Library Routines

isCOBOL Evolve : Appendices : Library Routines

Library Routines

isCOBOL provides several library routines.

The table below lists the library routines along with their usability in the various scenarios. For each routine it’s specified if it can be used in stand-alone, thin client and web, with some advice where applicable. A detailed documentation of each single routine follows.

Some of the library routines are affected by dedicated configuration properties. See Library Routines Configuration for details.

Note - Unless differently specified in the notes, routines that access client resources in a webClient environment work on the server where the webClient service is running and not on the end user PC where the web browser is running. This rule applies to routines called via CALL CLIENT as well as routine functions that access to the client machine (e.g. C$COPY when one of the parameters start with "@[DISPLAY]:").

Library Routine / op-code	Kind of execution							Notes
	Stand-Alone	Thin Client default on		Thin Client	webClient	webDirect	EIS
	Stand-Alone	Server	Client	CALL CLIENT
$WINHELP	YES	X		YES	NO[1]	NO	NO	In thin client, if CALL CLIENT is not used, then the help is opened on the server machine. [1]In webClient, the help is opened on the server where webClient is running, so the user can’t see it in the browser.
A$CURRENT_USER	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
A$DECRYPT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
A$ENCRYPT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
A$GETTHREAD	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
A$GET_DIGEST	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
A$GET_USER	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
A$LIST_LOCKS	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
A$LIST_USERS	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
A$SEND_MESSAGE	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
A$USERINFO	NO	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
AS$COPY	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
ASCII2HEX	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
ASCII2OCTAL	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$ASYNCPOLL	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$ASYNCRUN	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$CALLEDBY	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$CALLERR	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$CARG	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$CENTURY	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$CHDIR	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$CODESET	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$COPY	YES	X		YES[1]	YES	YES	YES	[1]For the copy client to client there’s no difference between using the @[display]: prefix before file names or calling the routine via CALL CLIENT.
C$COVERAGE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$CREATE_TMP_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$DARG	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$DECRYPT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$DELAY	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$DELETE	YES	X		YES[1]	YES	YES	YES	[1]For the deletion of a file on the client machine there’s no difference between using the @[display]: prefix before the file name or calling the routine via CALL CLIENT.
C$DELTREE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$DESKTOP	YES	X		YES[1]	YES[2]	NO	NO	[1]CALL CLIENT should be used to open a file that resides on the client PC. If the file resides on the server, it's better to use the csFlag parameter. [2]The CDESKTOP-BROWSE op-code opens the URL in a new browser tab. If the URL doesn’t start with "http:", then it’s appended to the webapp URL. The CDESKTOP-OPEN, CDESKTOP-EDIT and CDESKTOP-PRINT op-codes trigger the download of the file to the end user PC.
C$EASYOPEN	YES	X		YES[1]	YES[2]	NO[3]	NO[3]	[1]CALL CLIENT should be used to open a file that resides on the client PC. If the file resides on the server, it's better to use the csFlag parameter. [2]In webClient environment it triggers the download of the file to the end user PC. [3]In webDirect environment you can call the WD2$REDIRECT routine, in EIS environment you can use the displayBinaryFile method of the HttpHandler class (for example comm-Area:>displayBinaryFile(tmp-file-name "application/pdf").
C$ENCRYPT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$ENVMAP	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$FILEINFO	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$FORNAME	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$FSCOPY	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$FSDELETE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$FSFULLNAME	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$FSRENAME	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$FULLNAME	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$GETCGI	NO			NO	NO	NO	YES
C$GETENV	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$GETLASTFILEOP	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$GETLASTFILENAME	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$GETPID	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$GETRUNENV	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$GUICFG	YES		X	NO	YES[1]	YES[2]	YES[2]	By default print jobs are executed client side. [1] See Known limitations and differences between WebClient and Thin Client for more information about printing in webClient environment. [2] The webDirect environment and the EIS environment don't support the print preview.
C$JUSTIFY	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$KEYMAP	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	NO
C$KEYSTROKE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	NO
C$LCONVERT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$LIST_DIRECTORY	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$LIST_ENVIRONMENT	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$LOCKPID	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$MAKEDIR	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$MBAR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
C$MONITOR	YES		X	NO	NO	NO	NO
C$MYFILE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$NARG	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$NCALLRUN	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$OPENSAVEBOX	YES		X	NO	YES[1]	NO	NO	[1] See Known limitations and differences between WebClient and Thin Client for more information about opensave dialogs in webClient environment.
C$PARAMSIZE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$PARSEEFD	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$PRELOAD	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$PROFILER	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$PROGINMEM	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$RBMENU	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
C$RCONVERT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$REPLACE_ALL	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$RERR	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$RERRNAME	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$RUN	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$SBAR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
C$SCRD	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
C$SCWR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
