Release Information for Natural Version 8.3.7
This document covers the following topics:
Installation
Copy Configuration Data
The installation option Copy configuration data from another installation directory has been enhanced.
This option (available during the first-time installation of Natural) now also copies the Natural text member INST-<productcode> within the library SYSPCI.
Execute SYSPCI via Shell Script
It is now possible to execute the SYSPCI utility via shell script.
The following modifications have been made to support this feature:
-
It is now possible to execute the SYSPCI functions ADU and ALU without a Database ID (DBID) and File number (FNR). SYSPCI will use the values for DBID and FNR that are supplied in the existing text member INST-<productcode>.
-
It is now possible to execute the SYSPCI functions ADA and ALL with File number (FNR) -1 specified. SYSPCI will use the next free File number in that case.
-
Two scripts syspci_reuse.sh and syspci_create.sh are available in the folder
<install-dir>/Natural/INSTALL. These scripts can be used to automatically call SYSPCI for each installed product to intialize the product.
New Features
Application Programming Interfaces
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. |
Profiler Utility
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.
Event Data Processing
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.
Presentation of Profiler Data on an Interactive Dashboard
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.
Changes and Enhancements
Application Programming Interfaces
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. |
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 |
Performance of the Time Conversion APIs
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 copycodeUSR1023Y. -
Store clock value into microseconds and Natural time using the subprogram
USR1023Nwith functionS(previous version) compared with the new version of the subprogram and with the new copycodesUSR1023Y(store clock into microseconds) andUSR1023X(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 copycodeUSR2036Z
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.
Internal Buffer Pool Structures
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.
Support of Apache 2.4
With Natural Version 8.3.7 and SYSWEB3, Apache 2.4 in 64-Bit is supported.
The 32-Bit applications on Apache 2.4 are not supported.
Natural RPC (Remote Procedure Call)
With Natural Version 8.3.7, an enhanced Natural RPC Version is delivered which introduces the following changes and enhancements:
Encryption
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.
SYSRPC Utility
Support for Long Natural RPC Node Names
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.
API for Natural RPC Service Directory Maintenance
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.
Natural Security
The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 8.3.7.
Administrator Services
- 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.
Library Profiles
- 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.
Utility Profiles
- 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.