PK88194: Rational Business Developer V7.5.1: Decimal Symbol and Numeric Separator documentation updates

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Rational Business Developer V7.5.1.2:
  
  The following updates are needed for the Decimal Symbol
  (decimalSymbol) and Numeric Separator (separatorSymbol)
  documentation:
  
  Differences between Java and Cobol:
  - In Java, the targetNLS, numericSeparator, and decimalSymbol
    are all passed to the runtime, and the separatorSymbol and
    decimalSymbol override the targetNLS value.
  - In Cobol, the targetNLS value is passed to the runtime, and
    the separatorSymbol and decimalSymbol are only used by
    generation.  There are no overrides, and users must specify
    the appropriate values in all three for things to work.
  
  Issue #1 - Allowing an user to enter a text value using a
    decimal symbol that matches the decimal symbol defined at
    runtime.
  
    Fix in Cobol - Allows users to enter ',' in a character value
    if that is how it is configured in the runtime, by replacing
    ',' values with '.' values at runtime as necessary so that
    things continue to run correctly in the Cobol runtime.  This
    happens in both directions (char to num, and num to char)
    Cobol and Debug/Java still have a difference between what they
    consider 'valid values' when assigning a character value to a
    Num (e.g.  aNum = "123.4"; when the decimal symbol is a ',').
    Cobol's routine assumes the number is 1234, while Debug says
    that you can't have a '.' as a decimal point.  We will
    document this difference.
  
  Issue #2 - Allow users to enter numeric values using the
    decimalSymbol as specified in the build descriptor
    for a form field  Fix in Java to honor the build descriptor
    values if they are set, instead of always using the targetNLS
    value.  In Cobol, the user can customize the runtime module
    to indicate what the separator and decimal symbol values are
    for a given NLS.  If an user customizes a build descriptor
    option for these values, they must also make sure their
    runtime values are the same.  In other words, with the Cobol
    support, the runtime NLS module used must have the decimal
    symbol and separator symbol values set the same as the
    the corresponding build descriptor values.
  
  In addition, if the decimalSymbol value is specified in the
  build descriptor, the separatorSymbol must also be specified and
  it is up to the user to ensure these values are valid and do not
  conflict.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• First, in "Assignment compatibility in EGL," the following
  is a footnote for a CHAR to NUM conversion:
  
  "The runtime value used for a decimal symbol is handled
  differently in EGL-generated COBOL and the EGL Debugger.
  (The behavior of the EGL Debugger reflects the behavior of
  EGL-generated Java). We explain the case by example. If the
  decimal symbol used at run time is a comma when the number
  being assigned to a field of type CHAR is 123.4, the CHAR
  field in the EGL-generated COBOL receives 1234, but the CHAR
  field in EGL Debugger indicates an error because the period
  '.' is not valid as a decimal point. In general, the
  EGL-generated COBOL will ignore an incompatible decimal
  value but the EGL Debugger will indicate an error. For
  details on specifying the decimal symbol, see
  'decimalSymbol.'"
  
  Second, the entries for build descriptor options
  separatorSymbol and decimalSymbol are both updated.  Here's
  the version for separatorSymbol:
  
  "The separatorSymbol build descriptor option specifies a
  character used for [etc]. If you specify a value for this
  option, specify a compatible value for the decimalSymbol
  build descriptor option.
  
  When you are generating a COBOL program, the following
  statements apply:
  
  o If you do not specify the separatorSymbol build descriptor
  option, the value is set by the decimal point character
  specified in the language-dependent options module specified
  for your runtime installation. For z/OS, refer to the
  program directory for your runtime product for related
  details.
  
  o  If you specify values in both the build descriptor option
  and the options module, ensure that they are the same.
  
  o  Ensure that you specify the appropriate value for the
  targetNLS build descriptor option."
  

Problem conclusion

• Fixed
  

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

• R751 PSN

     UP