Chapter 4: Environment Variables

Mainframe Express, unlike Workbench, does not rely on the use of pre-set environment variables to configure its operation. Instead you configure Mainframe Express through the Project Settings or Build Settings dialog boxes, or in some cases entries in configuration (.cfg) files. Most of the environment variables that specified locations of particular files in an application have been replaced by entries in the Workgroup View of the project view.

The following table shows the most common environment variables that you might have been using when using Workbench and its add-ons to develop mainframe applications, and shows the equivalents in Mainframe Express.

In the few cases where the table says to continue using the environment variable, you need to set it before starting the IDE - for example, by starting the Mainframe Express Command Prompt and using the command line to set the environment variable and to start the IDE.

Variable Description Equivalent in Mainframe Express
ANI370 Tells MF/370 Assembler to create debugging information side files for use by Animator/370. Also tells Animator/370 to run at execution of 370 module (when ON). Otherwise (OFF), non-interactive debugger is used. Always set to ON. Not relevant to Mainframe Express - in effect, always ON
BMSMAP The location of CICS map set master file – CICS OS/2 Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CICS The location of CICS option system files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CICSBMS The location of CICS Option BMS macro files Controlled by Workgroup View settings.
CICSCPY The location of COBOL copyfiles for CICS Option Controlled by Workgroup View settings.
CICSCTL The location of CICS Option configuration files - for example, Resource Definition Tables Held in region/project settings
CICSDATA The location of user data files accessed by application programs for CICS Option Held in region/project settings
CICSEXTR The location of .ext files for CICS Option Held in region/project settings
CICSMAPS The location of map files for CICS Option Held in region/project settings
CICSMFS The location of .mfs files for CICS Option Held in region/project settings
CICSRD The location of CICS control table processing file – CICS OS/2 Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CICSSRC The location of user source files for CICS Option Held in region/project settings
CICSTEST The location of user executable program files for CICS Option Controlled by Workgroup View settings
CICSTEXT The location of CICS control table processing file – CICS OS/2 Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CICSWRK The directories searched by CICS OS/2 (XCTL, LINK) for application .dll files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
COBCONFIG The location of run-time configuration file Not recommended for use with Mainframe Express
COBCPY The location of COBOL copyfiles Controlled by Workgroup View settings
COBDIR The location of COBOL system directory. The Setup installation program automatically sets COBDIR when you answer "Y" to the query: "Do you wish to change yourautoexec.bat file?" Mainframe Express registry settings are now used
Windows V3:
COBFLAGS
Used by the Settings Dialog on a COBOL text window; should not be modified manually Not relevant to Mainframe Express
Windows V3:
COBFONT
Used by the Settings Dialog on a COBOL text window; should not be modified manually Not relevant to Mainframe Express
COBHLP The location of MS Advisor format .hlp files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
COBHNF The location of .hnf files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
COBIDY The location of Animator .idy files Controlled by Workgroup View settings
COBLANG Tells the COBOL system in which language environment you want to run your COBOL program. You can use COBLANG in conjunction with third party products using values of the LANG environment variable which are in a different format than that used by the COBOL system. Controlled by project settings
COBMSG The location of editor error message files Controlled by Workgroup View settings
COBPATH Specifies the search path used by the RTS to locate dynamic loadable programs Controlled by Workgroup View settings
COBPOOL Used when performing mixed language programming with shared run time on DOS. It informs the COBOL run-time system, at startup, of how much memory should be freed back to the operating system for use by the non-COBOL programs Not relevant to Mainframe Express
Windows V3:
COBPOS
Used by the Settings Dialog on a COBOL text window; should not be modified manually Not relevant to Mainframe Express
COBSW Used to pass COBOL run-time system and user switch settings to user application programs Environment variable still available
COBWRK The directory where IBM CICS Translator in CICS OS/2 places its output file Not relevant to Mainframe Express
COBXIL The location of Xilerator .pl and .xls files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CWFILES The location of Co-Writer data files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CWPRFILE The location of print files produced by Co-Writer Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CWREPFILE The location of Co-Writer .rep files (generated report files) Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CWRSYSTEM The location of Co-Writer Designer executables and files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CWSORT The location of sort files used by Co-Writer Not relevant to Mainframe Express
