Subject: COBOL FAQ
Supersedes: <cobol_819439202@hermione.demon.co.uk>
Date: 12 Feb 1996 21:58:56 -0000
X-NNTP-Posting-Host: hermione.demon.co.uk

Posting-Frequency: every 30 days
Last-Modified: $Date: 1996/02/12 21:57:48 $
Version: $Revision: 1.109 $

Additional information and corrections are encouraged.  Please send
comments to james@hermione.demon.co.uk.


0.  CONTENTS

    1.  Changes since the last issue.

    2.  Where can I get this FAQ ?

    3.  Where can I get a COBOL compiler ?
        3.1 for DOS, Windows or OS/2 ?
        3.2 for Windows/NT ?
        3.3 for UNIX ?
        3.4 for Linux ?
        3.5 for the Macintosh ?
        3.6 for other environments ?

    4.  Is there a free COBOL compiler ?
        4.1 for DOS, Windows or OS/2 ?
        4.2 for Windows/NT ?
        4.3 for UNIX ?
        4.4 for the Macintosh ?
        4.5 for other environments ?

    5.  What happened to Realia ?

    6.  Where can I contact...
        6.1 Acucobol ?
        6.2 Liant ?
        6.3 Micro Focus ?
        6.4 CA ?
        6.5 RM ?
        6.6 mbp ?
        6.7 Wang ?
        6.8 Sinc Inc. ?
        6.9 Flexus ?

    7.  COBOL standards.
        7.1 What standards exist ?
        7.2 Can I get the standards via FTP ?

    8.  COBOL 6.50
        8.2 How do I compile my programs ?
        8.1 How do I link my objects ?

    9.  What about OO COBOL ?

   10.  Books about COBOL.

   11.  Is there a COBOL to C converter ?

   12.  COBOL code generators.
        12.1 ADS/O
        12.2 Telon

   13.  COBOL Tools.
        13.1 Windowing
             13.1.1 VanGui for RM/COBOL
        13.2 Sinc Inc. products
             13.2.1 FlexGen 4GL Rapid Application Development Environment
             13.2.2 Legacy Liberator COBOL Migration Toolset
             13.2.3 Easy Query
             13.2.4 ODBC Access Tools
        13.3 Misc. tools

   14.  Other sources of information.
        14.1 Compuserve
        14.2 Bix
        14.3 Micro Focus Faxback
        14.4 Micro Focus WWW server
        14.5 CA WWW server
        14.6 Liant Ryan McFarland WWW server
        14.7 Acucobol WWW server
        14.8 The COBOL Foundation
        14.9 The IBM COBOL products WWW server
        14.10 The Flexus WWW server

   15.  Information required for the FAQ.

   16.  Contributors to the FAQ.

   17.  Copying this FAQ.



1.  Changes since the last issue.

    Micro Focus no longer support Dialog System for UNIX

    Link to IBM's COBOL WWW server

    The ETK COBOL code generator

    Much information from Bob Wolfe about Flexus


2.  Where can I get this FAQ ?

    This document should be archived at many sites on the Internet,
    including rtfm.mit.edu -- the archive site for all FAQs.  It is also
    available via e-mail from the author (james@hermione.demon.co.uk).

    An HTML version of the latest FAQ is also available from
    http://www.OiT.co.uk/~james/faq/cobol-faq.html


3.  Where can I get a COBOL compiler ?

    3.1 for DOS, Windows or OS/2 ?

        Acucobol, CA, Ryan McFarland, mbp and Micro Focus all produce
        compilers for one or more of these environments.  Microsoft used to
        re-badge the Micro Focus compiler, but not any more.

    3.2 for Windows/NT ?

        Micro Focus has a COBOL 32-bit SDK available for Windows/NT
        and also the OO COBOL product.  ACUCOBOL-85 (again 32-bit) is
        also available and mbp also have a product for this platform.

    3.3 for UNIX ?

        Acucobol, Ryan McFarland, mbp and Micro Focus have products
        available across a large number of UNIX platforms.  Some OEMs
        re-badge and/or re-engineer these products for their own systems,
        too.

        Wang also produce a development and production environment
        for the RS/6000 running AIX and HP 9000 s800 and s700 running
        HP/UX and Liant have LPI COBOL available for Sun SPARC with
        Solaris 2, HP 9000 with HP-UX and Intel-based machines with
        UNIX SVR4, SVR3, and SCO.

