Re: [open-cobol-list] Open Source COBOL GL ?

[john Culleton]

On Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:40:09 -0500 john Culleton
<address@hidden> wrote:

> On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:07:14 -0500 "Brian Tiffin"
> <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > On Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:49:41 -0500, john Culleton
> > <address@hidden> wrote:
> > 
> > > Anyone know of an Open source COBOL General Ledger program
> > > package?
> > >
> > 
> > Not sure how far the port got.  See
> > http://www.opencobol.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1386&forum=1#forumpost7072
> > 
> > Vince posted this as well
> > http://svn.wp0.org/add1/programs/applewood_computer_accounting_system/
> > 
> > Cheers, Brian
> 
First thanks to both authors for making these significant
products available to the community. That is generosity plus.

Unfortunately I am having problems compiling either one. The
APAC system mixes copybooks and source programs in the same directory.
This would be fine except there is no standard naming system for
programs. Also it seems to be written for MSWindows. It is
overall much too big for my needs.  The user manual has over 400
pages. It is written in fixed format which makes it easy to read
at least.

The second, ACAS, uses Environment variables (a simple control
file would do), has sections in the Procedure Division, uses GO
TO, and so on. And it is overly commented.  Most of the comments
relate to dates when changes were made. And if there is a user
manual I haven't found it yet. I would need to do a lot of study
to figure it out, and a lot of deletions to get the listings down
to reasonable size to facilitate that study. 
 

So if there is a smaller COBOL accounting system that someone has
please share with the list. 

And this exercise has given some impetus to the need for
improving the output listing from Open Cobol compiles. The Tiny
Cobol compiler gives a much better compile listing. When I am
debugging or just trying to understand a program written by
others a listing with all the copybook date inserted is just
about essential. But Tiny  cannot handle some of the COBOL 2002
features that have crept into use, such as environment variables
and the like. 

I am going to have one more stab at compiling pieces of the APAC
system. Stay tuned.

 

-- John Culleton