CWWORK The location of Co-Writer work area (data-dictionary) Not relevant to Mainframe Express
DD_ Used to identify environment variables that define filename mappings on 32-bit operating systems. Not relevant to Mainframe Express
DIR370 Tells MF/370 which directory to search for its programs Mainframe Express registry settings
ENTRYNAMEMAP Controls where the run-time system looks for the alternate entry point mapping file Controlled by an option on the Alternate entrypoint mapping dialog.
EXTFHBUF Controls the size of the buffer used for records in the .idx files of indexed files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
FHREDIR Used to override the default configuration file name a Fileshare V2 client program user Environment variable still available
FSCOMMS Identifies the type of communications (CCI module) the Fileshare V2 system is to use Setting in fhredir.cfg
FS Used to override the default configuration file name a Fileshare V2 server uses Environment variable still available
FSSERVER The name of the Fileshare V2 server to be used by default by applications on this workstation session Setting in fhredir.cfg
HCOBND Tells HCO where to find BND files Controlled by project settings
HCODBCS Tells HCO whether you want columns to be examined for double-byte characters Not relevant to Mainframe Express
HCODDL Tells HCO where to find DDL files Controlled by project settings
HCODIR Tells the system where to find the MHCO system software Not relevant to Mainframe Express
HCOEXP Tells HCO where to find or write import or export files Controlled by project settings
HELPFILES The list of files to be loaded at initialization by HyHelp and On-line Not relevant to Mainframe Express
IDXDATBUF Controls the size of the buffer to be used for data records (in .dat files) of indexed files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
IMSCFG The location of the file that contains the run-time configuration options from the IMSGEN configuration screen Located in mfuser\config folder
IMSCPY Search path for IMS copybooks. Controlled by Workgroup View settings
IMSDAT Tells IMS where to find its data files Controlled by project settings
IMSDIR Tells the system where to find the MFIMS system software Not relevant to Mainframe Express
IMSFS2 The name of the fileshare server (and optional path) for shared update databases Controlled by project settings
IMSLIB Tells IMS where to find its gen files Controlled by Workgroup View settings.
IMSNET Tells the system the location of shared, read-only data bases Controlled by project settings
IMSWRK Tells where to place IMS work files (listing file) Controlled by Workgroup View settings
LANG Tells the system in which language environment you want to run your program Not relevant to Mainframe Express
LIB Tells the Linker where to find .lib files Not relevant to Mainframe Express
MDECONV Configures the default options of the source converter (MDECONV) Environment variable still available
MFAPPLS Defines the location and name of the applications master file used by File Transfer Aid Not relevant to Mainframe Express
MFEXTMAP Used by the External File Mapper to locate the file mfextmap.dat Mainframe Express migrates these through the use of project settings
NO87 Controls the use of a math coprocessor. If set, software emulation is used even if an i87 coprocessor is present. Not relevant to Mainframe Express
PLY370 Tells Animator/370 to produce a logfile of 370 module execution for use in playback feature of MF/370 Not relevant to Mainframe Express
SYSCATLG MVS Workbench - the location of the MVS Workbench System Catalog. (ISPCATLG.DAT and ISPCATLG.IDX) Controlled via the Catalog Tab of the Project Settings dialog box
SYSLMOD MVS Workbench - the location of the directory where compile outputs are to be placed. (INT's, GNT's, etc.) Controlled by Workgroup View settings
SYSSMF MVS Workbench - The location of the SMF data collection dataset Not relevant to Mainframe Express
SYSPROC MVS Workbench - The search path for CLISTs Controlled by Workgroup View settings
STEPLIB MVS Workbench - The search path for executables. Used by TSO Emulation and JCL Emulation Controlled by Workgroup View settings
TMP Tells the run-time system where to put paging files. Normally it puts these files in the current directory. By using TMP you can specify a different drive or path for them Standard Windows 95 and Windows NT environment variable
XDBCFG Location of your XDB configuration file (CONFIG.XDB) Mainframe Express registry settings are now used
XDBDIR Location of the precompiler for SQL Option for DB2 as well as where XDBCOB.DIR (precompiler directives file) Mainframe Express registry settings are now used
XSRVCFG Location of the XDB Server Configuration file (SRVCONFG.XDB) Mainframe Express registry settings are now used
XFHNODE Node size for indexed files. Valid values are 512, 1024, 4096. Setting nodesize in extfh.cfg
XM Specifies switch settings to XM Not relevant to Mainframe Express

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