PGAU generates TIPs that support transmission of individual data parameters which exceed 32K bytes.

PGAU includes this support automatically when PGAU GENERATE processing detects the maximum length of a data parameter exceeding 32K.

This support is driven by the data definitions placed in the PG DD and cannot be selected by the user. To include the support, the data definition must actually or possible exceed 32K. To remove the support, you must decrease the parameter length to less than 32K, REDEFINE the data, and GENERATE the TIP again.

This support tests for field positions crossing the 32K buffer boundaries before and after conversion of those fields which lie across such boundaries. In the case of repeating groups, This can be many fields, for repeating groups, or few fields in the case of simple linear records.

Each test and the corresponding buffer management logic adds overhead.

When USAGE(PASS) has been specified on the PGAU DEFINE DATA statement, the following datatype and format conversions are supported:

• PIC X

• PIC G

PIC X Datatype Conversions

PGAU TIPs convert the COBOL X datatype to a PL/SQL CHAR datatype of the same character length. Globalization Support character set translation is also performed.

Note: COBOL lacks a datatype specifically designated for variable length data. It is represented in COBOL as a subgroup containing a PIC 9 length field followed by a PIC X character field. For example:

10 NAME.

15 LENGTH PIC S9(4).

15 LETTERS PIC X(30).

Given this context, it cannot be guaranteed that all instances of an S9(4) field followed by an X field are always variable length data. Rather than PGAU TIPs converting the above COBOL group NAME to a VARCHAR, the TIPs instead construct a nested PL/SQL record as follows:

TYPE NAME_typ is RECORD (
  LENGTH NUMBER(4,0),
  LETTERS CHAR(30));

TYPE ... is RECORD(
  ...
  NAME NAME_typ,
  ...

It is the client application's responsibility (based upon specific knowledge of the remote host data) to extract NAME.LENGTH characters from NAME.LETTERS and assign the result to a PL/SQL VARCHAR, if a VARCHAR is desired.

Character set conversion is performed for single byte encoded:

• remote host character data, using either:

  • DEFINE TRANSACTION NLS_LANGUAGE character set for an entire transaction, or

  • REDEFINE DATA REMOTE_LANGUAGE character set for a single field, if specified.

• local Oracle character data, using either:

  • LANGUAGE character set of integrating server for an entire transaction, or

  • REDEFINE DATA LOCAL_LANGUAGE character set for a single field, if specified.

PIC G Datatype Conversions

PGAU generated TIPs convert the COBOL G datatype to a PL/SQL VARCHAR2 datatype of the same length, allowing 2 bytes for every character position.

Character set conversion is performed for double-byte and multi-byte encoded:

• remote host character data, using either:

  • DEFINE TRANSACTION REMOTE_MBCS character set for an entire transaction, or

  • REDEFINE DATA REMOTE_LANGUAGE character set for a single field, if specified.

• local Oracle character data, using either:

  • DEFINE TRANSACTION LOCAL_MBCS character set for an entire transaction, or

  • REDEFINE DATA LOCAL_LANGUAGE character set for a single field, if specified.

Alphanumeric and DBCS Editing Field Positions

Table D-2 illustrates how PGAU interprets COBOL symbols in datatype conversions, by providing the definitions for the symbols.

Edited positions in COBOL statement data received from the remote host are converted by PGAU along with the entire field and passed to the client application in the corresponding PL/SQL VARCHAR2 output variable.

When editing symbols are present, they are interpreted to mean the remote host field contains the COBOL data content and length indicated. The editing positions are included in the length of the data field, but conversion of all field positions is processed by PGAU as a single string and no special scanning or translation is done for edited byte positions.

Edited positions in COBOL statement data sent to the remote host are converted by PGAU along with the entire PL/SQL VARCHAR2 input variable passed from the client application.

Table D-3 provides an example of how PGAU converts COBOL datatypes:

Format Conversion

Table D-4 describes format conversion:

When USAGE(ASIS) is specified on the PGAU DEFINE DATA statement, no conversion is performed. Consequently, each such field is simply copied to a PL/SQL RAW of the same byte length. No conversion, translation, or reformatting is done.

