iSeries (AS/400) Cobol Crossover

Introduction

Cobol is still widely used on many systems as a commercial programming language. This course teaches delegates the differences between iSeries Cobol and generic Cobol, and teaches delegates how to use the iSeries extensions.

What you will learn

On completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Write programs to access externally described database, display and printer files.
• Compile and call Cobol programs.
• Use indicators with device files.
• Code DDS keywords for Cobol windows programs.
• Create subfile programs with Cobol.
• Use join logical files in Cobol programs.
• Use ISDB to debug Cobol programs.
• Use journaling and commitment control.

Who should attend

Programmers, analyst/programmers and senior programmers who are experienced in Cobol on other computer systems, including IBM computers and who will now be developing applications in Cobol/400 on the iSeries (AS/400).

Pre-requisites

Delegates must attend the iSeries SYSTEM FACILITIES course prior to attending this course and gain some further practical experience, or possess the equivalent knowledge gained in an iSeries environment. Cobol programmers with less than 6 months Cobol programming experience should attend the iSeries COBOL PROGRAMMING course instead.

Course content

• Using Cobol in an iSeries (AS/400) environment.
• Background to OS/400 objects and facilities.
• Externally described files.
• Physical and logical files.
• Creating database files.
• Relational database and field reference files.
• iSeries (AS/400) Cobol syntax and layout.
• Interaction with other objects on iSeries (AS/400).
• Skeleton program in iSeries (AS/400) Cobol.
• Compiling the Cobol program.
• Interactive enquiry programs in Cobol.
• SDA and DDS for display files.
• Cobol coding for display file processing.
• DDS keywords for windows.
• Displaying windows from a called program.
• Logic of a file maintenance program.
• Coding a file maintenance program in Cobol.
• Record locking.
• The indicator array.
• Separate indicator area (SI) programming.
• Error handling in iSeries (AS/400) programs.
• Debug, trace and formatted dump.
• Purpose of subfiles.
• The subfile control record.
• SDA for subfiles.
• Using a subfile in Cobol.
• Load all and page by page subfile techniques.
• Join logical files.
• Internal and external printing.
• Relationship between printer files and programs.
• DDS for a printer file.
• Create printer file command.
• Cobol coding of report programs.
• Data integrity and recovery.
• Journalling and commitment control.
• Using commitment control in Cobol programs.
• File feedback information.

Materials

A course manual with supporting documentation is provided. The course exercises include extensive programming in Cobol using the iSeries specific features of Cobol.

Schedule