What's new in Rational Programming Patterns

The following enhancements have been added to Rational® Programming Patterns Version 9.5.

Removal of generation differences

• The generation differences of the non-COBOL entities (Error Messages, maps, Database Blocks, Copybooks) have been carefully reviewed in order to be removed.
• The Migration Validation Manager has been enhanced. Now, file compliance is forced and the line order is correctly handled.

Migration completeness

• The creation of Copybook instances is now based on Input Aids information during migration.
• The SQL micropattern is managed in the Dialog and Client/Server entities.
• The SUP micropattern is managed during the merge process.

Enhanced migration process

• The MIAM procedure is more reliable and better documented.
• A new tool can retrieve all the missing references after the migration.
• An scmtools command has been created to upload a whole migration workspace.

Enhanced publishing facilities

The CSV export format is now available in all the impact analysis views.

SCM controls

• The consistency of a generated file is automatically controlled.
• A generated file cannot be delivered if the files involved in its generation are not delivered or are included in incoming changes.

Usability enhancements

• The following enhancements are related to the interface:
  • Tooltips are available on dependent lines and impact analysis views.
  • The entity label is displayed in windows title for clarity purposes.
  • Text input is made easier with content assist.
  • The relational labels of fields are displayed in the table of the Level, Address and Length tab in the Segment editor.
  • New actions are available to make the product easier to use: Generate in the impact analysis views and code editor views, Expand all in the -CD Lines tab of the Program entity, and Show history in the server impact analysis views.
• The online help explains the code lines that are generated from a DO or CASE OF subfunction and how to modify them.
• The following enhancements makes the specific code easier to handle:
  • The code cannot be modified beyond column 72.
  • The management of functions and subfunctions in the Generated Code Structure view has been enhanced.
  • A wizard makes it easier to modify the subfunction properties.
• Refactoring capabilities have been improved with the renaming of Data Elements.
• A project scope can now be specified in server searches to reduce the volume of information and enhance the performances.