In previous versions, ACUCOBOL-GT has performed the majority of its arithmetic operations using a 40-digit decimal format (68 digits if using the -Dd31 compiler option). Starting with Version 7.3, ACUCOBOL-GT uses a binary math package as its default. The decimal package remains in place to handle certain high-precision cases and to maintain compatibility with existing programs. Users of ACUCOBOL-GT can choose which package they use: the binary package for enhanced performance or the decimal one for compatibility with prior compilers. Use the decimalMath (or dec) compiler option to use the decimal math format. See Miscellaneous Options in the ACUCOBOL-GT User's Guide for more information about these compiler options.
Prior to Version 7.3, cblutil produced instructions that ran under both POWER and PowerPC architectures when generating PowerPC native code. Starting with Version 7.3, this is no longer true. The reason is that the code generator started using multiply and divide instructions in some important cases, and some of these instructions changed. The existing --ppc compiler option now produces 32-bit PowerPC code that is also compatible with POWER3, POWER4, and POWER5 processors. This code does not run correctly on POWER- or POWER2-based machines. A new --power option produces code that is compatible with POWER and POWER2 processors, as well as PowerPC and later POWER series processors. This code can be significantly slower than code generated with --ppc, but it does run on a wider range of machines. See Native Code Options in the ACUCOBOL-GT User's Guide for more information about native code generation.
Two compilation switches provide compatibility with Version 7.2:
| -C72 | Causes the compiler to generate code according to the rules used by Version 7.2. |
| -Z72 | Creates object code that can be run with a Version 7.2 runtime. |