Applications written and compiled in ACUCOBOL-GT can soon read, process and output data in XML format-enabling the data to be transported and shared over LANs, WANs and the Internet, even with partners and customers who do not have business systems written in COBOL. To provide this bi-directional support, ACUCOBOL-GT Version 6.0 features a developer utility that may be used to create File Descriptors and SELECT statements from existing XML files. It also provides a runtime-resident file system interface that reads XML data and transparently converts it to sequential files for COBOL processing. The interface, AcuXML, also converts COBOL output data into XML format as required.

"By providing COBOL support for XML, we've given businesses a more cost effective and efficient way to standardize and exchange data from organization to organization, department to department, or even application to application," says Coker.

Acucorp's integrated development environment, AcuBench, now includes improved report generation capabilities. Using a new interface that resembles a screen painter, developers can lay out reports and then automatically generate the COBOL code that positions the report elements. In addition, they can produce the required code to present their reports as HTML documents, enabling users to view these reports from a Web browser.

Version 6.0 allows developers to drag-and-drop data items from graphical file and data designers to the Screen Designer or Report Composer window for prototyping screens and reports.

Version 5 of Vision, extend's native indexed sequential file system, will enhance programmer flexibility by expanding a variety of limits, including record and file sizes, table limits and block sizes. COBOL developers who need to store large objects, like JPEG and WAV files, in their COBOL data will soon be able to do so with an increase in the record size capacity-up to 64 megabytes. In addition, Vision Version 5 provides support for larger pre-allocate and extension factors.

About Acucorp

Founded in 1988, Acucorp, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in San Diego, California, with additional offices in Great Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Acucorp's products are distributed in more than 75 countries throughout the world, and its technology users include Ford Argentina, Red Cross Belgium, Sanyo Extended Data Systems, Seagram Americas, Siemens, The Gap, The Travelex Group (formerly Thomas Cook), Tower Records and Warner Music Group. The company continues to design, develop, and market robust solutions for extending the life of inherited COBOL applications. Additional information about Acucorp is available at http://www.acucorp.com.

Acucorp, extend, ACUCOBOL, and AcuBench are trademarks or registered trademarks of Acucorp, Inc.

All other trademarks used are the property of their respective owners.