Import COBOL Wizard Inappropriately Flags COBOL Syntax Error; Import Cannot Be Completed

ID: Q233852

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS, version 4.0 SP2
Microsoft SNA Server, version 4.0SP2

SYMPTOMS

The following error message is displayed by the Import COBOL Wizard feature of COM Transaction Integrator for CICS and IMS:

Invalid COBOL syntax was found at the beginning of the file. This file may not contain any COBOL.

CAUSE

In this case, the COBOL source code contains a COBOL 'DATA DIVISION.' statement that is preceeded by a row of asterisks with the first asterisk being in column 7, as shown below:


      *****************************************************************

The line of asterisks beginning in column 7 is a legal COBOL statement. (Whenever an asterisk is placed in column 7, the COBOL compiler treats the line as a comment.)

WORKAROUND

Edit the COBOL source code to remove the line of asterisks. Then rerun the Import COBOL Wizard.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SNA Server version 4.0.

Additional query words:

Keywords : sna4sp2
Version : WINDOWS:4.0 SP2,4.0SP2
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug