Re: [open-cobol-list] Cobcurses installation problem.

[John Culleton]

On Sunday 30 December 2007 12:04:51 pm Alain wrote:
> On Sun, 30 Dec 2007 09:32:02 -0500
>
> John Culleton <address@hidden> wrote:
> > On Wednesday 26 December 2007 02:23:50 pm Alain wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > Seeing that you have no answer, my halph-penny contribution ;-)
> > >
> > > On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 09:42:25 -0500
> > > John Culleton <address@hidden> wrote:
> > >
> > > (snip)
> > >
> > > >   10  SCR-0015 PIC X(023)
> > > >       VALUE "
> > > >       3.Author:".
> > >
> > > As, like me, you use the free syntax, you should know that in cobol
> > > free syntax, a line is, seem to me, 255 c of length. What can done a
> > > line withe 'VALUE "'
> > > and an other with '3.author:"'
> > >
> > > Cobol is a beautifull langage, but like other has is syntax, so you
> > > should try to put that on a single line, like 10  SCR-0015 PIC X(023)  
> > >     VALUE "3.Author:".
> > >
> > > or, at less, if you really want to write this on TRHEE LINES,
> > >
> > >    10  SCR-0015 PIC X(023)
> > >        VALUE
> > >        "3.Author:".
> > >
> > > Else, try to use PYTHON !
> > >
> > > > The error message refers to the fact that AUTHOR is not in COBOL
> > > > 2002. There are lots of such literals so I hesitate to debug by
> > > > putting everything on one
> > >
> > > Have you done that ? and what was the result ?
> > >
> > > > line.  In legacy layout one would use a "-" in column 7 but of course
> > > > this is
> > >
> > > In legacy format (I have used 30 years, because no other, you have
> > > about 65 chars per line (72-7) ... in free format you have 255 !!!
> > >
> > > > in free form.  The Makefile generates this error message:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > cobc -c -Wall -Wno-call-params  -std=cobol2002 -I../copybk -free
> > > > sd002010.cob -o sd002010.o
> > > > SD002010-WS.cbl:36: Error: Author does not conform to COBOL 2002
> > >
> > > Sure, with your first '"' displacead, the compilator is lost
> > > but you can try to write else or use an other flavour.
> > >
> > > (snip)
> > >
> > > > Does anyone have experience with cobcurses? Is it worth the trouble?
> > > > I have Slackware 12 Linux.   My OC alternatives are to try some sort
> > > > of cgi interface, or Tcl/Tk, or whatever.
> > >
> > > No I've not, at this time, but I try that as soon as possible, when I
> > > have resolved the probles I have now, seeming that O-C-1.0 use 64 bits
> > > chars ???
> > >
> > > > --
> > > > John Culleton
> > >
> > > best regards,
> >
> > The code example was not of my making but part of the cobcurses package.
> > I use lagacy layout and would continue a long literal with "-" in column
> > 7 as I stated before.  The difficulty lies in the use of tab characters
> > in the long literal, which can be expanded unexpectedly at compile time
> > causing the overflow.
> >
> > As stated before there are many such long literals in cobcurses and I am
> > not about to try to rewrite the package. Tiny with a screen section may
> > be an orphan but it is a healthy orphan.  I'll either use that or a cgi
> > interface.
> >
> > Thanks to all that responded.
> > --
> > John Culleton
>
> Hello John,
>
> As soon as possible (when I have resolved my own problems) I try to use
> cobcurses wich seem have more have my own interface, also curses based :
> the colors ! But it seem very complicated and, at less, I can rob some
> ideas ^-) For the time I know free format (by Tiny) i can't understand for
> what someones always use legacy and the continuation is one of the best
> problems, but you are FREE to use the format you want.
>
> You are also free to use what you want : Tiny (I have tried it some time
> ago) or O-C but CHOOSE one and works with it ! But a question : do you know
> cobol ? or just learn it or have a job (translation from a main frame to
> Linux or other) to do ? Most of the persons writing free cobols compiler
> don't well know cobol (Keisuke first) but FORTUNALY well know C and some
> ears what can said a cobol programer. As I'm one of the "dispappearing
> kind" I must said that something like 'VALUE "' on one line and
> 'xyz"' on other line
> in any (legacy or free) syntax seems to absolutly aberrant.
>
> Perhaps I can a little help you (personal mail).
>
> Regards,

Thanks for your kind offer. I haven't used COBOL that much in recent years. 
The last compiler I used regularly was Ryan McFarland Cobol on Radio Shack 
16b and 6000 equipment in the early 1980s.  I began with  IBM DOS (mainframe) 
COBOL in 1968. I also used COBOL on Honeywell 200 series, Hewlett Packard 
2000 series, IBM AS 400 series, Univac 1108 etc.  Each of these except the 
first had some sort of terminal interface extension, usually proprietary.  
Unfortunately as I age I forget what I once knew well.  And I threw out most 
of my manuals and source code 20 years ago.  

Along about 1970 I wrote a response to an article in Business Automation 
magazine titled "Can COBOL Cope?" Both the article and my letter of response 
were indexed that year as significant publications. 

I twice shook hands with Lt. Cmdr. Grace Murray Hopper, who called 
herself "Grandma COBOL."  When I saw (on television) the late Admiral Hopper 
wheeled on board the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor with sideboys in 
ancient three corner hats given the command "Hats off, The Admiral is coming 
aboard" my eyes were somewhat damp.  But I digress...

-- 
John Culleton