About this book

This guide contains reference information for the COBOL version of Open ClientConnect Client-Library.

NoteThe Open ClientConnect Client-Library is a subset of the generic Sybase® Client-Library.

Audience

This book is a reference manual for mainframe programmers who write client applications in the COBOL programming language using Open ClientConnect Client-Library.

This manual assumes that the programmer is familiar with the COBOL programming language and knows how to write programs under either CICS or IMS TM. This book does not contain instructions for writing COBOL programs. Rather, it describes the functions that can be called within your COBOL programs to enable them to communicate with remote servers.

How to use this book

This book includes the following chapters:

Product name changes

The following table describes new names for products in the 15.0 release of the Mainframe Connect Integrated Product Set.

Old product names

New product name

  • Open ClientConnect for CICS

  • Open ClientCONNECT for CICS

Mainframe Connect Client Option for CICS

  • Open ClientConnect for IMS and MVS

  • Open ClientCONNECT for IMS and MVS

Mainframe Connect Client Option for IMS and MVS

  • Open ServerConnect for CICS

  • Open ServerCONNECT for CICS

Mainframe Connect Server Option for CICS

  • Open ServerConnect for IMS and MVS

  • Open ServerCONNECT for IMS and MVS

Mainframe Connect Server Option for IMS and MVS

  • Mainframe Connect for DB2 UDB

  • MainframeCONNECT for DB2/MVS-CICS

Mainframe Connect DB2 UDB Option for CICS

  • DirectConnect for OS/390

  • DirectCONNECT for DB2/MVS

DirectConnect for z/OS

The old product names are used throughout this book, except for on the title page.

NoteThis book also uses the terms MVS and OS/390 where the newer term z/OS would otherwise be used.

Related documents

The documentation set consists of:

Other sources of information

Use the Sybase Getting Started CD, the SyBooks CD, and the Sybase Product Manuals Web site to learn more about your product:

Sybase certifications on the Web

Technical documentation at the Sybase Web site is updated frequently.

StepsFinding the latest information on product certifications

  1. Point your Web browser to Technical Documents.

  2. Click Certification Report.

  3. In the Certification Report filter select a product, platform, and timeframe and then click Go.

  4. Click a Certification Report title to display the report.

StepsFinding the latest information on component certifications

  1. Point your Web browser to Availability and Certification Reports.

  2. Either select the product family and product under Search by Base Product; or select the platform and product under Search by Platform.

  3. Select Search to display the availability and certification report for the selection.

StepsCreating a personalized view of the Sybase Web site (including support pages)

Set up a MySybase profile. MySybase is a free service that allows you to create a personalized view of Sybase Web pages.

  1. Point your Web browser to Technical Documents.

  2. Click MySybase and create a MySybase profile.

Sybase EBFs and software maintenance

StepsFinding the latest information on EBFs and software maintenance

  1. Point your Web browser to the Sybase Support Page.

  2. Select EBFs/Maintenance. If prompted, enter your MySybase user name and password.

  3. Select a product.

  4. Specify a time frame and click Go. A list of EBF/Maintenance releases is displayed.

    Padlock icons indicate that you do not have download authorization for certain EBF/Maintenance releases because you are not registered as a Technical Support Contact. If you have not registered, but have valid information provided by your Sybase representative or through your support contract, click Edit Roles to add the “Technical Support Contact” role to your MySybase profile.

  5. Click the Info icon to display the EBF/Maintenance report, or click the product description to download the software.

Conventions

This section describes the syntax and style conventions used in this book.

NoteThroughout this book, all references to Adaptive Server® Enterprise also apply to its predecessor, SQL Server. Also, Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) and Adaptive Server (AS) are used interchangeably.

The Client Option uses eight-character function names, while other versions of Client-Library use longer names. This book uses the long version of Client-Library names with one exception: the eight-character version is used in syntax statements. For example, CTBCMDPROPS has eleven letters. In the syntax statement, it is written CTBCMDPR, using eight characters. You can use either version in your code.

Table 1 explains syntax conventions used in this book.

Table 1: Syntax conventions

Symbol

Explanation

( )

Parentheses indicate that parentheses are included as part of the command.

{ }

Braces indicate that you must choose at least one of the enclosed options. Do not type the braces when you type the option.

[ ]

Brackets indicate that you can choose one or more of the enclosed options, or none. Do not type the brackets when you type the options.

|

The vertical bar indicates that you can select only one of the options shown. Do not type the bar in your command.

,

The comma indicates that you can choose one or more of the options shown. Separate each choice by using a comma as part of the command.

Table 2 explains style conventions used in this book.

Table 2: Style conventions

This type of information

Looks like this

Gateway-Library function names

TDINIT, TDRESULT

Client-Library function names

CTBINIT, CTBRESULTS

Other executables (DB-Library routines, SQL commands) in text

the dbrpcparam routine, a select statement

Directory names, path names, and file names

/usr/bin directory, interfaces file

Variables

n bytes

Adaptive Server datatypes

datetime, float

Sample code

01 BUFFER PIC S9(9) COMP SYNC. 01 BUFFER PIC X(n).

User input

01 BUFFER PIC X(n)

Client-Library and Gateway-Library function argument names

BUFFER, RETCODE

Client-Library function arguments that are input (I) or output (O)

COMMAND – (I) RETCODE – (O)

Names of objects stored on the mainframe

SYCTSAA5

Symbolic values used with function arguments, properties, and structure fields

CS-UNUSED, FMT-NAME, CS-SV-FATAL

Client-Library property names

CS-PASSWORD, CS-USERNAME

Client-Library and Gateway-Library datatypes

CS-CHAR, TDSCHAR

All other names and terms appear in this typeface.

Accessibility features

This document is available in an HTML version that is specialized for accessibility. You can navigate the HTML with an adaptive technology such as a screen reader, or view it with a screen enlarger.

The HTML documentation has been tested for compliance with U.S. government Section 508 Accessibility requirements. Documents that comply with Section 508 generally also meet non-U.S. accessibility guidelines, such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) guidelines for Web sites.

NoteYou might need to configure your accessibility tool for optimal use. Some screen readers pronounce text based on its case; for example, they pronounce ALL UPPERCASE TEXT as initials, and MixedCase Text as words. You might find it helpful to configure your tool to announce syntax conventions. Consult the documentation for your tool.

For information about how Sybase supports accessibility, see Sybase Accessibility. The Sybase Accessibility site includes links to information on Section 508 and W3C standards.

If you need help

Each Sybase installation that has purchased a support contract has one or more designated people who are authorized to contact Sybase Technical Support. If you cannot resolve a problem using the manuals or online help, please have the designated person contact Sybase Technical Support or the Sybase subsidiary in your area