Greg:
When the first COBOL MVS and VM came out there was no M&C (this was
mid 1990's) .
Somewhere around 2005-7 there was a M&C I used to use it quite a bit
in fact.
AFAIR there was always a M&C for cobol (various versions and releases
that go back to the 1960's) in fact I remember specifically in the
mid-late 60's) using it to find out that the then current cobol did
not support VBS. We had to back out a major change over to VBS on an
online savings system.
So do not tell me there never was one.
I also remember the first ship COBOL program Product that did have a
M&C as I had to make sure that it was distributed to all 200
programmers. I had to write a letter to IBM to ask permission to copy
the fine manual.
Ed
On Mar 22, 2016, at 12:39 PM, Greg Shirey wrote:
Ed,
You posted this comment on June 15, 2012:
"Somewhere around the mid 1990's IBM seem to have done a reverse
and either stop issuing manuals (eg COBOL MESSAGES AND CODES) or
made them so complicated to read (COBOL conversion guide) it takes
a lawyer to understand them"
Tom Ross posted this on June 17, 2012:
"I know there is no reaching cranky Ed, but for others I can help:
The issue of COBOL compiler messages was discussed here, and most
agreed it would not be that helpful, since it would mostly say
'please see the COBOL Language Reference Manual'."
I believe Tom was saying that there has never been a COBOL Messages
and Codes manual. I'm not sure why you think otherwise. Can you
locate one? My shop generally doesn't delete old manuals and we
can't find one...
In response to various comments about the lack of a manual over the
years, Bill Klein reported back in 2005 that he had started an
"annotated" list of COBOL error messages. It was incomplete, and I
guess will remain so.
It's probably not real important, but there doesn't seem to be any
evidence to support your claim that IBM "finally" published a COBOL
M&C manual.
Regards,
Greg Shirey
Ben E. Keith Company
-----Original Message-----
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-
m...@listserv.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Ed Gould
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 9:24 AM
To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: Enterprise COBOL V6 documentation available
On Mar 22, 2016, at 1:47 AM, Bill Woodger wrote:
Ed,
Are you seriously saying that for an applications language the
messages have to be able to be understood by someone with no
knowledge
of the language, to someone who should know the language but doesn't
understand the message?
Like I said the message that was put out had no relation to the
issue. Too many FD's is a reasonable solution. The message didn't
even message the were too many FD's.
The programmers (in General) seemed to have a similar issue with
many of the messages. Each time I got a phone call which should
have been short turned into a 30 minute phone call which made me
call IBM even asking other sysprogs before doing so.
IBM wasted countless hours on each message I called in on. I hated
it as did IBM trying to explain messages.
IBM *FINALLY* put out a M&C after 5-7 years of requesting one so
even they got the hint.
The penny counters at IBM must be having a ball.
Ed
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