PCO and CBL programs called from an executable

[P***@gmail.com]

I have a oits.exe file that calls the oits.cbl program and oidriver.pco
program. I am working on a web report and the when ran both in Unix
and in the browser, it hangs. After making some changes and trying to
fix it, then I started getting this illegal name error. The output
error is

I/O error : file ''
error code: 9/004 (ANS74), pc=2FA, call=1, seg=0
4 Illegal file name

Without putting the code in this email, what type of statement would
generate this error? ie, a CALL or MOVE. What section? I put in
several DISPLAY statements before the error to verify if they were
running and at which point in the Procedure Division section. Any help
or guidance in the right direction is greatly appreciated.

[William M. Klein]

The error is almost certainly on a COBOL "OPEN" statement.

My *guess* is that the specific run-time is set up to (or only can) handle
"traditional" 8.3 file names (with no special characters) and the file name that
was "fed" to it (don't ask me how) didn't conform to this - or the path length
was too long for this system to handle.
--
Bill Klein
wmklein <at> ix.netcom.com

Post by P***@gmail.com
I have a oits.exe file that calls the oits.cbl program and oidriver.pco
program. I am working on a web report and the when ran both in Unix
and in the browser, it hangs. After making some changes and trying to
fix it, then I started getting this illegal name error. The output
error is
I/O error : file ''
error code: 9/004 (ANS74), pc=2FA, call=1, seg=0
4 Illegal file name
Without putting the code in this email, what type of statement would
generate this error? ie, a CALL or MOVE. What section? I put in
several DISPLAY statements before the error to verify if they were
running and at which point in the Procedure Division section. Any help
or guidance in the right direction is greatly appreciated.

[Wiggy]

Hi.

You've not said which COBOL product you're using here. Regardless of
which product is involved debugging the application would highlight
exactly which statement is showing up the problem, and, indeed, the
filename which is causing the error to occur.

*If* you're using a Micro Focus product, then you can access the product
documentation via the SupportLine site at
http://supportline.microfocus.com -- you require a valid maintenance
contract to get access to this site -- under Self Service, click
Documentation, and follow the links. For reference, the description for
RTS004 is :

"A file-name contains an illegal character. This could be any character
that is not part of the permitted character set or it could be the
system-dependent delimiter, which on most systems is the space."

(apologies if you're not using a Micro Focus product!).

Hope this helps.

SimonT.

[James J. Gavan]

Post by Wiggy
Hi.
You've not said which COBOL product you're using here. Regardless of
which product is involved debugging the application would highlight
exactly which statement is showing up the problem, and, indeed, the
filename which is causing the error to occur.
*If* you're using a Micro Focus product, then you can access the product
documentation via the SupportLine site at
http://supportline.microfocus.com -- you require a valid maintenance
contract to get access to this site -- under Self Service, click
Documentation, and follow the links. For reference, the description for
"A file-name contains an illegal character. This could be any character
that is not part of the permitted character set or it could be the
system-dependent delimiter, which on most systems is the space."
(apologies if you're not using a Micro Focus product!).
Hope this helps.

Hello Wiggy, (I like that moniker :-) )

I didn't jump in because I think he was using Unix. And assuming M/F I'm
guessing he would be getting a 9/xx and translating, using your
extensions to ANSI, giving him the 004. As a thought, and you would
know. Can you have trouble with 'spacey' pathnames/filenames with Unix ?

Example "\Corrosion-Testing\Data\Myfilename.dat"

I've deliberately got the joining hyphen in there to avoid what I knew
could be a potential problem some years back. (I think the
obliques/slashes are right-leaning, rather than left-leaning for Unix
systems ?)

OK, so you've got to sell product Simon, but if he uses this one, can't
he get in for free :-)

http://www.cobolportal.com/microfocusforum/agreement.asp

Jimmy

[Simon Tobias]

Post by James J. Gavan
Hello Wiggy, (I like that moniker :-) )

That stems from my days with long hair...

Post by James J. Gavan
I didn't jump in because I think he was using Unix. And assuming M/F I'm
guessing he would be getting a 9/xx and translating, using your extensions
to ANSI, giving him the 004. As a thought, and you would know. Can you
have trouble with 'spacey' pathnames/filenames with Unix ?
Example "\Corrosion-Testing\Data\Myfilename.dat"
I've deliberately got the joining hyphen in there to avoid what I knew
could be a potential problem some years back. (I think the
obliques/slashes are right-leaning, rather than left-leaning for Unix
systems ?)

No, we don't support spacey filenames within our Server Express product,
and yes, on UNIX, directory delimiters are forward slashes.

Post by James J. Gavan
OK, so you've got to sell product Simon, but if he uses this one, can't he
get in for free :-)
http://www.cobolportal.com/microfocusforum/agreement.asp

I wasn't trying to sell anything actually, though posting on the forum is
always good advice on Micro Focus-related issues.

That and a post from you wouldn't be the same without mentioning it. :-) .

SimonT.