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Chapter 4: Analyzing Applications and Preparing for Conversion

This chapter describes how to use EuroSmart to analyze an application system prior to converting it to process euro transactions.

4.1 The Analysis Process

Using EuroSmart, the following steps are used to investigate potential problems caused by the euro changeover.

  1. Create a EuroSmart project for the application and load the sources into the database.

  2. Identify the points of interest, and add them to the worksheet. From now on, you can produce snapshot reports of the information in the worksheet, to help monitor the progress of the analysis.

  3. Analyze and categorize the points of interest according to the type of problem they cause and the type of solution required.

  4. Generate a final report, a resolution database, that details every point of interest that needs attention, and indicates the type of code modification required. You might also export the points of interest for modification using Micro Focus Mainframe Express.

At this point the application is ready to for fixing, compiling and testing.

4.2 Creating a Euro Project Comprising the Sources

Before investigating the application, you need to locate all the application components. This will be not only program source and copybooks, but might well include file definitions, screen layouts, job control and so on. You create a project and load the source files into the Revolve database. You're informed of any missing components that you then need to locate and load in as well.

Before you become too deeply involved in this phase, and particularly if the project is large or complex, you might find it useful to get an idea of the types of tools and procedures that will be necessary for your project, rather than allowing users to plunge into the investigation straight away.

If you temporarily limit the scope of the analysis tools to a representative subset of the project, you can experiment and decide:

The benefit of this approach is that you can apply consistent investigation procedures that can be centrally documented and maintained.

It might also be useful, once you have an idea of the types of problem in the application, to try to decide whether the default categories are satisfactory or whether you need to define your own.

Finally, you need to consider the implications of group working and sharing tool settings and customized tools.

4.3 Finding Monetary Elements

You need to identify monetary elements, such as data items and statements, that could potentially cause problems if not fixed, and add them to the worksheet.

Data in your application can be characterized as either external or internal.

Initially, pay more attention to program external data, since it is potentially easier to find and fix. You could consider program internal data as a second stage. Alternatively, use this knowledge in a group project to allocate investigative work appropriately.

You use the analysis tools to help you identify points of interest related to currency. After extracting data items, you trace the statements that use them, or search for statements of particular types.

As regards the points of interest themselves, you might try to find the following types:

Some items will be identified fairly quickly. However, finding the more obscure items is time consuming.

You may find it more effective to use preliminary results of one search to start you off on more obscure items. For example, if you make a preliminary search for all data items with a specific definition, and save the results, you don't have to repeat that search and it can form a basis for several investigations. As you work, you might find that you gain an insight into the application that assists your efforts.

4.4 Analyzing and Categorizing the Points of Interest

When you are satisfied that you have identified all monetary points of interest and added them to the project worksheet, you need to investigate them and come to some decision as to whether they can cope with the euro changeover. As a final point of the analysis, you might allocate each point of interest a category. The default category system hinges on indicating whether amendment is necessary, but you can develop and use your own system of categories instead.

4.5 Reporting and Exporting Points of Interest

Once analysis is complete, EuroSmart's final involvement is to produce an Access database report of the monetary elements that need fixing. You can also produce many other status reports from EuroSmart which document, for example, data file impacts.

4.6 Fixing, Compiling and Testing

You have to fix the source code by manual editing with your usual development tools, and subsequently compile and test it.

If you use Mainframe Express, Micro Focus's development environment, you can import the project information and immediately see the points of interest identified by EuroSmart. Then you can move quickly and efficiently to areas of code that need attention, fix them, and compile and test the application


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