End of December 2011
Focused on finding and fixing problems. The effort that took the longest was vsam related memory leaks in the VM/370 CMS version.
End of November 2011
Much effort, initiated by issues with LE abend reporting, expanded to include some non-LE issues as well.
End of October 2011
KICKS is mostly working on both the VM/370 6pk and on z/VM. Only major issue remaining is vsam on z/VM. I don't have access to a z/VM system with vsam installed, so this may take awhile. Since vsam works on the 6pk it's possible there are no real z/VM issues but I'm not betting on it.
End of September 2011
More progress on KICKS for CMS. Posted conversion of Jay Moseley's cobol vsam subroutines (see below) along with my OSVSAM38 MACLIB. Also completed (?) work on loader and unlked, and obtained first KICKS startup under CMS! (with MECAFE on the VM/370 6pk). LOTS of work left before it's ready thou.
End of August 2011
More progress on KICKS for CMS, particularly discovery of MECAFF, which will likely be the KICKS 3270 full screen solution for the six-pack. Also began work on converting Jay Moseley's cobol vsam stuff (see http://www.jaymoseley.com/hercules/compiling/vscobol.htm) from MVS to CMS. Jay's package isn't any part of KICKS, but it's a good test platform for vsam and cobol, and while it's not especially compatible with KICKS in a TSO environment they work well together in CMS. This work also exposed the need to develop my own "OSVSAM MACLIB" for the six-pack, which I've done using the MVS380 1.2 system's sys1.maclib as a base.
End of July 2011
Significant progress on KICKS for CMS, including discovery of another barrier (lack of relocating loader & contents management) to getting it up on the six-pack. VSAM & file sharing seem OK, and VMARC will probably suffice for packaging needs. Most of KICKS runs (as pieces) on either the six-pack or z/VM but I haven't gotten it all to run in either place yet. Posted KooKbooK recipe #14 relating to VSAM use in the six-pack.
End of June 2011
Installed vm370sixpack-1_2 and started a real effort to port KICKS to CMS. Mapgen & Preprocessors working with only minor issues. Clist's and Proc's being converted to Exec's and CMSBATCH job streams. Not sure if CMSBATCH is really the way to go with this but will probably continue with it thru the first postings. VSAM, file sharing, and full screen for vm370 are still outstanding (but anticipated) issues. Unless someone beats me to it I will do my own vm370 diag x'58' hack for full screen. Packaging is turning into an unexpected issue - I miss my PDS's !!
End of May 2011
Posted a few iterations of KICKS 1.1.3 as bugs surfaced and were fixed.
Tested KICKS & GCCMVS preprocessor with gccmvs-3_2_3-8_5.
Upgraded development environment from gccmvs-3_2_3-7_0 to 3_2_3-8_5. Will keep the 3_2_3-7_0 environment for KICKS 1.1.3 (and earlier) support and use the 3_2_3-8_5 environment for the 'Golden' release candidate(s) and for 'Pro'.
End of April 2011
Posted KICKS 1.1.3 -- What’s New?
- Sequential terminal (aka CRLP) fielded input, allows most any transaction to be run in batch.
- Localization support (ASSIGN LANGINUSE, NATLANGINUSE). New SIT parameter NATLANG to specify.
- DFHVALUE implemented.
- CHECK argument for RECEIVE, allows non-blocking check for terminal input ready. Used by KSGM to generate a dynamic color logon screen.
- API documentation in the User's Guide.
- BMS input improvements for better CICS compatibility (better detection of MAPFAIL conditions, numeric justification default, erase eof support fixed).
End of March 2011
CRLP field input is finally done.
End of February 2011
CRLP field input is harder than I imagined it to be! I'm ending up writing a batch TN3270 client!!!
End of January 2011
Slow getting started on KICKS again. Beside 'goals' have been working on improved BMS exception reporting and on adding field input to the sequential terminal (CRLP).
Older...