    3.4 for Linux ?

        ACUCOBOL-85 is now available for Linux. Also, the iBCS2 code for
        Linux should mean that it is possible to get some of the i486
        COBOL packages for operating systems such as SCO UNIX to work.

        Ralf Draeger (draegerr@informatik.tu-muenchen.de) reports that
        it is possible to get programs compiled using Micro Focus COBOL
        on SCO UNIX to run on Linux.

        Norman Hull (norman@idh.ie) adds :

            Using Micro Focus COBOL v3.1 for SCO UNIX and Linux kernels
            1.1.35 and 1.1.45 with the iBCS code, programs will compile
            on Linux to .int code, but fail when data is entered (the
            tictac demo. program fails with illegal character in numeric
            field, whatever data is entered).

            When the .int code is created under SCO and transferred to
            Linux, it runs in exactly the same way as it does on SCO.

            If compiled to .gnt code, the program runs without any
            problems on Linux.

    3.5 for the Macintosh ?

        Micro Focus and Acucobol produce a COBOL development
        system for the Mac running A/UX.

        Micro Focus has also announced that it will be releasing
        a product on MacOS.  There are currently no dates for release.

    3.6 for other environments ?

        Ryan McFarland COBOL is also available for OpenVMS.

        Most major vendors have their own COBOL implementation, or
        have someone else's ported to their platform(s).  There are
        quite a few available for CP/M and MP/M, and one is even
        rumoured to have been available for the PERQ workstation.


4.  Is there a free COBOL compiler ?

    Just for the record, no COBOL tools are listed in the Catalog
    of compilers, interpreters, and other language tools posted to
    comp.compilers and comp.lang.misc.  This probably means that
    there are no freely available COBOL compiler sources.

    However, several books in the booklist come with a COBOL compiler.
    See section 10 for details.


    4.1 for DOS, Windows or OS/2.

        There is a freely available COBOL compiler for DOS. It can be
        found on many archive sites, named COBOL650.ZIP. You also need
        DPATH30.ZIP.  Have a read through Section 8 before you start.
        Bob Wolfe has made the compiler available at the Flexus FTP site,
        http://www.flexus.com.

        It is widely rumoured that the sources for this compiler are
        available from a BBS.  This no longer appears to be the case.
        Numerous attempts have completely failed to track down the
        sources.

        There is a COBOL701.ARJ archive which contains a version of
        COBOL 6.50 with a limited number of compiles. It was an attempt
        at a full integrated development environment, including an
        editor. Unfortunately, no documentation is included.

        Also, it may be possible to run the freely available CP/M
        compiler (see 4.5) under a freely available CP/M emulator.

    4.2 for Windows/NT ?

        The CP/M compiler/emulator combination should work here, too.

    4.3 for UNIX ?

        There are no well-documented examples of a freely available COBOL
        compiler for UNIX.

        COBOL 6.50 might run under a UNIX emulation of a DOS system,
        however.  (For example, VP/ix, SoftPC or dosemu under Linux.)

        The CP/M compiler (see 4.5) should run under a CP/M emulator
        for UNIX in a similar fashion.

    4.4 for the Macintosh ?

        Not that I know of.

    4.5 for other environments ?

        There is a freely available CP/M COBOL compiler/interpreter
        (NPS Micro COBOL).  This is available via anonymous FTP
        from oak.oakland.edu in /pub/cpm/cobol.  However, Stefano Priola
        (s70829@galileo.polito.it) comments :

        "I've used the CPM COBOL ... I think that this compiler is much
         too old to use or for a student to learn COBOL."


5.  What happened to Realia ?

        Realia have been bought by Computer Associates (CA).  Their
        compiler is now called CA-Realia COBOL.


6.  Where can I contact ...

    6.1 Acucobol ?

        Acucobol
        7950 Silverton Avenue
        Suite 201
        San Diego, CA 92126

        Tel: (619) 689 7220
        Fax: (619) 566 3071

        You can also call 1-800-COBOL-85 in the US.

        Acucobol have a connection to the Internet and can be contacted
        at info@acucobol.com and support@acucobol.com.

