Microsoft MS-COBOL Compiler
Release 1.12 Update Notice
March 8, 1984
The MS-COBOL compiler for the 8086/8088 micropro-
cessor under MS-DOS release 1.12 contains several
enhancements and corrections to previous releases.
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** **
** Important Notice **
** **
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*1* All ISAM files (ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED), created
or modified by versions of Cobol prior to 1.10
<<MUST>> be run through version 1.21 of the
REBUILD program prior to being used by version
1.12 of Cobol. We strongly suggest REBUILDing and
subsequently using only version 1.12 for ISAM file
handling. See the corrections listed below.
*2* When converting to version 1.12 from previous ver-
sions, ALL PROGRAMS MUST BE RECOMPILED. Programs
compiled with previous versions, and linked with
the version 1.12 libraries may not work properly.
Enhancements
** The REBUILD utility now accepts valid MS-DOS 2.0
path names for its files, and allows the creation
of a key file from an indexed data file without
duplicating the data file. REBUILD also allows
its paramaters to be entered using the command
line bypassing its normal interactive method. See
the added information on REBUILD below.
NOTE: REBUILD must be used on ISAM files created
by previous versions of Cobol due to possible
errors in the key file structure.
** DOS 2.0 pathnames can now be used within Cobol
programs. When the VALUE OF FILE-ID is a literal,
the length is still limited to 16 characters. When
VALUE OF FILE-ID is an identifier, the length of
the specified filename, including path, may be up
to 64 characters. Note that pathnames cannot be
used with compiler itself for source, object and
list filenames.
** A limitation which existed on the size of an item
subordinate to an item sontaining an OCCURS clause
(2048 byte maximum size) has been removed.
** The INSTALL terminal interface now supports color
for the IBM and Compaq Personal Computers and the
Texas Instruments Professional Computer. The
reserved words FOREGROUND-COLOR and BACKGROUND-
COLOR may be used to add color to SCREEN SECTION
displays. They have no effect when used on
machines for which color is not supported by
INSTALL. See the color addendum at the end of
this file.
** The DEC Rainbow computer has been added to the
list of installable machines. See the DEC Rainbow
addendum at the end of this file.
** Compiler switches /T and /C now allow drives A
through Z to be specified. Previous limit was A
through D.
Corrections
** When a numeric or alphanumeric editted field was
entered in a screen, and if had an attribute, such
as highlight or underline set, when it was
redisplayed in it's editted form, the attribute
would be lost.
** A bug was introduced in 1.10 such that if a number
fo records were deleted from an ISAM file, occas-
sionally a subsequent START would fail.
** When a Subprogram containing an overlay is
invoked, after which another subprogram containing
an overlay is invoked, the return will attempt to
reload an overlay in the calling program, regard-
less of whether or not there was one.
** When SORT was invoked, if memory needed to be
reallocated, the program could crash.
** Corrected the detection of bad PICTUREs for
numeric items.
** The handling of quoted literals, continued quoted
literals and continued quoted literals which were
continued at an embedded quote character has been
corrected.
** A problem in the ISAM handler resulted when a cer-
tain set of conditions were met when inserting a
record. The key for the record would be inserted
into the index improperly. In most cases this was
transparent, but in some cases could result in the
record being available only under sequential
access, and not being found in random mode.
Version 1.10 of Cobol corrects this problem, how-
ever ISAM files created or modified by previous
versions of Cobol must be run through REBUILD
prior to their use. These files may have an
erroneous index structure that may render some
records unfindable in random mode. Insure that the
version of REBUILD used is 1.21 or greater, and
the version of Cobol used thereafter is version
1.10 or greater.
** A bug has been corrected in the ISAM file handler
that would not mark a deleted record as being
deleted in the data file if it was the only record
in the file. REBUILD would then restore the record
that had been deleted.
** The compiler now requires that ACCESS MODE be
SEQUENTIAL when the file organization is sequen-
tial.
** The compiler now requires that numeric items be no
longer than 18 digits.
** The compiler will now trap attempts to write the
object or the list file onto the source file, as
well as onto each other.
** The message "No errors or warnings" is now sent to
the list file.
** The compiler now traps attempts to use a VALUE
clause when the when an OCCURS clause is also
used.
** A bug has been corrected where at any time follow-
ing a CALL to another program, if an I/O error
occurred (such as opening a non-existent file for
I-O), the program would occassionaly get lost and
produce unexpected results.
** A bug has been corrected where a PERFORM in a
CALLed subroutine would occasionally be errone-
ously trapped with a "PERFORM OVERLAP".
** A bug has been corrected where if, in a statement
generating a Numeric Edit, the source field has to
be converted, such as from COMP-3, and an overflow
occurs in the edit, then all further leading zero
suppression in numeric editing is disabled until a
similar operation occurs that does not generate
such an overflow.
** A bug has been corrected which would not allow a
value to be displayed PIC ??? FROM <literal> in a
screen section.
