Related Tips & Info

The use of Python ctypes to call COBOL

tonyt
0 Likes

Problem

 error undefined symbol _mFsoload

 Resolution

This simple example demonstrates how well Visual COBOL can integrate with PYTHON.

It covers the core subjects of COBOL and C build, BASIC PYTHON scripting and execution.

Here is the output

Output

/home/tonyt/test/tmp >. ./doit.sh
COBDIR set to /home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA
cob64 -C nolist -Zv helloworld.c program1.cbl 
helloworld.c:
program1.cbl:
* Micro Focus COBOL                  V2.2 revision 002           Compiler
* Copyright (C) Micro Focus 1984-2014. All rights reserved.
* Accepted - verbose
* Accepted - nolist
* Compiling program1.cbl
* Total Messages:     0
* Data:         320     Code:          78
* Micro Focus COBOL Code Generator
* Copyright (C) Micro Focus 1984-2014. All rights reserved.
* Accepted - verbose
* Accepted - pic
* Generating program1
* Data:          88     Code:         544     Literals:          32

LD_LIBRARY_PATH     </home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/lib>
LD_PRELOAD          </home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/lib/libcobcrtn64.so:/home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/lib/libcobrts64.so:/home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/lib/libcobmisc64.so:/home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/lib/libcobscreen64.so:/home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/lib/libcobtrace64.so>
sys.path            <
['/home/tonyt/test/tmp', '/usr/lib64/python26.zip', '/usr/lib64/python2.6', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/plat-linux2', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/lib-tk', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/lib-old', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/lib-dynload', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/gst-0.10', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/gtk-2.0', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages/webkit-1.0', '/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages', '/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.6.egg-info']
>

before c call
Started Hello World
program 1 has started
after c call

At the end of the output it shows Python calls, C then C calls COBOL, returning back to PYTHON.

The doit.sh script below shows displays from PYTHON, C and COBOL.

Here is the doit.sh

doit.sh

#
# set cobol environment
#
unset LD_LIBRARY_PATH
. /home/products/vcdevhub22upd2preGA/bin/cobsetenv
COBMODE=64
export COBMODE
#
# create c program
#
cat >helloworld.c <<EOF
/* Hello World program */

#include<stdio.h>

main()
{
    cobinit();
    printf("Started Hello World\n");
    program1();
    cobtidy();
}
EOF
#
# create cobol program
#
cat >program1.cbl <<EOF
       program-id. program1 as "program1".

       environment division.
       configuration section.

       data division.
       working-storage section.
       01 in_data        pic x(10) value "prog1 data".

       procedure division.

           display "program 1 has started"
      *     call "Program2" using in_data.
           
           goback.

       end program program1.

EOF
#
# build the .so file
#
cob -Zv helloworld.c program1.cbl
#
# create python script
#
cat >mytest.py <<EOF
import ctypes
import sys, os
print
print "LD_LIBRARY_PATH     <"   os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH']   ">"
print "LD_PRELOAD          <"   os.environ['LD_PRELOAD']   ">"
print "sys.path            <" 
print sys.path 
print ">"
print
#
mylib = ctypes.CDLL("./libhelloworld.so")
print "before c call"
mylib.main()
print "after c call"
exit()
EOF
#
# run the python file
#
# get these modules loaded
#
export LD_PRELOAD=$COBDIR/lib/libcobcrtn64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobrts64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobmisc64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobscreen64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobtrace64.so
#
# run the python script
#
python mytest.py
#
# remove the LD_PRELOAD
#
unset LD_PRELOAD
#
# end
#

Create a tmp directory as in ouput above,

Enter the doit.sh code into a doit.sh script in the tmp directory,

Change the cobsetenv comand to point at your COBDIR and,

Execute the doit.sh to get it to work.

 

The key is the LD_PRELOAD for a simple c calling COBOL library

Comment List
Anonymous

  • I run it only without my environment but I had errors. SLE 11 SP2 is very poor in the library.

    The instalaltion for default do nto has a compilaer the probles is SLE a bad }very bad linux!!!

    I will discard this solution a bad idea.

  • The comments section of the Knowledge Base is the wrong place for an extended discussion. Please raise this as a new topic an appropriate MF Community forum.

