This document covers the following topics:
Natural Runtime has been enhanced to support enhanced precision for N
and P fields in conjunction with Entire Connection for file transfer.
This enhancement introduces support for Entire Connection Protocol Version 4, enabling
both TRANSFER and ENTIRE CONNECTION file transfer types to
use the new protocol. For more information, see Parameter
Reference > NCFVERS -
NCF File Protocol Version.
Natural Availability Server has also been enhanced to support enhanced
precision for N and P fields in conjunction with Entire
Connection for file transfer. For more information, see Natural Availability
Server > Setting the Entire Connection Protocol Version
(NCFVERS).
The NCFVERS profile parameter has been adapted to support File Transfer
(XFER) Protocol Versions 3 and 4 for the TRANSFER work file type.
Protocol Version 3 format is compatible with Natural Version 9.3.3 or earlier, and
Protocol Version 4 is introduced with Natural Version 9.3.4. The default setting of
the NCFVERS profile parameter is still 2. For more information, see
Parameter Reference > NCFVERS - NCF File Protocol Version.
Note
The documentation wrongly showed a default setting of 3 for the
NCFVERS profile parameter. This has been corrected. The default setting
is still 2.
The definitions of hexadecimal and Unicode hexadecimal constants have been enhanced to allow spaces and commas to be used to separate the bytes (double bytes in the case of Unicode) from each other. This provides better flexibility in structuring the hexadecimal values and improves readability.
Examples:
UH’C1C2,C3C4,C5C6’ or UH’F1F2F3F4 F5F6F7F8’
H’C1C2,C3C4,C5C6’ or H’F1F2 F3F4F5 F6F7’
For more information, see Programming Guide > Field Definitions > User-Defined Constants.
The COMPRESS statement has been enhanced to support the use of the
spacer element “nX”. This allows you to insert up to 40 blanks between two fields.
Example:
COMPRESS 'Error' 1X #ERR 1X 'came from DB file (' #DBID '/' #FNR ')' INTO #T
LEAVING NO SPACE
Result in #T:
'Error 1234 came from DB file (10/32)'
For more information, see Statements > COMPRESS.
The MOVE EDITED statement has been enhanced to allow the use of the
wildcard character ? in the input edit mask for
operand2. This allows you to ignore the
additional characters in the input contents of
operand1.
For more information, see Statements > MOVE > Edit Masks with MOVE EDITED (Edit Mask Specified with operand2).
A new system variable *CPU-TIMEX is introduced to measure process time
with a higher precision. This system variable returns CPU time used by the current
Natural process in microseconds precision.
For more information on this new system variable, see System Variables > Application-Related System Variables > *CPU-TIMEX.
You can now interact with an external HTTP server during file transfer operations.
This new functionality can be used with both the UPLOAD PC FILE and
DOWNLOAD PC FILE statements. To support this functionality, the
COMMAND clause has been extended with additional capabilities for
defining and handling HTTP requests. For more information, see Natural
Availability Server > File Transfer > HTTP Data
Transfer.
The Natural Availability Server web application now offers customization options that enable you to rebrand the application according to your needs. These options include modifying CSS styles, replacing images and icons, and customizing application titles. For more information, see Natural Availability Server > Rebranding and Customization.
Bring your Natural subprograms into modern applications. The licensed Natural API Server now includes the new Natural Subprogram Server, which makes your existing Natural business logic available as services to the applications around it. For more information, see Natural API Server > Natural Subprogram Server on Linux.
The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 9.3.4:
Natural Security now separates password and passphrase
flags, ensuring that password and passphrase settings are evaluated independently.
The key changes are:
Option Renaming
The User password history option in General
Options has been renamed to User password /
passphrase history.
PF5 Key (PHist) Functionality
When User password / passphrase history is activated, users
can press PF5 (PHist) to modify the history flag.
Editable: Only flag values Y or * can be modified.
Restricted: The Maximum number of stored passwords / passphrases parameter cannot be changed via PF5.
User Preset Values
When User password / passphrase history is activated, the
following parameters under User Preset Values become strictly
read-only and contain the same value as User password /
passphrase history:
User password history
Maximum number of stored passwords
User passphrase history
Maximum number of stored passphrases
Terminology Standardization
References to "password phrase" across Natural Security have been
changed to "passphrase" for consistency.
You can now log on using a password phrase without the ICU handler.
Note
The password phrase history is affected if it exists.
Natural Security has upgraded its Application Programming Interfaces documentation and improved code clarity and navigation.
Improved Documentation Structure
Clearer overviews of example programs and explicit listings of functions used
within them.
Comprehensive Parameter Details
Example programs now clearly define parameter types, including
Input, In/Out,
Output, and Unused parameters.
Enhanced Filtering Options
The Natural Security Application Programming Interfaces screen now allows users
to filter content directly by Example,
Interface, or Description.
SYSSEC Library Modernization
Cleaned up the SYSSEC library by removing outdated TXT*
text modules.
For more information about security related configuration, see Natural API Server > Natural Subprogram Server on Linux > Security.
By default, the Natural Web I/O Interface daemon starts the application which is requested by the client,
without further checks. With the [AllowedApplications]
section in the nwosrvd.conf configuration file, you can
restrict this to a defined list of applications. For more information, see Restricting the
Applications Which Can Be Started in the Natural Web
I/O Interface documentation.
