Configuration variables

Transitioning to isCOBOL : Transitioning from ACUCOBOL-GT : Configuration variables

• Most of the ACUCOBOL-GT configuration variables have an equivalent configuration property in isCOBOL. The easiest way to convert the ACUCOBOL-GT configuration file to the equivalent isCOBOL property file is by using the ISCONFIG utility.

• In order to have Acucobol-GT behavior that are not default in isCOBOL, the following boolean properties should be set in the isCOBOL configuration:

iscobol.ccopy.client_temp_as_base_dir=true

iscobol.file.env_naming=true

iscobol.file.index.check_all_keys=true

iscobol.key.default_shortcuts_enabled=false

iscobol.memory.alpha_edited=true

iscobol.properties.acu_compat=true

iscobol.terminal.autowrap=true

In order to have an ACUCOBOL-GT compatible behavior on sequential files, set:

iscobol.file.linesequential=lseqacu

iscobol.file.sequential=seqacu

If the programs have GUI, the following settings should be used as well:

iscobol.gui.grid.lm_on_columns=false

iscobol.gui.ignore_invalid_handle=true

iscobol.gui.push_override_focus_change=false

If you display 3-D buttons over tool-bars and you’re not interested in having the ability to detach the tool-bar from the window, then you should also set:

iscobol.gui.tool_bar.native=false

In order to have the same cell size as ACUCOBOL-GT when using internal fonts, set:

iscobol.font.default=Microsoft Sans Serif-Bold-08

iscobol.font.medium=Microsoft Sans Serif-Bold-08

iscobol.font.large=Microsoft Sans Serif-Bold-10

iscobol.font.small=Microsoft Sans Serif-08

iscobol.font.traditional=Fixedsys Excelsior 2.00-11

iscobol.font.fixed=Fixedsys Excelsior 2.00-11

Note that the Fixedsys Excelsior font is usually not installed by default in the operating system. The TTF file is provided along with isCOBOL so you can install the font.

The ISCONFIG utility takes care of the above settings.

• If you ACCEPT FROM ENVIRONMENT a variable that was not set, ACUCOBOL-GT returns the variable default value, isCOBOL returns spaces or zero (depending on the destination item picture) instead.

• DLL_CONVENTION is available in isCOBOL but does not support alphabetic values like "WINAPI". Use numeric values.

• The KEYSTROKE feature lacks of the ability to make special and function keys ( like F1 and Enter ) send characters to the program. They can only produce exceptions. For example, this setting is valid for isCOBOL:

KEYSTROKE Exception=100 ^M

While this one is not:

KEYSTROKE Data=65 ^M

• MOUSE_FLAGS configuration variable is not supported by isCOBOL. isCOBOL allows to set mouse flags in the ACCEPT Statement. So, for example, the following code:

SET ENVIRONMENT "MOUSE-FLAGS" TO "2". |enables left button pressed action

ACCEPT Screen1.

Must be changed as follows:

ACCEPT Screen1 MOUSE FLAGS 2.

• The same feature as DECIMAL-POINT configuration variable is provided through the compiler option -sddp.

• COLOR_MAP HIGH, LOW and DEFAULT can be remapped using iscobol.colormap.high *, iscobol.colormap.low * and iscobol.colormap.default * configuration properties. Other COLOR_MAP settings are not supported.

• When a file is created by OPEN I-O having IO-CREATES set to 1, ACUCOBOL-GT sets the file status to "00", isCOBOL sets the file status to "05", instead.

• When a file is created by OPEN EXTEND having EXTEND-CREATES set to 1, ACUCOBOL-GT sets the file status to "00", isCOBOL sets the file status to "05", instead.

• The CODE_CASE feature can be obtained at compile time by using the -ssnl and -ssnu options.

• The hotkey configuration is slightly different in isCOBOL. An entry like the following one:

Hot-Key MYPROG = 201

need to be translated to:

iscobol.hot_key.MYPROG=201

• The WAIT_FOR_LOCKS configuration variable could be set to 1 meaning "wait for the locked record if no Declarative is available for the file, otherwise return error". The same behavior can be obtained in isCOBOL by compiling programs with the -crlk option.

• The isCOBOL equivalent of A_CHECKDIV is the property iscobol.checkdiv.

• The isCOBOL equivalent of WINDOW_TITLE is the property iscobol.gui.window_title.

• The isCOBOL equivalent of ICON is the property iscobol.gui.icon_file.

• The WIN3_GRID setting supports less values in isCOBOL. You can specify only high intensity colors using values from 1 to 7.

• In isCOBOL, setting a keystroke to a different function doesn’t reset the current setting, but appends information to it. For example, having the following setting in the environment:

KEYSTROKE Exception=100 k1

If you perform:

SET ENVIRONMENT "KEYSTROKE" TO "Edit=next"

In ACUCOBOL-GT you obtain:

KEYSTROKE Edit=Next k1

In isCOBOL you obtain:

KEYSTROKE Edit=Next Exception=100 k1

This rule applies also to the iscobol.key properties.

• The ACUCONNECT_RUNTIME_FLAGS configuration variable doesn’t have an exact equivalent in isCOBOL, as isCOBOL doesn’t allow to set runtime options for remote programs. However, isCOBOL allows to specify a configuration file for remote programs, so, if you used ACUCONNECT_RUNTIME_FLAGS to specify just the -c option, you can replace:

ACUCONNECT_RUNTIME_FLAGS=-c /path/to/remote_configuration_file

with

iscobol.remote_conf=/path/to/remote_configuration_file

• Command line switches are passed through the iscobol.switches * configuration property in isCOBOL. For example, the following two commands:

wrun32 -1 prog1

wrun32 -12 prog1

can be translated as follows:

iscrun -J-Discobol.switches=1 PROG1

iscrun -J-Discobol.switches=1,2 PROG1