UNIX Environment Variables

COB_LIVE_RECORD=[path-name/]file-prefix

path-name

The full path to the location of the .mfr file.

file-prefix

The name of the file prefix, consisting of all characters before the dot (.) and file extension.

Animator can update the information file to record information held between sessions.

COB_LIVE_RECORD_SIZE=mem-size

mem-size

The amount of memory in megabytes (MB) to allocate for events written to the recording file. The range of valid values starts at 67, and extends to a value dependant on your available memory, bitism, etc.

Note: This is not the actual size of the live recording file that is stored on disk, as the event log is compressed when writing to the file.

COB_LIVE_RECORD_SIZE=268

When the limit is reached, the buffer is cycled so that the oldest events are removed to make space for the most recent events.

An adequate range for 32-bit systems is between 500 and 1000.

You might need to experiment to determine the most optimal setting

COB_LIVE_RECORD_SIZE=756

COBAIFNAME=base-name

base-name

The base name of the .aif files.

The .aif file contains details of breakpoints and monitors.

COBANIMOPT=directive-name[:directive-name[...]]

directive-name

A directive to use with Character Animator. Must not be a file name.

COBANIMOPT=MIXEDLANGDEBUG:MULTITHREAD

COBANIMSRV=prog-id

prog-id

An identifier used to identify the program to which Character Animator attaches.

export COBANIMSRV=myid

myid is now a unique identifier that you can use to match Character Animator to a program. Type the command to start Character Animator:

cobanimsrv

The Character Animator waits for a COBOL program to start that has a matching identifier. In another console session:

export COBANIMSRV=myid
cobrun prog1.int

When prog1.int starts, the unique identifier myid matches that of Character Animator; therefore, Character Animator attaches to this process. In console session 1, the Character Animator main screen is displayed and the cursor placed on the first line of prog1.int.

COBATTR={0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7}

0

Provides standard, default behavior.

1

When a COBOL program displays text subject to a HIGHLIGHT clause, the run-time system uses the bold mode. The run-time system uses the default mode for normal text. Specifying dim mode in the terminfo entry for the terminal has no affect. The LOWLIGHT clause has no effect.

2

High and low intensity space characters are not assumed to be the same as normal mode space characters.

3

Behavior is a combination of parameters 1 and 2.

4

Provides compatibility with default behavior of products before COBOL version 3.2.

5

Behavior is a combination of parameters 4 and 1.

6

Behavior is a combination of parameters 4 and 2.

7

Behavior is a combination of parameters 1, 2, and 4.

COBATTR=0

COBATTR=1

COBCONFIG=path-name

path-name

The directory that contains the COBOL configuration file, which tailors the run-time system.

COBCONFIG=/home/mydir/cobconfig

COBCPY=path-name[[:path-name][...]]

path-name

The full path to a directory that the Compiler and Animator are to search when looking for copybook files. When more than one path-name is present, a null path-name represents the current working directory.

COBCPY=%COBCPY%;C:\Program Files (x86)\Micro Focus\Enterprise Developer\cpylib;
   C:\Program Files (x86)\Micro Focus\Enterprise Developer\cpylib\basecl;
   C:\Program Files (x86)\Micro Focus\Enterprise Developer\cpylibguicl;
   C:\Program Files (x86)\Micro Focus\Enterprise Developer\cpylibolecl

The following causes the Compiler to search for a copybook in /home/group/sharedcopy, then in the current directory, and finally in ./mydir/mycpy until either the copybook is found or it can be considered not found.

COBCPY=/home/group/sharedcopy:.:mydir/mycpy

COBDATA=path-name[[:path-name][...]]

path-name

The full path to a directory for the run-time system to search for application data files. When more than one path-name is present, a null path-name represents the current working directory.

COBDATA provides you with the facility to map data files globally, thus enabling you to put working data files in a directory whose name is not known until run time.

COBDATA affects the compiler and other utilities. During compilation, for example, program source is regarded as a data file by the compiler. If you intend to use any COBOL development system utilities, we recommend that the COBDATA value starts with a colon (:).

COBDATA is considered set if there is an environment variable of this name in your environment space, and its value is non-empty.

The full mapping order for files is:

1. Any dd_ environment mappings
2. Any ASSIGN TO EXTERNAL mappings
3. Any COBDATA environment variable mappings

For multiple directory paths specified either in the COBDATA environment variable or a dd_ environment variable, the system searches the first directory specified followed by a slash (/) as a prefix to the user name.

