Using vutil

The ACUCOBOL-GT Vision file utility, vutil, is used with Vision indexed files to extract file structure information, extract records, rebuild corrupted files, retrieve deleted records, and more. When you work in AcuBench, you can interact with this utility through a graphical interface accessed from the Tools menu. This section describes that graphical interface to vutil.

For a complete description of the command line utility and its functions, see Vision File Utility — vutil.

Note: vutil does not make use of the runtime configuration file. Settings made in a runtime configuration file do not affect vutil in any way.

The basic steps involved in invoking any vutil function are as follows:

  1. To open vutil, select the Vision File Utility command from the Tools drop-down menu.

    The graphical Vision File Utility dialog includes several tabs, each of which provides access to a different vutil function. To select a function, simply click the corresponding tab.

  2. Because vutil operates on Vision indexed files, each vutil function requires that you specify the name of a Vision file. You can either type the name of the file in the Data file (or Source file or File name) field, or click the browse (...) button to navigate to the file.

    As long as the vutil dialog is open, the name of each file specified is added to a drop-down list associated with the file name field. You can easily select a previously referenced file from this list.

  3. If you have chosen a function that can take parameters, use the Parameters section to build your vutil command line.

    An Option field displays the command line that reflects the options chosen. Note that you cannot directly edit the contents of this field.

  4. Click Start to perform the operation that you have specified. The results of the operation appear in the area near the bottom of the dialog.

    To stop a vutil function that is in progress, click the Stop button (the Start button becomes a Stop button when a vutil function is in progress). If you attempt to select another vutil tab while the current action is in progress, the message Vision File Utility is running. Please wait. is displayed.

  5. To close the vutil interface, stop or allow the current action to complete and click Close.