Restrictions When Working With Standalone COBOL Files

Most editing, compiling and debugging features within the IDE require that your files are part of a project. When working with standalone files, some of the features are not available or are not fully supported.

Support for editing, compiling and debugging of standalone files is only available for native COBOL programs.

The following features and technologies are not supported:

Automatic compile when saving the file.
You need to recompile the file manually.
Linking programs to .exe or .dll files.
Pre- or post-build events.
Compiling to managed COBOL
Compiling of Assembler, PL/I programs or other Mainframe Subsystem Support programs (CICS, JCL or IMS).

In addition:

Compiling standalone files only produces an .int or a .gnt file.
Breakpoints, Program breakpoints and Watchpoints are not preserved when you close the file.
To open a copybook referenced from a standalone file, they must be stored in the directory that contains the standalone file, or in a directory specified by COPYPATH.
Any Compiler directives you set on the files are not persisted automatically.
If you compile a file, the Compiler directives are included in the .idy file. However, ensure that Eclipse can locate the .idy file. If it is not in the same folder as the source file, click Window > Preferences > Micro Focus > COBOL > Standalone Files > Program Symbols to add the location where the file is stored.