Function packages were introduced with AWM 2.3. All AWM modeled tool descriptors are now associated with function packages.
Tool descriptors modeled with an older version of AWM are still supported and those tools can be executed at run time.
All tool descriptors found in an older model version are automatically associated to the Deprecated Function Package.
Although all deprecated Visual COBOL supported tool descriptors are still visible if you open an out-dated model and can be updated in the model editor, it is not possible to define a new deprecated tool descriptor. For all those deprecated tool descriptors there are new function package tools available which should be used instead. See Integrated Tools - Function Package Mapping and Extpoint Tools - Function Package Mapping.
Although out-dated tools can still be executed at run time and can still be maintained in the model editor, Micro Focus recommends to convert the models. This can be done if the model is opened in the AWM model editor. All Micro Focus deprecated tool descriptors except the Extpoint tools can be converted automatically. See Converting a Deprecated Model. The Extpoint tool descriptors must currently be converted manually.
Deprecated tool descriptors which were not provided by Visual COBOL can still be created by selecting these tool descriptors from the Deprecated Function Package.