If the filename is not found, or is not readable, the search continues with the next directory until the final directory has been searched. If no file is found, the first directory is used if a file is to be created.

Any dd_ and COBDATA mappings are ignored for any filename that starts with a hyphen () or a slash (/). In addition, it is illegal to have a hyphen in an environment variable name.

When using this facility, you should not use a filename that starts with "COB... "(these are reserved for the COBOL system).

You can use the COBDATA environment variable for files open in any mode (including OUTPUT) and for fixed or variable length files. If you are using indexed files, both the data and index files must be in the same directory.

The COBDATA environment variable affects file deletes, using the rules given here, as well as file opens.

If you intend to use COBOL development system programs, we recommend that you first unset COBDATA, as many of these programs open data files and are thus affected by the value of COBDATA. If you have to set COBDATA, you should include the paths :$COBDIR/dynload/helptbox.lbr and :$COBDIR/dynload/check.lbr at the beginning of the COBDATA value. If you want to see the Animator Help pages, also include COBDIR/dynload/advanim.lbr.

The following causes COBDATA to be set to instruct the run-time system to search for data files in the current directory, then in the directory ./demo, then in the directory /home/data and finally in ./progs.

COBDATA=:demo:/home/data:progs

COBDIR=path-name

path-name

The directory that contains the required Micro Focus COBOL system software.

This example causes the compiler to search the directory /home/products/cobse20 for the Micro Focus COBOL system software.

COBDIR=/home/products/cobse20

COBIDY=path-name[:path-name[...]]

path-name

A directory where .idy files can be found by the Animator.

COBKEYTIMEOUT=trans-time

trans-time

A number in the range 1 through 126 that represents the maximum elapsed time required for a terminal to transmit any valid escape sequence to the run-time system over the line or network connection.

The run-time system calculates an appropriate default value for n from the baud rate of the terminal.

When a terminal key is depressed, the terminal might send in response a single character or a group of characters to the run-time system. Typically, such a group of characters starts with an escape character and the group of characters is known as an escape sequence. A terminal might send an escape sequence for one depression of a function key. It might also send the same sequence of characters for a depression of the Escape key followed by the depression of one or more alphabetic or numeric data keys. The only difference apparent to the run-time system is the interval between the arrival of each character; the user cannot type as fast as the escape sequence is generated by the terminal.

If a terminal is connected over a network that sends the characters to the run-time system in discrete packets, then the network can alter the intervals between each character arriving at the run-time system. COBKEYTIMEOUT is available to help compensate for typical network delays so the run-time system identifies escape sequences correctly.

COBLPFORM line-number[[:line-number][...]]

line-number

A single line number of a channel. Null entries are ignored. Those channels that have line number zero, function-names S01-S052, CSP, or are undefined, are set to line 1.

In the following example, C01 equals 1, C02 equals 3, and so on:

COBLPFORM 1:3:5:7:9:11:13:15:17:19:21:23

In this next example, C01 equals 3, C02 equals 5, C03 equals 1, and C04 equals 9. C03 equals 1 because its value is a space and therefore undefined, and channels C05 - C12 are also undefined:

COBLPFORM :3::5: :9

COBMAINSTACK=stack-size

stack-size

The size of the main stack in bytes.

You might need to set COBMAINSTACK in any of the following circumstances:

• If you are deploying native OO COBOL Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) to WebSphere on the AIX platform.
• If you are using the multi-threaded run-time system.
• If you have IF STATEMENTS with a very large number of ELSE clauses.
• If you have a large amount of local-storage data.

COBMODE={32|64};

32|64

Specify the bitness you want to use when starting the server.

COBMODE=32;

COBOPT="[set environment-variable=parameter]
[option[...]]
[[cobextn: .ext [.ext]][...]]"

or

COBOPT=[path-name/]file-name

environment-variable

Any one environment variable supported by COBOL Server.

parameter

A parameter used by the specified environment variable.

option

A cob command-line directive. See Compiler Directives for details.

ext

A filename extension that, in addition to the standard ones of .cob, .CBL, or .cbl, denotes a file that the compiler should treat as a COBOL source file. If more than one is specified on one line then they must be separated by a space or tab character.

If a line does not begin with one of the identifiers set or cobextn: then it is taken as an options line.

This example enables ANSI 85 standard COBOL syntax and sets COBCPY to the specified list of paths.

