I implemented EBCDIC support in OpenKicks so I have some insight into how this could be implemented.
It turned out to be a pretty natural implementation of when to convert from EBCDIC to ASCII. The trick is to not try to be too smart and make the rule to not mix modes.
On Tue, May 18, 2021 at 3:13 PM Simon Sobisch <simonsobisch@xxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Michael,
the current EBCDIC support in GnuCOBOL is limited to:
* `make checkall` (internal and NIST85 tests) pass when running on
an "EBCDIC native" environment
* understands EBCDIC numeric display sign when interpreted, to use it
for "creating" them on an "ASCII native" you can compile with
-fsign=ebcdic
* you can specify "IS EBCDIC" for an ALPHABET in special names and so do
stuff like referenced currently in the FAQ under 5.16 [1]:
SPECIAL-NAMES.
ALPHABET ALPHA IS NATIVE.
ALPHABET BETA IS EBCDIC.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
INSPECT variable CONVERTING ALPHA TO BETA
* you can reference an EBCDIC alphabet to be used as collation for
`SORT table`:
SORT TBL DESCENDING KEY X SEQUENCE BETA
[1]: https://gnucobol.sourceforge.io/faq/index.html#ebcdic
As far as I know from the discussion boards there are EBCDIC preparsers,
but GnuCOBOL has not yet build-in support for EBCDIC as needed, which at
least would be:
* allow EBCDIC encoded source-code (converted to ASCII on read-in)
--> work around: one-time change with iconv
* an option to change the "NATIVE" collation to EBCDIC by dialect option
* an option to change the PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE by command-line
option
* allow to specify the collation for ORGANIZATION INDEXED (it is always
"native" with the exclusion of DB collections setup externally with
the DB INDEXED handlers in GnuCOBOL 4)
* on-the-fly conversion of ACCEPT/DISPLAY, possibly also for parameters
in LINKAGE/CALL USING
That's all definitely on the road-map - but so far only as "patches
welcome".
Simon
BTW: and of course "EBCDIC" itself also comes with different variants,
GnuCOBOL EBCDIC alphabet, if unpatched, is likely the "default US variant"
Am 18.05.2021 um 18:40 schrieb Michael Potter:
> Hi All,
>
> I see that GnuCOBOL supports EBCDIC based on section 5.48 of the FAQ.
>
> Is anyone using it rigorously in production that I can trust it is well
> tested?
>
> Are there any caveats to using it that I should be aware of? For
> instance, how might it be different than the MicroFocus support for EBCDIC?
>
> I have used the MicroFocus support for EBCDIC for many years without any
> issues. I am hoping that GnuCOBOL works the same.
>
> Also, how do I specify that a COBOL program is to be compiled with
> EBCDIC support?
>
> The context of that question is I don't see a compile option here:
> https://manpages.debian.org/testing/gnucobol/cobc.1.en.html
> <https://manpages.debian.org/testing/gnucobol/cobc.1.en.html>
>
>
