Cobol 400 - tools

[sudarshan_ramal]

Hi, i am looking for tools that can be used with cobol/400 on as/400

tools can be used in any of the below areas

1. Standard issues/defects checking tool that can be used for cobol/400. (similar to open source tools that are available for Java which can find defects in the code if there are any violations of standards)
2. source version control tool for cobol/400
3. source entry utility tool (similar to rpg alive - that can ease programmers in coding)
4. any tool that can be used for database management, which can help users to insert/delete etc records from a file with easy GUI without entering into AS400 system. Tool should use a ODBC connection to as/400 and should retrieve the details and present it to user.

if there are any other tools that can be used with cobol/400, please share the details

thanks

[Bent]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

For web development in cobol/400 consider IceBreak.org

Regards,

Bent

[sudarshan_ramal]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

Thanks Bent.

I found that site interesting for me. I should start learning i series web development.
But yes......apart from web development....any other tools...for COBOL.

[JonBoy]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

Thanks Bent.

I found that site interesting for me. I should start learning i series web development.
But yes......apart from web development....any other tools...for COBOL.

Some of what you are asking for can be done by WDSC which if you are using a V5R4 system you already own a license for. The current product is RDi but there is a fee for that.

Because WDSC is based on Eclipse you may be able to find tools that will plug in to do the kind of standards validation you are looking for.

COBOL support in WDSC is not as good as the RPG support but still a lot better than SEU.

[itp]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

There are many free tools mentioned is this forum check here:
http://www.code400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=289 and

http://www.code400.com/ffd.php

Here is set of web tools for Cobol (and RPG) that allow you to use native as/400 RPG and Cobol programs to read and write HTML web pages. They are completly open source and are used in hundreds of shops.

http://www.easy400.net/easy400p/main.html

[JonBoy]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

Here is set of web tools for Cobol (and RPG) that allow you to use native as/400 RPG and Cobol programs to read and write HTML web pages. They are completly open source and are used in hundreds of shops.

http://www.easy400.net/easy400p/main.html

Not wishing to discourage anyone - but for the benefit of those who may read this thread later - CGIDEV2 (the tool set in question) is NOT open-source as Giovanni is delighted to point out on the easy400 site. Everything on the site _except_ CGIDEV2 is open source though.

CGIDEV2 is supplied as source code so it can be modified as you wish - but it is not open - IBM have retained ownership for reasons that are completely beyond me.

[tomholden]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

Not wishing to discourage anyone - but for the benefit of those who may read this thread later - CGIDEV2 (the tool set in question) is NOT open-source as Giovanni is delighted to point out on the easy400 site. Everything on the site _except_ CGIDEV2 is open source though.

CGIDEV2 is supplied as source code so it can be modified as you wish - but it is not open - IBM have retained ownership for reasons that are completely beyond me.

one additional item...CGIDEV2 is not supported by IBM (which boggles the mind as to why they won't open-source the stuff..if you're not selling it or supporting it what's the point???)

[JonBoy]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

one additional item...CGIDEV2 is not supported by IBM (which boggles the mind as to why they won't open-source the stuff..if you're not selling it or supporting it what's the point???)

Problem is they claim that they do support it! No one quite knows how - but that is the claim. I guess you could write an individual contract with the group in question but ...

I think if they were prepared to accept that they have no support for it they might rethink the open-source bit, but I'm not holding my breath.

[itp]

Re: Cobol 400 - tools

I hate to hijack this threat with our silly ramblings that have little
to do with the original question, however..

<hijack>
CGIDEV2 is not open source in the GPL sense of the word, however it comes with full source, you are able to modify it and I never heard of IBM objecting to using or selling derivatives of the product. As a matter of fact they haven't said much of anything on the subject in the last 2 years.

Rich Diedrich of the iSeries Customer Technology Center said in Jan 2006 that they were "working towards the open source solution." We are still waiting.

Actually I am not sure if IBM even 'owns' the cobol version of CGIDEV2 because I think it was not developed by IBM employees.

CGIDEV2 is not supported by IBM, however IBM CTC (or whatever they call themselves now) stated that they could provide support and development on CGIDEV2 on an hourly basis. Great support *CAN* also be obtained experienced users and original developers at the dedicated yahoo forum:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Easy400Group/

</hijack>