Customizing for processing COBOL copybooks

To use the view, edit, copy, print, or data create functions with a COBOL copybook, you need to make a COBOL compiler available to File Manager.

This functionality requires ADATA, therefore the COBOL compiler must have the ADATA capability. COBOL compilers such as VS COBOL II, and OS/COBOL, which do not support ADATA, cannot be used. All currently supported versions of IBM® Enterprise COBOL for z/OS® and OS/390® provide this support, and can therefore be used.

File Manager also provides two internal versions of the COBOL compiler, for use in preference to a supported COBOL compiler, or when a supported COBOL compiler is not available, (for example, if you are using File Manager in a production environment, where the COBOL compiler is not used). These compilers are installed into FMN.SFMNMOD1, if you installed File Manager into the default libraries, with load modules named FMN8xxxx or FMN9xxxx. (The File Manager COBOL compilers are reduced-function compilers and cannot be used to generate executable COBOL programs.)

The File Manager COBOL compiler to be used is selected with the ALTCOB option. See Available COBOL compilers for details.

File Manager will use its own COBOL compiler when a supported COBOL compiler cannot be accessed, or when it encounters this DD statement for FMNCOB:

//FMNCOB DD DUMMY

Normally, if a supported COBOL compiler is found, this will be used. If a supported COBOL compiler cannot be found then the File Manager COBOL compiler will be used.

However, on occasions, even if a supported COBOL compiler is available, you might want to use the File Manager COBOL compiler, for example, if you are asked to do so by IBM® support.

For information about using a supported COBOL compiler, see Using a supported COBOL compiler. For more information about using the File Manager internal COBOL compilers, see Using the File Manager COBOL compiler.

Use the SHOWCOB command to check whether File Manager is using one of its internal COBOL compilers or another compiler.

In batch, submit a File Manager batch job with this control statement:
```
$$FILEM SHOWCOB
```
If a licensed, supported COBOL compiler is available to File Manager, the job output will show:
```
FMN0024I The Customer Licensed COBOL Compiler will be used.
```
If File Manager is using one of its own COBOL compilers, the job output will show:
```
FMN0023I The File Manager supplied COBOL Compiler will be used
```
Under ISPF, enter SHOWCOB on any File Manager command line. If a licensed, supported COBOL compiler is available to File Manager, this message is displayed:
```
Using Licensed COBOL
```
If File Manager is using one of its own COBOL compilers, this message is displayed:
```
The File Manager supplied COBOL Compiler will be used
```

Note: Additional messages will be produced detailing why the File Manager COBOL compiler is being used.

Note that your COBOL compiler must be both licensed and supported. If you are using a licensed, non-supported compiler (for example, a licensed version of VS COBOL II), the message will still be: Using Licensed COBOL but any attempt to compile copybooks will fail.