Preparing VS COBOL II programs

Perform the following steps for compiling your VS COBOL II programs using the compiler options suggested in Table 1:

  1. Allocate libraries (PDSE is suggested unless PDS is required for your organization) for LANGX files. Allocate one or more LANGX libraries for each environment, such as test and production.
  2. Create a corresponding LANGX library for each load library. Specify LRECL=1562 or greater,RECFM=VB,BLKSIZE= lrecl+4 to 32k.
  3. For all programs, such as batch, CICS, and IMS, in both test and production environments, compile with NOTEST,LIST,MAP,NOOPT,SOURCE,XREF,NONUMBER compiler options.
  4. Modify the SYSPRINT DD in the compiler step to refer to a file. It can be either a permanent or temporary file. This will be the input to the xxxLANGX utility.
  5. Add a step after the compiler step to run the Problem Determination tools xxxLANGX utility. This utility program reads the compiler listing and generates a LANGX file. This is the source information file for Debug Tool for z/OS, Fault Analyzer for z/OS and Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS. Save the LANGX file in the LANGX file library and specify a member name that is equal to the program name of your application program. Equivalent xxxLANGX utilities are available in Debug Tool for z/OS as EQALANGX, in Fault Analyzer for z/OS as IDILANGX and in Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS as CAZLANGX.
  6. If the module is linked with Language Environment services, optionally include a Debug Tool Language Environment exit module into the load module during the linkage editor step. This is one way to enable the Debug Tool panel 6 in ISPF, a simple panel-driven method to start the debugger automatically when a program runs, without JCL changes, based on the program name and user ID. Use module EQADBCXT for batch programs (including IMS batch), EQADICXT for IMS/TM programs and EQADDCXT for DB2 stored procedures. Do not include the exit module for CICS programs or if the module is not linked with Language Environment services (it is linked with COBOL II runtime services).
  7. Modify the promotion process to promote LANGX files. When a load module is promoted, for example, from test to production, promote the corresponding LANGX file or files. A promotion can be a recompile, copy, or move. Perform the same steps with the LANGX file that you perform with the module during promotion.