Before running Database Connectors, you must set the A_CONFIG environment variable to the name of the ACUFH configuration file. You may want to make and use a personalized copy of the ACUFH configuration file to avoid impacting other users. Set the A_CONFIG environment variable to identify your own personal copy. For example:
Windows:
SET A_CONFIG=directory-name\my-file-name
UNIX:
A_CONFIG=directory-name/my-file-name export $A_CONFIG
defines a configuration file with the name of your choice, in the directory of your choice.
There are several variables that can be set in your ACUFH configuration file that affect the Database Connectors processing. Those listed below are applicable to any relational database management system (RDBMS) with which Database Connectors communicates. Some ACUFH configuration variables are database-specific; those variables are discussed in the database-specific sections later in this guide.
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| 4GL_2000_CUTOFF | Determines which two-digit years are considered to be in the twentieth century and which are considered to be in the twenty-first century |
| 4GL_8_DIGIT_CUTOFF | Determines whether to use 4GL_2000_CUTOFF for dates that don't use a format string and that are eight digits |
| 4GL_COLUMN_CASE | Tells Database Connectors to leave the case of the field names found in the eXtended File Descriptor (XFD) unchanged |
| 4GL_COMMIT_COUNT | Indicates the conditions under which you want to issue an automatic COMMIT_WORK operation |
| 4GL_CONVERT_DATE_ZERO | Allows Database Connectors to locate and return those records written using the date 01/01/01 |
| 4GL_DB_MAP | Enables you to set one map at a time by using FILE_PREFIX as a list of directories, each of which maps to a different database |
| 4GL_EXTRA_DB_COLS_OK | Allows the database table to have more columns than the COBOL program's corresponding file descriptor |
| 4GL_FULL_DATA_TEST | Allows you to specify whether an entire field is tested for illegal data or if only the first field is tested |
| 4GL_IGNORED_SUFFIX_LIST | Lists the case-independent suffixes to ignore when opening Microsoft SQL Server tables or DB2 tables |
| 4GL_ILLEGAL_DATA | Determines how COBOL data considered illegal by the database is converted before it is stored in the database |
| 4GL_JULIAN_BASE_DATE | Sets the base date to be used for Julian date calculations |
| 4GL_USEDIR_LEVEL | Provides a method of mapping filenames (with directory information) to table names |
| 4GL_WHERE_CONSTRAINT | Allows you to override any value given in the external variable A4GL_WHERE_CONSTRAINT |
| FILE_TRACE | Allows you to start file tracing without opening the debugger |
| XFD_DIRECTORY | Tells the run time system the name of the directory that contains the XFD files built by the compiler |
| XFD_MAP | Tells the run time system to associate certain filenames with a particular XFD |
| XFD_MAP_RESETS | Determines whether setting XFD_MAP adds to or replaces the existing value |
| XFD_PREFIX | Defines a specific series of directories to search for XFD files |