COBOPT="CANS85
set COBCPY=$COBDIR/srclib/:$HOME/mylib:"
export COBOPT

This next example specifies that cob options are contained in the file options in the temp directory:

export COBOPT=temp/options

COBPATH=path-name[:path[...]]

path-name

The full or relative path to a directory for the run-time system to search for a dynamically loadable program (.int, .gnt or callable shared object) file.

When more than one path-name is specified, a null path name represents the current working directory.

COBPATH=/home/mydir/srclib:otherlib

COBPRINTER="command-line"

command-line

A command line supported by your system and that can be executed by the system shell. Typically, it is simply the name of a print spooler or other executable, but if the shell is escaped when setting the value then any command-line arguments can be used.

COBPRINTER="myspooler -a $TMPDIR/spoolfile"

COBSES={option}[[:option][...]]

option

One or more of the following, all of which are case sensitive:

-a	Include keystrokes made to and screen output from the Animator
-f file-name	Play back recording in file-name in fast forward mode
-p file-name	Play back recording in file-name at normal speed
-r file-name1	Record keystrokes in file-name
-s file-name	Record screen output in file-name
-t terminal-number	Terminal number for multi-user screen recordings
1 Do not combine with either -f or -p.

file-name

The name of the recording file.

terminal-number

The terminal number for multi-user screen recordings.

COBTERMINFO=path-name[[:path-name][...]]

path-name

A search directory that identifies a terminfo database containing terminal settings tailored for COBOL applications.

COBTERMINFO=$COBDIR/terminfo

The COBOL system takes the value of the standard UNIX environment variable TERM as the name of the terminal in use. It uses this to search for the appropriate terminal information in a terminfo database. The run-time system first searches the databases identified in COBTERMINFO and then, if the terminal information is not found it searches the database identified in the standard UNIX environment variable TERMINFO.

Micro Focus recommends that the first directory listed in COBTERMINFO is $COBDIR/terminfo so that the terminfo database supplied with this COBOL system is found first. For commonly used terminals, this terminfo contains settings that are fuller and more appropriate to COBOL than those normally available in the UNIX system terminfo database.

When debugging using Animator, COBTERMINFO must be set to $COBDIR/terminfo.

COBTERMINFO can also be used to identify a terminfo database that is portable between UNIX systems. Such a database conforms to the standard UNIX database format but does not include any supplementary, UNIX implementation-dependent terminal information. Many UNIX system terminfo databases are not portable because they include such supplementary information. The COBOL system ignores any such nonportable details.

COBTERMINFO=$COBDIR/terminfo:/home/mydir/terms

COBSW={+|-}switch[...]

+

Sets the switch.

-

Unsets the switch.

switch

A run-time switch. See Run-time Switches for details.

COBSW=-A

COBSW=+0+D

COLUMNS=number-of-columns

number-of-columns

Specifies the width of the terminal screen or window as represented by the number of columns that display.

On non-windowing environments, where the terminal screen area cannot be resized, the COLUMNS values does not need to be set. Terminals that can switch into a wide mode (usually from 80 through 132 columns) have a terminal name ending in "w" and these are automatically supported, without the need to set COLUMNS.

In windowing environments, where the size of windows can be changed, the initial size of the window is used in preference to the cols value in terminfo. When the window is resized, the new size is reread. If the new size is greater than the initial size then the extra columns might not be used.

If you want to use the full width of the window you might need to set COLUMNS to the current column width of the window on some platforms.

Using COLUMNS values that do not correspond to the actual width of the window produces unexpected results.

COLUMNS=100

ENTRYNAMEMAP={file-name|directory}[:...]

file-name

The name of the entry-name map file.

directory

A directory containing an entry-name map file. The name of the entry-name map file must be mfentmap.dat.

ES_CAS_API=ON

ON

The utility is invoked by a call, and messages are not sent to the console or command line.

EXTFH=file-name.cfg

file-name

The prefix name of the configuration (.cfg) file.

EXTFH=/home/mydir/myconfig.cfg

FHREDIR=[path-name/]prefix.cfg}

path-name

The full path to the location of the Fileshare Client configuration file.

prefix

The prefix name of the configuration (.cfg) file.

FHREDIR=/home/mydir/myconfig.cfg

FS=file-name.cfg

file-name

The prefix name of the configuration (.cfg) file.

FS=fs.cfg

FS=myfsconf.cfg

FSCOMMS="\$local"

$local

Run the Fileshare System in single user mode.

