Integrated CICS translator

An integrated translator eliminates the separate translation step for COBOL programs that contain CICS® statements.

With the integrated translator, the COBOL compiler handles both native COBOL and embedded CICS statements in the source program. When CICS statements are encountered, the compiler interfaces with the integrated CICS translator. The integrated CICS translator takes appropriate actions and then returns to the compiler indicating what native language statements to generate.

Although the separate CICS translator is still supported in Enterprise COBOL, use of the integrated CICS translator is recommended. The integrated CICS translator improves usability and offers the highest level of functionality. The benefits of using the integrated CICS translator include:
  • Enhancements in interactive debugging of COBOL applications with Debug Tool. The application can be debugged at the original source level, instead of at the level of the expanded source produced by the CICS translator.
  • EXEC CICS or EXEC DLI statements can reside in copybooks, eliminating the need to translate them with an external translator before compilation.
  • There is no longer a need for an intermediate data set to hold the translated version (before the program has been compiled) of the source program.
  • There is only one output listing instead of two.
  • Using nested programs that contain EXEC CICS statements is simplified. DFHCOMMAREA and DFHEIBLK are generated in the outermost program with the GLOBAL attribute specified on the PROCEDURE DIVISION USING of nested programs.
  • Nested programs that contain EXEC CICS statements can be held in separate files and included through a COPY statement.
  • REPLACE statements can now affect EXEC CICS statements.
  • Binary fields in CICS control blocks are generated with USAGE COMP-5 instead of BINARY. Thus, there is no longer a dependency on the setting of the TRUNC compiler option. Any setting of the TRUNC option can be used with CICS applications that use the integrated translator, subject only to the requirements of the user-written logic within the application.
Note: CICS V5.2 and later versions support the EXCI translator option with the integrated CICS translator. In earlier versions than CICS V5.2, the CICS documentation states that the EXCI translator option is not supported for programs compiled with the integrated CICS translator, but CICS has reversed this position. You can also compile with the EXCI translator option and ignore the warning message DFH7006I.