The openUTM manual „Programming Applications with KDCS” is intended for anyone who wants to use the KDCS programming interface or the UTM-HTTP programming interface to program UTM applications.
The vast majority of the information presented in this manual is operating system-independent, i.e. it applies to both Unix, Linux and Windows systems, as well as to BS2000 systems. In addition, descriptions of platform-specific features are also provided. Any such platform-specific information is clearly indicated by means of markings in the margins. As a result you can, if you so desire, write applications that can run on Unix and Linux systems, Windows systems and BS2000 systems. The form of presentation used throughout this manual will also simplify matters if you are wanting to port existing UTM(BS2000) applications to Unix systems, Linux systems or Windows systems, or vice versa.
The chapters in this manual can be subdivided into three blocks:
Chapter "Structure and use of UTM programs" to "Program structure in communication with transport system applications" contain introductory information. They explain basic concepts, such as the way program units are structured into processing step modules, message queuing functionality and distributed processing in their respective contexts.
Chapters "KDCS calls" to "Event functions" provide reference materials in which you can look things up. Chapter "KDCS calls" lists the KDCS calls in alphabetical order, chapter "UTM-HTTP calls" lists the functions of UTM-HTTP programming interface and chapter 8 (Event functions) lists the event functions.
Chapters "Additional information for C/C++" and "Additional information for COBOL" contain programming language-specific information - chapter "Additional information for C/C++" for C/C++, and chapter "Additional information for COBOL" for COBOL.
The appendix includes a series of tables which provide overviews of the entries that must be made in the parameter area for the individual KDCS calls, for example, or of the values returned to the communication area.
The detailed reference section at the back of the manual – including a glossary, abbreviations, a list of related publications and a keyword index – is intended to help you get the most out of this manual.
Wherever the term Unix system is used in the following, then this should be understood to mean a Unix-based operating system such as Solaris or HP-UX.
Wherever the term Linux system is used in the following, then this should be understood to mean a Linux distribution such as SUSE or Red Hat.
Wherever the term Windows system or Windows platform is used below, this should be understood to mean all the variants of Windows under which openUTM runs.