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Fujitsu NetCOBOL for Windows

The following sequence of screen captures lets you see the features of NetCOBOL at work.

NetCOBOL Project Manager
COBOL Editor
Building Applications
Debugging Applications
Using Prototype HTML
Object-oriented COBOL Syntax
Class Browser

Points to watch for in the NetCOBOL walk-through include:

  • Managing sources and projects using the project tree-view
  • Integrated configuration management
  • Editor tailored to NetCOBOL source code
  • Debugging with control and visibility
  • Simplified HTML output
  • Continued evolution of NetCOBOL with object-oriented syntax

COBOL Project Manager

NetCOBOL provides you with the COBOL Project Manager - an environment from which you can control your development tasks. The Project Manager:

  • Encourages you to structure your applications.
  • Provides a project tree structure.
  • Builds applications.
  • Invokes other development tools.
  • Can be customized to invoke other tools.

The following screen capture shows most of the elements that can be included in a project tree

COBOL Editor

Fujitsu's COBOL Editor:

  • Provides full editing functions.
  • Understands the layout of COBOL programs.
  • Colors reserved words and comments for better readability.
  • Integrates with other NetCOBOL tools such as the COBOL Project Manager.
  • Invokes the COBOL compiler.

Building Applications

The COBOL Project Manager has a build function that:

  • Constructs a make file.
  • Only uses changed components.
  • Displays a summary of results (shown below).
  • Takes you to build errors.
  • Builds modules or entire projects.
  • Also provides a function for creating lists of projects to be built at the same time.

Debugging Applications

The COBOL Debugger is a full-function debugging tool that can:

  • Display the actual source file.
  • Color source code for easy readability.
  • Make breakpoints visible (line highlighted in red).
  • Break execution when a data item changes value (see status bar and COBW3-COOKIE-NAME in the Watch Data window).
  • List active programs in the Program List window.

In addition, the "Datatip" feature displays data values when the pointer hovers over a data name (in the following screen capture, the I-bar pointer is over PROGRAM-STATUS and the datatip shows the value contained in that item).

Using Prototype HTML

Part of the NetCOBOL CGI, ISAPI and SAF support is the prototype HTML feature. This reduces the programming burden when you need to output HTML to Internet clients.

The Debugger and Editor windows in the following screen capture show standard HTML (in the Editor) with three conversion values inserted ("//COBOL//xxxxx//COBOL//") and the three lines required (shown in the Debugger) to set one of the three conversion values to the string to be displayed (in this case "00125").

Object-oriented COBOL Syntax

NetCOBOL comes with syntax and tools to support object-oriented programming. Concepts such as classes, inheritance, data encapsulation through methods, code reuse by overriding certain methods and separated developments by using method prototypes, form natural extensions to COBOL.

Class Browser

One of the strengths of an OO system is the ability to reuse code. The Class Browser helps you explore existing class structures. Some of the information shown in the following screen capture includes:

  • Disclosed classes
  • Parent classes
  • Object methods
  • Property get and set methods
  • Inherited methods (Factory and object)
  • Arguments for the selected method (shown in the right-hand window pane)