Our sponsor's cobol21 portal...

Home

skip to the main content area of this page

The PRIMA Migration Tools

Tools make the process faster and easier. PRIMA Tools can FULLY AUTOMATE conversion from Indexed files to RDB.

PRIMA Computing, (NZ) Ltd is committed to supporting the refactoring of COBOL code into objects which can be used with modern software. We understand the investment in COBOL and we realise that you need a technical strategy which does not throw the baby out with the bath water.

Our toolset is aimed at small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) who need to move off COBOL but cannot spend large sums of money to do so, and also need to salvage as much existing investment as possible.

The first step is to convert existing indexed files to a Relational Database Management System. Doing this reduces reliance on COBOL for reporting and querying, and immediately reduces the amount of COBOL that has to be maintained.

You have 3 options:

1. Do the conversion of data and code manually.
2. Use tools to either assist or completely convert your current flat files, and the code which accesses them.
3. Outsource the conversion and have it done for you.

PRIMA can assist with all 3 of these options.

Our conversion toolset can take your current COBOL file definitions and create a normalised RDB from them. Date fields are identified and stored on the RDB as DATE types. COBOL REDEFINES, OCCURS, and group fields are all dealt with. We have tools that will automatically load the existing data from your flat files to the new RDB. These load programs have "hooks" in them where you can inject COBOL filters and validations for specific sets of fields or elements, as part of the load.

Once you have a database, you need to know that your existing programs can access it, without logic changes, and will produce the same results as if they were hitting the flat files. Our toolset will AUTOMATICALLY find and replace all references to flat file access, with invokes of an object oriented data layer, that manages the new database. There is no embedded SQL in your programs, but the Data Access Layer can be invoked from ANY language or script which supports the Component Object Model (COM). The layer is currently written in OO COBOL, wrapped as COM components. (We will be offering other languages and data access options in the future, using the same interface and OO component based layer)

These DAL components can be easily invoked from your existing non-OO COBOL, by the addition of a few lines to it. Our MOSTAMD tool can do this automatically.

Suddenly, your existing data assets are accessible to modern languages and scripts. Your existing systems continue to function as they always have, but now you have options (including continuing to use COBOL if you want to).

The above represents the FIRST PHASE of a strategy that is intended to bring your existing code and data onto the .NET or Mono Frameworks, leverage your current COBOL into objects that can be re-used and placed anywhere you need them, and give you the option of using other languages with your COBOL.

Get PRIMA's Migration package The package contains all of the browseable images and documents in red to the right, plus more.	We have put together a considerable amount of information about the Toolset and using it. It covers converting data and code and identifies COBOL-specific problems which you will probably encounter. A walkthrough of the toolset is also included, with actual screenshots of the tools in use. Download this package by clicking the icon on the left; browse some of it by clicking the links below: 1. Overview of the Latest Toolset release (gives a quick synopsis of functions supported and documents technical fixes) 2. Snapshot of code transformation using MOSTAMD 3. Visual overview of the DAL layer 4. Complete details of the DAL layer, the objects which comprise it, the interface to it, the methods you can use, and how to invoke it. 5. The Pathway to Relational Database. This documents the kind of problems you will encounter, and shows how the Toolset solves them. Even if you do not plan to use the Toolset, there is much valuable information here for people going from COBOL to RDB.
Although this page of the website is committed to PRIMA, which is a commercial organisation, in the spirit of providing freeware like the rest of the site, there is a good deal of valuable information being given away here. If you are contemplating moving your indexed data resource to a Relational Database, you will find information, background, concepts, and COBOL specific problems which you are likely to encounter. Some examples: 1. What about Group fields defined in the COBOL record layouts? 2. What about OCCURS and REDEFINES? 3. What is Normalization all about? Is it really important? 4. What datatypes are supported by the database but not by COBOL? 5. How will I amend my existing code to access the RDB instead of the indexed files? 6. What about objects and layers? Are they really that important? Answers to all of these questions and many more are provided in the download package.

Get PRIMA's Migration package

The package contains all of the browseable images and documents in red to the right, plus more.

We have put together a considerable amount of information about the Toolset and using it. It covers converting data and code and identifies COBOL-specific problems which you will probably encounter. A walkthrough of the toolset is also included, with actual screenshots of the tools in use.

Download this package by clicking the icon on the left; browse some of it by clicking the links below:

1. Overview of the Latest Toolset release (gives a quick synopsis of functions supported and documents technical fixes)

2. Snapshot of code transformation using MOSTAMD

3. Visual overview of the DAL layer

4. Complete details of the DAL layer, the objects which comprise it, the interface to it, the methods you can use, and how to invoke it.

5. The Pathway to Relational Database. This documents the kind of problems you will encounter, and shows how the Toolset solves them. Even if you do not plan to use the Toolset, there is much valuable information here for people going from COBOL to RDB.

Although this page of the website is committed to PRIMA, which is a commercial organisation, in the spirit of providing freeware like the rest of the site, there is a good deal of valuable information being given away here.

If you are contemplating moving your indexed data resource to a Relational Database, you will find information, background, concepts, and COBOL specific problems which you are likely to encounter.

Some examples:

1. What about Group fields defined in the COBOL record layouts?
2. What about OCCURS and REDEFINES?
3. What is Normalization all about? Is it really important?
4. What datatypes are supported by the database but not by COBOL?
5. How will I amend my existing code to access the RDB instead of the indexed files?
6. What about objects and layers? Are they really that important?

Answers to all of these questions and many more are provided in the download package.

Migrating with PRIMA

Is it expensive?
PRIMA is a small business. We understand the constraints on SMEs (Small/Medium Enterprises). Because we have powerful tools at our disposal we can mimize costs. Operational costs in NZ are lower than in many countries, also. For example, converting your flat files to a fully normalized, Relational Database can be done for as little as $15.00 per file. We can load your existing data for an extra $5.00 per file. How much programmer time can you buy for $20.00? Prices for the Data Access Layer objects, transitioning of your existing code to use the DAL, and refactoring your current applications into objects are all dependent on the size and complexity of your existing investment. We believe your own people are the best people to migrate your systems and that is why we encourage the use of our tools and support, rather than outsourcing. Whichever options you decide, we aim to ensure that you get the best possible value for your migration. It is in our interests to ensure you succeed. Value is added by us that we never charge for.
Do I have to buy your toolset to get help?
Although we'd like you to use our toolset, we are much more interested in your specifc migration, and experiences arising from it which could be of help to others or could be included in future releases of our toolset. We are very happy to provide support and advice for your effort, help with planning, implementing, and solving specific problems as they arise. We will happily provide an outsourced solution also if you want to "offload" the migration. We are looking for a business relationship with you, whether you use our tools or not.
The PRIMA Toolset is unique
There are many offerings to help you migrate your current data to RDB and to help you bring COBOL into a client/server environment. Some of these are very good (and very expensive), some use middleware to translate DB access at run time (and then you are locked into that...) but of all the ones we have found and looked at, NONE of them is looking beyond data migration, to a complete architecture. NONE of them can offer a component based DAL layer, or even think about refactoring your existing code for re-use without tying you to the procedural COBOL paradigm. PRIMA is committed to giving you options. Want to stay with COBOL?; fine, our migration lets you do that. Want to move to a new language or mix of scripts and languages?; fine, our migration lets you do that. The future is in layers (tiers) and objects; we assist you to move in that direction with your options open, at your own pace, and for a very moderate cost.