RE: Working with DataArea in COBOL -- COBOL400-L

OK, here we go....

Dataareas are areas on the AS/400 where you can store and retrieve small data amounts. On a command-line on the AS/400, type GO CMDDTAARA, and you will see the commands availible for dataareas.

In connection to programs(COBOL, RPG etc) the data areas are often created(CRTDTAARA), updatedCHGDTAARA) and read(RTVDTAARA) in CL's. If you, in editing a CL-program, key in f.ex. RTVDTAARA and then press cmd-4(promt), you will get up the possible parameters for this command. Try it.

Here is an example on a CL-program:

PGM

DCL VAR(&VAR1) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(3)
DCL VAR(&VAR2) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(2)
DCL VAR(&VAR3) TYPE(*CHAR) LEN(1)

RTVDTAARA DTAARA(EXAMPLE1 (1 3)) RTNVAR(&VAR1)
RTVDTAARA DTAARA(EXAMPLE1 (4 2)) RTNVAR(&VAR2)
RTVDTAARA DTAARA(EXAMPLE1 (6 1)) RTNVAR(&VAR3)

CALL PGM(CBLPGM1) PARM(&VAR1 &VAR2 &VAR3)

ENDPGM

Here is an example of how LINKAGE SECTION and the PROCEDURE DIVISION should be defined if this program is to be called from the example CL-program:

LINKAGE SECTION.
01 L-PARAM-1 PIC X(3).
01 L-PARAM-2 PIC XX.
01 L-PARAM-3 PIC X.

PROCEDURE DIVISION USING L-PARAM1 L-PARAM-2 LPARAM-3.
MAIN SECTION.
MAIN-000.
PERFORM A-SOMETHING.
ETC. ETC.
PERFORM X-EXIT.
GOBACK.
MAIN-999-EXIT.
EXIT.

Mvh.

Geir

"Amjad Zamil" <amjadz@sts.com.jo>
Sent by: owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com

14.03.01 07:27
Please respond to COBOL400-L

To: <COBOL400-L@midrange.com>
cc:
Subject: RE: Working with DataArea in COBOL

Geir,

I appreciate it if you can send me an example (CL + COBOL).
Thanks alot.

Best Regards

Amjad
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com [mailto:owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of geir.kildal@entragroup.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2001 4:04 PM
To: COBOL400-L@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Working with DataArea in COBOL

Amjad.

It's quite 'normal' to use a data area to pass parameters, but the dataarea must be read by a CL-program, and that program must pass the content to the COBOL program as a parameter(or parameters). You must know how to use parameters in a COBOL program(LINKAGE SECTION and PROCEDURE DIVISION USING ....etc etc.). If you don't know how, you have to look it up in a manual, or I can send you an example..

Mvh.

Geir

"Amjad Zamil" <amjadz@sts.com.jo>
Sent by: owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com

12.03.01 17:06
Please respond to COBOL400-L

To:    <COBOL400-L@midrange.com>
cc:
   Subject: RE: Working with DataArea in COBOL

Geir,

Thanx for your reply.Right now,I'm not using DataArea within the COBOL code that's wun on the AS/400.I just went
through reading about the issue from internet resources and found   alot pointing to DataArea as a key to solve this
problem.I can write a totally new sample COBOL program that meets with whatever modifications/requiremetns that
I should do to use DataArea if this's really the correct way to go including the required CL to build and use,as well.

Best Regards

Amjad Zamil
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com [mailto:owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of geir.kildal@entragroup.com
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2001 6:35 PM
To: COBOL400-L@midrange.com
Subject: Re: Working with DataArea in COBOL

Amjad.

First of all, I would check to see if the COBOL-program is expecting parameters in the call.   You mention DataAreas, they are usually read in a CL-program, whitch   can call a COBOL-program.

Mvh.

Geir Kildal
Entra Data AS

"Amjad Zamil" <amjadz@sts.com.jo>
Sent by: owner-cobol400-l@midrange.com

12.03.01 14:10
Please respond to COBOL400-L

To:       "Cobol400 Mailing List"   <COBOL400-L@midrange.com>
   cc:
    Subject: Working with DataArea in COBOL

Hi,

I'm totally new to   AS/400 environment.I have searched through the mailing
list archives for
information regarding my problem but couldn't find a clear   answer.

I have a Sun server running Solaris 7 with SNAP-IX installed and configured
to set an Lu6.2
connection to AS/400 server.I managed to test the connectivity with   the
AS/400 server and
it's working ok.The problem is that I have a small   cobol program that runs
on AS/400 and
I need to pass some parameters   in/out to/from it from my SNAP-IX server and
when I check
the AS/400   log,I find that the cobol program was called but get an   error
saying
"missing parameters".I think the problem is mainly related to the way the
cobol program
is dealing with the DataArea.

I appreciate it if someone can provide me with the typical way a COBOL
program should work
with the DataArea and whatever pre-steps on the operating system level that
should be done.

Thanks alot in advance.

Best Regards

Amjad Zamil < amjadz@sts.com.jo >

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