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Status Future consideration
Categories Other
Created by Guest
Created on Apr 27, 2023

Incorrect Cross-reference of data names with CICS integrated translator

The "Cross-reference section" in a COBOL compile listing correctly contains the line number references to the COBOL data items contained in the EXEC CICS statements when the CICS stand-alone translator is used, but does not contain the line number references to the COBOL data items contained in the EXEC CICS statements when the CICS integrated translator is used.

Below is the source code that shows the EXEC CICS statements impacted in this example:

EXEC CICS RETRIEVE
INTO (WS-COMMAREA)
LENGTH(LENGTH OF WS-COMMAREA)
RESP (WS-RESP)
END-EXEC

EXEC CICS
START
INTERVAL(WS-INTERVAL)
TRANSID(WS-TRANID)
FROM(WS-COMMAREA)
LENGTH(LENGTH OF WS-COMMAREA)
PROTECT
RESP(WS-RESP)
END-EXEC

Results:
- Compiling with the CICS integrated translator:

Defined Cross-reference of data names References
783 WS-CNTL-CONST
780 WS-CNTL-FILE
706 WS-COME-FROM-EQ-IND. . . . . . M1137
814 WS-COMMAREA <- Note: no lines shown
727 WS-COMMON-FIELDS
699 WS-CONTROL-FL-STAT
802 WS-DATE-FILE

- Compiling with the CICS stand-alone translator:

Defined Cross-reference of data names References
787 WS-CNTL-CONST
784 WS-CNTL-FILE . . . . . . . . . 1496
710 WS-COME-FROM-EQ-IND. . . . . . M1234
818 WS-COMMAREA. . . . . . . . . . 919 921 1919 1922 <- Note: Correctly showing the lines referenced.
731 WS-COMMON-FIELDS
703 WS-CONTROL-FL-STAT
806 WS-DATE-FILE

Per Cobol L3 Development:

“The CICS integrated translator is the one that parse the CICS statement and it is the one that can identify data name references in the CICS statement. CICS need to send us back the data names that are referenced in the CICS statements otherwise the compiler has no clue which data names are used in the CICS statement, although it is unclear as to why it was rejected.”

Previously an idea was open back in 2016 to address this problem:
https://ibm-z-software-portal.ideas.ibm.com/ideas/CICSTS-I-103
It was previously rejected by CICS team, but Cobol L3 development doesn’t agree with the rejection.

Idea priority Low
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 26, 2023
    CICS Development: This is a candidate for a future release.