Version 9.5 SP1
 —  EntireX COBOL Wrapper  —

Introduction to the COBOL Wrapper

EntireX COBOL Wrapper provides access to RPC-based components from COBOL applications. It enables you to develop both client and server applications.

This document covers the following topics:


Description

The COBOL Wrapper provides access to RPC servers for COBOL client applications and access to COBOL servers for any RPC client. The COBOL Wrapper generation tools of the Workbench take as input a Software AG IDL file, which describes the interface of the RPC, and generate COBOL sources that implement the functions and data types of the interface.

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The generated functions can be compiled with the COBOL compiler of your target platform.

The COBOL Wrapper works as follows:

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Generic RPC Services Module

In order to minimize the amount of code generated for a specific IDL file, all service-type functionality that is not specific to a given IDL file required by the client interface object is generated in a generic RPC services module.

The generic RPC services module is used by RPC clients and contains the call to the broker stub, as well as other functions needed for RPC communication where an interface object is not needed, such as

For more information, see Generic RPC Services Modules.

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COBOL Client Applications

For a given IDL file, the Software AG IDL Compiler and a COBOL code generation template for clients are used to generate client interface objects and copybooks. The source code generated by the COBOL Wrapper can be compiled with your target COBOL compiler. Application developers use the generated generic RPC service module, the client interface object(s) and the copybooks to write COBOL applications that access RPC servers.

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For more information, see Using the COBOL Wrapper.

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COBOL Server Application

The Software AG IDL Compiler and a COBOL code generation template for servers are used to generate a server (skeleton) for a specific IDL. Additionally, depedending on the IDL data types and whether IDL program names are customized, a so-called server-side server-mapping file is created. See When is an SVM File Required? and Server Mapping File (SVM).

Application developers use the generated server (skeleton) to write their own server code for each program in the IDL. The source code is compiled and linked with your target COBOL compiler. The server-side SVM file needs to be deployed to the EntireX RPC Server used, see Server Mapping Deployment.

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For more information, see Using the COBOL Wrapper.

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COBOL Server Interface Types

Depending on your requirements and generation settings, the COBOL Wrapper generates a server skeleton with one of the following interface types:

CICS with DFHCOMMAREA Calling Convention

CICS programs using the standard DFHCOMMAREA for parameter passing.

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Technically, the generated COBOL server skeleton contains

See Server Interface Types for more information on how to create COBOL servers with this interface type.

CICS with Channel Container Calling Convention

Channels and containers are IBM's approach to access more than 31 KB of data in CICS. There is no need for coding any channel container statements because all this is generated. Thus the programmer focus can be on the application logic.

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Technically, the generated COBOL server skeleton contains

See Server Interface Types for more information on how to create COBOL servers with this interface type.

CICS with DFHCOMMAREA Large Buffer Interface

This type of program has a defined DFHCOMMAREA interface to access more than 31 KB of data in CICS. The interface is the same as the webMethods WMTLSRVR interface. This enables customers to use an easy and simple interface type to access more than 31 KB of data in CICS.

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Technically,

See Server Interface Types for more information on how to create COBOL servers with this interface type.

Micro Focus with Standard Linkage Calling Convention

Standard call interfaces with a given number of parameters are supported. Every parameter addresses a fixed COBOL structure.

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Technically, the generated COBOL server skeleton contains

See Server Interface Types for more information on how to create COBOL servers with this interface type.

Batch with Standard Linkage Calling Convention

Standard call interfaces with a given number of parameters are supported. Every parameter addresses a fixed COBOL structure.

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Technically, the generated COBOL server skeleton contains

See Server Interface Types for more information on how to create COBOL servers with this interface type.

IMS BMP with Standard Linkage Calling Convention

IMS batch message processing programs (BMP) with PCB parameters are directly supported.

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Technically, the generated COBOL server skeleton contains

See Server Interface Types for more information on how to create COBOL servers with this interface type.

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