VX/COBOL - OpenVMS COBOL to ANSI COBOL

Overview

VX/COBOL enables VMS / OpenVMS COBOL applications to run seamlessly on x86 Linux with zero manual modifications. It automatically converts legacy COBOL to ANSI-compliant COBOL, supporting Fujitsu and Micro Focus COBOL compilers.

Designed for continuous integration, VX/COBOL allows ongoing development in VMS / OpenVMS COBOL, while automatically migrating each release to Linux, ensuring 100% functionality.

Key Features

✔ 100% Automated COBOL Migration – No manual changes needed.

✔ Continuous Integration Ready – Develop in VMS, deploy on Linux.

✔ Preserves COBOL Logic – Original structure is maintained.

✔ Fully Compatible with RMS – Uses VX/RMS for complete RMS file support.

✔ Optimized for Linux – Adjusts for 32-bit vs. 64-bit architecture differences.

✔ Supports Modern ANSI COBOL Standards – Converts VMS-specific syntax & semantics.

COBOL Migration: Key Differences & Solutions

Pointer Handling

VMS / OpenVMS initializes pointers by reference. ANSI COBOL does not allow this. VX/COBOL modifies the initialization to NULL and generates a MOVE statement in an init section.
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COMPUTE Statements

VX/COBOL adjusts floating-point precision issues by appending /s7/PREC to division operations.
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CALL Statement Changes

VX/COBOL replaces GIVING with RETURNING, adjusts OMITTED parameters to BY VALUE 0, and converts program names to lowercase for consistency.

VMS / OpenVMS COBOL

CALL "LIB$GETJPI" USING  
    BY REFERENCE GETJPI_ITEM_CODE  
    OMITTED  
    OMITTED  
    BY REFERENCE GETJPI_GROUP_NO  
    OMITTED  
    OMITTED  
GIVING RETURN_CODE.

Migrated ANSI COBOL

CALL "lib$getjpi" USING  
    BY REFERENCE GETJPI_ITEM_CODE  
    BY VALUE 0  
    BY VALUE 0  
    BY REFERENCE GETJPI_GROUP_NO  
    BY VALUE 0  
    BY VALUE 0  
RETURNING RETURN_CODE.

I-O Control and File Locking

VX/COBOL modifies the APPLY LOCK HOLDING statement to LOCK MODE IS AUTOMATIC.

VMS / OpenVMS COBOL

INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.  
FILE-CONTROL.  
    SELECT OPTIONAL CUST_FILE ASSIGN TO CUST  
    ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED  
    ACCESS IS DYNAMIC  
    FILE STATUS IS FILE_STATUS_BYTE  
    RECORD KEY IS CUST_KEY  
    ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS CUST_ALPHA_CODE.  

I-O-CONTROL.  
    APPLY LOCK HOLDING ON CUST_FILE.

Migrated ANSI COBOL

INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.  
FILE-CONTROL.  
    SELECT OPTIONAL CUST_FILE ASSIGN TO "CUST,EXFH"  
    ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED  
    ACCESS IS DYNAMIC  
    FILE STATUS IS FILE_STATUS_BYTE  
    RECORD KEY IS CUST_KEY  
    ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS CUST_ALPHA_CODE  
    LOCK MODE IS AUTOMATIC.

Why VX/COBOL?

✔ Seamless Migration with 100% Automated Code Conversion

✔ Preserves COBOL Development Workflow – Continue using VMS / OpenVMS COBOL

✔ Full RMS Support – VX/RMS ensures file operations work identically on Linux

✔ Optimized for ANSI COBOL – Fujitsu & Micro Focus compatible

✔ Supports Continuous Integration – Migrate & deploy with every release

VX/COBOL is the most complete and efficient solution for migrating VMS COBOL applications to Linux.