This document covers the following topics:
The utility SYSEXT provides the following
new application programming interfaces (APIs):
| API | Description |
|---|---|
USR8215N |
This new API returns the Natural and Natural Security versions installed at your site. |
USR8216N |
This new API retrieves a Natural RPC service directory and creates, changes and deletes the node and server definitions in the directory. |
USR8219N |
This new API enables you to issue Adabas direct calls by using the extended Adabas control block (ACBX) interface. All Adabas buffers you can specify with this API are defined as dynamic variables of the format A. |
USR8220N |
This new API causes an active RPC server to terminate if it is called by a Natural RPC server subprogram. Explicit server termination through this API is useful when severe errors occur. |
USR8301N |
With this new API, information about installed
Natural hot fixes is returned to the calling program. The information is
contained in arrays. USR8301N in conjunction with USR2031N returns all
information which SYSPROD returns.
|
USR8302N |
This new API enables you to specify a "wait interval" for the session that can be less than one second. |
The new Profiler utility provides functions to pause and to restart the Profiler data collection and to process the Profiler event data. Additionally, it offers an interface to MashZone (Software AG’s tool for creating interactive business dashboards).
The Profiler utility runs in batch mode only.
When you profile a Natural application with the Natural Profiler for
UNIX and Windows, the resulting event data is written to a Natural resource
file. The use of the Natural Profiler for UNIX and Windows is described with
the PROFILER profile
parameter in the Parameter Reference documentation.
The new Profiler utility reads and analyzes the event data from the Profiler resource files. It provides functions for data consolidation (aggregation), event tracing and program tracing. It also provides a program summary and displays the Profiler properties and statistics. The resulting data can be exported in text or CSV (comma-separated values) format, or in the format expected by the Natural Profiler MashApp (see the following section).
For detailed information, see Using the Profiler Utility in the section Natural Profiler of the Tools and Utilities documentation.
The new Natural Profiler MashApp is used to evaluate Profiler event data with MashZone.
MashZone is a browser-based application from Software AG which is used to visualize data on a graphical, interactive dashboard.
For detailed information, see Natural Profiler MashApp in the section Natural Profiler of the Tools and Utilities documentation.
The utility SYSEXT provides the following
enhanced application programming interfaces (APIs):
| API | Description |
|---|---|
USR1009N |
Convert store clock into microseconds. The performance of the API has been improved. See Improved Time Conversion APIs. |
USR1023N |
Convert date and time format. The performance of the API has been improved. See Improved Time Conversion APIs. |
USR2036N |
Convert variable of format (B8) into (P20). Can be used to convert
the system variable The performance of the API has been improved. See Improved Time Conversion APIs. |
The time conversion APIs USR1009N, USR1023N,
and USR2036N have been redesigned and now provide a significantly
better performance. If your application is using these APIs, replace each copy
of the API with the corresponding subprogram delivered in library SYSEXT.
In addition to the subprograms, the utility SYSEXT
provides the following new copycodes for the conversion of time related values:
| Copycode | Description |
|---|---|
USR1023W |
Convert microseconds into a store clock value. |
USR1023X |
Convert microseconds into Natural time. |
USR1023Y |
Convert a store clock value (such as |
USR1023Z |
Convert Natural time into microseconds. |
USR2036Z |
Convert variable of format (B8) into (P20). Can be used to
convert the system variable |
The following graphic illustrates the result of a performance test of the time conversion APIs. For the test, a Natural program converts the following formats 1 million times:
Store clock value into microseconds using the subprogram
USR1009N (previous version) compared with the new version of the
subprogram and with the new copycode USR1023Y.
Store clock value into microseconds and Natural time using the
subprogram USR1023N with function S (previous
version) compared with the new version of the subprogram and with the new
copycodes USR1023Y (store clock into microseconds) and
USR1023X (microseconds into Natural time)
Store clock value into numeric variable (P20) using the subprogram
USR2036N (previous version) compared with the new version of the
subprogram and with the new copycode USR2036Z
The new version of the APIs is up to five times faster than the old version; the corresponding copycodes are up to twelve times faster.
