Open ServerConnect Programmer's Reference for COBOL

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Open ServerConnect Programmer's Reference for COBOL

Chapter 2: Topics

Character Sets

Open ServerConnect can accept requests in a variety of client character sets. The client identifies the character set in the login packet, which is forwarded to the mainframe server. Open ServerConnect does the necessary translations (for example, from ASCII 8 to EBCDIC or from Shift-JIS to IBM-Kanji).

Gateway-Library uses translate tables and conversion modules to convert workstation characters into characters used by the mainframe. A Japanese Conversion Module (JCM) is available with Open ServerConnect on a separate tape. A system programmer can customize translate tables or rename the JCM at your site. See the Open ServerConnect Installation and Administration Guide for details.

Supported Workstation Character Sets

The tables in this section list the supported character sets, indicate whether or not each set can be used for Japanese characters, and indicate whether those that can be used for Japanese characters allow hankaku katakana (single-byte characters).

Single-Byte Character Sets

The following single-byte character sets (SBCS) are supported at the workstation:

Table 2-1: Single-byte character sets supported at the workstation
Character Set Name
Supports Japanese Characters?
Includes Hankaku Katakana?
iso_1
No
Not applicable
cp850
No
Not applicable
cp437
No
Not applicable
roman8
No
Not applicable
mac
No
Not applicable
ascii_8
No
Not applicable
sjis
Yes
Yes

**Table 2-1: Single-byte character sets supported at the workstation**
Character Set Name	Supports Japanese Characters?	Includes Hankaku Katakana?
iso_1	No	Not applicable
cp850	No	Not applicable
cp437	No	Not applicable
roman8	No	Not applicable
mac	No	Not applicable
ascii_8	No	Not applicable
sjis	Yes	Yes

As shipped, the default character set on most workstations is iso_1; on an IBM RS/6000, it is cp850; and on HP platforms, it is roman8. Refer to your workstation documentation to find out what character set is supported on your workstation.

Double-Byte Character Sets

The following double-byte character sets (DBCS) are supported at the workstation:

Table 2-2: Double-byte character sets supported at the workstation
Character Set Name
Includes Hankaku Katakana?
eucjis
Yes
deckanji
No

**Table 2-2: Double-byte character sets supported at the workstation**
Character Set Name	Includes Hankaku Katakana?
eucjis	Yes
deckanji	No

Note: All supported double-byte character sets can be used for Japanese characters.

Supported Mainframe Character Sets

The following character sets are supported at the mainframe:

Table 2-3: Character sets supported at the mainframe
Type of Character Set
Character Set Name
Includes Hankaku Katakana?
Single-byte
EBCDIC
Yes, in Japan only.
Double-byte
IBM Kanji
No

**Table 2-3: Character sets supported at the mainframe**
Type of Character Set	Character Set Name	Includes Hankaku Katakana?
Single-byte	EBCDIC	Yes, in Japan only.
Double-byte	IBM Kanji	No

Note: Although single-byte characters can be read as either hankaku katakana or lowercase alphabetic characters, only one option can be specified in a single CICS region.


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