PI51913: EGL SHOULD PROVIDE A METHOD TO CREATE EMPTY OUTPUT FILES

Rational Business Developer Fix Pack 1 (9.1.1.1) for 9.1.1
Rational Business Developer 9.5.1

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• EGL doesn't provide a method to create empty output files,
  whereas in native ÇOBOL output file are created within the open
  statement. In a mixed environment like EGL, native ÇOBOL, CA
  Easytrieve this shortage in EGL causes extra logic to be added
  into JCLs.
  
  An open statement to create a file or a new generation option to
  force all output files to be created is what is required to
  handle all batch programs in JCLs.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * Users that want to open a file and then close it, causing    *
  * the file to be emptied.                                      *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * The EGL open statement was designed for only SQL cursors to  *
  * be opened. The customer desires that an output file also be  *
  * allowed to be opened with the open statement. The reason for *
  * this is to be able to simply close the file causing it to be *
  * cleared out. Prior to this enhancement, the file was not     *
  * opened until either a get or add statement was done.         *
  * However, this didn't allow the possibility of clearing the   *
  * file as at least 1 record would have to been added for the   *
  * file to get opened.                                          *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• We have added the ability to do an EGL "open file for xxxx"
  statement, where the xxxx is the name of a serial record
  variable. For javagen and debug, this will cause the file to get
  cleared even if there are no add statements in the program.
  However, for cobolgen, at least 1 add statement much be present
  for it to determine the type of access (write) is needed. That
  add statement does not have to actually be executed, just
  present.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  RATL BUS DEV

• Fixed component ID

  5724S5000

Applicable component levels

• R911 PSY

     UP

• R950 PSY

     UP