** A bug has been corrected in the UNSTRING state-
ment. If a POINTER is used, and is initially out
of range, it is now handled properly.
** A bug has been corrected in which literals in the
VALUE OF FILE-ID clause of exactly 17 characters
were truncated to 16 characters without warning.
Now any literals longer than 16 characters will
produce an error message.
** A bug has been corrected which would not allow a
group item to be given a VALUE of ZERO.
** A bug has been corrected that affected relative
files with certain record lengths and cause them
to return disk full status when a record was writ-
ten at a 64k boundary in the file.
** A bug has been corrected that prevented sub-
scripted variables from being passed to a called
program correctly. This bug also occasionally
affected program branches by sending them to
erroneous targets, and then flagging a Run-Time
error.
** Filenames CON and PRN now work properly with
line-sequential files under MS-DOS and PC-DOS.
Previously, the data could occassionally be
displayed or printed in improper order.
** A compiler crash when a quoted literal was improp-
erly continued in area A has been corrected.
** A program with a large number of CALLs (usually
over 120), now no longer generates an invalid
object module. The exact number of calls required
to generate the invalid code was a function of the
additional features, such as numeric edit,
alphanumeric edit, ISAM, etc. that were required
by the program.
** A bug has been corrected whereby the compiler
would crash if a very large variable were
declared. For example: A OCCURS 1023 PIC X(120).
** A bug has been corrected in which very large pro-
grams, or programs with a large number of jump,
branch and perform targets, would compile
incorrectly.
** Line numbers in error messages pertaining to pro-
cedure header lines are now printed correctly.
** COMP-0 variables now properly handle the value
-32768.
** CTRL-BREAK is now checked at every procedure
header under MS-DOS.
** A bug in the ACCEPT handler which lost screen out-
put if an item was ACCEPTed whose length exceeded
the amount of room left on the screen has been
corrected.
** Certain improper REDEFINES constructs are now
flaged as errors by the compiler.
** The INSTALL terminal interface utility has been
corrected so that the "Define your own terminal"
option now allows COBOL function keys to be
defined.
** A bug has been fixed which disallowed multiple
screen attributes (HIGHLIGHT, REVERSE-VIDEO,
UNDERLINE, BLINK) in a single screen item.
** A bug has been corrected where if a file was
defined, used in a SAME RECORD AREA clause, but
never otherwise referenced, improper object code
would be generated.
Enhancements to REBUILD Version 1.21
REBUILD, the Indexed File Recovery Utility, has been
enhanced in version 1.21 to allow a new Indexed key file to
be created without producing a new Indexed data file. The
resulting key and data file may be used in exactly the same
way as any other Indexed file. REBUILD has also been given
the ability to accept its input from a command line, making
its use in batch files simpler.
Any previously existing Indexed key files to be used
with programs running under MS-COBOL versions 1.10 and later
must be rebuilt with REBUILD, version 1.21 or later. Version
1.21 of REBUILD allows the key file to be recreated while
still using the original data file. Indexed files processed
with version 1.21 of REBUILD may be used with all MS-COBOL
programs from version 1.0 and later.
See Appendix E - REBUILD: INDEXED FILE RECOVERY UTILITY
in the Microsoft COBOL Compiler User's Guide for more detail
on REBUILD. Note that this appendix does not currently con-
tain information on these enhancements.
INTERACTIVE MODE
To create only a new key file in interactive mode type
REBUILD followed by <RETURN> in response to the operating
system prompt. REBUILD will issue four prompts for informa-
tion on the file to be rebuilt. The data required are key
length, position of key in data record ,source file name and
target file name. The key length, key position, and source
file name prompts should be answered as in previous versions
of REBUILD. (See Appendix E of the Microsoft COBOL Compiler
User's Guide for examples).
The target file name prompt appears as:
Input the file name of the target data file
(should not have the extension of .KEY)
or <RETURN> to return to the Key Length prompt.
If the target file name is the same as
the source file name, a key file with
the source file name and extension ".KEY"
will be produced without producing a
new data file. ----->
If the file name entered is the same as the source file
name, a key file with the name <source file>.KEY will be
created, but the source data file will be used unchanged.
Example 1. Interactive mode - creating key file only
Input Key Length: 52
Input Key Position: 13
Input Source File-name: IXFILE.DAT
Input Target File-name: IXFILE.DAT
File IXFILE.KEY will be created, overwriting any
existing IXFILE.KEY, and may be used with IXFILE.DAT in
any MS-COBOL programs.
Example 2. Interactive mode - creating key and data
files
Input Key Length: 52
Input Key Position: 13
Input Source File-name: IXFILE.DAT
Input Target File-name: NEWIX.DAT
Files NEWIX.DAT and NEWIX.KEY will be created, and
may be used in any MS-COBOL programs. IXFILE.KEY, if
present, is unchanged.