    6.2 Liant ?

        LPI COBOL

          Liant Software Corporation      Liant Software Ltd.
          959 Concord Street              2 Caxton Street
          Framingham, MA 01701            St. James Park
          USA                             London SW1H 0QE
                                          UK

          Tel: (508) 872-8700             Tel: +44 71 799 2434
          Fax: (508) 626-2221             Fax: +44 71 799 2552

               info@lpi.liant.com              info@liant.co.uk
               support@lpi.liant.com


    6.3 Micro Focus ?

        Micro Focus Ltd.                Micro Focus Inc.
        Speen Court                     2465 East Bayshore Road
        7 Oxford Road                   Suite 400, Palo Alto
        Newbury                         CA 94303
        Berkshire                       USA
        RG14 1PB
        UK

        Tel: +44 635 32646              Tel: 415 856 4161
        Fax: +44 635 33966              Fax: 415 856 6134

        In the US you can also call 1-800-VSCOBOL.

        Micro Focus can be contacted via the Internet.  The domain is
        mfltd.co.uk.

    6.4 Computer Associates ?

        For product inquiries:
 
        Computer Associates
        One Computer Associaes Plaza
        Islandia,
        NY 11788-7000
        USA

        Tel:    1-800-CALL CAI (225-5224)
 
        For technical inquiries:
 
        Computer Associates
        2400 Cabot Drive
        Lisle,
        IL 60532-3652
        USA

        Tel:    (708) 505-6885

    6.5 Ryan McFarland ?

        Main Office:

        Ryan McFarland
        a Division of Liant
        8911 N. Capital of Texas Highway
        Suite 4300
        Austin, TX  78759

        Tel:        (512) 343-1010
        Fax:        (512) 343-9487
        Toll Free:  1-800-RM-COBOL

        International:

        Liant Software Ltd.              Nippon Liant Co., Ltd.
        2 Caxton Street                  31-8 Takasecho
        St. James' Park                  Funabashi City
        London SW1H 0QE                  Chiba, 273, Japan
        United Kingdom

        Tel:  +44 171-799-2434           Tel:  +81 47-437-9816
        Fax:  +44 171-799-2552           Fax:  +81 47-437-9818

        Sales information is also available by e-mail from
        rm_info@liant.com


    6.6 mbp ?

        In Germany,

        mbp Softwareentwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
        Tools & Compiler
        Semerteichstr. 47-49
        D-44141 Dortumnd

        Tel. +49 231 944 1465
        Fax  +49 231 944 2413


        In the US,

        mbp Software and Systems Technologies, Inc.
        1131 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 260
        Alameda,
        CA 94501

        Tel: (510) 769-5333
        Fax: (510) 769-5735

        In the US, you can also call 1-800-231-6342.

    6.7 Wang ?

        Wang Laboratories, Inc.
        One Industrial Avenue
        Lowell, MA  01851
        USA

        Contact Stephen Bergmann : 508 967 6547
             or Bob Mance        : 508 967 7001

        Fax : 508 967 5110

        Wang are also on the Internet.  Their domain is wang.com.

    6.8 Sinc Inc. ?

        Sinc, Inc                        EasiRun Europa Gmbh
        Dayton                           Usingen,
        Ohio                             Germany

        Tel:  513-438-5553               Tel: (0)6081 91603
        Fax:  513-438-5377               Fax: (0)6081 916049

        E-Mail: gluntz@dayton.net        E-mail: 100641.3271@compuserve.com
        Compuserve: 75224,3207           Compuserve: 100641,3271


        EasiRun International            EasiRun Australia
        Johannesburg,                    Sydney,
        South Africa                     NSW

        Tel: (0)11 421 4800              Tel: (0)2 955 5058
        Fax: (0)11 421 4999              Fax: ()4 754 4359

        E-Mail:                          Email: 100250.1216@compuserve.com
        patf@easirun.cybersoft.co.za     Compuserve: 100250,1216

    6.9 Flexus

        Flexus,
        PO Box 640,
        Bangor,
        PA 18013-0640

        Tel: 610 588 9400
        Fax: 610 588 9475
        BBS: 610 863 4740

        E-mail: info@flexus.com, techsupport@flexus.com


7.  COBOL standards.

    7.1 What standards exist ?

        The current COBOL standard is the ISO/ANSI '85 standard.  This
        replaced the ANSI '74 standard.

