This document covers the following topics:
The table below lists the metasymbols and informal terms that are used for the Software AG IDL.
The metasymbols [ and ] surround optional lexical entities.
The informal term "number" is a sequence of numeric characters, for example 123.
| Software AG IDL | Description | .NET Data Types | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
A1 |
Alphanumeric | char or String/StringBuilder |
1, 5 |
Anumber |
Alphanumeric | String/StringBuilder |
1 |
AV |
Alphanumeric variable length | String/StringBuilder |
1 |
AV[number] |
Alphanumeric variable length with maximum length | String/StringBuilder |
1 |
B1 |
Binary | byte or byte[] |
6 |
Bnumber |
Binary | byte[] |
|
BV |
Binary variable length | byte[] |
2 |
BV[number] |
Binary variable length with maximum length | byte[] |
|
D |
Date | DateTime |
3, 7 |
F4 |
Floating point (small) | float |
|
F8 |
Floating point (large) | double |
|
I1 |
Integer (small) | sbyte |
|
I2 |
Integer (medium) | short |
|
I4 |
Integer (large) | int |
|
Knumber |
Kanji | String/StringBuilder |
1 |
KV |
Kanji variable length | String/StringBuilder |
1 |
KV[number] |
Kanji variable length with maximum length | String/StringBuilder |
1 |
L |
Logical | bool |
|
Nnumber [.number] |
Unpacked decimal | decimal |
|
NUnumber [.number] |
Unpacked decimal unsigned | decimal |
|
Pnumber [.number] |
Packed decimal | decimal |
|
PUnumber[.number] |
Packed decimal unsigned | decimal |
|
T |
Time | DateTime |
4, 7 |
Notes:
System.String for direction in, otherwise
System.Text.StringBuilder if Default is used for parameter ATOSTRING.
If String is used for ATOSTRING, System.String is used everywhere, and
if StringBuilder is used for ATOSTRING, System.Text.StringBuilder is
used everywhere. See Using the .NET Wrapper.
Unsigned integer ranging from 0 to 255.
Count of days AD (anno domini, after the birth of Christ). The valid
range is from 1.1.0001 up to 28.11.2737 (only the date part of DateTime is
used).
Count of tenths of a second AD (Anno Domini, after the birth of Christ). The valid range is from 1.1.0001 00:00:00.0 up to 16.11.3168 09:46:39 plus 0.9 seconds.
If -D A1TOCHAR=1 is defined in the erxidl call, A1 is mapped to char,
otherwise to String/StringBuilder.
If -D B1TOBYTE=1 is defined in the erxidl call, B1 is mapped to byte,
otherwise to byte[].
The Natural DATE type allows for the value 01.01.0000 to denote an
undefined date. In order to avoid the .NET runtime throwing an exception when
attempting to assign the invalid date value 01.01.0000 to a .NET DateTime
variable, the .NET runtime converts an incoming neutral date/time value
01.01.0000 00:00:00.0 into the special .NET DateTime value DateTime.MaxValue -
1 tick (that is 31.12.9999:23:59:59.9999998). When this value is passed to the
EntireX runtime to be sent to an EntireX RPC service, it is converted back into
the neutral RPC date/time value 01.01.0000 00:00:00.0.
Please also note the hints and restrictions on the IDL data types valid for all programming language bindings as described under IDL Data Types.
The library name as specified in the IDL file is sent from a client to the server. Special characters are not replaced. The library alias is not sent to the server.
In the RPC server, the IDL library name sent may be used to locate the target server. See Locating and Calling the Target Server under CICS | z/OS Batch | z/OS IMS | UNIX | Windows | Micro Focus | BS2000/OSD | IBM i.
The name of the .NET server assembly must match the library name.
The library name as given in the IDL file is used to compose the names
of the generated output files. See library-definition under Software AG IDL Grammar.
Therefore the allowed characters are restricted by the underlying file system.
The name is composed from <library-name>.idl to
<library-name>.cs as default. The name of the client
stub file can be changed by using the -F option of the
erxidl command. See
Using the .NET Wrapper in IDL Compiler Command-line Mode.
In accordance with the C# conventions, the class name is built as
follows with the default setting -PSANITIZE:
The initial character and characters following one of the special characters '#', '$', '&', '+', '-', '_', '.', '/' and '@' are converted to uppercase.
