To run a COBOL program under CICS, you can use the separate CICS translator to convert the CICS commands to COBOL statements, and then compile and link the program to create the executable module. However, using the CICS translator that is integrated with Enterprise COBOL is recommended.
To translate CICS statements separately, use the COBOL3 translator option. This option causes the following line to be inserted:
CBL RENT,NODYNAM,LIB
You can suppress the insertion of a CBL statement by using the CICS translator option NOCBLCARD.
CICS provides the translator option ANSI85, which supports the following language features (introduced by Standard COBOL 85):
After you use the separate CICS translator, use the following compiler options when you compile the program:
| Required compiler option | Condition |
|---|---|
| RENT | |
| NODYNAM | The program is translated by the CICS translator. |
| LIB | The program contains a COPY or BASIS statement. |
In addition, IBM recommends that you use the compiler option WORD(CICS) to cause the compiler to flag language elements that are not supported under CICS.
The following TRUNC compiler option recommendations are based on expected values for binary data items:
| Recommended compiler option | Condition |
|---|---|
| TRUNC(OPT) | All binary data items conform to the PICTURE and USAGE clause for those data items. |
| TRUNC(BIN) | Not all binary data items conform to the PICTURE and USAGE clause for those data items. |
For example, if you use the separate CICS translator and have a data item defined as PIC S9(8) BINARY that might receive a value greater than eight digits, use the TRUNC(BIN) compiler option, change the item to USAGE COMP-5, or change the PICTURE clause.
You might also want to avoid using these options, which have no effect:
The input data set for the compiler is the data set that you received as a result of translation, which is SYSPUNCH by default.
related concepts
Integrated CICS translator
related tasks
Compiling with the CICS option