    I'll be frank: It will be difficult to help you get this running if you don't have a solid understanding of basic Linux concepts. libdl.so is one such concept. So is the use of PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH. PATH is not used to search for shared objects, so there's no reason to be changing it. Adding random application directories (such as /Oracle/apps/...) to LD_LIBRARY_PATH is not likely to be productive; and now your script is resetting its entire value, so commenting out the unset command is pointless, and you've undone any changes that cobsetenv made to it.

  • I search for libdl.so, I had not in my path. I added to PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH, the error is different.

    With  which libdl.so I had 3 places when I found it.

    ./usr/lib64/libdl.so

    ./home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_1/lib/stubs/libdl.so

    ./home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_2/lib/stubs/libdl.so

    ./oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0.4/db_1/lib/stubs/libdl.so

    I add /usr/lib/libdl.so to my PATH and the fisrt Oracle path to LD_LIBRAY_PATH.

    I change the script like this: (I need *.CBL,  in UPPER  case in my configuraiton...)

    ---------------------------------------------

    #

    # set cobol environment

    #

    # unset LD_LIBRARY_PATH

    . /etc/profile.d/cobsetenv.sh

    export ORACLE_HOME=/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_2

    export PATH=$ORACLE_HOME/bin:$PATH:/lib64:/lib:/usr/lib64/

    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib:/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_2/lib:/lib64:/lib:/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_1/lib/stubs

    export COBCPY=$COBCPY:/home/equifax/copys

    export COBDIR=/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper

    export LC_PRELOAD=/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib:/lib64

    COBMODE=64

    export COBMODE

    #

    # create c program

    #

    cat >helloworld.c <<EOF

    /* Hello World program */

    #include<stdio.h>

    #include<cobmain.h>

    #include<cobtypes.h>

    int cobinit (void);

    main()

    {

       cobinit ();

       printf("Started Hello World\n");

       program1();

       cobtidy();

    }

    EOF

    #

    # create cobol program

    #

    cat >program1.CBL <<EOF

          program-id. program1 as "program1.CBL".

          environment division.

          configuration section.

          data division.

          working-storage section.

          01 in_data        pic x(10) value "prog1 data".

          procedure division.

              display "program 1 has started"

         *     call "Program2" using in_data.

              goback.

          end program program1.

    EOF

    #

    # build the .so file

    #

    cob -Zv helloworld.c program1.CBL    

    #

    # create python script

    #

    cat >mytest.py <<EOF

    import ctypes

    import sys, os

    print

    print "LD_LIBRARY_PATH     <" + os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'] + ">"

    print "LD_PRELOAD          <" + os.environ['LD_PRELOAD'] + ">"

    print "sys.path            <"

    print sys.path

    print ">"

    print

    #

    mylib = ctypes.CDLL("./libhelloworld.so")

    print "before c call"

    mylib.main()

    print "after c call"

    exit()

    EOF

    #

    # run the python file

    #

    # get these modules loaded

    #

    export LD_PRELOAD=$COBDIR/lib/libcobcrtn64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobrts64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobmisc64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobscreen64.so:$COBDIR/lib/libcobtrace64.so

    #

    # run the python script

    #

    python mytest.py

    #

    # remove the LD_PRELOAD

    #

    # unset LD_PRELOAD

    #

    # end

    #

    ---------------------------------------------------

    When I run now the output is  this:

    --------------------------------------------------------

    pccdesa@DSuseBilling01:/home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03> ./doit.sh

    COBDIR set to /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper

    cob64 -C nolist -Zv helloworld.c program1.CBL

    helloworld.c:

    program1.CBL:

    * Micro Focus COBOL                  V2.2 revision 002           Compiler

    * Copyright (C) Micro Focus 1984-2014. All rights reserved.

    * Accepted - verbose

    * Accepted - nolist

    * Compiling program1.CBL

        1 program-id. program1 as "program1.CBL".