All other characters are converted to lowercase.
The special characters '#', '$', '&', '+', '-', '_', '.', '/' and '@' are removed.
Other special characters used in the library name are not changed and may lead to problems with your underlying file system and to compile errors.
If there is an alias for the library name in the library-definition,
this alias is used "as is" to form the class name. Therefore, this
alias must be a valid C# class name. To fully control the output, use alias
names and do not use SANITIZE.
Examples:
MY-CLASS to MyClass (class)
MY-CLASS alias YOUR_CLASS to YOUR_CLASS(class)
The program name is sent from a client to the server. Special characters are not replaced. The program alias is not sent to the server.
In the RPC server, the IDL program name sent is used to locate the target server. See Locating and Calling the Target Server under CICS | z/OS Batch | z/OS IMS | UNIX | Windows | Micro Focus | BS2000/OSD | IBM i.
The program names as given in the IDL file are mapped to methods within
the generated C# sources. See program-definition under Software AG IDL Grammar.
In accordance with the C# conventions method names are built as follows
with the default setting -PSANITIZE:
Characters are converted to lowercase with the following exceptions
The special characters '#', '$', '&', '+', '-', '_', '.', '/' and '@' are removed
The character following one of the special characters is converted to uppercase.
Other special characters used in the program name are not changed and may lead to compile errors.
If there is an alias for the program name in the
program-definition, this alias is used "as is"
for the method name. Therefore, this alias must be a valid C# method name. To
fully control the output, use alias names and do not use SANITIZE.
Examples:
MY-PROGRAM to MyProgram (method).
MY-PROGRAM alias YOUR_PROGRAM to YOUR_PROGRAM(method).
The parameter names as given in the parameter-data-definition of the IDL
file are mapped to parameters of the generated C# methods.
In accordance with the C# conventions the parameter names are built as
follows with the default setting -PSANITIZE:
Characters are converted to lowercase except
The special characters '#', '$', '&', '+', '-', '_', '.', '/' and '@' are removed
The character following one of those special characters is converted to uppercase.
IDL files that use C# keywords (e.g. string or float) as parameter names
are not supported. Do not use C# keywords such as string or float as parameter
names. Modify your IDL file accordingly.
To fully control the output do not use SANITIZE.
Example:
MY-PARAM to myParam (parameter)
Arrays in the IDL file are mapped to C# arrays. If an array value does
not have the correct number of dimensions or elements, this will result in an
exception. If the value null (null pointer) is used as an input parameter (for
IN and INOUT parameters), an array will be instantiated by the runtime.
Groups in the IDL file are mapped to C# classes.
The namespace for group classes is
SoftwareAG.EntireX.NETWrapper.Generated.filename.Groups
on the client side, and
SoftwareAG.EntireX.NETWrapper.Server.libraryname.Groups
on the server side.
Structures in the IDL file are mapped to C# classes.
The namespace for structure classes is
SoftwareAG.EntireX.NETWrapper.Generated.filename.Structs
on the client side, and
SoftwareAG.EntireX.NETWrapper.Server.libraryname.Structs
on the server side.
See Mapping Groups and Periodic Groups.
IN parameters are implemented as normal
parameters of the generated C# class method.
OUT parameters are implemented as out
parameters of the generated C# class method.
INOUT parameters are implemented as ref
parameters of the generated method.
Note that only the direction information of the top-level fields (level 1) is relevant. Group fields always inherit the specification from their parent. A different specification is ignored.
See attribute-list under Software AG IDL Grammar for the syntax on how to
describe attributes within the IDL file and refer to the direction
attribute.
Not supported.
The IDL syntax allows definitions of procedures only. It does not have the concept of a function. A function is a procedure which, in addition to the parameters, returns a value. Procedures and functions are transparent between clients and server, i.e. a client using a function can call a server implemented as a procedure and vice versa.
In C# a procedure corresponds to a method with result type void, a function returns a value of some type.
It is possible to treat an OUT parameter of a
procedure as the return value of a function. The .NET Wrapper
generates a method with a non-void result type when the following two
conditions are met:
The last parameter of the procedure definition is of type OUT;
This last parameter of the procedure definition has the name
Function_Result.
In this case no function parameter is generated for this
OUT parameter.
See the .NET Wrapper example that comes with EntireX.
