Write Unicode strings to a file with COBOL

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We're in the process of updating our COBOL programs running on an IBM Mainframe (z/OS) to support non-latin characters.

I'm struggling a bit with understanding how COBOL processes UTF-16 characters defined as PIC N.

I need to update a field currently defined as PIC X to PIC N. This field then gets written to a file.

Example:

01 RecordToWrite PIC X(20).

I understand PIC N needs twice as much space as PIC X. What I don't know is how to define the corresponding PIC N field.

My guess would be COBOL takes care of the conversion itself:

01 RecordToWrite PIC N(20).

But I'm really not sure if it's that simple.

Can I just simply define the old field as PIC N without having to worry that my file still looks the same? Which measures do I need to take?

ebcdic cobol utf-16 unicode file
1 Answers

Your field:

01 RecordToWrite PIC N(20).

Will consume 40 bytes, for its 20 characters. So you will need to make corresponding adjustments going from X to N.

You might also need to make use of NATIONAL-OF and DISPLAY-OF functions to get it into UTF-16, or CCSID 1200. Once you have converted your data, you won't need to mess with that any more, and your 40-byte/20-char Pic N will behave just like your old Pic X fields did -- unless you have to talk to unconverted parts of the system.

user_3442490
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