    *1641-S**************************************                                **

    **    '.' in source filename or PROGRAM-ID in native code

    * Total Messages:     1

    * Unrecoverable :     0                    Severe  :     1

    * Errors        :     0                    Warnings:     0

    * Informational :     0                    Flags   :     0

    * Data:         178     Code:           0

    cob64: error(s) in compilation: program1.CBL

    LD_LIBRARY_PATH     </opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib:/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_2/lib:/lib64:/lib:/home/oracle/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/client_1/lib/stubs>

    LD_PRELOAD          </opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobcrtn64.so:/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so:/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobmisc64.so:/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobscreen64.so:/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobtrace64.so>

    sys.path            <

    ['/home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03', '/usr/lib/python26.zip', '/usr/lib64/python2.6', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/plat-linux2', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/lib-tk', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/lib-old', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/lib-dynload', '/usr/lib64/python2.6/site-packages', '/usr/local/lib64/python2.6/site-packages']

    >

    Traceback (most recent call last):

     File "mytest.py", line 11, in <module>

       mylib = ctypes.CDLL("./libhelloworld.so")

     File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/ctypes/__init__.py", line 353, in __init__

       self._handle = _dlopen(self._name, mode)

    OSError: ./libhelloworld.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

    pccdesa@DSuseBilling01:/home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03>

    ---------------------------------------

    And these are the objects in the folder

    ------------------------------------------------

    pccdesa@DSuseBilling01:/home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03> dir

    total 76

    -r-xr--r-- 1 root    root   1400 Sep  1 10:01 cobmain.h

    -r-xr--r-- 1 pccdesa users  3694 Sep  1 10:03 cobtypes.h

    -rwxr-xr-- 1 pccdesa users  2052 Sep  4 09:02 doit.sh

    -rw-r--r-- 1 pccdesa users   202 Sep  4 09:03 helloworld.c

    -rw-r--r-- 1 pccdesa users  1744 Sep  4 09:03 helloworld.o

    drwxr-xr-x 2 pccdesa users  4096 Sep  1 10:36 lang

    drwxr-xr-x 2 pccdesa users  4096 Sep  1 10:35 lib

    -rw-r--r-- 1 pccdesa users   336 Sep  4 09:03 mytest.py

    -rw-r--r-- 1 pccdesa users   394 Sep  4 09:03 program1.CBL

    -rw-r--r-- 1 pccdesa users 39168 Sep  4 09:03 program1.idy

    pccdesa@DSuseBilling01:/home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03>

    -----------------------------------------------

    In my installation there was not compiler, then  I have installed gcc4.1 and I done a link symbolic to cc for python. I am new with python, but I found this sample  that could be good for my job.

    Thanks

  • "man dlopen" would answer your question "What is dlopen?".

    The programs running under the script aren't finding libdl.so, which is a standard system shared object.

    The script begins by unsetting LD_LIBRARY_PATH, which looks like a bad idea to me. I'd try it with that line removed.

  • I have many errors, for example cobint() need

    #include  <cobmain.h> and  #include cobtypes.h

    I added both to script code....

    I create folders  lib and lang

    after that I got:

    What is  dlopen ??

    Can I set this for ED in SLE 11 SP2 ?

    I had to install gcc4.1 glibc-devel cpp41.1 ...and nw this...

    /home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03> . ./doit.sh

    uname: symbol lookup error: /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so: undefined symbol: dlopen

    COBDIR set to /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper

    cat: symbol lookup error: /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so: undefined symbol: dlopen

    cat: symbol lookup error: /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so: undefined symbol: dlopen

    ERROR: ld.so: object '/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobcrtn64.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.

    ERROR: ld.so: object '/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.

    ERROR: ld.so: object '/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobmisc64.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.

    ERROR: ld.so: object '/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobscreen64.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.

    ERROR: ld.so: object '/opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobtrace64.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.

    /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/bin/cob64: symbol lookup error: /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so: undefined symbol: dlopen

    cat: symbol lookup error: /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so: undefined symbol: dlopen

    pccdesa@DSuseBilling01:/home/equifax/python/fuentes/TEST03> ld.so /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobcrtn64.so

    /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobcrtn64.so: symbol lookup error: /opt/microfocus/EnterpriseDeveloper/lib/libcobrts64.so: undefined symbol: dlopen

Related Discussions
Recommended

Resources

Support
Documentation
Training
CyberRes Academy
Partner Portal
Contact us
Compliance
Help
Company
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Accessibility
Anti-Slavery Statement
Support
How To Buy
Careers
Investor Relations
The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of Micro Focus. By using this site, you accept the Terms of Use and Rules of Participation. Certain versions of content ("Material") accessible here may contain branding from Hewlett-Packard Company (now HP Inc.) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company. As of September 1, 2017, the Material is now offered by Micro Focus, a separately owned and operated company. Any reference to the HP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise/HPE marks is historical in nature, and the HP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise/HPE marks are the property of their respective owners.