z390 Portable Mainframe Assembler and Emulator

z390 and zcobol
 Statement of Direction

 Automated Software Tools Corporation
Automated Software Tools Corporation (AST) plans to continue to develop and support the z390 Portable Mainframe Assembler and Emulator Project and the zcobol Portable COBOL Compiler as an open source GPL tools for the foreseeable future with free downloads and regular updates.  The z390 and zcobol development and support goals are as follows:
  • Enable z390 and zcobol users to compile, assemble, link, and execute mainframe COBOL and assembler problem state programs with minimum source code changes using Windows, Linux, and other platforms supporting the J2SE runtime.
  • Maximize z390 and zcobol  user productivity by maintaining and enhancing z390 tools included such as standard GUI interface, common mainframe compatible  macros, common supervisor call runtime functions, trace options, debugging facilities such as ZPARTRS source execution trace for assembler and COBOL, and online documentation.
  • Maximize z390 and zcobol performance by continually searching for ways to enhance the performance of the assembler and emulator such as the addition of macro pseudo support in 2006 yielding a 300% improvement in macro execution speed.
  • Maintain single z390 and zcobol open source stream with regression tests which are tested on both Windows and Linux prior to each release.
  • Accept, prioritize, code, and test  RPI fixes and enhancement requests as time permits with z390 and zcobol user contributions and feedback welcome.  AST has established a track record since the initial release of z390 in September 2005 with full InstallShield type releases for Windows approximately at least quarterly along with interim fix overlay releases for over 500 RPI requests completed.
  • AST offers contract programming services to develop specific system interfaces and add additional callable subsystems which may or may not become part of the z390 open source project.
  • AST offers contract support services for companies requiring priority support for development, maintenance, and production systems.
  • AST offers contract training services including: z390 installation and usage, Eclipse Java IDE installation and usage, IBM mainframe assembler language coding, and IBM mainframe assembler program instruction set (12 MB PDF) debugging using z390 interactive debug and trace tools.
  • Pending z390 major enhancements planned for 2010 include:
    • VSAM KSDS alternate index and update support (browse on primary available now in zCICS)
    • SQL support using JDBC interface
    • Source code GUI debugging tool in addition to current interactive TEST type debugger and GTF type trace facility
  • Pending zcobol major enhancements planned for 2010 include:
    • VSAM and QSAM file support (line sequential support available now, and VSAM browse available within zCICS)
    • SQL file support using JDBC interface
    • Continue to increase number of successful NIST COBOL 1985 test programs (408 currently compile with no abends and just MNOTE messages for currently unsupported features).

Don Higgins
President Automated Software Tools Corporation

IBM, CICS, HLASM, MVS, OS/390, VSAM, z9, z10, and z/OS
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This page last updated Thursday September 09, 2010.   Webmaster 
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