This chapter describes differences between the base release of Mainframe Express 2.5 and Mainframe Express 2.5 Service Pack 1 that might require you to make alterations in existing applications that you are migrating, or to change familiar methods of working. For the remainder of this chapter, you can assume that Service Pack 1 refers to Mainframe Express 2.5 Service Pack 1.
The overall product shape of Service Pack 1 is very similar to that of the base release of Mainframe Express 2.5.
The following sections describe the major new features in Service Pack 1 by area.
You can now compile your COBOL programs in Mainframe Express using the COBOL for OS/390 dialect. You specify this dialect in the same way as you specify any other dialect in Mainframe Express, using the Build Settings dialog boxes. Your Language Reference contains full information on the COBOL for OS/390 dialect.
The new features provided in Service Pack 1 require modifications to the Mainframe Express project (.mvp) files. Once Service Pack 1 is installed, any project that is opened using the Mainframe Express IDE or command line interface is upgraded to the new format. Once a project file has been upgraded, it is not possible to open it with a version of Mainframe Express prior to Service Pack 1.
Notes:
The new format of project file has implications you should be aware of when you are using shared projects and templates in your organization. If a user of Mainframe Express with Service Pack 1 applied creates a project based on an existing project template, the new project is upgraded to the new format, while the project template remains unchanged. If, however, a user of Mainframe Express with Service Pack 1 applied edits and upgrades an existing project template file, that project template file is unusable by versions of Mainframe Express prior to Service Pack 1.
The demonstration projects supplied with Service Pack 1 use the new-format project files. As a result, users of a version of Mainframe Express prior to Service Pack 1 will not be able to open these projects.
Service Pack 1 includes support for IBM's SMS. As a result, if your host installation uses SMS, you do not have to change your host JCL to replace the DATACLAS parameter with DCB information. Instead, Service Pack 1 provides a simple graphical interface to enable you to configure your DATACLAS information to emulate your mainframe's behavior.
Service Pack 1 provides integration with any third-party source control system that uses the industry-standard Source Code Control (SCC) interface. This enables you to use the Mainframe Express IDE to perform common source code control functions (such as check-in and check-out) in popular source code control systems such as MERANT PVCS Dimensions and MERANT PVCS Version Manager.
With Service Pack 1, SQL Option for DB2 has been enhanced to provide partial support for DB2 v6. Full information on the level of support is supplied in your SQL Reference, but the main features are as follows:
DB2 v6 requires that in SQL statements where the only variables can be host variables (such as the FETCH statement), the host variables are defined with colons. In versions of DB2 prior to v6, host variables did not need to use colons. As a result, if you are emulating DB2 v5 or earlier and have references to host variables without colons, you need to set the Compiler directive DB2(HOSTVAR) or those references will be flagged as errors.
To set this directive for an individual program, right-click the program in the right-hand pane of the Mainframe Express IDE and click Build Settings for program-name to display the Build Settings for filename dialog box, and specify DB2(HOSTVAR) in the Additional directives field.
Alternatively, you can specify this directive for all COBOL programs or for all files in a project. If you do this, note that as well as specifying DB2(HOSTVAR) in the Additional directives field of the COBOL page on the Build Settings for COBOL or Build Settings for Project dialog box, you need to select EXEC SQL on the Preproc sub-page of the COBOL page.
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