How to validate Cobol load modules againt source program

Souma · New User Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

Hi

I have a number of COBOL load modules and a corresponding source programs. I have to validate whether the load modules are generated from the source programs i.e no change has been made in the sources programs after the programs have been compiled to create these loads.

Do anybody has any idea how to validate this or anybody can recommend any tool that can be used for this purpose. Please help.

Thanks
Souma

balajiofcrrcoe · New User Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 41 Location: chennai

Hi,

This could help..

By opening the load module member you can see the date and time of the compilation.

ofer71 · Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:39 am

Recompile the sources, and compare the load modules size.

O.

shreevamsi · Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:51 am

hi,

This is how to look at the timestamp of load module

Assuming that you have started an ISPF browse session on the LOAD module in question you can start executing the primary command HEX ON. Then you execute the command FIND X'80FA01' FIRST. This hexadecimal string is located in the record before the record containing the timestamp. In this record the date starts in position 16 and is a packed decimal julian date. Here is an example:

?|........................................................
8F00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0A10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
---------------------------------------------------------
?..5695DF108 ..q.?....
810FFFFCCFFF4009290106
05256954610801488F101F
The first record is the record containing the hexadecimal search string. The next record contains the date in position 16. The julian date is 98289. The year is 1998 and it is day number 289, whatever day that was. You can find out for yourself. AMBLIST also produces the julian date, so this is no releif. The packed field following the date is the time of day. This LOAD module was produced 11.00.16. In older LOAD modules the time will not be present. The information 5695DF108 refers to the version of the linkage editor, which produced the load module. It is an IBM product number for internal use and it will vary over time depending on various upgrades of MVS.

Souma · New User Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

Thanks a lot for your prompt answer.

But I am not sure if I can use the date and time stamp of the load module to identify that the corresponding source I have is the exact source of the load. The sources are not present in panvalet. Actually the source are brought from different machine and uploaded from notepad file. Please explain.

The sources will be recompiled in a different machine. In that case can the size of the new load module and the existing load module will be same?

ofer71 · Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:08 pm

If they will not be the same, the change will be minor.

O.

Marso · Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:13 pm

On the other hand, there are compile options that will generate a significantly different module, even if it is the same source

(most specifically OPT / NOOPT option, but also RENT, SSRANGE, DYNAM).