DataFlux Data Management Studio 2.6: User Guide

COBOL Copybook Node

You can add a COBOL Copybook node to a data job to incorporate flat files from a mainframe environment into a data job. Use this properties dialog first to transcode Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) data to ASCII for processing. Then, you can translate the COBOL data types into real numbers for processing. The properties dialog includes the following elements:

Name - Specifies a name for the node.

Notes - Enables you to open the Notes dialog. You use the dialog to enter optional details or any other relevant information for the input.

The Copybook Sources section of the properties dialog includes the following elements:

Copybook type Displays a drop-down menu that includes the following items:

COPYBOOK - Used when the Copybook type is an actual COBOL Copybook file.

LAYOUT - Used when you want to load a previously saved XML file into the COBOL Copybook node. The Layout XML file is created in the COBOL Copybook Layout Editor.

JOB - Used to load a previously saved XML file into the COBOL Copybook node. This option differs from Layout because the XML file is embedded into the job when it is saved. This copybook type can then be used to offload the job to a DataFlux Data Management Server without supplying the layout file.

ID position - Indicates the starting point (in bytes) for the ID. Count from the beginning of the record using zero as the first position.

ID PIC - Provides a valid COBOL picture clause (description) representing the format of your ID field. For example, PIC X(15) or PIC 9(5) COMP-3.

Note Note: The ID Position and ID PIC fields are active only with multiple copybooks and are required only when you are using Record Match String.

Layout editor - Opens the COBOL Copybook Layout Editor dialog.

Layout Table - Displays information about available layouts. The table includes Source, Record Match String, and Active columns. Note that you can use the Record Match String value to link multiple copybooks to a single data file. The record match string is used only when multiple copybooks are designated in a node. You must associate each unique value in the indicated ID position field to a different Copybook file in the Copybook Properties dialog.

Add - Enables you to add a copybook to the list. You can have multiple copybooks, but only one can be active.

Edit - Enables you to make changes to the settings for a selected copybook.

The Data file section of the node includes the following elements:

File name - Enables you to specify a file directly or click Browse to find and select a file.

Data format - Enables you to transfer files in one of the following data formats:

ASCII - ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a character set based on the English alphabet

EBCDIC - Hexadecimal mainframe character format

Note that all fields less than five characters will default to five characters and will be output from the COBOL node as five characters. If a value under five characters is invalid, it will be output as ERR$$.

Also note that data files that are downloaded from the mainframe need to be transferred in binary form. Downloading files in binary ensures they stay in EBCDIC format and enables the COBOL node to do the translation from EBCDIC to ASCII. Otherwise, the FTP program does the translation, which corrupts the data internally.

Fixed width - When selected, specifies that your data file contains fixed width fields.

Bytes to skip - Specifies the number of characters to skip in the beginning of your data file.

Max rows - Enables you to enter a maximum number or rows to limit the number of rows passed through this node.

The Output fields section of the properties dialog includes the following elements:

Output Fields Table - Displays information about the output fields included in copybook. The table includes the following elements:

Field Name - The Field Name in the COBOL Copybook.

Field Type - The type of data in the field. The Field Type drop-down list contains:

STRING - An ordered sequence of text or symbols

INTEGER - A number from the set of integers

REAL - The set of real numbers expressed as decimals

DATE (MDY) - Date in the order of month, date, and year

DATE (DMY) - Date in the order of date, month, and year

DATE (YMD) - Date in the order of year, month, and date

BOOLEAN - True or false

Field Length - The maximum field length.

Output Name - A user-selected name for the output from the field. You can double-click in the Output Name field and change the output name.

You can click Select to view a list of available fields. You can use the arrow keys to change order of the fields that are displayed. Finally, you can delete fields from the table.

You can access the following advanced properties by right-clicking the COBOL Copybook node:

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