Use the FREE Fujitsu COBOL version 3.0 to put COBOL programming lessons into practice on Microsoft® Windows® platforms

At the heart of COBOL is the standards-compliant Fujitsu COBOL development suite -- compiler, run-time libraries, and debug tool. The highly optimized code produced by Fujitsu COBOL provides the basis for fast business systems on PCs.

Faster Development
Fujitsu COBOL offers a number of features to help speed application development as well as execution times. Because program links are automatically reconstructed following compilation, for example, clicking on a compile error message sends the cursor to the source line in which the problem occurred. These errors are usually simple to fix, once you know where they are.

In the debug tool, you can use the mouse to specify cut-off points for data modification and interrupts based on specific conditions. Features such as source animation and batch debugging help eradicate bugs fast. As a result, you complete your work faster and produce higher quality code.

Fujitsu COBOL Specifications

Standards Compliant

• ANSI Standard COBOL X3.23 1985, ISO-1989-1985
• ANSI '74 COBOL X3.23-1974

Full ANSI 85 compliant to include:

• Nucleus
• Sequential/Relative/Indexed File
• Inter-Program Communication
• Sort/Merge
• Source Text Manipulation

Support for ANSI'85 Supplement
Intrinsic Functions

Fujitsu Extensions

• National language programming
• National character handling
• Extended Indexed File -- Multiple key items, reverse order access
• National character printing
• Sort/Merge of National characters
• Floating-point data
• Bit handling
• Constant section
• Functions for system program description -- pointer, etc.

XPG4 Specification (X/OPEN Extensions)

• Line/Sequential file handling
• Inter-language communications -- passing parameters by value, special register Return-Code
• File sharing and record locking
• Screen handling
• Access to command-line arguments
• Concatenated expressions

Programming-Staff (COBOL program development environment)

• User-selectable program editor
• Framework for program compilation
• MAKE function
• Program development tools and utilities -- Debug tool; search to focus on source line in error
• Support for WYSIWYG character-mode screen designer

Debug tool capabilities

• Setting/removing complex breakpoints
• Displaying variables
• Recording and playing back a debugging procedure to retest user's code
• Performing batch debugging and automated debugging operations
• Reversing code execution
• Stepping over and through statements

Platforms Supported
Microsoft® Windows® 95
Microsoft® Windows® 98
Microsoft® Windows NT®