Mainframe, MVS and zOS Discussion

Hi,

Could someone please help me in getting the zOS 1.13 to zos 2.1 changes for COBOL programmers or application developers?

I have made searches online and all the links talking about system level changes, like this search:

https://www.google.co.in/search?client= ... JGtBY3ZGQ0

I do not see how a COBOL only programmer would be concerned by system changes
in a well managed organization they should be screened on the system details

most probably what will change is the version/level of cobol ,
so, why not start by looking at the manual

Enterprise COBOL for z/OS
Migration Guide
Version X Release Y

where obviously X and y relate to the cobol that will be installed on the 2.1 system

and naturally the same for DB2

IBM is careful to ensure backwards compatibility -- what works for COBOL and applications on z/OS 1.13 will continue to work on 2.1 (and usually further on). There often is an upgrade to the newer version of COBOL included with an operating system upgrade, but that does not always occur -- it is pretty much up to the site support group to determine. If there is such an upgrade, some of the compile options change but the code that runs on the old version will continue to run on the new version.

There are new features available on 2.1 (such as in-stream use of symbols), but frequently they require the site support group to make specific changes to allow them to work. Your best bet is to work with your site support group to understand what is new and how it works AT YOUR SITE. Really, almost 100% of the time the operating system can be upgraded and the impact to application developers will be ... NOTHING!

enrico-sorichetti wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:28 pmI do not see how a COBOL only programmer would be concerned by system changes
in a well managed organization they should be screened on the system details

I used COBOL programming as an example. As an application developer we'll be using JCLs and other tools so was interested in them. Like in zOS 2.1 we can use instream data in PROC. So question, is there is a manual which lists such changes?

Robert Sample wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:32 pmIBM is careful to ensure backwards compatibility -- what works for COBOL and applications on z/OS 1.13 will continue to work on 2.1 (and usually further on). There often is an upgrade to the newer version of COBOL included with an operating system upgrade, but that does not always occur -- it is pretty much up to the site support group to determine. If there is such an upgrade, some of the compile options change but the code that runs on the old version will continue to run on the new version.

There are new features available on 2.1 (such as in-stream use of symbols), but frequently they require the site support group to make specific changes to allow them to work. Your best bet is to work with your site support group to understand what is new and how it works AT YOUR SITE. Really, almost 100% of the time the operating system can be upgraded and the impact to application developers will be ... NOTHING!

Thanks Robert.

It is out of curiosity to know such difference. Actually most of the documents I look at are talking about system level changes and not really talk about application programmer. For example, in-stream use of symbols can impact application programmers too but yes I agree it depends on coding standard but I wanted to know it all in general.

I used COBOL programming as an example

if You wanted to know in general why did You not tell so from the beginning

the same logic applies for every product, every new version/release has a manual regarding the migration considerations

here is the link for zOS 2.1
https://www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/os/zos ... grate.html

but You could have found it Yourself by googling simply with zOS migration gude

Sorry if it was not obvious. But I am still not able to figure out it, that's a migration guide. I am looking for like "application level changes"... will look more for it.

"application level changes"...

in the common terminology the above means changes to the program sources
as already explained a system upgrade very seldom implies changes to the PURE application programs

IMNSHO a jcl change to profit from the new opportunities does NOT fall into the application change category
the application will keep running using the old approach
( procedures written 40 years ago still work )

topic is going down the toilet, the TS does not himself know what he wants
will be locked shortly