COBOL-Conversions by Computer Support Services, Inc.

SOURCE CODE ANALYSIS

EXPLAIN will accept imported COBOL source code identified by program ID's, DEC COBOL source code, DEC FORMS, FMS, and SMG screen code, and copy book information. Programs may be analyzed as individual entities or multiple programs (identified in the same sequence in which they are executed). Given information for a complete system, EXPLAIN can draw conclusions and report inconsistencies in file naming, file layouts, file sizes, data types, FD and data naming practices. From the Data Division and through recursive analysis of the Procedure Division code, EXPLAIN will build Data Dictionary entries for this and other programs with consistent naming conventions. Copy statements are resolved and that information is included in the analysis as well. Since the host computer, upon which this code runs, EXPLAIN incorporates logic procedures to perform "machine specific" filtration of the incoming code and procedures. These are routines that use LIB$.., SYS$.., and other DEC library routines. These functions are rewritten in COBOL as either in-line COBOL code or a callable subroutine depending on the routine being replaced. As a result, EXPLAIN will transform the program into modules and data information which it needs to build the screens and data dictionaries. The information that is gathered in this phase is also automatically incorporated into the Data Dictionary. It will be used for generation of new FD's, DCLGENS, and other supporting modules for the target machines.

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SCREENS ANALYSIS

A variety of sources can supply the necessary screen information. If it is a screen data entry program that is being converted, the DEC FORMS, FMS, or SMG definitions are used as input into the Screens Analysis Programs. If the program uses some other method of screen processing, the screen analysis program is informed and looks to the source code for screen definition. Other systems can provide similar information that is used to describe screen requirements to the Screens Dictionary. By using these maps and forms, a duplicate data entry screen is provided to the user of the re-engineered code. This also provides the installation with the opportunity to make modifications and updates to the screen, or revise it to new installation standards. Text data can be changed, the layout of items changed and data sizes expanded. The changes will automatically be incorporated into the new code that is build during the EXPLAIN code building operation.

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FILE ANALYSIS

EXPLAIN analysis the programs, VAX DBMS Data Base DDL, RDBMS, FMS information, and any other source of file information available. From this analysis a variety of reports are prepared to allow the user to have a total evaluation of file structures in the system being ported. From this information the user can apply standard naming convention, identify data inconstancies in size and type, and determine modifications to the data structure that will optimize performance on the new platform. The exchange feature of the EXPLAIN system can be used to apply the improvements as new code is build.

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ANALYSIS REPORTS

The Source Code Analysis subsystem provides printed reports for each program analyzed. The converted system is accurate re-documentation to provide the user with complete new program and system documentation. In most cases the documentation is better than any previous documentation of the programs and the system. Reports are generated that provides related analysis information as viewed from all the programs in the system. A selection of reports are available that provide detailed analysis information in various useful groupings.

Some of the topics covered by the reports are:

Where used report of all Copy Books

Where used report of all call subroutines and what the subroutines do

Analysis of data base information and data base structures

Analysis of each program identifying non-standard code and unique

COBOL language program extensions

Callable subprogram exchanges between machine brands

Data definition differences in size and type definitions

Data Base analysis and incompatibilities conditions with the new system

System wide key word usage of request key words

System wide usage summary of data items

System wide usage summary of common code and paragraph names

System wide 'How Used' report of data items

System wide tracking of data fields cause and effects

Screen samples and evaluation report

System wide 'Dead Code' report

Abstract analysis of events on data fields

Data Base relationship reports between Sets, Areas, and Records

Reporting of all changes made to the code by the EXPLAIN tools

Report of all files by program and how they are used (Input, I-O, etc.)

Data size conflicts between fields in MOVEs and other operations

Data format conflicts between fields used in various COBOL operations

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DIRECT CONVERSION

It is possible to convert a program from one machine with one operating system to another machine with a different operating system. The new program will be identical in structure to the original program as it was analyzed. The same paragraph names and naming conventions will be used when they do not conflict with installation standards or the target machine standards. Notes and comments from the original program are incorporated in the new program. When changes are made to the code a comment is inserted to explain the change. The new code is generated with a standard format and layout with consistent form for indentation and alignment to code.

The importance of this approach is to migrate programs to the new machine with as few code changes as possible. When the programs are on the new machine, the code will be ordered and function the same as in the original program on the old host machine under the previous operating system.

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