Ada, IBM/370/MVS, MIS applications...

Ada, IBM/370/MVS, MIS applications...

[John Prentice]

Hi,

I'm looking for information/feedback concerning using Ada on an IBM 
370 running MVS.

I'm working with a group at the Defense Finance and Accounting Services Denver
Center (DFAS - DE). We are trying to prepare the organization to use Ada, should
the recent mandates/laws ever reach this far into the COBOL world.

To date, we have been evaluating compilers (Alsys and Intermetrics),
and some PC based tools (e.g. AdaSage), and building interfaces to IBM    
software such as VSAM and ISPF. We have also written a packed decimal
package that uses IBM's decimal arithmetic facilities and is format compatible
with COBOL.

In the future, we plan to build an interface to VTAM, explore networking 
capabilities, and spend time studying the STANFINS system and development 
environment. (STANFINS or SRD2 is a large (2 million loc) finance/accounting 
system written in Ada for an IBM 370 running MVS).

I'm interested both in general information concerning experiences in this 
domain, and specific information concerning Ada based tools or Ada interfaces 
to utilities such screen and report generators, database management systems,
etc.  

I would like to avoid duplicating work that others may have already done as 
well as to share work that we have done with other interested parties (e.g., 
has anyone else worked with packed decimal?)

Thanks,

John Prentice
Harris Data Services Corporation (HDSC)
(303) 676-7277

Re: Ada, IBM/370/MVS, MIS applications...

[Jim Showalter]

I actually think Ada is quite well suited for MIS applications--ironically
enough, perhaps even MORE so than for embedded real time. The reason I
say this is that 1) MIS systems tend to do information modeling, which is
a natural transition to OO techniques [which Ada supports] and 2) there
is at least one excellent success story, STANFINS-R, that proves that
it not is not only possible to do MIS applications in Ada but that it makes
SENSE to do them in Ada.
-- 
*** LIMITLESS SOFTWARE, Inc: Jim Showalter, jls@netcom.com, (408) 243-0630 ****
*Proven solutions to software problems. Consulting and training on all aspects*
*of software development. Management/process/methodology. Architecture/design/*
*reuse. Quality/productivity. Risk reduction. EFFECTIVE OO usage. Ada/C++.    *

Re: Ada IBM/370/MVS MIS Applications

[John Prentice]

I received a request to post a summary of responses to my original
request for information regarding Ada applications in an IBM/MVS domain.
There were not a lot of responses, which I think is indicative of the lack 
of work goining on in the IBM/MVS world. While I'm at it, though, let me thank 
those that did respond!


>From eachus@d74sun.mitre.org Tue Jun 11 23:28:58 1991
>
>
>     Some answers and a question...  First, stick to the PC or some
>other environment for compiling/debugging etc.  There are several
>decent Ada cross-compilers, and although there are problems using Ada
>tasking under MVS, these problems also occur under several other
>operating systems, VMS for example.  But MVS is definitely not the
>environment to develop your code in.  I once heard developing Ada on
>MVS compared to "kicking a dead whale down the beach..." and every
>project I know of which successfully used Ada on IBM mainframes did
>not use MVS for development.  (If you want the gory details, I can
>refer you to people who actually WORKED in such an environment on WIS.
>I managed to keep it at arms length.)  The IBM development team on WIS
>evetually switched to a Rational for development just so they could
>get reasonable compile times.  (It is not unusual for a compile to
>take several times longer on a 3090 running MVS than on a 386, and the
>386 is MUCH cheaper.)
>
>     Second, a lot of the stuff developed for WIS and STANFINS-R
>should be both available to you and directly applicable to what you
>are doing.  No need to keep re-inventing the wheel.
>
>     And now for a request, we (MITRE) are going to be working with
>Ben Brosgol at Alsys to develop a standard Ada decimal arithmetic
>package and propose the interface as an ISO standard. There has been a
>lot of work done already under SIGAda CAUWG, but we would certainly
>appreciate additional input...  There also should be some useful stuff
>developed under STARS, but that is not targeted to the commercial
>area.
>
>
>					Robert I. Eachus
>
>with STANDARD_DISCLAIMER;
>use  STANDARD_DISCLAIMER;
>function MESSAGE (TEXT: in CLEVER_IDEAS) return BETTER_IDEAS is...


>From bhanafee@ads.com Wed Jun 12 12:27:57 1991
>
>Hi,
>You might take a look at the simtel20 Ada repository.  In particular,
>I believe the CSPARTS area has some code for report generating.  I
>do not know much else other than it's there.  If you have any problems
>getting to this site (which is often very busy), you could also look
>for a mirror site called wuarchive.  I don't believe the mirror is
>fully complete yet.  Also, if you have not yet done so, you should
>contact the Ada Information Clearinghouse and get on their (free)
>mailing list.  The phone # is 800/Ada-ic11 or 703/685-1477.
>
>The full name of the Ada repository is
>
>wsmr-simtel20.army.mil (192.88.110.20).  The IP address is new, I
>haven't tried it yet.  The old IP address was 26.2.0.74.  Also note
>that this is not a UNIX site.  There is a file with instructions
>on how to use this site in the directory you log on to.
>
>Also,
>wuarchive.wustl.edu (128.252.135.4).  I have never used wuarchive,
>so I don't know what you might find.
>
>
>Brian Hanafee


>From kmccook@logdis1.wr.aflc.af.mil Fri Jun 14 07:06:55 1991
>
>We had a similar problem a few months ago. You probably want to look at
>Intermetrics Ada Compiler, CICS, some ANSI SQL database, and get SAMEDL
>from Intermetrics to go between Ada and the SQL (ie ..DATACOMDB).
>
>Feel free to call if you want some more help.
>
>Ken McCook
>HQ 1926th CCSG/SCDD
>Robins AFB, GA 31098-6346
>(DSN) 468-3224
>(912) 926-3224



>From telesoft!choll@uunet.UU.NET Tue Jun 18 03:52:46 1991
>
>Hi John,
>
>In article <1991Jun11.183803.10781@colorado.edu> you write:

>>I'm looking for information/feedback concerning using Ada on an IBM 
>>370 running MVS.
>>
>>To date, we have been evaluating compilers (Alsys and Intermetrics),
>>and some PC based tools (e.g. AdaSage), and building interfaces to IBM    
>>software such as VSAM and ISPF. 
>
>Have you talked to IBM about their Ada compiler and toolset?  Just
>curious.  I work for TeleSoft, and we build the compilers for IBM.  In
>fact, I am presently working in the IBM group, and we have compilers
>and development environments for VM/CMS, (VM/XA shortly - I believe),
>MVS/XA, and MVS/ESA (to be released to IBM at the end of this month).
>
>The MVS compler is being used by the FAA for their new Air Traffic
>Controller Systems, and they seem very happy with it.
>
>I do QA and Performance Measurement for the group, and this will be
>our best release ever (from my perspective).
>
>Chris Holl
>TeleSoft
>San Diego, CA
>(619) 457-2700
>
>Disclaimer:  Yes, this is a blatent plug for a TeleSoft/IBM product,
>and I DO work for the company.  I'm not in Sales however, and TeleSoft
>doesn't even know I'm sending this.  :-)
>