migrate COBOL code

Question

I have a task to convert COBOL code to .NET. Are there any converters available? I am trying to understand COBOL code in high level. I have a trouble understanding the COBOL code. Is there any flowchart generators? I appreciate any help.

Thank you..

Answer 1

Migrating software systems from one language or operating environment to another is always a challenge. Here are a few things to consider:

• Legacy code tends to be poorly structured as a result of a long history of quick fixes and problem work-arounds. This really ups the signal-to-noise ratio when trying to warp your head around what is really going on.
• Converting code leads to further "de-structuring" to compensate for mis-matches between the source and target implementation platforms. When you start from a poorly structured base (legacy system), the end result may be totally un-intelligible.
• Documentation of the legacy architecture and/or business processes is generally so far out of date that it is worse than useless, it may actually be misleading.
• Complexity of COBOL code is almost always under estimated.
• A number of "features" will be promulgated into the converted system that were originally built to compensate for things that "couldn't be done" at one time (due to smaller memories, slower computers etc.). Many of these may now be non-issues and you really don't want them.
• There are no obvious or straight forward ways to refactor legacy process driven systems into an equivalent object oriented system (at least not in a meaningful way).

There have been successful projects that migrated COBOL directly into Java. See naca. However, the end result is only something its mother (or another COBOL programmer) could love, see this discussion

In general I would be suspicious of any product or tool making claims to convert your COBOL legacy system into anything but another version of COBOL (e.g. COBOL.net). To this end you still end up with what is essentially a COBOL system. If this approach is acceptable then you might want to review this white paper from Micro Focus.

IMHO, your best bet for replacing COBOL is to re-engineer your system. If you ever find a silver bullet to get from where you are to where you want to be - write a book, become a consultant and make many millions of dollars.

Sorry to have provided such a negative answer, but if you are working with anything but a trivial legacy system, the problem is going to be anything but trivial to solve.

Note: Don't bother with flowcharting the existing system. Try to get a handle on process input/output and program to program data transformation and flow. You need to understand the business function here, not a specific implementation of it.