Time Wait in COBOL program

subhadeep_infy · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 10

Hi,

I have a requirement where we need to wait for a couple of milliseconds before proceeding with the next executable statement in COBOL. Do we have any keyword in COBOL which contains the above mentioned functionality.

TIA,

Subhadeep

Rupesh.Kothari · Member of the Month Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 463

HI,

DARAPRADEEP · New User Joined: 13 Apr 2005 Posts: 7

hi,
I think we don't have any command like sleep or wait.
We can use a simple loop to get delay in the process.
Thanks,
pradeep.

priyesh.agrawal · Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 3:30 pm

Wouldn't it be a better idea coding some Dummy statements, rather than putting a halt with WAIT or SLEEP.

Just like if it is a DB2 progarm, COMMIT can be used for a good passtime.

Regards,
Priyesh.

subhadeep_infy · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 10

Hi,
If we process the WAIT functionality by moving in a loop, we won't be able to wait for a specified period say 250 milliseconds. Also this will consume CPU time.
For my requirement, I'll be passing the waiting time thru the JCL to the program, which will wait for that particular time if a SQL query returns -904( resource unvailable). Once the waiting period is over, it'll again fire the same query.
If this is not possible in COBOL, then can anyone tell me whether this can be done in DB2 or not?

Thanks,
Subhadeep

lordholnapult · New User Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Italy

Often, waiting for a while is a lazy method to omit the research of an information that your procedure require. More often , this became an unsuccessfull execution of your program in random moments... and this is hard to DEBUG. I suggest to you to get TRUE information from your procedure, and then obtain stable programs.
Anyway, you also can access and test the system time , making some calculation in a "PERFORM UNTIL" statement :
USE:

lordholnapult · New User Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Location: Italy

Excuse the PERFORM error....

DavidatK · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:59 am

Subhadeep,

There is no way in COBOL, and I don't know anyway in DB2 to accomplish this. And I agree with you that using a loop to wait is a horrible waste of resources. You program will consume 100% of the CPU while waiting. You should ask your Systems Programmer(s) if there are any subroutines that you can use to accomplish the wait. This is a simple task in Assembler without looping. If there is none available, maybe they can write one for you.

Dave

subhadeep_infy · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 10

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

Regards,
Subhadeep

subhadeep_infy · New User Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 10

The above functionality can also be attained by calling the IBM utility 'ILBOWAT0' in the COBOL program by supplying the delay time which can range from 0001 to 9999999 seconds. e.g.

CALL 'ILBOWAT0' USING DELAY-AMT.

The benefit of this routine is that it uses minimal CPU time during the wait/sleep period.

Regards,
Subhadeep