Generating a COBOL XOM

You can generate a COBOL execution object model (XOM) from a COBOL copybook. A COBOL XOM provides your rule project with a Java™ representation of the COBOL data structures so that you can write rules in BAL and call your rules from a COBOL application.

1. In the Design part of the Rule Project Map, click Import XOM and then select COBOL execution object model.
2. In the COBOL Execution Object Model pane in the Properties window, click Add.
3. On the Import COBOL XOM page, enter a name for the COBOL XOM.
4. Click Add and select a COBOL copybook that you want to use as a basis for the COBOL XOM. Click OK.

   You can select the copybook from the file system or from your Eclipse project. If you are operating from Rational® Developer for z Systems, you have an extra option, Remote system, which allows you to import the copybook from a remote system explorer.

   The Package name field indicates the package name of the generated Java class. The XOM entry name is used as the default package name for the class.

   You can add several copybooks for a XOM.

5. Optional: If you want to use different names to represent a data item in the copybook, such as BANK1_CUSTOMER and BANK2_CUSTOMER, and still keep the same structure, use the Copy Replacing option. Expand Advanced in the Select COBOL Copybook window, then select the Enable Replacing check box. The table below the check box becomes active.
   Complete the following actions in the table:

   1. Click Add.
   2. In the Source column, enter the text that you want to replace.
   3. In the Target column, enter the text that you want to use instead.
   4. Click OK.

   The Copy Replacing column on the Import COBOL XOM page shows Yes for the selected copybook.

   To revert to no Copy Replacing, click Edit, and then clear the Enable Replacing check box.

6. Click Next.
7. Optional: If a copybook contains REDEFINES statements, the Redefines page is displayed. You can either accept the default data item, or select one of the alternative data items. For more information about the REDEFINES statements, see REDEFINES statements in the copybook. Click Next.
8. Review the mappings on the Configure COBOL XOM Mapping page.

   You see the COBOL structure that is derived from the copybook in the COBOL Structure pane. The default Java class and class attributes for a COBOL data item that is selected in the COBOL Structure pane appear in the XOM Mapping pane.

   If you select a data item, all data items that map to the same Java class as the selected data item are highlighted in bold with an equal sign (=) in the COBOL Structure pane. These data items have an identical structure therefore map to the same Java class by default. If you see a data item in bold italic with an equal sign in the COBOL Structure pane, at least one data item with the identical structure exists when you expand the data item. For more information, see Identical COBOL structures.

9. Optional: Change the default mapping. For more information, see Mapping COBOL structures to Java data types.
10. Click Finish.

    You see the new XOM in the COBOL Execution Object Model pane in the Properties window.