Odds and Ends

July 19, 2002 Timothy Prickett Morgan

Dear Readers:

Here are yet more short answers to a variety of questions. I hope you find something of use.

Question:

When I run the Create Java Program (CRTJVAPGM) command, where does the compiled code go?

Answer:

The optimized program becomes part of the class, jar, or zip file. You can verify this with the Work with Object Links (WRKLNK) command.

Use WRKLNK to display the directory in which the class, jar, or zip file resides. Use option 8 to display the file attributes and page to the second panel. Note the allocated size of object. Run CRTJVAPGM, then view the class file attributes again. You should see a difference.

Question:

In the June 28, 2002 issue of Midrange Guru, you explained how to make a physical file created with SQL have different file and record names. I have the same question pertaining to Query rather than SQL.  I create the file with Query and the file and record format name are the same. How can I give them different names?

Answer:

Make the query create a file with the desired record name. After the query runs, use the Rename Object (RNMOBJ) command to rename the file. The record format will not be renamed.

For example, Query builds a file called CUSTREC1Q.  The format also has the name CUSTREC1Q.

Run RNMOBJ:

RNMOBJ CUSTREC1Q *FILE CUST1Q

Now the file has the name CUST1Q, but the record format is still CUSTREC1Q.

Question:

I’m working with some numeric data that gets placed into alpha data, and I need go the opposite route—from alpha to numeric.

The numeric data is in an alpha array of one-character elements. I need to process the array elements, and then move the array back to a six-position packed decimal field. I tried to use the MOVEA operation to the packed field, and the compile failed.  I tried to move it to a zoned numeric field, and likewise the compile failed. Yet I could swear I have used the MOVEA op code in situations like this in the past. Am I getting senile?

Answer:

You remember correctly. You’re thinking of your System/36 days. RPG II has a very liberal MOVEA opcode, even allowing you to move numeric to alpha and vice versa. RPG III and RPG IV are not so generous.

I use a data structure that overlays a zoned decimal field and a character field.  I move the data into the character field, and then I use the zoned decimal field, as per my example:

D arr             s              1    dim(6)      
D alpha           ds             6                
D   number                1      6s 0             

C                   movea     arr           alpha 
C                   if        number >= 300000    

Question:

How do I access the local data area and other data areas in COBOL?

Answer:

In the special-names paragraph of the configuration section of the environment division, define a mnemonic to represent the environment name data-area.

In the procedure division, use the accept statement, specifying the data-area mnemonic in the from clause and the data-area name in the for clause.

The syntax of the accept verb is summarized as follows:

ACCEPT identifier
FROM mnemonic-name
FOR identifier | literal
IN LIBRARY identifier | literal
AT identifier | literal
WITH LOCK
ON EXCEPTION imperative-statement
NOT ON EXCEPTION imperative-statement
END-ACCEPT.

The following table further explains the clauses:

Here’s a short example program to get you started:

 identification division.                            
 program-id.  cobdtaara.                             
                                                     
 environment division.                               
 configuration section.                              
 special-names.                                      
     local-data is lda
     data-area is da.                                
                                                     
 data division.                                      
 working-storage section.                            
 01  number-of-pages   pic s999     packed-decimal.  
 01  plant-info        pic x(80).                    
 01  plant-name        pic x(30).                    
 01  logical-data      pic x.                        
 01  local-data-area    pic x(1024).   
                                                     
 procedure division.                                 
 main-logic.                                    
* read the LDA
     accept local-data-area from lda.     
* read a decimal data area
     accept number-of-pages from da for 'HOLDPAGES'. 
* read a character data area
     accept plant-info from da for 'PLANTINFO'. 
* read part of a character data area
     accept plant-name from da for 'PLANTINFO'  
         at 5.                      
* read a logical data area            
     accept logical-data from da for 'NITEJOB'
         in library 'THOLTS'.                   
     goback.  

For more information, see Chapter 14 of the ILE COBOL reference at http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/html/as400/v5r1/ic2924/books/c0925392.pdf .

And here are a few Internet Explorer tips, just for fun:

• To quickly and easily page down a Web page in Internet Explorer, press the spacebar. To page up, use Shift + spacebar.
• There are other ways to move backward and forward through Web pages besides clicking on the Back and Forward icons. One method is to use Alt with the left and right cursor-movement arrows. Another is to use Shift with the mouse wheel.
• To open a Web page in a new window, hold down Shift while clicking on the link.
• Use Control and the mouse wheel to increase or decrease font size on a Web page. (I guess I’m getting old; I use this technique a lot.)

— Ted

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