        There are two amendments to the COBOL '85 standard --
        intrinsic functions and corrections.

        ISO should be producing a new standard in 1997.  Don Nelson is
        the editor and has offered to answer any questions about it.

    7.2 Can I get the standards via FTP.

        The standards do not appear to be available via FTP.  This is
        probably because they are very large and are copyrighted by
        ANSI and/or ISO, although the issue of copyright is put into doubt
        given the following statement from Bill Klein :

            Whether or not the next COBOL Standard will or will not
            be copyrighted is a matter of discussion and argument. As
            the current Standard was put into the "public domain" and
            the next standard is a "derrived" work, it is questionable
            whether or not the next Standard will have an ISO or ANSI -
            or any other copyright.


8.  COBOL 6.50

    8.1 How do I compile my programs ?

        It is assumed you have installed cobol650.zip in the directory
        C:\COBOL650.  In install.doc you will find some information on
        running the compiler.

        1) Add C:\COBOL650 to the PATH

        2) Run APPEND on C:\COBOL650 :

           APPEND C:\COBOL650

        The install.doc contained in cobol650.zip refers to a program
        DPATH.COM to be run instead of APPEND. The DOS program APPEND
        seems to work too.

        3) Now you can compile your .cob files as explained in
           install.doc.

        When trying to compile sources in a directory other than that
        where the compiler is installed, the compiler terminates without
        an error.  This restriction is not documented in install.doc,
        which is probably a result of using APPEND instead of DPATH.

        The compiler accesses drive A:.  You should have a disk in this
        drive.

        Peter Mikalajunas adds :

        To avoid the need to use drive A:, you should do the following :

            subst a: c:\cobol650

        When you type A: you will drop into the C:\COBOL650 subdirectory.
        The compiler will behave normally at this point, not constantly
        searching drive A:.

        When you are done with a session do the following :

            C:
            subst a: /D


    8.2 How do I link my objects ?

        There is no linker with the COBOL 6.50 compiler.  To link
        objects you need to use the linker from MS-DOS v3.3 or earlier.

        Ralf Laemmel adds :

        You can use newer linkers, especially from newer Microsoft
        compiler products, too.

        And Peter Mikalajunas has found that :

        Tlink compiled with obj files without complaint, but the exe's
        were useless. What did work was Link version 5.31.009 which
        comes with Visual Basic for DOS. It compiled all obj files I
        tried and the exe's ran perfectly.

        Clinton G. Downing also reports :

        The linker from IBM DOS v2.1 does now work, at least on the
        PS/2 70.  The MS-DOS v3.3 linker works fine, however.

        Steve ??? <steve@mado.demon.co.uk> has reported some success
        with a linker from the SimTel archives.  Look for sl101a.zip.


9.  What about OO COBOL ?

    The following is largely taken from a posting by Michael Jesse Chonoles
    (chonoles@acc.vf.ge.com) :

    "The X3J4.1 Object-Oriented COBOL Task Group has approved a technical
    report with recommendations that it be included in the next full COBOL
    Language Standard by the X3J4 committee."

    Micro Focus has an OO COBOL product. It does not conform exactly
    to the OO COBOL proposal currently being discussed, however
    -- the syntax is a subset of the current proposal with a few
    variations. For example, "object-storage section" is used instead
    of "working-storage section" for object data. Multiple inheritance,
    conformance and garbage collection are not implemented. Also,
    vocabularies are implemented though these are not currently part of
    the proposed standard.


10. Books about COBOL.

    "Advanced ANSI COBOL with Structured Programming (2nd ed.)",
     ISBN 0-471-54786-7
     by Gary DeWard Brown, published by John Wiley & Sons.
     Apparently this is one of the few books which covers ANSI 85 COBOL.

    "Application Programming and File Processing in COBOL",
     ISBN 0-669-16570-0
     by Yuksel Uckan, published by D.C. Heath and Co., 1992
     This is also available in two volumes :

    "Application Programming in COBOL (Volume 1)". ISBN 0-669-28207-3.
    "File Processing in COBOL (Volume 2)". ISBN 0-669-28208-1.

    "COBOL 85 For Programmers", ISBN 0-444-01232-X
     by Don Nelson, published by North-Holland, price 10 USD.
     It is available only from the author.

