generate Non-Executable Load Members from Mainframe Assembler Source Code for use with Micro Focus Enterprise Server on a Windows, Linux or UNIX System. This technology has the ability to generate a non-executable member for the EBCDIC or ASCII encoded environment.

Embedded Hex in Source Code

This suite of programs provides an example of how to identify and process embedded hexadecimal or non-printable characters in a text string or field. Its primary purpose is to scan and identify hex characters in source code members.

    Explore How to Identify Hexadecimal Characters in program Source code using this utility program. This utility reads an EBCDIC-encoded, record sequential file and writes to an ASCII-encoded, Line Sequential file. The records with embedded hexadecimal characters are converted and copied followed by two comment lines that show the original hexedecimal values.

Catalog List/Dump Program

This utility program provides the support and development personnel with the capability of listing the contents of the Micro Focus catalog from a windows Command line in a list or dump format.

    Explore a Micro Focus CATALOG List function that will list the content of the catalog from a Windows Command line. An optional catalog dump feature is avaliable to view the binary fields.

Summary

This document was created and is maintained by the helpdesk@simotime.com. The document is a collection of notes and has not been formally reviewed and/or edited. This document may be used as a tutorial for new programmers or as a quick reference for experienced programmers.

In the world of programming there are many ways to solve a problem. This documentation and software were developed and tested on systems that are configured for a SIMOTIME environment based on the hardware, operating systems, user requirements and security requirements. Therefore, adjustments may be needed to execute the jobs and programs when transferred to a system of a different architecture or configuration.

SIMOTIME Services has experience in moving or sharing data or application processing across a variety of systems. For additional information about SIMOTIME Services or Technologies please contact us using the information in the  Contact or Feedback  section of this document.

Software Agreement and Disclaimer

Permission to use, copy, modify and distribute this software, documentation or training material for any purpose requires a fee to be paid to SimoTime Technologies. Once the fee is received by SimoTime the latest version of the software, documentation or training material will be delivered and a license will be granted for use within an enterprise, provided the SimoTime copyright notice appear on all copies of the software. The SimoTime name or Logo may not be used in any advertising or publicity pertaining to the use of the software without the written permission of SimoTime Technologies.

SimoTime Technologies makes no warranty or representations about the suitability of the software, documentation or learning material for any purpose. It is provided "AS IS" without any expressed or implied warranty, including the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. SimoTime Technologies shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential damages resulting from the loss of use, data or projects, whether in an action of contract or tort, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this software, documentation or training material.

Downloads and Links

This section includes links to documents with additional information that are beyond the scope and purpose of this document. The first group of documents may be available from a local system or via an internet connection, the second group of documents will require an internet connection.

Note: A SimoTime License is required for the items to be made available on a local system or server.

Current Server or Internet Access

The following links may be to the current server or to the Internet.

Note: The latest versions of the SimoTime Documents and Program Suites are available on the Internet and may be accessed using the icon. If a user has a SimoTime Enterprise License the Documents and Program Suites may be available on a local server and accessed using the icon.

    Explore the JCL Connection for more examples of JCL functionality with programming techniques and sample code.

    Explore the COBOL Connection for more examples of COBOL programming techniques and sample code.

    Explore An Enterprise System Model that describes and demonstrates how Applications that were running on a Mainframe System and non-relational data that was located on the Mainframe System were copied and deployed in a Microsoft Windows environment with Micro Focus Enterprise Server.

    Explore The ASCII and EBCDIC Translation Tables. These tables are provided for individuals that need to better understand the bit structures and differences of the encoding formats.

    Explore The File Status Return Codes that are used to interpret the results of accessing VSAM data sets and/or QSAM files.

Internet Access Required

The following links will require an internet connect.

A good place to start is The SimoTime Home Page for access to white papers, program examples and product information. This link requires an Internet Connection

Explore The Micro Focus Web Site for more information about products (including Micro Focus COBOL) and services available from Micro Focus. This link requires an Internet Connection.

Glossary of Terms

    Explore the Glossary of Terms for a list of terms and definitions used in this suite of documents and white papers.

Contact or Feedback

This document was created and is maintained by SimoTime Technologies. If you have any questions, suggestions, comments or feedback please use the following contact information.

We appreciate hearing from you.

Company Overview

SimoTime Technologies was founded in 1987 and is a privately owned company. We specialize in the creation and deployment of business applications using new or existing technologies and services. We have a team of individuals that understand the broad range of technologies being used in today's environments. Our customers include small businesses using Internet technologies to corporations using very large mainframe systems.

Quite often, to reach larger markets or provide a higher level of service to existing customers it requires the newer Internet technologies to work in a complementary manner with existing corporate mainframe systems. We specialize in preparing applications and the associated data that are currently residing on a single platform to be distributed across a variety of platforms.

Preparing the application programs will require the transfer of source members that will be compiled and deployed on the target platform. The data will need to be transferred between the systems and may need to be converted and validated at various stages within the process. SimoTime has the technology, services and experience to assist in the application and data management tasks involved with doing business in a multi-system environment.

Whether you want to use the Internet to expand into new market segments or as a delivery vehicle for existing business functions simply give us a call or check the web site at http://www.simotime.com