LANG=unix-language[_territory[.code-page]]

unix-language

The spoken/written language in which your program is to run. This determines which message catalog is open so that if an error occurs, the error message is output in the selected language. unix-language can take any of the following values:

Value	Language
en_US	US English
en_GB	UK English
jp_JP	Japanese (EUC encoding)
jp_JP.sjis	Japanese (Shift-JIS encoding)
jp_JP.utf8	Japanese (UTF8 encoding)

territory

The country in which your program is to run.

code-page

The character set code to use for your program.

LANG=fr_FR

LD_LIBRARY_PATH={$COBDIR/lib|path-name}[:path-name[...]]

path-name

The full path to a directory to search.

If you have installed the product to a directory other than the default, you must set this variable, and include $COBDIR/lib on all platforms except AIX (which uses LIBPATH). It should also include any directories that contain callable shared objects used by your application.

If you have installed the product in the default directory (/opt/microfocus/VisualCOBOL), you do not need to set this variable.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$COBDIR/lib:/home/mydir/myapp:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

LIBPATH={$COBDIR/lib|path-name}[:path-name[...]]

path-name

The full path to a directory to search.

If you have installed the product in the default directory (/opt/microfocus/VisualCOBOL), you do not need to set this variable.

LIBPATH=$COBDIR/lib:/lib:/usr/lib

LINES=line-depth

line-depth

The depth of the terminal screen or window, in lines.

In windowing environments, where the size of windows can be changed, the initial size of the window is used in preference to the lines value in terminfo. When the window is resized, the new size is reread. If the new size is greater than the initial size then the extra lines might not be used.

If you want to use the full depth of the window you might need to set LINES to the current depth of the window on some platforms.

Using LINES values that do not correspond to the actual depth of the window produces unexpected results.

LINES=50

MFCSCFG=[path-name/]file-name

path-name

The full path to the location of the configuration file.

file-name

The name of the configuration file.

MFCSCFG=mfclisrv.cfg

MFCSCFG=/home/mydir/mfclisrv.cfg

MFLECONFIG=path-name/file-name

path-name

The full path to the location of the ile containing the LE run-time options you want to use.

file-name

The name of the file containing the LE run-time options you want to use.

MFLOGDIR=path-name

path-name

The full path to the location of log files.

MFLOGDIR=/home/mydir/logs

PATH=path-name[;[path-name][...]]

path-name

The full or relative path to a directory to search for executables.

PATH=u:/home/mydir/srclib:otherlib

SORTCOMPRESS={0|1}

0

Disables compression.

1

Enables compression.

SORTCOMPRESS=0

Use this variable to improve memory usage and therefore sort performance when the sort records contain many single, repeated characters; for example, multiple spaces.

The behavior when set to any positive integer is equivalent to SORTCOMPRESS=1.

SORTSCHEME=1

1

Enables the SORTSPACE environment variable.

SORTSPACE=memory-spec[K|M|G]

memory-spec

A number that represents the amount of memory to allocate. When used without an optional parameter, this number represents memory in bytes; otherwise, it represents the units specified by an optional parameter.

K

memory-spec specifies memory allocation in kilobytes.

M

memory-spec specifies memory allocation in megabytes.

G

memory-spec specifies memory allocation in gigabytes.

SORTSPACE=1M

Parameter values are not case sensitive.

SORTSPACE=1024K

SORTTEMPSPACE=memory-spec[K|M|G]

memory-spec

A number that represents the amount of memory to allocate. When used without an optional parameter, this number represents memory in bytes; otherwise, it represents the units specified by an optional parameter.

K

memory-spec specifies memory allocation in kilobytes.

M

memory-spec specifies memory allocation in megabytes.

G

memory-spec specifies memory allocation in gigabytes.

SORTTEMPSPACE=32M

Parameter values are not case sensitive.

SORTTEMPSPACE=250M

TERM=term-type-name

term-type-name

The name of a terminal type listed in the terminfo database.

TERM=at386

TERMINFO=path-name

path-name

The full path to the directory that contains the UNIX system terminfo database.

Some terminal capabilities, such as those set during the initialization of the terminal to control the use of function keys, commonly conflict with the needs of typical COBOL applications. In such cases, the terminal information required by COBOL can be stored in a separate terminfo database and referenced using COBTERMINFO.

TMPDIR=path-name

path-name

The full path to an alternative directory in which to store temporary work files.

You might need to use this environment variable if the run-time system needs to page data to disk when creating heaps or sorting.