    "COBOL 85 For Programmers", ISBN 0-471-92156-4
     by Jim Inglis, published by John Wiley and Sons.
     First edition in 1989, 287 pages.
     Third reprint cost 17.50 UKP, May '91.

    "COBOL: Der Einstieg", ISBN 3-8006-1673-4
     by Andreas Tietz, published by Vahlen Verlag, Muenchen.
     A German language book.

    "COBOL from Micro to Mainframe", ISBN 0-13-138686-7
     by Robert Grauer, published by Prentice Hall.
     This includes a disk containing a student edition of CA-Realia COBOL
     and interactive COBOL debugger.
     US price (May '94) : $55
     This book may have been released as several volumes and as a complete
     work.  I'm not sure to which the ISBN applies.  The ISBN
     0-13-140179-3 has been suggested for Volume I by William Fang
     <wfan1@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au>.

    "The COBOL Presentation Manager Programming Guide", ISBN 0-442-01293-4
     by David M. Dill, published by Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    "Comprehensive Structured COBOL", ISBN unknown
     by L. Wayne Horns.  Comes with an RM compiler.

    "Comprehensive Structured COBOL (Third edition)", ISBN 0-534-91781-X
     by Gary S. Popkin, published by PWS-KENT (Division of Wadsworth Inc).
     Covers ANSI-74 and ANSI-85 COBOL in detail.  Highly recommended by
     m.wilson@rea2102.wins.icl.co.uk.

    "Modern COBOL Programming", ISBN 0-394-39100-4
     by Price/Olson published by McGraw Hill
     Comes with RM/COBOL-85
     US price (June '94): ~$55

    "Object Orientation: An Introduction for COBOL programmers",
     ISBN unknown, by Raymond Obin published by Micro Focus Press.

    "OS/2 Presentation Manager Programming for COBOL Programmers",
     ISBN unknown, by Robert B. Chapman, published by John Wiley & Sons.

    "The Revolutionary guide to COBOL with compiler" ISBN 1-874416-17-6
     by Yevsei Handel and Boris Degtyar.  Comes with a disk containing a
     COBOL compiler written by Dmitry Bronnikov.

     Published by Wrox Press Ltd, 1334 Warwick Rd, Birmingham, UK.

    "Comprehensive COBOL"            ISBN 0-07-909613-1 (5.25 inch disks)
     by Bradley                      ISBN 0-07-836549-X (3.5 inch disks)
     Includes a Liant RM/COBOL-85 DOS compiler and development environment
     US price ( April '94): $60.50

    "Structured COBOL, 3rd Edition"  ISBN 0-07-835423-4 (5.25 inch disks)
     by Welburn/Price                ISBN 0-07-836489-2 (3.5 inch disks)
     Includes a Liant RM/COBOL-85 DOS compiler and development environment
     US price (April '94): $67.38

     The above two books may be ordered from Mitchell/McGraw Hill,
     Tel: (800) 338-3987 (US only) or (619) 426-5000

         Juergen Linkens <R13550@WACCVM.corp.mot.com> adds :

             The compiler is limited as following:
             -  max.  800 lines of code
             -  max.    4 files
             -  max. 1000 records per file
             -  max.  100 bytes per file record

             BTW, the editor coming with it isn't very good either.

             This is not meant to be a complaint, just a hint for future
             issues. I never expected a fully unlimited compiler for a
             book price, just a few less limitations.

    "Structured ANSI COBOL Part 1 : A Course for novices using a subset
     of 1974 or 1985 ANSI COBOL"  ISBN unknown
     by Mike Murach and Associates Inc. (1987)

    "Structured ANSI COBOL Part 2 : An advanced course using 1974 or 1985
     ANSI COBOL"  ISBN unknown
     by Mike Murach and Associates Inc. (1987)

    "Structured COBOL with Business Applications", ISBN unknown
     by Stanley E. Myers published by Prentice Hall.

    "Teach Yourself COBOL in 21 Days", ISBN 0-672-30469-4 by Mo Budlong,
     published by SAMS Publishing/MacMillan Computer Publishing

    "Structured COBOL Programming (7th Edition)", ISBN 0-471-30580-4
     by Stern & Stern, published by John Wiley & Sons.
     Comes with a syntax guide and an order form for a special offer
     cut-down RM/COBOL 85 or Micro Focus Personal COBOL (unmodified).


