Home Page
When technology complements business   Data Management Series
Copyright © 1987-2008  SimoTime Enterprises, LLC  All Rights Reserved http://www.simotime.com

 
Introduction Version 06.11.01
  Data File Management, White Papers
 
  Data File Abstract
  Data File Transfer
  Data File Conversion
  Data File Comparison (or Validation)
  File Formats for Micro Focus
  Application Migration & Data Sharing
 
  File Conversion and File Formatting
  File Conversion, ASCII and EBCDIC
  A Data File Transition Cycle with Various Convert and Compare Processes
  Numeric Fields, Special Considerations
  Summary
 
  Software Agreement and Disclaimer
  Downloads and Links to Similar Pages
  Glossary of Terms
  Comments or Suggestions
  About SimoTime

Introduction
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

The primary purpose of this document is to provide a consolidated resource of information about application migrations between Mainframe systems and Windows or UNIX systems supported by Micro Focus technologies. The concepts available may be used regardless of the direction of the migration. A subset of moving or migrating an application is the data file management involved when moving, sharing and possibly converting data files.

A special "Thank you" to Larry Simmons of Micro Focus for providing much of the information that is presented in this series of white papers and sample programs.

Data File Management, White Papers
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This section provides examples and links to documents that describe the management of data sharing or application migration between an IBM Mainframe System and a Windows System using Micro Focus. The information provided will cover data file transfer, conversion and comparison of non-relation or traditional sequential files and VSAM, Keyed Sequential Data Sets (KSDS).

Data File Abstract
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper that provides a quick overview of the data management tasks required to migrate or share data between a Mainframe system and a Windows or UNIX system.

Data File Transfer
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper that provides a quick overview of the data file transfer options available when transferring or sharing data between a Mainframe system and a Windows or UNIX system.

Data File Conversion
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper that provides a quick overview of the possible data file conversion options available when migrating or sharing data between a Mainframe system and a Windows or UNIX system.

The  self-study session for data file conversion  includes a discussion about file conversion with a focus on EBCDIC and ASCII content conversion. The session includes a hands-on exercise that does an actual conversion of a data file that includes packed and binary data. The exercise shows how to do file content conversion at the field level.

Data File Comparison (or Validation)
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper that provides a quick overview of the possible data file comparison options available when testing an application or data that has been moved between a Mainframe system and a Windows or UNIX system.

The  self-study session for comparing data files  uses a generated COBOL program to compare two data files. The session includes a hands-on exercise that does an actual data file comparison.

File Formats for Micro Focus
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper that provides a quick overview of the various Micro Focus File Formats provided for the Windows and UNIX environments and supported by Micro Focus

Application Migration & Data Sharing
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This section provides examples and links to documents that describe the challenges and solutions of migrating or sharing data between systems of different architectures. The following link discusses some of the  Possibilities and Considerations for Application Migration and Data Sharing .

File Conversion and File Formatting
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper that provides a quick overview of the various  File Formats and Conversion Techniques  provided for the Windows and UNIX environments and supported by Micro Focus

File Conversion, ASCII and EBCDIC
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This is a link to a white paper with an example that provides a quick overview of the various  File Content Conversion, ASCII and EBCDIC  provided for the Windows and UNIX environments and supported by Micro Focus

A Data File Transition Cycle with Various Convert and Compare Processes
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This link provides an example of the  various conversion and comparison processes  that move data from EBCDIC encoded environments to ASCII encoded environments and from a Mainframe format to a format that may be easily imported into an excel spreadsheet. This suite of sample programs and documentation may be downloaded for training and evaluation purposes.

Numeric Fields, Special Considerations
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

The following table is a list of white papers that provides more detailed information about the four common numeric formats used on an IBM Mainframe.

Numeric Type Description
Zoned Decimal  
        
This document describes the zoned-decimal format. This is coded in COBOL as USAGE IS DISPLAY and is the default format if the USAGE clause is missing.
Packed Decimal 
        
This document describes the packed-decimal format. This is coded in COBOL as USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-3 and is usually coded in its abbreviated form of COMP-3.
Binary   
        
This document describes the binary format. This is coded in COBOL as USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL and is usually coded in its abbreviated form of COMP. This may also be coded with the keyword BINARY.
Edited Numeric 
        
This document describes the edited numeric format. This is coded in COBOL using an edit mask in the picture clause. An example would be PIC ZZZ.99+.

Summary
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

The purpose of this document is to provide a consolidated resource of information about application migrations (both application assets and data files) between Mainframe systems and Windows or UNIX systems supported by Micro Focus technologies.

Software Agreement and Disclaimer
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

Permission to use, copy, modify and distribute this software for any commercial purpose requires a fee to be paid to SimoTime Enterprises. Once the fee is received by SimoTime the latest version of the software will be delivered and a license will be granted for use within an enterprise, provided the SimoTime copyright notice appear on all copies of the software. The SimoTime name or Logo may not be used in any advertising or publicity pertaining to the use of the software without the written permission of SimoTime Enterprises.

Permission to use, copy, modify and distribute this software for a non-commercial purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided the SimoTime copyright notice appear on all copies of the software. The SimoTime name or Logo may not be used in any advertising or publicity pertaining to the use of the software without the written permission of SimoTime Enterprises.

SimoTime Enterprises makes no warranty or representations about the suitability of the software for any purpose. It is provided "AS IS" without any express or implied warranty, including the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. SimoTime Enterprises shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential damages resulting from the loss of use, data or projects, whether in an action of contract or tort, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this software.

Downloads and Links to Similar Pages
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

This item will provide a link to  an ASCII or EBCDIC translation table.  A column for decimal, hexadecimal and binary is also included.

Check out  The VSAM - QSAM Connection  for more examples of mainframe VSAM and QSAM accessing techniques and sample code.

Check out  The Number Connection  for more examples of mainframe numeric encoding techniques and sample code.

This document provides a quick summary of the  File Status Key  for VSAM data sets and QSAM files.

Check out  The SimoTime Library  for a wide range of topics for Programmers, Project Managers and Software Developers.

To review all the information available on this site start at  The SimoTime Home Page .

Note: You must be attached to the Internet to download a Z-Pack or view the list.

Glossary of Terms
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

Check out  The SimoTime Glossary  for a list of terms and definitions used in the documents provided by SimoTime.

Comments or Suggestions
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

If you have any questions, suggestions or comments please call or send an e-mail to: helpdesk@simotime.com

We appreciate your comments and feedback.

About SimoTime Enterprises, LLC
(Next) (Previous) (Table-of-Contents)

Founded in 1987, SimoTime Enterprises is a privately owned, Limited Liability Corporation located in Novato, California. We specialize in the creation and deployment of business applications using new or existing technologies and services. We have a team of individuals that understand the broad range of technologies being used in today's environments. This includes the smallest thin client using the Internet and the very large mainframe systems. There is more to making the Internet work for your company's business than just having a nice looking WEB site. It is about combining the latest technologies and existing technologies with practical business experience. It's about the business of doing business and looking good in the process. Quite often, to reach larger markets or provide a higher level of service to existing customers it requires the newer Internet technologies to work in a complimentary manner with existing corporate mainframe systems. Whether you want to use the Internet to expand into new market segments or as a delivery vehicle for existing business functions simply give us a call or check the web site at http://www.simotime.com


Return-to-Top
Copyright © 1987-2008 SimoTime Enterprises, LLC  All Rights Reserved
When technology complements business
http://www.simotime.com
Version 06.11.01