You receive an "Invalid COBOL" error message in the COBOL Import Wizard in a Transaction Integrator (TI) project (884391)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Host Integration Server 2004

SYMPTOMS

When you try to import a COBOL source file with the COBOL Import Wizard in a Transaction Integrator (TI) project in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003, you may receive the following error message:
Invalid COBOL syntax was found at the beginning of the file. This file may not contain any COBOL.

CAUSE

This problem occurs in the COBOL Import Wizard when any one of the following statements starts in column 9.
  • IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
  • ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
  • CONFIGURATION SECTION
  • DATA DIVISION
Note COBOL requirements state that these statements may occur in columns 8 through 11, but the current implementation only supports these statements that start in column 8.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, modify the COBOL statements to start in column 8.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the behavior

  1. In a text editor, create COBOL code with one of the statements starting in column 9.
  2. Start the COBOL Import Wizard, point to the newly created file, and then complete the wizard.

    You receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/2/2004
Keywords:kbprb kbtshoot KB884391 kbAudDeveloper
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