Migration to Updated Compiled XML Conversion Parser (XMLSS)

Edit online

This topic covers the capability to allow Enterprise Service Tools Single-service projects the choice of a different Compiled XML Converter to provide XML to Language Structure Conversion for the CICS®, IMS, and Batch runtimes.

With the release of Enterprise COBOL for z/OS® Version 4, an additional XML parsing compiler option is provided. This allows the user the option to choose either of two high-speed XML parsers (XMLSS and COMPAT). If XMLSS, is specified then the z/OS XML System Services Parser (XMLSS) is used for enhanced parsing capabilities. If COMPAT is specified, the XML parser that is provided with Enterprise COBOL Version 3 is used, this option is available to allow for backward compatibility.

In the Enterprise Service Tools single-service projects, the XMLSS option adds improved XML parsing capabilities, allowing the Compiled XML Conversion to be more efficient and standards compliant. The enhanced parsing capabilities offered by the XMLSS option includes the following:
  • Direct parsing of UTF-8,
  • XML Namespaces support.
  • Pull-parsing of XML fragments (a complete XML document is buffered and is parsed one fragment at a time from a file or memory).
In the Enterprise Service Tools single-service projects, the XMLSS option removes the following limitations present in the COMPAT option:
  1. Parsing of UTF-8 requires an up-front, expensive, twice-executed, codepage conversion.
  2. XML Namespace information is ignored - preventing the XML to language structure converter from being able to disambiguate elements having identical names but different target namespaces.