CSV versus cobol copybook

zacharti · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 13

Hi,

I have a architect question

My online cobol program currently receives the data in cobol copybook format. Where ESB (Enterprise service bus ) converts XML to COBOl copybook format. We are having a redesign on the data and there is an argument whether data from ESB should come in CSV format versus COBOL Copybook. Can anyone help me understand the pros and cons of each of the format, as to me I think COBOl copybook format is easier to understand versus CSV. Please advise.

Bill Woodger · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:22 pm

Why doesn't the designer work out how the fewest conversions from one format to another will be carried out, and compare that with the processing necessary for the to/from conversion.

I'd find it unlikely that CSV would be a good way to hold the data for mainframe processing, as you would have considerable code running to convert and after updating reconvert back to a CSV, and you'd be doing that in each mainframe program that was processing a record.

Phrzby Phil · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 5:24 pm

CSV is certainly harder for humans to read, as we need to know exactly how many delimiters precede a datum to know what it is.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:09 pm

As they say, if a machine is working fine, don't distrub it. Said that, if you already have a system using COBOL-coybook formats -- what do you gain using CSV? If the 'system' is still to produce the "same" output, why there is a discussion about CSV, at first place?

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 6:18 pm

I just read your post again and possibly this is the answer of what I've asked for

Ed Goodman · Active Member Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 556 Location: USA

The biggest headache that come in to play is that when the copybooks change (and they do) you have to rebuild the XML/JAVA/other code to put it in the right positions.

The JAVA kids don't want to be tied to the mainframe schedules. And the change control stuff is never really integrated anyway, so it becomes something someone has to remember to do.

My opinion is that you may want to create some middleware programs on the mainframe side to read in the data and convert it to copybook format. This gives you a single point to maintain when the formats change. it also gives you some isolation between the outside world and the mainframe.

You may even consider letting them send in XML. That way, you can watch the same XSD they are using to see if it changes. better yet, take ownership of the XSD and you won't ever get surprised. Yes, the overhead is a lot higher, but the maintainability goes up quite a bit.

mtaylor · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:12 am

Or just write java code to parse the copybooks and map the file, voila easy peasy. First time I wrote that code it was in C, I've written at least twice more for other companies.