11. Is there a COBOL to C converter ?

    Asking this question anywhere appears to generate much general
    flamage and general language wars and very little useful
    information.

    No such beast is listed in the free compilers FAQ, but an ad
    has appears in the US publication "Programmer's Shop Catalog"
    for COBOL to C (and PL/I to C) translators.  Contact :

        Micro-Processor Services,
        92 Stone Hurst Lane,
        Dix Hills,
        NY 11746

        Tel: (516) 499 4461


    A toolset for conversion from COBOL to several other languages
    is available. A tool first produces structured diagrams
    (Nassi-Shneiderman) from existing source files. Structural
    errors are identified and you can edit to correct them. Another tool
    takes those same diagrams and produces source code in one of several
    languages (COBOL, C, Ada, Basic, Clipper, dBaseIV, Fortran, Modula
    2, Natural, PL/1, etc.)

    The toolset is called XperCase by Siemens, and is available
    in the US from:

        Boston Technical Distribution Corp.
        3 Center Plaza, Suite 440
        Boston,
        MA 02108

        Tel: (617) 248-8989
        Fax: (617) 248-8986

    Laurent Sabarthez contributed :

        Some years ago I was Project Leader on a software project termed
        COBTOC (COBol TO C translation). The company is by now out of
        business, but the rights on this product were purchased by NSI
        (Network Solutions Inc., Herndon, VA, USA - Emitt McHenry was
        Chairman).

        COBTOC is actually a translator generator. It can produce a
        specialized translator for any reasonable COBOL dialect, given
        a dialect description very close to the usual syntax notation
        one can find into any COBOL Reference Manual. "semantics"
        peculiarities are also described in this way.

        Once a translator has been produced in this way, a source
        management module allows automated translation of the COBOL
        source modules. A run-time library is also automatically
        produced as a by-product of the translator.

        The COBTOC user gets a set of C files, each being the
        translation of a corresponding COBOL file. You can get K&R C,
        ANSI C, or common variants like Turbo C. The overall structure
        of the COBOL program is preserved upon translation. Identifiers
        are straightforward transformations of COBOL names. Paragraph
        structure and flow control are also preserved, like all name
        space properties attached to I/O and file management.

        The C files are compiled and linked withthe run-time library,
        which supports data handling, edition, arithmetic, direct I/O,
        file I/O and transaction management (e.g. CICS).

        Excutables are intnded to run on any platform supporting POSIX C
        compiling and standard library linkage.

        COBTOC was left by my co-workers and me in an alpha release
        state, mid 1993.

        I don't know the end of the story, but NSI should provide more
        up-to-date information about it.

    There is also a project running to create a COBOL to C converter
    (possibly COBOL to C++ ?) available under the GNU licence.  For more
    details, see http://rucs2.sunlab.cs.runet.edu/~msharov/cobcy/cobcy.html,
    the COBCY WWW page.

    Some people consider that it is possibly cheaper to hire someone
    to do the conversion job than to have a program produce C code
    which could be quite difficult to read and maintain.


12. COBOL code generators

    [Regrettably I don't have the original posters' names for these
    comments -- James]

    Telon and ADS/O are both COBOL code generators. They are primarily
    used to develop commercial (that is non-scientific) applications
    such as payroll and accounts packages. They claim to provide
    significant improvements in programmer productivity (although the
    jury is still out on this).

    12.1 ADS/O

        ADSO is an acronym for Cullinet's Application Development
        System/Online, also referred to as ADS/Online.

    12.2 Telon

        Telon it is a cross between a code database and a code
        generator. It can be used to store 'standard' sections of code
        and 'custom' sections of code from which you can generate a
        COBOL program by defining it to use certain sets of the standard
        and custom code. This allows you to keep common code once in the
        database and maintain it there.

        Telon also offers support for screen design.

        There is a PC version of the product as well as the mainframe
        version. The PC version is by CA.

    12.3 ETK

        ETK (Easy ToolKit) was developed by SEMA Group in Belgium.  It is
        now marketed by TOSC International, Inc :

            TOSC International, Inc.
            3900 Essex Lane, suite 250
            Houston, TX 77027

            Tel: 713 961 1201
            Fax: 713 961 4989

        Contact Ted Langlie.  TOSC will also soon be on the Internet.