The following enhancement is provided with Natural Development Server Version 9.3.4:
Natural Development Server is enhanced to support console logging of both server and
activities performed by connected clients. This functionality is enabled through the
new -logging startup parameter.
For more information about the usage, see Natural Development Server for Linux and Cloud > Operating Natural Development Server > Starting the Development Server.
With Natural Version 9.3.4, an enhanced Natural RPC Version 9.3.4 is delivered. With
this, the following Natural RPC-specific application programming interface (API) is new in the SYSEXT system library:
| API | Task | Description |
|---|---|---|
USR9204N (new)
|
Send command to RPC server |
The RPC API sends a send-command request with the sequence number to the EntireX Broker. The command transports a subprogram or an RPC command with the sequence number for an RPC server (or all sequence numbers of an RPC service). The EntireX Broker 11.0 with CIS version 13 or higher is required. For more information, see Natural RPC > Operating a Natural RPC Environment > Sending Command to RPC Server. |
The maximum number of users for the Natural buffer pool has increased from 5000 to 9999. These are stored as MAXUSERS in the Local Configuration file. For more information, see Local Configuration File > Buffer Pool Assignments.
The SYSEXV utility now provides all example programs demonstrating the use of Natural features introduced in the current or any previous version of Natural. The examples can now be grouped by Category or Version, or listed alphabetically by Member names. You can also specify a search string in the Search field so that only the examples containing the string in the member’s name, version, category or description are displayed.
New example programs have been added for the following features:
Enhanced COMPRESS with spacer element
System variable *CPU-TIMEX
Enhanced hexadecimal constants
Enhanced MOVE EDITED with wildcard character
System variable *UUID
Extended store clock system variable *TIMESTMPX
System variable *EDITOR
For more information, see Utilities > SYSEXV Utility.
With Natural RPC (Remote Procedure Call) version 9.3.4, the SYSRPC utility now also supports server commands for the server tasks of a selected RPC server. The prerequisite is EntireX Broker 11.0 with CIS version 13 or higher.
For more information, see Tools and Utilities > SYSRPC Utility > Server Command Execution > Executing Commands for RPC Server Tasks.
The Natural Buffer Pool Monitor (NATBPMON) can now be used to detect and unblock a
possibly deadlocked or otherwise stalled system if the problem is related to processes
hanging while waiting (potentially endlessly) for a system file or buffer pool lock to
become available. A new LOCKS command has been added to
identify lock holders and/or blocking reader processes. The command assigns each
process an index value. If you have the necessary privileges, you can specify this
index as a parameter to the monitor KILL command to
selectively terminate the process. For this purpose, the monitor now supports the
CAP_KILL capability, provided it has been granted by an administrator.
Additionally, the integrated monitor KILL command now offers a FORCE
option to ensure termination of the target process as gracefully as possible. It also
supports the optional generation of a diagnostic file before terminating the target
process, which can be forwarded to Product Support if requested.
For more information, see Operations > Using the Buffer Pool Monitor (NATBPMON).
The following Natural application programming interfaces (APIs) are new in the
SYSEXT system library or have changed:
| API | Task | Description |
|---|---|---|
USR6002N |
Get the current values of internal counters |
The |
USR8207N |
Maintain the number of DBMS calls,
MAXCL and MADIO
parameters
|
The new API All parameters are defined using the (I4) format. The
The |
USR9178N |
Maintain local store clock value |
The new copycode
where The copycode is used with the INCLUDE USR9178W 'DATE-TIME' whereby 2026-03-09 09:11:51.268138 The example program |
USR9301N |
Get buffer usage statistics |
The API returns the size of Natural buffers like USIZE. |
The following will be changed in upcoming releases of Natural:
Natural Business Services (NBS) will be discontinued as a single package and packaged together with Natural Construct (CST) with the next release.
Support for the Transition Period Logon parameter (General Options) will be discontinued in the upcoming release of Natural Security (scheduled for October 2027).
It is supported up to version 9.2.5 and will be removed in subsequent versions on z/OS.
If Transition Period Logon is currently active (value Y) in
your FSEC, please migrate your required library, user, and DDM definitions to Natural
Security before the support ends.
Library definitions can be added via:
Administrator Services using the Definition of Undefined Libraries function. For more information, see Natural Security > Administrator Services.
The PGMLI001 example program (SYSSEC library) or the NSCLI API. For
more information, see Natural Security > Application Programming
Interfaces.
The ADD command in SYSSEC Library Maintenance. For more information,
see Natural Security > Library
Maintenance.
User definitions can be added via:
The PGMUS001 example program (SYSSEC library) or the
NSCUS API. For more information, see Natural
Security > Application
Programming Interfaces.
The ADDM (Add Multiple Users) or ADD commands in SYSSEC
User Maintenance. For more information, see Natural Security >
User
Maintenance.
DDM definitions can be added via:
The PGMDDM* example program (SYSSEC library) or the
NSCLI API. For more information, see Natural
Security > Application
Programming Interfaces.
The ADD commands in SYSSEC DDM Maintenance. For more information, see
Natural Security > Protecting DDMs On Linux And Windows.
Support for Natural Native Interface (NNI) functionality will be discontinued with the next release of Natural for Linux and Cloud. Natural 9.3.4 is the last version that supports this functionality.
If you are still using NNI functionality, consider using Natural API Server as an alternative solution.
The Natural for Tamino functionality as well as API USR6007N (“Get information on last error in Tamino database”) have been removed with this version of Natural.
