To run a native COBOL application from a network server

You need to configure the licensing for COBOL Server when running native COBOL applications from a network server.

The following instructions are based on 64-bit Windows environments where:

In 32-bit Windows environments, these locations are as follows:

Your native COBOL program must be compiled in Visual COBOL with the dynamic link setting enabled. You do this as follows:

In Eclipse:

  1. In Eclipse, open the project for your application.
  2. Click Project > Properties.
  3. Click Micro Focus > Build Configurations > Link.
  4. Click Dynamic and then click OK.
  5. Ensure your project recompiles.

To enable a COBOL application to be launched from the client machine, you need to configure the environment at both the server and the client sides as follows:

Server Side

Perform the following steps on the server:

  1. Ensure COBOL Server is installed.
  2. Start Micro Focus License Administration.

    See To start Micro Focus License Administration for details.

  3. Install the license:
    • Click Options > Advanced Configuration.
    • Click Change on the row for License server field, specify the IP address or the name of the server, and click Save.
    • Close both the Advanced Configuration and the Micro Focus Licensing System Administration dialog boxes.
  4. Copy the following files to the %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Micro Focus\COBOL Server\bin folder:
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Safenet Sentinel\Sentinel RMS License Manager\WinNT\mfcesd.exe
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Safenet Sentinel\Sentinel RMS License Manager\WinNT\mfcesdchk.exe
    • C:\ProgramData\Micro Focus\ces.ini
      Note: By default, the C:\ProgramData folder is hidden. See the Windows help for information about how to make it visible.
    • Copy the following file from the development machine where Visual COBOL is installed:
      • For applications compiled as 64-bit, copy C:\Windows\System32\msvcr110.dll to %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Micro Focus\COBOL Server\bin64.
      • For applications compiled as 32-bit, copy C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msvcr110.dll to %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Micro Focus\COBOL Server\bin.
    • Create a network shared folder, such as MicroFocusSrv from %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Micro Focus\COBOL Server and only give it read-only access for users.
    • If your COBOL application is deployed on the server:
      1. Use a text editor to create a run-time launch file, progname.exe.mfcfg, where progname is the same name as the name of the executable, progname.exe.
        Tip: If there are multiple .exe files, you can instead create one mfdefault.exe.mfcfg file, to be used for all .exe files. When running .int and .gnt files with run.exe, we recommend you do create mfdefault.exe.mfcfg.
      2. Include the following two lines in the launch file:
        SET SERVERPATH=\\ServerName\MicroFocusSrv
        SET CESDYNAMIC=ces.ini

        where:

        • ServerName is the server's name or IP address
      3. Add the run-time launch configuration file in the same folder as the application's .exe file.

Client Side

Perform the following steps on the client machine:

  1. Add the bin subfolder within the COBOL Server shared folder you created on the server, MicroFocusSrv, and the application folder to the PATH environment variable as follows:
    • For COBOL applications compiled as 64-bit:
      PATH=\\ServerName\MicroFocusSrv\bin64;\\ServerName\MicroFocusSrv\bin;<AppFolder>;%PATH%
    • For COBOL applications compiled as 32-bit:
      PATH=\\ServerName\MicroFocusSrv\bin;<AppFolder>;%PATH%

    where:

    • ServerName is the server's name or IP address
    • <AppFolder> is the application folder
  2. If your COBOL application is deployed on the client machine:
    1. Use a text editor to create a run-time launch file, progname.exe.mfcfg, where progname is the same name as the name of the executable, progname.exe.
      Tip: If there are multiple .exe files, you can instead create one mfdefault.exe.mfcfg file, to be used for all .exe files. When running .int and .gnt files with run.exe, we recommend you do create mfdefault.exe.mfcfg.
    2. Include the following two lines in the launch file:
      SET SERVERPATH=\\ServerName\MicroFocusSrv
      SET CESDYNAMIC=ces.ini

      where:

      • ServerName is the server's name or IP address
    3. Add the run-time launch configuration file in the same folder as the application's .exe file.
  3. Run the application.