SoftwareMining •
COBOL to Java & C#
• Predictable & Repeatable
SoftwareMining provides automated, rule-based tools for converting Micro Focus COBOL applications into maintainable Java or C# source code. The translation process supports COBOL business logic and Micro Focus-specific language features while preserving the behaviour and processing sequence of the original application.
Many large organizations adopted Micro Focus COBOL to move applications away from IBM mainframe infrastructure while retaining the original COBOL business logic and application architecture. These systems therefore often remain largely based on IBM or ANSI COBOL and may continue to use mainframe-derived technologies such as CICS, JCL, VSAM and embedded SQL.
Some applications have subsequently introduced Micro Focus compiler directives, runtime services, file handling or database interfaces. SoftwareMining analyses both the inherited mainframe dependencies and any Micro Focus-specific adaptations, converting supported features into corresponding Java or C# implementations.
Many Micro Focus COBOL applications were originally rehosted from IBM mainframes and continue to follow COBOL 74 or COBOL 85 conventions. They may also retain mainframe-derived dependencies such as CICS services, JCL batch processing, VSAM files and DB2 embedded SQL.
Applications developed or extended after rehosting may additionally use Micro Focus compiler directives, runtime services, screen handling, operating system interfaces or other platform-specific features. Application analysis must identify the dependencies actually present before translation begins.
The following resources describe relevant modernization patterns:
Rehosted applications may still contain CICS-compatible transaction processing, JCL, VSAM access, embedded SQL and other structures inherited from the original mainframe system. SoftwareMining identifies these dependencies and converts supported features into corresponding Java or C# implementations.
Some Micro Focus applications use SCREEN SECTION definitions, terminal-control characters or proprietary screen-handling services. SoftwareMining analyses these interactions and maps supported screen behaviour to components appropriate for the target Java or C# application architecture.
For example, terminal-control operations such as clearing a screen can
be represented by readable target-language methods such as
blankScreen().
Micro Focus applications may call operating system APIs, runtime services or external libraries. Each dependency must be analysed to determine whether its behaviour remains necessary in the modernized application. Required behaviour can be replaced with an equivalent Java or C# implementation, while obsolete dependencies should be removed only after analysis and testing.
For a broader comparison of rehosting, replatforming, translation and other approaches, see the Comparison of COBOL Modernization Strategies .
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