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Select a specific focus area below to learn more about isCOBOL APS:

isCOBOL Compiler	100% portable COBOL compiler supporting the latest ANSI standards and common legacy dialects; includes support for Object Oriented COBOL, Unicode, JavaBean graphical controls and automatic translation of ESQL to JDBC
isCOBOL IDE	Integrated, graphical and flexible environment for key COBOL development tasks
isCOBOL Runtime Environment	Run applications on any device supporting the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) -- from mainframes to mobile phones
isCOBOL Debugger	100% portable, graphical source-level debugger that includes support for remote debugging
isCOBOL Server	High performance, multithreaded thin client and distributed processing
RDBMS Access and ESQL	Access popular databases such as Oracle, DB2, MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server via JDBC by leveraging your own ESQL statements or by automatically translating COBOL file I/O verbs into embedded SQL
ISAM Options	Highly-available and highly-portable ISAM file system options, including isCOBOL ISAM Server and isCOBOL JISAM
ISAM ODBC Access	Easy access to COBOL data files from Windows applications
isCOBOL Web Direct	Leverage AJAX technology to deploy fully-interactive Web 2.0 COBOL programs without changing basic application code structure

1

Platform-independent programming

• 100% portable COBOL Compiler, written 100% in Java
• Compliant with ANSI standards, supporting modern and legacy COBOL dialects
• Object-orientated; includes native support for Unicode and JavaBean graphical controls
• Automatically translates ESQL to JDBC
• Provides flexible access to Indexed file systems and RDBMS sources, as well as simultaneous access to both sources from a single program

The isCOBOL Compiler allows developers to continue developing in a familiar COBOL environment, then deploy on any platform supporting the Java Virtual Machine. By eliminating the need to maintain different code bases for different operating environments, software development is simplified and productivity is enhanced, making your organization more nimble and responsive to market requests. The isCOBOL Compiler is a platform agnostic, ANSI-compliant COBOL compiler that generates object-orientated code which efficiently runs on any platform that supports a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version 1.4.2 or greater. The isCOBOL Compiler is written in 100% pure Java. This means one compiler can be used to develop, deploy and test on a wealth of platforms including AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows and mainframe systems.

It is not necessary for developers to be familiar with Java technology in order to work with the isCOBOL Compiler. All development and debug processes are performed using COBOL. The isCOBOL Compiler is compatible with ANSI 85 COBOL standards and includes support for several COBOL-2002 extensions, including Object-Orientation and Unicode. The isCOBOL Compiler supports modern COBOL dialects, JavaBeans graphical controls, as well as common elements of legacy COBOL dialects that are typically found in real-world application code. In an isCOBOL APS environment, developers continue programming in COBOL and feed programs to the isCOBOL Compiler when appropriate. The isCOBOL Compiler translates COBOL source code into Java classes that are then executed with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). These Java classes can run as stand alone programs or be further integrated with other enterprise applications. This compilation process is transparent to developers.

A two-step process is followed once the isCOBOL Compiler receives source code:

1. The compiler translates the COBOL source code into intermediate Java source code.
   
2. These intermediate files are then fed into the Java compiler which produces Java bytecode objects which can be executed with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
   
   Note: although the Java source code created in step 1 is temporary intermediate output, it can be compiled it with a special “-jj” option if an organization desired to retain this code.

The isCOBOL compiler outputs Java bytecode instead of pseudo code objects. After compilation is complete, the COBOL programs are Java classes (i.e. .class files), and can be used by other Java classes without regard for the fact that they were originally written in COBOL. In terms of data access and flexibility, isCOBOL takes ‘straightforward’ to a new level. isCOBOL is designed to utilize both Indexed Sequential (ISAM) file systems and relational databases.

By offering automatic translation of ESQL to JDBC and an isCOBOL ESQL Generator, developers working with isCOBOL APS can transition data to another ISAM file system or JDBC-compliant relational database without source code changes and without changing the behavior of an application. At the individual program level, COBOL file statements or embedded SQL (ESQL) can be used interchangeably, opening the door to any combination of supported file systems and database access within the same application. Also included with the isCOBOL Compiler are key utilities to simplify development and interoperability:

• isMigrate converts ISAM files from one format to another.
• XML2WRK enables interoperability with XML objects. This utility opens an xml file and creates the corresponding record definition to be used with an XMLStream.
• isCONFIG converts COBOL runtime configuration files to isCOBOL configuration filess.

