KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q183181: COBOL PIC X(32768) or Larger Causes an Error

Article: Q183181
Product(s): Microsoft SNA Server
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 07-APR-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS, version 1.0, used with:
   - Microsoft SNA Server, version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When a string parameter is declared so that the COBOL length is greater than PIC
X(32767) (which is 32,767 bytes), various problems can occur and you may see one
of the following symptoms:

  Out of Memory Error is returned to the Visual Basic program

  -or-

  Component Builder shows a COBOL data type that is extremely large

CAUSE
=====

The Component Builder parses the COBOL using a short integer to read the size of
strings and FILLER. Thus, any size greater than 32,767 bytes will produce
erroneous results. As an example, any host data element that has a size greater
than 32,767 bytes is imported with the wrong size specified in the COBOL Data
Type property for that parameter.

WORKAROUND
==========

This is only a problem when importing COBOL. It does not occur when manually
describing an interface. To work around the problem, import the COBOL, identify
the size fields that are larger than 32,767 bytes, and manually change the
string or FILLER size.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft COM Transaction
Integrator for CICS and IMS version 1.0.

This problem was corrected in the latest SNA Server version 4.0 U.S. Service
Pack. For information on obtaining this Service Pack, query on the following
word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

  " S E R V P A C K " (without the quotation marks)

MORE INFORMATION
================

The first error noted in the SYMPTOMS section of this article occurs when you
create a typelib by importing COBOL that has FILLER PIC X(49951) as the last
input variable selected and you use this typelib for testing with a Visual Basic
(VB) program. An "Out of memory" error is returned to the VB program.
Additionally, COBOL was exported from the typelib for comparison with the
imported COBOL. The following statement has an extremely large and erroneous
value and is included at the bottom of the exported COBOL:

  BYTES THIS PROGRAM RECEIVES...4294951773

The second error noted in the SYMPTOMS section occurs when a PIC X(40000)
variable in the host program is to be used in the interface. After importing
COBOL, this parameter declaration, which is seen in the Component Builder, shows
a COBOL Data Type of PIC X(4294934528). Again, this is an extremely large and
erroneous value.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbCOMTISearch
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0,4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.