When USAGE(SKIP) is specified on the PGAU DEFINE DATA statement, no data exchange is performed. The data is skipped as if it did not exist. Consequently, such fields are not selected from the PG DD, not reflected in the TIP logic, and presumed absent from the data streams exchanged with the remote host. The purpose of "SKIP" is to have definitions in the PG DD, but not active, perhaps because a remote host has either removed the field or has yet to include the field. SKIP allows an existing data definition to be used even though some fields do not exist at the remote host.

Delimiters

COBOL special characters in record, group, and element names are translated when PGAU DEFINE inserts definitions into the PG DD, and by PGAU GENERATE when definitions are selected from the PG DD. Special characters are translated as follows:

• hyphen is translated to underscore (_)

• period is deleted

Qualified Compound Names

PL/SQL variable names are fully qualified and composed from:

• PL/SQL record name as the leftmost qualifier corresponding to level 01 or 77 COBOL record name.

• PL/SQL nested record names corresponding to COBOL group names.

• PL/SQL nested fields corresponding to COBOL elements of datatype:

  • CHAR or NUMBER corresponding to non-repeating COBOL elements.

  • TABLE corresponding to COBOL elements which fall within an OCCURS or OCCURS DEPENDING ON group (COBOL repeating fields correspond to PL/SQL nested RECORDs of TABLE's).

Note that when referencing PL/SQL variables from calling applications, the TIP package name must be prefixed as the leftmost qualifier. Thus the fully qualified reference to the PL/SQL variable which corresponds to:

• SKILL is:

tipname.EMPREC_Typ.SKILL(SKILL_Key)

• HOME_ADDRESS ZIP is:

tipname.EMPREC_Typ.HOME_ADDRESS.ZIP.FIRST_FIVE
tipname.EMPREC_Typ.HOME_ADDRESS.ZIP.LAST_FOUR 

Truncated and Non-Unique Names

PGAU truncates field names and corresponding PL/SQL variable names when the name exceeds:

• 26 bytes for fields within an aggregate record or group

  This is due to the need to suffix each field or PL/SQL variable name with:

  • "_Typ" for group names

  • "_Tbl" for element names with a repeating group

  or

• 30 bytes due to the PL/SQL limitation of 30 bytes for any name

  The rightmost four characters are truncated. This imposes the restriction that names be unique to 26 characters.

Duplicate Names

COBOL allows repetitive definition of the same group or element names within a record, and the context of the higher level groups serves to uniquely qualify names. However, because PGAU-generated TIPs declare PL/SQL record variables which reference nested PL/SQL records for subordinate groups and fields, such nested PL/SQL record types can have duplicate names.

Given the following COBOL definition, note that ZIP is uniquely qualified in COBOL, but the corresponding PL/SQL declaration would have a duplicate nested record type for ZIP.

01  EMPREC.     
    05 HIREDATE             PIC X(8).   
    05 BIRTHDATE            PIC X(8). 
    05 SKILL                PIC X(12) OCCURS 4.  
    05 EMPNO                PIC 9(4).
    05 EMPNAME.  
       10 FIRST-NAME        PIC X(10).
       10 LAST-NAME         PIC X(15).   
    05 HOME-ADDRESS. 
       10 STREET            PIC X(20).  
       10 CITY              PIC X(15). 
       10 STATE             PIC XX. 
       10 ZIP.   
          15 FIRST-FIVE     PIC X(5).  
          15 LAST-FOUR      PIC X(4).   
    05 DEPT                 PIC X(45).    
    05 OFFICE-ADDRESS.          
       10 STREET            PIC X(20).  
       10 CITY              PIC X(15).
       10 STATE             PIC XX. 
       10 ZIP.                         
          15 FIRST-FIVE     PIC X(5).     
          15 LAST-FOUR      PIC X(4).  
    05 JOBTITLE             PIC X(20).