3

Take 'Write Once, Run Anywhere' to a new level

• Enables true portability and simplified software deployments; written 100% in Java
• Makes efficient use of today's multi-threaded, multi-core systems
• Delivers high throughput computing at a good value by including a debugger, thin client and distributed processing capabilities as well as two ISAM file systems for no additional fee

Written 100% in Java, the isCOBOL Runtime Environment enables applications to able to run on any device supporting a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) -- from mainframes to mobile phones -- and this includes application logic, user interface, and data access.

All that is required to execute compiled isCOBOL programs is the isCOBOL Runtime Library and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). The isCOBOL Runtime Library is a single file that implements COBOL verbs and library routines. Since both components are written entirely in the Java platform, deployment and distribution options are simplified and the resulting application code is extremely portable. Unlike other COBOL alternatives that may charge separately for functionality such as thin client and distributed processing, the isCOBOL Runtime Environment includes all of the following components:

• isCOBOL Debugger
• isCOBOL Server
• isCOBOL ISAM Server and isCOBOL JISAM file systems

4

Portable, graphical COBOL source-level debugging

• Eliminates the need to use a different debugger for every deployment platform; written 100% in Java
• Enables three primary code views for comprehensive analysis
• Includes support for remote debugging

Written 100% in Java, the isCOBOL Debugger provides graphical, COBOL source level debugging and runs on any supported platform on which the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.4.2 or later is available, including UNIX, Linux and Windows. The isCOBOL Debugger is included with the isCOBOL Runtime Library so there is no need to purchase a different debugger for every operating system an organization plans to deploy on.

The isCOBOL Debugger works directly in COBOL source, so it is not necessary for developers to know Java to leverage this tool. From the isCOBOL Debugger, developers can perform activities such as trace-file writing, loading and unloading sessions, executing instructions, searching for text and setting breakpoints. The debugger window provides three primary code views:

• The source code window enables source code viewing
• The command window allows developers to view all executed commands and messages, as well as insert commands
• The info window displays the execution stack, variables to monitor and the breakpoint list

These debugger windows can be resized as desired and commands can be issued using the command-line, menu items or via toolbar buttons. There is also a toolbar that allows to execute quickly the most common tasks and to visualize the amount of actual used memory. Remote debugging can also be used to debug programs that are executed on a server. In this case, programs would need to be compiled with a ‘-d’ option, then accessed from a client machine that has the appropriate source files running on it.

5

Powerful thin client and distributed processing

• Delivers 100% portability by supporting any platform that runs the Java Virtual Machine
• Eliminates the need to maintain separate user interface code for different deployment platforms
• Offers bi-directional processing -- clients can start programs on the server and vice-versa
• Takes advantage of today's multi-threaded, multi-core technology
• Delivers advanced thin client and distributed processing functionality at a good value because these features are included in isCOBOL Runtime Environment

isCOBOL APS delivers a choice of deployment architectures without complex implementation requirements. isCOBOL programs can run locally or be distributed from a server with isCOBOL Server, simplifying distribution steps and improving time-to-market for key applications. With isCOBOL Server, applications are easily distributed to take full advantage of today’s multi-threaded processing capabilities on a variety of platforms including UNIX, Linux and Windows. Since isCOBOL APS is Java based, developers leverage the same GUI, regardless if the client is Windows, UNIX, Mac, handheld, etc. The user interface and all of its program functionality developed in isCOBOL APS will work the same whether the application is deployed locally or distributed across a network -- simplifying development and maintenance.

isCOBOL Server provides a thin client that can be automatically downloaded and run as a standalone Java program. isCOBOL Server runs the application on the server machine with just the user interface running on the client. When running with a thin client, the user interface is identical with what is seen when running locally. In other words, the thin client user interface supports every window and graphical control type, style and property, as well as all text-based elements. There are no differences in the user interface when running locally verses thin client and developers do not need to “program to” or “design for” isCOBOL Server software's thin client capabilities. Once a user interface is working as desired in local mode it can then be deployed in thin client mode with complete confidence that there will be no differences across platforms. isCOBOL Server is multit-hreaded utilizes true processing threads, not emulated threads. With isCOBOL Server each program runs in a separate thread, not a separate process on the server; COBOL programs can start multiple threads and multi-task. This means that it consumes far less resources on the server and has a much faster startup response time for the end-user, conserving system memory and saving valuable CPU cycles. In addition, isCOBOL is bidirectional, so server applications can call programs on a client and client programs can call programs on the server. isCOBOL Server provides high value both by conserving valuable system and network resources and by including thin client and distributed processing capabilities into the base runtime environment.