        ETK works with a repository where the programmer/analyst
        describes the system to be generated in terms of data domains,
        elements, tables, relationships, business rules, and data
        mappings. From this description ETK generates complete
        COBOL-based applications that will run on many platforms.


13. COBOL Tools

    This section documents some of the add-on tools that are available
    for use with COBOL compilers.  Further submissions are welcomed,
    but please try to keep them as free from marketing "hype" as
    possible.

    13.1 Windows and Windowing.

        13.1.1 VanGui for RM/COBOL.

            VanGui consists of two major components: a design tool and
            a runtime system. The design tool is a Windows application
            which provides COBOL developers with the capability to
            define windows, populate those windows with standard Windows
            and VBX controls, adjust the properties of those controls
            and attach COBOL event-handling logic to their events.

            The VanGui Runtime is a Windows .DLL that manages Windows
            messages, provides runtime support for the controls, and
            provides a COBOL interface to the Windows API.

            For more information on VanGui, see
            http://www.liant.com/rm/toolset/vangui.html.


        13.1.2 Dialog System for Micro Focus COBOL

            Dialog System provides a design tool for defining windows
            and their contents and creating code for manipulating data
            and events within those windows.

            The resulting output is platform independent, allowing code
            to be transferred between DOS/Windows, OS/2 and UNIX. Under
            UNIX, only the character-based version of Dialog System is
            still supported -- support for the X11 version has been
            stopped.

        13.1.3 Flexus COBOL spII

            COBOL spII allows the COBOL programmer to create GUI or
            character mode screens using ANSI standard COBOL CALL
            USING statements. COBOL spII screen definitions and
            source programs are 100% COBOL compiler independent, 100%
            operating system independent and 100% text mode to GUI mode
            independent.

            Automatic screen conversion tools for many proprietary
            environments are also available from Flexus. These automate
            the task of converting screen definitions from proprietary
            character mode screens to GUI screen definitions.

    13.2 Sinc Inc. products

         13.2.1 FlexGen 4GL Rapid Application Development Environment

             A repository-based, data dictionary-driven tool set and code
             generator.  It supports and generates code for RM/COBOL,
             Acucobol, Micro Focus COBOL, Realia (DOS Only), mbp (DOS Only)
             and runs and deploys under DOS, Windows, Windows 95, NT,
             many flavours of UNIX, VAX/VMS and Open VMS.

         13.2.2 Legacy Liberator COBOL Migration Toolset

             For rehosting proprietory COBOLs, converting them to
             open systems, Acucobol, RM/COBOL or MF COBOL.  User interfaces
             can be converted to FlexGen user interfaces including the
             ability to upgrade them to GUI.

         13.2.3 Easy Query

             A point-and-shoot report writer and query tool.

         13.2.4 ODBC Access Tools

             Allows Windows ODBC-enabled applications to access COBOL data.

    13.3 Misc. tools

         13.3.1 Flexus WinPrint

             COBOL WinPrint allows the COBOL programmer to make ANSI
             standard COBOL CALL USING statements to completely control
             and communicate with the Windows Print Manager. Forms
             may be designed interactively with the Forms Editor to
             include bitmaps, special fonts, colors and many other
             modern features. These reports may be viewed on the screen
             prior to printing or sent directly to the Print Manager.

14. Other sources of information.

    14.1 Compuserve

        Micro Focus runs a COBOL Forum on Compuserve.  Just

            GO MICROFOCUS

        to get to it.

        CA also has a Forum.  To get to this, use

            GO CAIDEV

        Liant has a Forum too, to support the RM/COBOL and
        Relativity(TM) family of products.  To access it, use

            GO LIANT


    14.2 Bix

        There is a COBOL forum on Bix.  Don Nelson is the moderator.

    14.3 Micro Focus Faxback

        In Palo Alto, Micro Focus runs a system for obtaining certain
        technical information by fax.  You need a tone-dial 'phone
        to use it.

        The number is (415) 496 7170.

    14.4 Micro Focus WWW server

        Micro Focus has a WWW server covering many COBOL issues.  The
        URL is http://www.mfltd.co.uk/

    14.5 CA WWW server

        CA also has a WWW server.  It's URL is http://www.cai.com/

    14.6 Liant and Ryan McFarland WWW server

        Liant has a WWW server at http://www.liant.com/.  This server also
        hosts the RM WWW site at http://www.liant.com/rm/.

