Modeling COBOL data by using DFDL

Learn how to model COBOL data by using Data Format Description Language (DFDL).
OVERVIEW

This tutorial demonstrates how to model COBOL data by using DFDL schema.

COBOL is a programming language most commonly used on mainframe computers. In-memory COBOL data structures are defined either in COBOL programs or COBOL copybooks. These data structures are commonly written to files or message queues.

COBOL data structures can contain fields of several different physical types, including character strings (PIC X), zoned decimals (PIC 9), packed decimals (PIC 9 COMP-3) and two's complement integers (PIC 9 COMP).

The DFDL editor provides a COBOL importer which can read COBOL copybooks and programs and generate the equivalent DFDL schema.

This tutorial takes approximately 10 minutes.
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Tutorial Topics
  • Modeling COBOL messages
  • Editing DFDL schema
  • Testing DFDL schema
Learning outcomes
  • An understanding of how the DFDL editor can be used to model and parse COBOL data.