PGAU avoids declaring duplicate nested record types, and generates the following PL/SQL:

SKILL_Key BINARY_INTEGER;                                                                                 
TYPE SKILL_Tbl is TABLE of CHAR(12) 
                     INDEX by BINARY_INTEGER;                                                                                           
      TYPE EMPNAME_Typ is RECORD (   
           FIRST_NAME            CHAR(10),   
                       LAST_NAME                           CHAR(15));                                                                                    
      TYPE ZIP_Typ is RECORD (  
           FIRST_FIVE            CHAR(5), 
                     LAST_FOUR                         CHAR(4));                                                                               
      TYPE HOME_ADDRESS_Typ is RECORD (
           STREET                CHAR(20), 
           CITY                  CHAR(15),  
           STATE                 CHAR(2), 
                      ZIP                                     ZIP_Typ);                                                                                 
      TYPE OFFICE_ADDRESS_Typ is RECORD (   
           STREET                CHAR(20),
           CITY                  CHAR(15),  
           STATE                 CHAR(2),   
           ZIP                   ZIP_Typ); 
                                                                                       
      TYPE EMPREC_Typ is RECORD (  
           HIREDATE              CHAR(8), 
           BIRTHDATE             CHAR(8),  
           SKILL                 SKILL_Tbl, 
           EMPNO                 NUMBER(4,0),   
           EMPNAME               EMPNAME_Typ, 
           HOME_ADDRESS          HOME_ADDRESS_Typ,
           DEPT                  CHAR(45),
           OFFICE_ADDRESS        OFFICE_ADDRESS_Typ,
           JOBTITLE              CHAR(20));

However, in the case where multiple nested groups have the same name but have different subfields (see ZIP following):

05 HOME-ADDRESS.   
      10 STREET             PIC X(20). 
      10 CITY               PIC X(15).   
      10 STATE              PIC XX. 
      10 ZIP.                     
         15 LEFTMOST-FOUR   PIC X(4).
         15 RIGHMOST-FIVE   PIC X(5).    
05 DEPT                     PIC X(45).   
05 OFFICE-ADDRESS.  
   10 STREET                 PIC X(20). 
   10 CITY                   PIC X(15). 
   10 STATE                  PIC XX.  
   10 ZIP.                     
      15 FIRST-FIVE          PIC X(5). 
      15 LAST-FOUR           PIC X(4).  
05 JOBTITLE                  PIC X(20).   
         

PGAU alters the name of the PL/SQL nested record type for each declaration in which the subfields differ in name, datatype, or options. Note the "02" appended to the second declaration (ZIP_Typ02), and its reference in OFFICE_ADDRESS.

TYPE EMPNAME_Typ is RECORD (    
    FIRST_NAME              CHAR(10),
      LAST_NAME                       CHAR(15));                                                                                 
TYPE ZIP_Typ is RECORD (
    LEFTMOST_FOUR         CHAR(4),  
     RIGHTMOST_FIVE        CHAR(5));                                                                 
    TYPE HOME_ADDRESS_Typ is RECORD (    
    STREET                CHAR(20), 
    CITY                  CHAR(15),
    STATE                 CHAR(2),
       ZIP                                  ZIP_Typ);                                                                                  
TYPE ZIP_Typ02 is RECORD ( 
    FIRST_FIVE            CHAR(5), 
       LAST_FOUR                       CHAR(4));                                                                                 
TYPE OFFICE_ADDRESS_Typ is RECORD ( 
    STREET                CHAR(20),   
    CITY                  CHAR(15),   
    STATE                 CHAR(2), 
       ZIP                                  ZIP_Typ02);                                                                                
TYPE EMPREC_Typ is RECORD (
    HIREDATE              CHAR(8), 
    BIRTHDATE             CHAR(8),  
    SKILL                 SKILL_Tbl,   
    EMPNO                 NUMBER(4,0),  
    EMPNAME               EMPNAME_Typ, 
    HOME_ADDRESS          HOME_ADDRESS_Typ, 
    DEPT                  CHAR(45),    
    OFFICE_ADDRESS        OFFICE_ADDRESS_Typ,   
    JOBTITLE               CHAR(20));  

And the fully qualified reference to the PL/SQL variable which corresponds to:

• HOME_ADDRESS.ZIP is:

  tipname.EMPREC_Typ.HOME_ADDRESS.ZIP.LEFTMOST_FOUR
  tipname.EMPREC_Typ.HOME_ADDRESS.ZIP.RIGHTMOST_FIVE 
  

• OFFICE_ADDRESS.ZIP is:

  tipname.EMPREC_Typ.OFFICE_ADDRESS.ZIP.FIRST_FIVE
  tipname.EMPREC_Typ.OFFICE_ADDRESS.ZIP.LAST_FOUR
  

Note that the nested record type name ZIP_Typ02 is not used in the reference, but is implicit within PL/SQL's association of the nested records.