Setting the COBSQL Preprocessor and Compiler Directive Options

For Oracle Pro*COBOL, you can set the COBSQL preprocessor and compiler directives from the SQL tab in your project properties:

1. From the Solution Explorer, open your project properties, then click the SQL tab.
2. From the ESQL Preprocessor list, select Oracle Pro*COBOL (COBSQL).
3. Click Add, select a directive from the Available Directives list, then click OK. This places the directive in the Directives list.
4. Optionally, you can change the details for a directive by selecting it from the Directives list and then modifying the fields and controls under Directive Details.
5. Repeat the previous two steps to add additional directives.
   Note: When using this method, you can also specify Pro*COBOL directives to pass to the database precompiler by typing them directly into the Additional Directives field.
6. Click Apply and then OK.

For Oracle Pro*COBOL you can set the COBSQL preprocessor and compiler directives from the SQL tab in your file properties:

1. From the Solution Explorer, open your file properties, then click the SQL tab.
2. From the ESQL Preprocessor list, select Oracle Pro*COBOL (COBSQL).
3. Click Add, select a directive from the Available Directives list, then click OK. This places the directive in the Directives list.
4. Optionally, you can change the details for a directive by selecting it from the Directives list and then modifying the fields and controls under Directive Details.
5. Repeat the previous two steps to add additional directives.
   Note: When using this method, you can also specify Pro*COBOL directives to pass to the database precompiler by typing them directly into the Additional Directives field.
6. Click Apply and then OK.

cobsql.dir file

To ensure that COBSQL retrieves its compiler directives from a cobsql.dir file, you must specify the COBSQL preprocessor (without additional directives) either in your project properties or on the command line. This instructs COBSQL to look for cobsql.dir as its first task. The cobsql.dir file must reside in either the current directory or in a directory specified by the COBDIR environment variable. COBSQL searches the current directory and then along the COBDIR path for cobsql.dir. COBSQL uses the first found instance of cobsql.dir. Using any text editor, follow these rules when creating the content of a cobsql.dir file:

• Do not include COBOL compiler directives in cobsql.dir. COBOL does not read the cobsql.dir file.
• Put one or more COBSQL directives on each line in the file.
• Do not split a COBSQL directive across multiple lines.
• When COBSQL encounters either END-C, END, or END-COBSQL, the rest of the line passes to the database precompiler.
• The options to be passed to the database precompiler must all appear on a single line in the cobsql.dir file.

cobol.dir file and User Directives file

• When the compiler encounters the PREPROCESS directive, it passes the rest of the line to COBSQL until it reaches ENDP.
• The compiler treats the PREPROCESS directive and all the options that follow, up to the endp, as a single compiler directive. Therefore, the PREPROCESS directive and all its options must all appear on a single line.

• If you are using fixed source format (SOURCEFORMAT"FIXED", which is the default setting), place the $SET statement in column 7 on the first line of the program.
• Follow the $SET statement with the appropriate PREPROCESS(cobsql) command-line syntax.

See PREPROCESS(cobsql) and COBSQL Compiler Directives for details.