Microsoft KB Archive/50624

COBOL 3.00 C-ISAM Is for Future UNIX/XENIX ISAM Compatibility

PSS ID Number: Q50624 Article last modified on 08-20-1990

3.00 3.00a MS-DOS

Summary: In the File Control Description (FCD) for COBOL ISAM files, a file format type of C-ISAM is shown. This flag provides compatibility with the UNIX/XENIX standard ISAM package C-ISAM. This information applies to Microsoft COBOL Version 3.00 and 3.00a for MS-DOS and MS-OS/2.

More Information: On Page 13-7 in the “Microsoft COBOL Version 3.00: Operating Guide,” under the description of the FCD at offset 34, the manual incorrectly states that a file format type of 1 corresponds to “C-ISM.” This should be changed to “C-ISAM.” C-ISAM is a UNIX/XENIX ISAM handling toolkit much like Btrieve for DOS. It is the ISAM handler for almost all UNIX/XENIX operating systems. The purpose of the C-ISAM field is to allow a DOS user to create and maintain C-ISAM ISAM files that can be transferred to and from UNIX/XENIX. Micro Focus decided to use the C-ISAM handling module as the COBOL ISAM handler when designing UNIX/XENIX products. Note: The actual use of the C-ISAM field is untested and is for possible future expansion of the product. There is currently no switch to enable or disable C-ISAM.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1990.