Pathway/iTS SCREEN COBOL Reference Manual (G06.24+, H06.03+, Pathway/iTS 1.0+)

Introduction to SCREEN COBOL
Compaq NonStop™ Pathway/iTS SCREEN COBOL Reference Manual—426750-001
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Pathway System Components
Pathway Monitor (PATHMON) Process
The PATHMON process is the central control process for a Pathway environment. The
PATHMON process maintains information about the objects (terminals, TCPs, servers)
in a PATHMON environment and controls the objects.
The PATHMON process enforces the limits for the system defined in the system
configuration and monitors the operation of system objects by:
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Keeping a record of the object definitions in a control file
•
Reporting status information in a log file for the TCPs, servers, terminals, and
SCREEN COBOL programs
•
Granting communication links between TCP and servers
•
Reporting system errors within the Pathway environment
•
Shutting down the system by stopping PATHMON-controlled objects
PATHCOM
PATHCOM is the command interface that is used to define and manage other objects
controlled by the PATHMON process. PATHCOM supports several sets of object-
related commands. These commands describe which terminals are controlled by each
TCP, describe the capacity of the PATHMON environment by indicating the maximum
number of objects that can exist, start and stop objects, and display status and statistical
information.
SCREEN COBOL
SCREEN COBOL is the programming language used to define terminal displays and
process data entered at terminals. The language is similar to COBOL. SCREEN
COBOL and COBOL have the same program organization, coding conventions, and
language elements. Both languages have the same major divisions:
•
Identification Division
•
Environment Division
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Data Division
•
Procedure Division
Data descriptions in the SCREEN COBOL Working-Storage and Linkage Sections are
the same format as those in COBOL.
Unlike COBOL, SCREEN COBOL provides features for screen handling and for
exchanging messages with intelligent devices. Note that the term intelligent
device as used within the context of Pathway/iTS covers a broad spectrum of entities
ranging from personal computers, automated teller machines, and point-of-sale devices
to Guardian operating environment processes and communication lines. In SCREEN
COBOL, a Screen Section or a Message Section replaces the COBOL File Section. The
Screen Section defines the data fields and other characteristics of a terminal screen; the