** DotNet COBOL calling VB.NET **

The following material is a good starting point on DotNet COBOL calling VB.NET:

Start by reading the help 
 - NetCOBOL Users Guide. and referencing the
 - NetCOBOL Language Reference - Chapter 4 Environment Division
                                                         
                                                         

The Key pieces to remember in your COBOL program:
  In the CONFIGURATION SECTION. -> SPECIAL-NAMES. -> REPOSITORY.
     Reference the Classes by pointing to them by creating names 
     that your COBOL program can create an instance of it.
     Note: You have all the .NET types available to you, such as
           Int32, Integer, DOUBLE, Boolean and so on.
     EXAMPLE:
           CLASS CLASS-VBDOTNETDLL AS "VBDotNetDLL.clsVBDotNet"
           CLASS CLASS-STRING      AS "System.String"

  In the DATA DIVISION. -> WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
     Create the instance, program or variable to be used. 
     EXAMPLE:  
         01 myVBDOTNETDLL OBJECT REFERENCE CLASS-VBDOTNETDLL.
         01 WSMS-STRING   OBJECT REFERENCE CLASS-STRING.

  In the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
     If this is a DLL you wish to call or something needed to be
     created "NEW", specify this one time in your COBOL program
     typically at initialization:
     EXAMPLE:
       INVOKE CLASS-VBDOTNETDLL "NEW" RETURNING myVBDOTNETDLL.

  In the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
     You can use the variables as you would normally, see

     Example 1:  
     You can call a function as you would normally.  
     Note: You can pass PIC X(nn) variables back and forth
           to VB.NET, as Strings.  In order to get data out
           to the DLL and back again, you specify 
           "BY Reference", otherwise "BY VALUE", or not at all
           as "BY VALUE" is the default. See EXAMPLE 2:

     EXAMPLE 2:
           INVOKE myVBDOTNETDLL "VBDotNetMsgBox" USING WS-MESSAGE.
                               AND/OR
           INVOKE myVBDOTNETDLL "Call_Screen" using 
                                         BY Reference WS-REPLY-X
                                            RETURNING WS-RETVALUE.

           In these examples "VBDotNetMsgBox" and "Call_Screen" are
           functions found in the class in the DLL.


     
Examples can be found at:
    C:\Program Files\Fujitsu NetCOBOL for .NET V4.0\Examples\
    These examples show many different types of COBOL using 
    .NET COBOL.  They show examples using METHODS, but you 
    do not have to use object oriented methods if you choose
    not to.  Methods under OO do have advantages.

    Another example, which will be posted shortly, which
    shows a full msgbox example, screen selection and return 
    is the DotNetCOBOLCallingVBDotNet.Zip.

   

** The top challenges reported - and their solutions: **
1) Getting a message that sounds like the DLL you are trying to call
   is not found.
   - Make sure you have a reference to your DLL.