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Mainframe to iSeries migration question regarding COBOL Source Code
I am working on a project to migrate a COBOL system from an IBM mainfarme to the iSeries platform.
have a simple program that It is a called sub-module without input or output. It passes information in the linkage section (parameter list) and returns a number. Very simple.
Can I transmit this file from the mainframe (via a company supplied clist) to the AS/400 so it can be put into a users library (?) and compiled? I want to avoid retyping code, etc. Further, our goal is to transmit these simple programs, compile them on the AS400, test them via an interactive application and then send the source code back to the Mainframe for compiling and releasing.
have a simple program that It is a called sub-module without input or output. It passes information in the linkage section (parameter list) and returns a number. Very simple.
Can I transmit this file from the mainframe (via a company supplied clist) to the AS/400 so it can be put into a users library (?) and compiled? I want to avoid retyping code, etc. Further, our goal is to transmit these simple programs, compile them on the AS400, test them via an interactive application and then send the source code back to the Mainframe for compiling and releasing.
It sounds more like you want to test the programs on the iSeries but run them inproduction on the mainframe. There are some z/OS (assuming this is your mainframe OS) unique Cobol extentions. If you are using any of these, then you will have problems using the iSeries platform.
You may have other problems. Cobol code is not always cross platform compatiable. You need to know what enviroment the Cobol program runs in. Examples:
If you are running Cobol against a DB2 database, then in order to test on the iSeries, you would need to have DB2 and the same database on the iSeries.
If you are running the programs under CICS, you would need CICS on the iSeries.
You may have other problems. Cobol code is not always cross platform compatiable. You need to know what enviroment the Cobol program runs in. Examples:
If you are running Cobol against a DB2 database, then in order to test on the iSeries, you would need to have DB2 and the same database on the iSeries.
If you are running the programs under CICS, you would need CICS on the iSeries.
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One possible problem is that IBM COBOL is usually upwardly-compatible, but not downwardly-compatible. I.E. AS400 COBOL will nearly alway compile/run on an IBM Mainframe, but not the other way round. This is often due to the previously-mentioned unique Mainframe COBOL extensions. With simple code programs, these may work, but you can never predict when the simple programs use a code extension or unique Mainframe-specific verb format or parameter.
Two options come to mind:
1) FTP to send the source back and forth. You would need to write the scripts.
2) Distributed Data Management (DDM) files
Assuming they are supported in your mainframe world, these files act as pointers to files on remote systems. On the as/400, you would be able to display and copy the source files back and forth.
If you want more details or have questions, post back!
Barry