Transitioning from CICS/BMS COBOL to Readable Java

Maintaining and modernizing mainframe CICS or BMS applications requires more than COBOL knowledge. Developers must also understand the complex CICS API and its screen management features. Simply converting COBOL code to Java without refactoring the CICS API results in code that is hard to read, test, and maintain.

SoftwareMining enhances maintainability by transforming low-level CICS commands into clear, self-explanatory Java and C# statements. The goal is to generate enterprise-grade, readable code that both Java and COBOL teams can easily understand.

Refactoring IBM Mainframe CICS API into Legible Java and C#

CICS/BMS programs define display attributes that control how fields appear and behave. These attributes specify intensity, editability, protection, and input rules. A direct translation of these statements without context can produce unreadable or confusing code.

For example, consider the following COBOL statement:

MOVE 'Y' TO surnameA.

This COBOL command makes the surname field protected and displays it in bright mode. Without transformation, such behavior would be obscure in Java. SoftwareMining replaces it with a semantically meaningful call:

surname.setProtected(true).setIntensity(INTENSITY_BRIGHT);

The translator automatically replaces CICS/BMS attribute operations with intuitive Java or C# methods, including:

setProtected()
setIntensity()
setSkip()
setFocus()
setColor()
isInputAvailable()
resetAttributes()
hasFocus()

Examples of Enhanced CICS/BMS Translation

CICS COBOL Code

Converted Java

MOVE -1 TO surnameL

surname.setFocus(); // 'surname' is a display field

MOVE 'Y' TO surnameA.

surname.setProtected(true).setIntensity(INTENSITY_BRIGHT);

IF surnameL > 0 ...

if (surname.isModified()) ...

WHEN EIBCALEN = 0 ...

if (this.isFirstTimeExecution()) ...

EXEC CICS READ DATASET('DS1')
     INTO(CLIENT-RECORD)
END-EXEC

clientRecord.read();

Screen Designer for Modernized BMS Interfaces

True modernization extends beyond backend logic. SoftwareMining's Screen Designer allows legacy 3270-style BMS screens to evolve into modern, user-friendly interfaces without changing business logic.

The designer can expand the traditional 24-line display limit and introduce modern UI elements such as dropdowns, checkboxes, and radio buttons. For instance, an input field for credit card issue year can be converted into a dropdown list of recent years.

See SoftwareMining Screen Designer in Action

Ensuring a Seamless Upgrade Path

As technology evolves, refactored applications should be ready for mobile, web, and service-oriented architectures. SoftwareMining ensures that all data classes derived from legacy BMS screens are clearly defined and reusable. Once CICS dependencies are removed, the modernized system can easily integrate with frameworks such as Spring Boot or .NET Core.

The refactored code leverages SoftwareMining's lightweight CICS emulation framework, which runs on standard Java or .NET servers like Apache Tomcat and Microsoft IIS.

Scalability and Cloud Deployment

Mainframe CICS systems are known for supporting thousands of concurrent users. SoftwareMining's translated applications preserve this scalability by integrating with industry-standard servers such as Apache Tomcat for Java and IIS for C#.

The resulting systems can be deployed on-premise or to cloud platforms including AWS, Azure, and private enterprise clouds, offering full elasticity and performance while maintaining mainframe-grade reliability.