IBM Mainframe Forum

Hello All,

I have to change the current cobol cics online programs as our idms database will be converted db2, would you mind tell me
the steps how to modify our current online cobol programs which access idms? is there some detail rules, or somewhere we can
get a sample for convert the cobol application program,

thank you very much,

Helen

Hello,

What you are about to do is NON-trivial. Depending on how many tables/transactiona/etc this may take years. . .

If your idms environment is using sql and is db2 compliant, it will be a bit smoother converting the code, but if there is a lot of it, it will still take a very long time.

How are your panels defined/maintained today? If all of these need to be converted, this too will take time.

How heavily are the idms applications integreted with each other or other apps?

How much is done in batch that depends on idms tools?

Hopefully, your very senior people have analysed the cost versus the payback for doing this. Some senior management arbitrarily deciding "we'll go to db2" may cost the organization far more that the result is worth.

I do NOT say not to do it - i just caution that there is far more to the conversion that needs to be considered. Is this a political issue rather than a cost (including the conversion) or technical issue? Doesn't need an answer, just that people in your organization understand.

thank Mr. Dick for your useful information,
maybe what I said is not clear, suppose our database group have converted our database from IDMS to DB2, and our panel/map no any changes, I responsible for convert cics online cobol programs, as these programs access IDMS database before, I have to modify them to access DB2 database now,
I think it must have some common steps for the application conversion, I'm not sure if the post should be put into DB2, actually
i need some useful document or suggestion for the conversion,
thanks,

I would say that, first of all, sit down with a very simple transaction and REWRITE it - do not convert it. Then look at the differences between the old and the new and see the differences/similarities are and form a conversion plan from there. Identify all the IDMS calls and how they would be done in DB2 and then develop them using SPUFI.

But before doing that you should discuss what standards apply in your shop. If "none" because this is the first ever DB2 program in your place then you have to define the standards. These have to be defined with your team/project leader, DB2 DBA, rest of your team. This is not a thing that we can tell you as we do not work in your shop.

All this has to be done as a team so that you are all working in the same manner. None of what you have posted should have been posted without first going through the requirement with your team. Your team leader should have made sure that any extra training or refresh would be available.

Then, when you realize how much effort is actually involved, gather all the developers and hunt down the salesperson who sold you out! I find that several swats to the head and shoulders with a COBOL manual does wonders for their technical comprehension.

Hello,

How many programs are to be converted? In which language(s) are these written? Who is to handle the batch processing?

Is this the first db2 application or are there others that have "blazed the trail"?

One of the directors i recently worked with grossly oversimplified a similar requirement by determining that "all they had to to was change the code to use sql - completely clueless that this is just not how it is done. . .

I believe your organization needs much more planning - unless this has already happened and just not made it into your posts. As Nic mentioned, this needs to be done as a team, not by one coder going solo.

thank you very much, anyway,I have a large view for the conversion so far, I participated the conversion work righ now,
so I would like to know more before our meeting, I will ask you more question during our application conversion,
thank you all, I learn a lots from you,
have a nice day!

helen

Hello,

When questions arise, someone will be here.

Good luck

d