isCOBOL Server makes the deployment process smoother because an application is loaded only on the server. Nothing is needed on the client side, except an isCOBOL runtime itself. isCOBOL Server handles the connection process between users and data: it creates one session for each user, identifies it, retrieves all necessary information, processes it and finally shows it on the client.

6

Simple, flexible data access

• Use existing ESQL COBOL source code or easily convert COBOL file I/O verbs to embedded SQL source code to move from ISAM to a RDBMS
• No need to relink runtime libraries or implement an additional layer between an application and database driver such as Pro*COBOL
• No database-specific pre-compilation step required
• Access popular RDBMS environments such as Oracle and DB2 through a mature JDBC method

isCOBOL APS has been designed to let developers focus on application coding without having to worry about what particular data storage solution will be chosen in deployment. The isCOBOL APS environment offers numerous options for Indexed and relational database management systems (RDBMS) files. Both these data sources can coexist in the same isCOBOL program, enabling truly dynamic application deployments.

RDBMS options for isCOBOL APS include popular databases such as Oracle, DB2, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server and DBMaker. With isCOBOL APS, no database-specific pre-compilation is required, plus the same executable can be leveraged for any supported RDBMS, fostering smooth transitions to new data sources when desired. Developers have the flexibility to either leverage a plug-in style approach to data access or to write their own ESQL statements with isCOBOL APS. Databases can be accessed with COBOL file I/O verb statements or through embedded SQL (ESQL) using the isCOBOL Compiler and/or isCOBOL ESQL Generator:

• isCOBOL Compiler
  The isCOBOL Compiler supports the inclusion of ESQL statements in isCOBOL source code. With the isCOBOL Compiler, no database-specific pre-compilation is required. The isCOBOL Compiler recognizes ESQL and translates it into Java source code, which then directly interfaces with JDBC. This approach offers the advantage of open access to the COBOL/ESQL source code which becomes part of an application.
  
  With the isCOBOL Compiler, developers only need to get the JDBC driver for a specific database and specify this in the config file. The interface to the database (i.e. the JDBC driver) is provided by and supported by the database vendor, and there is no need to relink runtime libraries. JDBC drivers provide a robust and mature method of accessing popular relational databases such as Oracle and DB2.
  
  
• isCOBOL ESQL Generator
  The isCOBOL ESQL Generator is a Rapid Application Development (RAD) tool that reads a specified COBOL file description from existing COBOL source files and generates an isCOBOL file system interface implemented with ESQL in COBOL.
  
  If an organization wants to move from ISAM to an RDBMS such as Oracle or MySQL, the isCOBOL ESQL Generator can be used to generate an isCOBOL file system interface implemented with embedded SQL in COBOL. When an isCOBOL APS program is run, COBOL file I/O operations are routed through the generated COBOL/ESQL interface which talks to the RDBMS through the JDBC driver provided by the database vendor. There is no need to change the COBOL source code or to learn ESQL.
  
  This method often proves better than implementing middleware interfaces which gain access through a proprietary C interface or other layer and can hinder performance and potentially cause confusion during RDBMS support calls. The isCOBOL ESQL Generator enables open access to the COBOL/ESQL source code which becomes part of an application. With the isCOBOL ESQL Generator there is no need to relink runtime libraries or implement an additional layer between your application and the database driver.

Veryant developers have also applied their expertise to recognize and optimize ESQL for Oracle so that it is unnecessary to use Pro*COBOL. isCOBOL turns ESQL into calls to the JDBC driver from Oracle. This eliminates the extra C API layer and the requirement to dynamically load or relink the runtime with special libraries provided by Oracle.