    14.7 The Acucobol WWW server

        This is at http://www.acucobol.com/.

    14.8 The COBOL Foundation

        Dave McFarland, formerly of Ryan McFarland, has begun an
        organization aimed at promoting COBOL and providing information
        to and about the COBOL community. Members (including RM, MF,
        and IBM) pay yearly dues and in return are included in the
        Foundation's promotion efforts, literature, directories, etc.
        and have their company and product information posted on the
        Foundation's web server.  The URL for the server is 
        http://www.cobol.org/

    14.9 The IBM COBOL products WWW server

        This is at http://www.software.ibm.com/ad/cobol/cobol.htm

    14.10 The Flexus WWW server

        Contains all sorts of information, including a copy of the
        COBOL 650 compiler.  It's at http://www.flexus.com/


15. Information required for the FAQ.

    Corrections and additions to existing material are always welcome.

    I'd like to add a section of reviews of different COBOL books.  If
    I am sent any reviews I will collate them and add these to the FAQ.

    More information on the COBOL standards and later updates would
    be useful.

    A section covering COBOL programming could be worthwhile.


16. Contributors to the FAQ.

    The following people have contributed to the creation of this FAQ :

    James Fidell            <james@hermione.demon.co.uk>
    Don Nelson              <nelson_don@tandem.com>
    Clarence A Booth, Jr.   <turboteck@aol.com>
    Kelly Brown             ???
    Gary Henry              <gary@acucobol.com>
    Stan Cox                <coxs@dg-rtp.dg.com>
    Gary Crook              <gdc@mfltd.co.uk>
    Robert D. Davis         <rdd@access.digex.net>
    Uwe Baemayr             <uwe@rmc.liant.com>
    Bernd Backhaus          <bernd@bbbo.ping.de>
    Wayne Gallant           <wgallant@freenet.fsu.edu>
    Jonathan Beit-Aharon    <jonathan.beit-aharon@office.wang.com>
    Stefano Priola          <s70829@galileo.polito.it>
    Todd G. Beets           <todd@acucobol.com>
    Joachim Blome           <100137.672@compuserve.com>
    John M.                 <jamiii@mercury.sfsu.edu>
    Kathleen McSpurren      <kmcspurr@watarts.uwaterloo.ca>
    Thomas Koehler          <koehler@vax.rz.uni-wuerzburg.d400.de>
    Al Sinclair             <ads@mfltd.co.uk>
    Mike Wilson             <mrw@oasis.icl.co.uk>
    Erkki Ruohtula          <eru@tele.nokia.fi>
    Ralf Laemmel            <rlaemmel@informatik.uni-rostock.de>
    Tom Willard             <willard@venice.sedd.trw.com>
    Peter Mikalajunas       <peter.mikalajunas@hamshack.com>
    Laurent Sabarthez       <laurent@altern.com>
    Norman Hull             <norman@idh.ie>
    Juergen Linkens         <r13550@email.mot.com>
    Clinton G. Downing      <downi-cg@aza.csc.ncsu.edu>
    Ryan Stryker            <ryan@liant.com>
    Chuck McComas           <cam@liant.com>
    Leif Svalgaard          <lsvalg@ibm.net>
    Bob Wolfe               <rtwolfe@flexus.com>


17. Copying this FAQ.

    This FAQ is copyright 1994, 1995, 1996 by James Fidell. It may be
    freely redistributed as long as it is completely unmodified and that
    no attempt is made to restrict any recipient from redistributing
    it on the same terms. It may not be sold or incorporated into
    commercial documents without the the written permission of the
    copyright holder.

    Permission is granted for this document to be made available
    for file transfer from sites offering unrestricted file transfer
    on the Internet and from the COBOL Forums on Compuserve and Bix.

    This document is provided as is, without any warranty.  Your
    mileage may vary.

-- 
 "Yield to temptation --             | Work: james@netcom.net.uk
  it may not pass your way again"    | Play: james@hermione.demon.co.uk
                                     | http://www.OiT.co.uk/~james/
        - Lazarus Long               |              James Fidell