C$SETDEVELOPMENTMODE	YES	X		NO	YES[1]	YES	YES	[1] See Known limitations and differences between WebClient and Thin Client for more information about printing in webClient environment.
C$SETENV	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$SHOW	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	NO
C$SLEEP	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$SOCKET	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$SORT	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$SYSINFO	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$SYSTEM	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$TBAR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
C$TOLOWER	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$TOUPPER	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$TRIM	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$UNLOAD	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$UNLOAD_NATIVE	YES	X[1]		YES	YES	NO[1]	NO[1]	[1]The routine will always fail when called in these cases to avoid unloading a library that other clients may need.
C$UNSET	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$VERSION	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$WRITELOG	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
C$WRU	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
C$XML	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_ALLOC_MEM	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_AND	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_CHANGE_DIR	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_CHECK_FILE_EXIST	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_CLEAR_SCR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_CLOSE_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_COPY_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_CREATE_DIR	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_CREATE_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_DELETE_DIR	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_DELETE_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_DIR_SCAN_START	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_DIR_SCAN_READ	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_DIR_SCAN_END	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_EQ	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_ERROR_PROC	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_EXEC_RUN_UNIT	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_EXIT_PROC	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_FLUSH_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_FREE_MEM	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_GET_CURRENT_DIR	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_GET_SCR_SIZE	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_IMP	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_JOIN_FILENAME	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_NOT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_OPEN_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_OR	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_READ_DIR	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_READ_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_RENAME_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_READ_SCR_CHARS	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_READ_SCR_CHATTRS	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_SPLIT_FILENAME	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_TOLOWER	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_TOUPPER	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
CBL_WRITE_FILE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
CBL_WRITE_SCR_CHARS	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_WRITE_SCR_CHATTRS	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_WRITE_SCR_N_CHAR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_WRITE_SCR_N_CHATTR	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
CBL_XOR	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
DCI	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
DELETE	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
EDBI_DISCONNECT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
ESQL$BLOB	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
HEX2ASCII	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
I$IO	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
J$GETFROMLAF	YES		X	NO	NO	NO	NO
J$NETADDRESS	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
KEISEN	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
KEISEN1	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
KEISEN2	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
KEISEN_SELECT	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
M$ALLOC	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
M$COPY	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
M$FILL	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
M$FREE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
M$GET	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
M$PUT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
M$SIZE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
OCTAL2ASCII	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
P$	YES		X	NO	YES[1]	YES[2]	YES[2]	[1] See Known limitations and differences between WebClient and Thin Client for more information about printing in webClient environment.] [2]The answer is NO for P$DISPLAYDIALOG
R$IO	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
REG	YES	X		YES[1]	YES	YES	YES	[1]Instead of calling REG routines via CALL CLIENT it’s better to call DISPLAY_REG routines.
RENAME	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
S$IO	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
SYSTEM	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES
W$BITMAP	YES	X		NO	YES	YES[1]	NO	[1]The WBITMAP-LOAD-FROM-CLIENT function is not supported under webDirect.
W$CAPTURE	YES		X	NO	NO	NO	NO
W$CENTER_WINDOW	YES		X	NO	YES	NO	NO
W$CREATEFONT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
W$FLUSH	YES		X	NO	YES	YES	NO
W$FONT	YES	X		NO	YES	YES[1]	YES[1][2]	[2]The WFONT-CHOOSE-FONT function is not supported under EIS and webDirect. [2]Supported only to manage printer fonts.
W$HINT	YES		X	NO	YES	NO	NO
W$IMAGESIZE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	NO
W$KEYBUF	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
W$MENU	YES		X	NO	YES[1]	YES[1]	NO	[1]In webClient and webDirect it’s not possible to display a menu on the try icon.
W$MOUSE	YES		X	NO	YES	YES[1]	NO	[1]In webDirect it’s not possible to set a custom mouse shape and get the mouse status
W$PALETTE	YES		X	NO	YES	YES[1]	NO	[1]The WPALETTE-CHOOSE-COLOR function is not supported under webDirect.
W$PROGRESSDIALOG	YES	X		NO	YES	NO	NO
W$ROTATE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
W$SAVE_IMAGE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
W$SCALE	YES	X		NO	YES	YES	YES
W$TEXTSIZE	YES		X	NO	YES	YES	NO
WD2$CLIENT_INFO	NO			NO	NO	YES	NO
WD2$EXECJS	NO			NO	NO	YES	NO
WD2$REDIRECT	NO			NO	NO	YES	NO
WD2$RUN_JS	NO			NO	NO	YES	NO
WD2$SESSION	NO			NO	NO	YES	NO
WIN$PLAYSOUND	YES		X	NO	NO[1]]	NO	NO	[1]In webClient, the sound is played on the server where webClient is running, so the end user can’t hear it.
WIN$PRINTER	YES		X	NO	YES[1]	YES	YES	[1] See Known limitations and differences between WebClient and Thin Client for more information about printing in webClient environment.]
WIN$VERSION	YES	X		YES	YES	YES	YES

To override one of these library routines you can compile with the -sysc option.

Sample programs for each library routine are available among the isCOBOL Samples.