Because of a required correction in the Natural Buffer Pool, it was necessary to change internal buffer pool structures. This change makes the buffer pool incompatible to previous buffer pool versions. As a consequence the internal buffer pool version was incremented, which identifies this change.
This implies that Natural Version 8.3.7 does not work with a buffer pool started with an older version of Natural. Instead, an error message is displayed.
With Natural Version 8.3.7 and SYSWEB3, Apache 2.4 in 64-Bit is supported. The EntireX 64-Bit DLLs are required as well.
The 32-Bit applications on Apache 2.4 are not supported.
With Natural Version 8.3.7, an enhanced Natural RPC Version is delivered which introduces the following changes and enhancements:
The encryption/decryption mechanism provided by EntireX Security is deprecated.
For encrypted transport, Software AG strongly recommends that you use the Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security protocol. All references regarding encryption have been removed from the Natural RPC documentation accordingly.
Applications that execute with EntireX Encryption are still supported for compatibility reasons.
For more information, see SSL/TLS and Certificates with EntireX in the EntireX documentation.
The Service Directory Maintenance function of the SYSRPC utility now supports node names of up 192 characters, which is particularly useful when referencing Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) names. If you press PF2 on the Service Directory screen, a window opens where you can enter a long node name. See also Service Directory Maintenance in SYSRPC Utility in the Tools and Utilities documentation.
The new API USR8216N provides the option to retrieve a
Natural RPC service directory and create, change and delete the node and server
definitions in the directory.
The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 8.3.7.
- Library FDIC Assignment Enabled
A new option Library FDIC Assignment Enabled is available under Library and User Preset Values to enable the new settings described under Assigning FDIC and FUSER below.
- Assigning FDIC and FUSER
With previous versions, the following applied:
You could not make FDIC specifications in library or special-link profiles. The Natural profile parameter FDIC set at the start of the Natural session determined which FDIC system file was used for all libraries.
You could make FUSER specifications in library profiles, but not in special-link profiles.
You could set the Cross-reference option in library profiles, but not in special-link profiles.
As of this version, the following applies:
You can make FDIC specifications in both library profiles and special-link profiles.
You can make FUSER specifications in both library profiles and special-link profiles.
You can set the Cross-reference option in both library profiles and special-link profiles.
This feature is activated by the new Administrator Services option Library FDIC Assignment Enabled (see above).
The usual logic applies, that is: The settings at library level take precedence of those which apply at session start; and the settings at special-link level take precedence of those at library level.
- SYSMAIN
A new option Enable Unrestricted Use of Libraries is available in the SYSMAIN default utility profile (under Additional Options > Session Options). It can be used to allow users of type Administrator unrestricted use of libraries with SYSMAIN. They may then use SYSMAIN functions to process the contents of all libraries defined in Natural Security - regardless of any access restrictions that may exist for these libraries. For an Administrator to be able to do so, another new option Process All Libraries has to be set in his/her user-specific SYSMAIN utility profile.
The documentation Extending Natural Studio with Plug-ins has been updated in the section Quick Start. The description provided in Creating a Minimal Plug-in has been changed to reflect the new plug-in creation behavior introduced with this version of Natural.
In addition, the new sub-section Transferring a Plug-in From Natural 6 to Natural 8 has been added to provide information on how to transfer plug-ins created with older versions of Natural to the current version.
With the upcoming release of Natural Version 8.3.8, the compiler used to build Natural on Windows will be upgraded to Visual Studio 2015. It is potentially necessary to re-build the customer-specific user exits as well.
It is possible, that an upcoming version of Natural for Windows will be built based on 64-bit technology. This effects for example the Natural GUI programming because of the usage of ActiveX controls.
This topic is under investigation and not yet finally decided.