PH38935: Support for COBOL NATIONAL clause and data in Unicode UTF-16

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as new function.

Error description

• This APAR enhances the product function in respect to definition
  of Legacy Tables (LTs) based on COBOL copybooks.
  
  Currently Optim does allow for the NATIONAL clause on PICTURE
  type fields and does not support NSYMBOL COBOL option, resulting
  in incomplete support for data in Unicode UTF-16.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: Optim users processing non-DB2 data in       *
  *                 Unicode encoding.                            *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Optim's product support for LEGACY      *
  *                      TABLES defined using COBOL copybooks    *
  *                      referencing data in Unicode UTF-16 is   *
  *                      lacking.                                *
  ****************************************************************
  Optim does not properly handle the USAGE NATIONAL or GROUP-USAGE
  clauses. It also lacks support for the NSYMBOL COBOL compiler
  option.
  

Problem conclusion

• Optim processing will be enhanced to fully support definition of
  LEGACY TABLES based on COBOL copybooks and referencing data in
  Unicode UTF-16.
  o A new Site/User option will be introduced and affect the
    LEGACY TABLE generation using COBOL copybooks under ISPF.
    This "COBOL NSYMBOL Option" corresponds to the NSYMBOL COBOL
    option and has the following meaning:
    The NSYMBOL option controls the interpretation of the N symbol
    used in literals and PICTURE clauses,
    indicating whether national or DBCS processing is assumed.
    o With NSYMBOL(NATIONAL), default:
    Data items defined with a PICTURE clause that consists only of
    the symbol N without the USAGE clause are treated as if the
    USAGE NATIONAL clause is specified. Such items will be defined
    as Unicode UTF-16 with CCSID of 1200.
  o With NSYMBOL(DBCS):
    Data items defined with a PICTURE clause that consists only of
    the symbol N without the USAGE clause are treated as if the
    USAGE DISPLAY-1 clause is specified. Such items will be
    defined with the EBCDIC encoding and have assigned the DBCS
    CCSID as specified in the Site or User options or on the BATCH
    GENERATE statement.
  o A new option of NSYMBOL NATIONAL and NSYMBOL DBCS will be
    supported on the BATCH GENERATE statement. This option
    corresponds to the "COBOL NSYMBOL Option" Site/USer option.
  
  o COBOL copybook parsing will be enhanced to allow for the
    specification of the USAGE NATIONAL and GROUP-USAGE NATIONAL
    clauses.
  
  o BATCH GENERATE processing will be enhanced to alllow for the
    COBOL copybooks to be located in a sequential data set, in
    addition to being a PDS(E) member.
  
  The following Optim publications will be updated by this APAR:
  
  o Batch Utilities Guide, Utilities to Maintain Optim Objects,
    GENERATE. Add the description of the NSYMBOL parameter:
    NSYMBOL  NATIONAL | DBCS
    The NSYMBOL option controls the interpretation of the N symbol
    used in COBOL literals and PICTURE clauses,
    indicating whether national or DBCS processing is assumed.
    o NSYMBOL NATIONAL, default:
    Data items defined with a PICTURE clause that consists only of
    the symbol N without the USAGE clause are treated as if the
    USAGE NATIONAL clause is specified. Such items will be defined
    as Unicode UTF-16 with CCSID of 1200.
    o NSYMBOL DBCS:
    Data items defined with a PICTURE clause that consists only of
    the symbol N without the USAGE clause are treated as if the
    USAGE DISPLAY-1 clause is specified. Such items will be
    defined with the EBCDIC encoding and have assigned the DBCS
    CCSID as specified in the Site or User options or on the BATCH
    GENERATE statement.
  
  o Optim Move User manual, Definitions, Defining Legacy
  Tables:
    Add the following note after the description of the Encoded
    attribute:
    Note that for the Legacy Table to be correctly used when
    Encoded Yes the Legacy Data Encoding Site Option needs to be
    set to Yes.
    Add the following definition of the CCSID value for Legacy
    Table definitions:
    CCSID
    Defines the default SBCS or MBCS CCSID, and indirectly the
    DBCS CCSID, of the character type columns in the table.
    For Unicode this value should be specified as 1208 (UTF-8) and
    this will allow for UTF-16, as well. While this is the default
    data CCSID each of the tables columns may specify an
    overriding CCSID.
    Add definition of the GRA(PHIC) data type:
    GRA Graphic character (DBCS or Unicode UTF-16)
    Add clarification of the Len value:
    The value is expressed in bytes for non-GRAPHIC type columns.
    For GRAPHIC (DBCS or Unicode UTF-16) the length is expressed
    in the number of the double-byte characters.
  
  o Optim Common Elements manual, Options, Legacy Options, will be
  updated with the description of the new COBOL NSYMBOL option.
  See above for the description.
  
  o Optim Customization Guide, Customizing the Site Options, will
  be updated with the description of the new COBOL NSYMBOL option.
  See above for the description.
  

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:

Modules/Macros

• FOP00003 FOP00103 FOP00203 FOP00303 FOP00B   FOP01B   FOP05B
  FOP07B   FOP08B   FOP09B   FOP0AB   FOP0BB   FOP0ITKA FOP1ODRV
  FOP1OSFN FOP3DTPR FOP4IPMN FOP4PEMN FOP4PMMN FOP4TRCE FOP9APIM
  FOP9GINF FOPCFPMN FOPCXLIB FOPHSTM  FOPIO    FOPLUA   FOPLUAC
  FOPLUAD  FOPMADDE FOPMAFCN FOPMAIN  FOPMAMAI FOPMARCN FOPMCBMN
  FOPMCDRT FOPMCENU FOPMCMAI FOPMCMMN FOPMCOFN FOPMCOLA FOPMCOLP
  FOPMDBMN FOPMDDDL FOPMDMAI FOPMDPRC FOPMDXTR FOPMECMN FOPMEMAI
  FOPMIXMM FOPMMCMN FOPMMCMR FOPMMJBS FOPMMUNU FOPMMUTL FOPMSELM
  FOPMTMDB FOPMUXIM FOPODPP  FOPOMN   FOPRS10  FOPT0P60 FOPTOP43
  FOPUMCBT FOPUUNLD FOPVOU   FOPZFBMN FOPZFMMN FOPZMAIN FOPZSUB
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  OPTIM MOVE FOR

• Fixed component ID

  5655V0700

Applicable component levels

• RB70 PSY UI76841

     UP21/08/21 P F108  

Fix is available

• Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.