COBOL and PCML and OUTPUT only fields

I've searched the archive for anything to do with PCML and didn't come
up with much.



Here is the problem we are encountering:

We would like to be able to cause the PCML to be generated with
usage=output so the java developer does not have to initialize
structures because they are currently inputoutput. We've found that by
creating this as a module and service program we can use the GIVING
clause in the PROCEDURE DIVISION statement. We have no problem
interfacing from COBOL to COBOL using this method however the PCML that
gets generated contains an error:

<struct name="LS-GETMSG01-OUTPUT-AREA" usage="output">

<!-- Error: the "returnvalue" data item must be a 4 byte
integer. (E) -->

<struct name="LS-FORMATTED-MESSAGES" usage="inherit">

<data name="LS-GETMSG-SEVERITY" type="char" length="2"
usage="inherit" />

<data name="LS-GETMSG-TEXT-L1" type="char" length="79"
usage="inherit" />

<data name="LS-GETMSG-TEXT-L2" type="char" length="79"
usage="inherit" />

<data name="LS-GETMSG-BIBO-NBR" type="char" length="79"
usage="inherit" />

<data name="LS-GETMSG-BIBO-TEXT" type="char" length="79"
usage="inherit" />

</struct>

</struct>

</program>

</pcml>

************End of Data********************

Here is the COBOL side of this:



WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.



01 LS-GETMSG01-OUTPUT-AREA.

* Data returned to caller

05 LS-FORMATTED-MESSAGES.

10 LS-GETMSG-SEVERITY PIC X(2).

10 LS-GETMSG-TEXT-L1 PIC X(79).

10 LS-GETMSG-TEXT-L2 PIC X(79).

10 LS-GETMSG-BIBO-NBR PIC X(79).

10 LS-GETMSG-BIBO-TEXT PIC X(79).



PROCEDURE DIVISION USING

BY REFERENCE LS-PROGRAM-COMM-AREA,

BY REFERENCE LS-MESSAGE-AREA,

BY REFERENCE LS-TEMP-STATE-AREA,

BY REFERENCE LS-GETMSG01-INPUT-AREA,

GIVING LS-GETMSG01-OUTPUT-BINARY.



Does anyone on the list have experience with PCML?

Our java team would prefer that we identify inputs versus outputs versus
inputoutput fields.



Rick Beethe

Manager of Application Development

Computer Research, Inc.

10170 Church Ranch Way, Suite 300

Westminster, CO 80021-6061

303.297.9200 x225