Setting local preprocessor options

Edit online

You can set options for local preprocessors.

Before you begin

Define a property group on a local or remote system.

About this task

Local preprocessor support is available for the following compilation or syntax check operations:
  • Local syntax check of a local or remote file.
    Limitations:
    • Local syntax check is deprecated. This action is available only on Windows.
    • Local syntax checking does not support shift-out-shift-in (SOSI) sources. The importer that is used to do the local syntax check supports only UTF-8 encoding. Translating CP-930 and other SOSI sources into UTF-8 alters the column locations for some characters, and this alteration results in unexpected errors.
  • Build of a local or remote project.
  • Show Dependencies on a local or remote project or local or remote file.
    Note: Only files that were not created by a preprocessor step can be considered dependencies. If a preprocessor step creates several include files that are eventually passed to another preprocessor or the compiler, those generated include files are not considered dependencies.
Tip: When you use local preprocessors with remote files, the output files are generated to the RemoteSystemTempFiles > Build Output folder in the file tree.

Procedure

Limitation: The local include preprocessor is not supported on macOS clients.
To define options for local preprocessors:

  1. Open a property group in the property group editor.
  2. Open the Local Preprocessor page of the Local COBOL Settings or Local PLI Settings.
    The Local Preprocessor page contains two sections. The Local Preprocessor section shows all preprocessors that were added the property group. There are two ways to work with this list:
    • Select the checkbox next to a preprocessor name to enable the preprocessor to run before a compilation or syntax check operation. This action is called selecting a preprocessor. The preprocessor is activated for execution only when the checkbox is selected.
    • Select the preprocessor name in the list to display the options that are set for it in the Preprocessor Options section. This action is called highlighting a preprocessor.
    The Preprocessor Options section shows the options for the selected preprocessor.
    Preprocessor Description
    Type a description, such as Include preprocessor.
    Preprocessor Name (fully qualified)
    Type the name of the include preprocessor. You can use the ${bundle:packageName}/path variable to point to an installed plug-in that contains the preprocessor. The default value is ${bundle:com.ibm.systemz.preprocessor.include}/bin/operatingSystem/PPINCL01, where operatingSystem is macos or win32. In version 14.1.4 or earlier, you can use the ${INSTDIR} variable to point to the product installation directory. This variable is used to find the include preprocessor that is shipped with the product.
    Preprocessor Arguments
    Enter any arguments that you are passing to your preprocessor. These arguments would be entered as though you were passing them to your preprocessor from the command prompt. The arguments might include the fully qualified path of the file that is being preprocessed. If your arguments include the fully qualified name of the XML file, or output file that is being produced by your preprocessor, the XML file and output file must be created in the BuildOutput folder of the local project.
    Preprocessor Output File Name
    Enter the name of the expanded file that your preprocessor produces. This file name must be unqualified. The Output file must be generated in the BuildOutput folder of the local project.
    Support Error Feedback
    Select this checkbox to log errors that are generated by the preprocessor. Selecting this check box enables the Error Feedback XML File Name field. This option is enabled by default.
    Error Feedback XML File Name
    Specify the name of the XML file to be generated for error feedback. This XML file must be unqualified because it must be created in the BuildOutput folder of the local project.
    Environment Variables (Set Statements)
    Specify any environment variables to be passed to the preprocessor. This field contains a value for the SYSLIB, but you must change the value to point to the folder that contains your include files.

    You can also use variables in any of the entry fields to help generalize project builds. For a list of variables that you can use to define options for local preprocessors, see the related topics.

    When the local preprocessor is started by the syntax check, build, or show dependencies action, the current directory for this action is the BuildOutput folder of the local project. The XML file and expanded source file that your preprocessor create must be created in this folder.

  3. Save the property group to save the changes you made.

Results

If you are using local preprocessors on a remote file, the build output is in the RemoteSystemTempFiles/Build Output folder. You can find this folder by going to the systems file navigator and navigating to your workspace location. Inside your workspace folder is the RemoteSystemTempFiles folder.