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Introducing Pro*COBOL

This chapter describes the Oracle programmatic interface for the COBOL language running under the Windows NT and Windows 95/98 operating systems.

Specific topics discussed are:

• What is Pro*COBOL?
• What is Release 1.8.27?
• Installing Pro*COBOL
• PL/SQL Support
• Features
• Restrictions

What is Pro*COBOL?

To access an Oracle8 database, you use a high-level query language called Structured Query Language (SQL). You often use SQL through an interactive interface, such as SQL*Plus.

Pro*COBOL is a precompiler that converts SQL statements embedded within COBOL programs into standard Oracle run-time library calls. The output file can then be compiled by a COBOL compiler.

Use the Pro*COBOL precompiler when rapid development and compatibility with other systems are your priorities.

Pro*COBOL supports the following compilers:

Note:   Pro*COBOL does not support Object Oriented COBOL (OOCOBOL) specifications for either compiler.

• Fujitsu COBOL version 3.0 or later for 32-bit Windows NT and Windows 95/98

Note:   Pro*COBOL does not support the following Fujitsu COBOL extensions:  USAGE BIT clause in data description entry  CHARACTER TYPE clause in data description entry  PRINTING POSITION clause in data description entry  @OPTIONS compiler option directing statement  Literal coded on column 73 or later

• Micro Focus Object COBOL version 4.0 for 32-bit Windows NT and Windows 95

What is Release 1.8.27?

Oracle Corporation expects that any application written for Pro*COBOL release 1.8.x should precompile successfully with Pro*COBOL release 8.0.5.

If you simply want to migrate a release 1.8.x application to release 8.0.5 (that is, without using any of the new features of Pro*COBOL version 8), but the application does not precompile successfully, then do the following:

• Use release 1.8.27.
• Report the problem to Oracle Support Services.

Note: Oracle Corporation recommends that you use release 8.0.5 to develop new applications.

Because of these two releases, your Oracle home directory can contain two directories for Pro*COBOL:

This Directory...	Contains...
ORACLE_HOME\PRO80	Pro*COBOL release 8.0.5
ORACLE_HOME\PRO18	Pro*COBOL release 1.8.27

Installing Pro*COBOL

For instructions on how to install Pro*COBOL, refer to the CD-ROM insert.

Note:   Pro*COBOL release 1.8.27 requires a custom installation.

PL/SQL Support

This release of Pro*COBOL supports PL/SQL release 8.0, Oracle's procedural language extension to the SQL language standard for enhancing performance of the Oracle database.

Additional Information:   For more information on PL/SQL, see the PL/SQL User's Guide and Reference.   For more information on embedding PL/SQL in your Pro*COBOL applications, see Chapter 6 of the Pro*COBOL Precompiler Programmer's Guide.

Features

Pro*COBOL supports the following:

• Oracle databases release 8.0
• embedded PL/SQL blocks
• bundled database calls, which can provide better performance in client/server environments
• full ANSI compliance for embedded SQL programming
• calls to PL/SQL stored procedures

Restrictions

Pro*COBOL does not support the following:

• user exits
• access to the Oracle Call Interface
• Oracle8 object types
• graphical user interface
• 16-bit code generation

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