COMMAND LINE MODE
REBUILD may also be invoked with data contained in the
command line. You may enter REBUILD <command line> followed
by <RETURN>, where <command line> is of the form:
<source file name>,<target file name>,<key description>
with no spaces allowed in the command line. <key descrip-
tion> is of the form:
<key position>:<key length>
Any command line argument entered after <source file
name> may be defaulted by placing a semicolon (;) after the
last argument desired. If <target file name> is defaulted,
but <key description> is desired, type two commas between
<source file name> and <key description>. (See example 3
below). The defaults used are:
<target file> Default is <source file name>, causing a key
file with the source file name and extension
".KEY" to be created; no new data file will
be created.
<key description>Default is 1:1
REBUILD will prompt for any information not provided on
the command line.
Example 3. Command Line mode - creating key file only
(Same results as Example 1 above)
REBUILD IXFILE.DAT,,13:52
File IXFILE.KEY will be created, overwriting any
existing IXFILE.KEY, and may be used with IXFILE.DAT in
any MS-COBOL programs.
Example 4. Command Line mode - creating key and data
files
(Same results as Example 2 above)
REBUILD IXFILE.DAT,NEWIX.DAT,13:52
Files NEWIX.DAT and NEWIX.KEY will be created, and
may be used in any MS-COBOL programs. IXFILE.KEY, if
present, is unchanged.
Color in the MS-COBOL SCREEN SECTION
For release 1.10 of MS-COBOL, the IBM PC and Compaq
Personal Computers and the Texas Instruments Professional
Computer are the only machines with color support.
The clauses: <FOREGROUND-COLOR integer> and
<BACKGROUND-COLOR integer> may be included in the descrip-
tion of an elementary screen item. (See the Microsoft COBOL
Reference Manual, section 5.3.4, for a description of ele-
mentary screen items).
The value of "integer" can range from 0 through 15, and
is used to select the desired color. The actual colors used
vary by machine. If black and white monitors are used, or
color is not supported by INSTALL, use of FOREGROUND-COLOR
and BACKGROUND-COLOR will either have no effect or cause
screen displays to use different shades of gray.
If FOREGROUND-COLOR or BACKGROUND-COLOR is used in the
same elementary screen item as the BLANK SCREEN clause, the
colors chosen become the default colors for all following
screen items that do not explicitly define colors. If the
BLANK SCREEN clause is not present in an elementary screen
item, colors chosen are in effect only for the current ele-
mentary screen item, and later items will use the default
colors, which are normally white on black. If REVERSE-VIDEO
is used in an elementary screen item, the values of the
foreground and background colors are switched.
Values of "integer" in FOREGROUND-COLOR and
BACKGROUND-COLOR clauses:
** IBM and Compaq Personal Computers **
FOREGROUND-COLOR BACKGROUND-COLOR
Integer Color Integer Color
0 black 0 black
1 blue 1 blue
2 green 2 green
3 cyan 3 cyan
4 red 4 red
5 magenta 5 magenta
6 brown 6 brown
7 white 7 white
8 gray 8 blinking black
9 light blue 9 blinking blue
10 light green 10 blinking green
11 light cyan 11 blinking cyan
12 light red 12 blinking red
13 light magenta 13 blinking magenta
14 yellow 14 blinking brown
15 high intensity white 15 blinking white
** Texas Instruments Professional Computer **
FOREGROUND-COLOR BACKGROUND-COLOR
Integer Color Integer Color
0 black not supported (no effect if
1 blue BACKGROUND-COLOR clause is used)
2 green
3 cyan
4 red
5 magenta
6 brown
7 white
(colors 8 - 15 are the same as 0 - 7)
DEC Rainbow 100 Addendum
INSTALL Information
EDITING KEYS
Delete Line CTRL-U,CTRL-X
Delete Character DEL key
Forward Space CTRL-F or right arrow key
Back Space CTRL-H or left arrow key
Plus Sign +
Minus Sign -
TERMINATOR KEYS
Escape ESC (F11)
Back Tab CTRL-B or up arrow key
Tab CTRL-I or TAB or down arrow key
Carriage Return CTRL-M or Return
Line Feed CTRL-J or Line Feed (F13)
FUNCTION KEYS
Function 1 CTRL-E 1 or PF1
Function 2 CTRL-E 2 or PF2
Function 3 CTRL-E 3 or PF3
Function 4 CTRL-E 4 or PF4
Function 5 CTRL-E 5
Function 6 CTRL-E 6
Function 7 CTRL-E 7
Function 8 CTRL-E 8
Function 9 CTRL-E 9
Function 10 CTRL-E 0
Notes
The Rainbow function keys (F1 through F20) are not used
by MS-COBOL. Keys PF1 through PF4, on the numeric
keypad, may be used as function keys 1 through 4.
A blinking cursor will remain on in the upper right
hand corner of the screen while any MS-COBOL program is
running.
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