NetCOBOL Studio supports the following COBOL program development functions:
Development environment management functions
NetCOBOL Studio manages the development environment and development resources of each COBOL program together in a unit called a project. Projects are managed in folders called workspaces.
Note
When developing a 32-bit COBOL application, use NetCOBOL Studio for Windows(x86). When developing a 64-bit COBOL application, use NetCOBOL Studio for Windows(x64).
Edit functions
NetCOBOL Studio provides many editing functions such as highlighting key words, displaying and resequencing line numbers, displaying horizontal, vertical, and overview rulers, displaying differences in source code, support of fixed and variable reference formats, automatic indentation, undo/redo, cut/copy/paste, find/replace, etc.
Build and execution functions
NetCOBOL Studio provides facilities to set COBOL compiler options and link options, and add version information and set icons for programs using the resource compiler. Tools for dependency analysis, automatic build, and manual build are provided. Compilation errors are displayed, and the line of source code containing a selected error can be displayed in the NetCOBOL Studio Editor.
Debug functions
The interactive debugger can detect logic errors in program processing. It can be used to set breakpoints to halt execution of a program, and to verify execution of a program by confirming data item values. The debugging of multithreaded programs is supported; however, the debugger does not support multiple debug sessions.
Remote development functions
COBOL programs for the Solaris OS, Linux (Itanium), Linux(64), Windows (Itanium) or Windows(64) servers can be developed remotely. After performing standalone tests on a local computer, add the settings for remote development to the project for a smooth transition to test builds and links on a server.
NetCOBOL Studio users must understand the following main basic concepts:
NetCOBOL Studio manages the resources and information necessary for program development in individual units called "projects". NetCOBOL Studio creates and manages the following projects.
COBOL projects
A "COBOL project" is used for COBOL program development. One COBOL project manages the resources of one target (executable program or library). To develop a COBOL program, a COBOL project must first be created.
COBOL resource projects
A "COBOL resource project" is used for management of the library file and the descriptor file.
COBOL solution projects
A "COBOL solution project" is used for management of multiple projects. Specify the common compiler option for multiples projects.
CORBA server projects
A "CORBA server project" is used to create a COBOL project that operates as a CORBA server. Install the "COBOL plug-in for Interstage Studio" (sold separately) into Interstage Studio.
You can easily create these projects interactively with the help of a wizard.
See
Project Import
A project in another workspace can be used by importing it. For details, refer to "C.3 Importing Project".
A workspace is a folder for storing one or more projects, and for storing setting information for a development environment shared by the projects.
For workspace setting and switching, refer to "Setting and Switching of Workspace". For the default workspace, refer to "Default Workspace".
Note
Projects for 32-bit and 64-bit COBOL applications cannot be created in the same workspace. Separate workspace folders must be specified for 32-bit and 64-bit COBOL projects.
Workspaces cannot be shared between NetCOBOL Studio and Interstage Studio.
The workspace created with NetCOBOL Studio cannot be opened with Interstage Studio. Also, the workspace created with Interstage Studio cannot be opened with NetCOBOL Studio.
The operation windows of NetCOBOL Studio consist of editor windows and multiple information display windows (each of these is called a "view"). The type and layout of a displayed view are managed under a concept called "perspectives" each of which is appropriate for the target work.
The COBOL perspective and Debug perspective, which has been prepared for debugging, are used in COBOL program development.