7

Simple, flexible data access

isCOBOL APS has been designed to let developers focus on application coding without having to worry about what particular data storage solution will be chosen in deployment. Two ISAM file system options exist for isCOBOL APS users, depending on deployment requirements. For highly-available distributed environments, isCOBOL ISAM Server offers a scalable, transactional environment that includes a SQL interface option. For portable, compact devices such as handheld systems, the 100% Java-based isCOBL JISAM file system is also available.

isCOBOL ISAM Server
isCOBOL ISAM Server provides a high capacity, scalable, transactional, client/server indexed file system that can be used as a local or remote client/server file-server.

Key details:

• Written in C/C++, available on Windows, Aix4, Aix5-32, Aix5-64, HP-UX, Linux, macosx, sco, soli386, solsparc-32
• Full transaction support and memory file support
• Includes ODBC driver for Windows
• Supports live backup
• Includes several feature-rich management utilities such as ISMIGRATE
• Based on high performance, multi-threaded Faircom technologies

Technical characteristics:

• Maximum file size: 16,700,000 terabytes (16 Exabytes)
• Maximum number of keys: no limit
• Maximum number of records: no limit
• Maximum key length: no limit
• Maximum number of segments per key: 16
• Maximum fixed record length: 65,535 bytes
• Maximum variable record length: 16,700,000 terabytes (16 Exabytes)

isCOBOL JISAM
isCOBOL JISAM is a Java-based index file system. Written completely in Java, isCOBOL JISAM works on a range of Java-compatible platforms from mainframes down to handheld devices and includes the ‘JUTIL’ utility for basic file management.

Key details:

• Supplied with isCOBOL APS
• Written entirely in Java, so it runs anywhere, even on a mobile phone
• Utility (‘JUTIL’) provided for basic file management
• Utility (‘ISMIGRATE’) provided for one-step migration of data files from other data sources

Technical characteristics:

• Maximum file size: 2GB
• Maximum number of keys: no limit
• Maximum number of records: no limit
• Maximum key length: 256 bytes
• Maximum number of segments per key: 8
• Maximum record length: 32,767 bytes

8

Robust ODBC driver for isCOBOL ISAM Server

Based on Microsoft's Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard, isCOBOL ISAM ODBC provides a ODBC driver for isCOBOL ISAM server that enables easy access to COBOL data files from popular Microsoft Windows applications.

isCOBOL ISAM ODBC enables developers to retrieve and update isCOBOL ISAM Server indexed data files from many Windows-based applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, MS Query, Visual Basic, and Crystal Reports. These applications can access data files whether they reside on the same Windows PC, on a different computer in an enterprise network, or on a UNIX or Windows server in a client/server configuration. 

9

The COBOL Web 2.0 solution

• Leverages AJAX technology to deploy zero-client COBOL interface applications for the Web
• Produces fully-interactive online applications (similar to desktop environments) able to utilize secure transport such as https
• Requires no knowledge of JavaScript, HTML or other Web languages to implement

Leveraging AJAX technology, isCOBOL Web Direct enables the deployment of fully-interactive COBOL programs for the Web without changing basic application structure. Unlike typical web applications that reload a HTML page everytime an enduser request is made, isCOBOL Web Direct generates a fully interactive Web page in which every element of the user interface can communicate with the back end. Interacting with isCOBOL Web Direct applications feels more like a standalone desktop application than a standard Web application. Most CGI, Web Services or other stateless web programming options split an application into single-task, self-contained services or CGI scripts. Clicking links on such pages typically cause the entire page to refresh and feels like a "heavy" enduser operation. With isCOBOL Web Direct, pages can often be dynamically updated, enabling faster response times to enduser interaction.

isCOBOL Web Direct enables a Rich Client interface, similar to a desktop program, by making available to programmers graphical controls such as the following:

Floating Window Label Entry Field Push Button Radio Button Check Box

List Box Combo Box Bitmap Accordion Tab Grid Chart

Tree View Menu Transition Expandible Date Entry

isCOBOL Web Direct enables a universal client front-end, requiring no Active-X or Java to be installed, nothing to be downloaded, no waiting, and no client-side deployment.

isCOBOL Web Direct utilizes Ajax technology so your COBOL program structure stays the same. A COBOL programmer replaces user interface ACCEPT and DISPLAY logic with event-driven object oriented COBOL that works with the isCOBOL Web Direct Java library. No knowledge of JavaScript, HTML or other web languages is required.