Appendix G. Customizing Translation Tables

TIBCO MFT Command Center is shipped with four ASCII to EBCDIC conversion tables to convert ASCII characters to EBCDIC characters and vice versa.

By default, the Comtblg.dat file which is located in the MFTCC_Install\server\webapps\context\translate directory is used by the system. The following table lists the conversion tables:

Conversion Description
Comtblg.classic The comtblg.dat file shipped with prior versions (before version 7.2).
Comtblg.cp037 Extended ASCII table that is based on IBM Code page 037.
Comtblg.cp1047 Extended ASCII table that is based on IBM Code page 1047.
Comtblg.dat ASCII/EBCIDIC table used by MFTPS at run time.

By default, it is a copy of the Comtblg.cp037 file.

Note: The Comtblg.dat file is used by the system. If one of the other conversion tables needs to be used or a customized table is created, rename the existing Comtblg.dat file and copy the new table to the Comtblg.dat file. The default file used for conversion must be named Comtblg.dat.

Occasionally, the default translation table is not exactly what is needed. In these situations, an administrator can define a new translation table to be used by the TIBCO MFT Command Center installation.

The following example demonstrates how to alter the text JSY contained in a file to read CAT on the remote z/OS system:

Procedure

  1. Create a customized translation table.
    1. Navigate to the MFTCC_Install/server/webapps/context/translate directory and copy the Comtblog.cp037 file to an empty directory on the TIBCO MFT Command Center web server, and then rename it as Comtblg.dat.
      The Comtblg.dat file contains the following table, which converts data from ASCII to EBCDIC character and from EBCDIC to ASCII character.

      The following figure shows the table being placed in an Excel spreadsheet for demonstration purpose only:

    2. To convert from an ASCII system (Windows) to an EBCDIC system (z/OS), you have to look up the EBCDIC character for each ASCII character and replace it with the EBCDIC character that you want.
      For example, the ASCII value for J is 4A; if you want to translate J to 4A, you have to go the chart above and locate the 4 column and slide your finger to the right until you are in the A column; the EBCDIC value for J is D1. If you want to translate J to C, you have to replace D1 with C3 which is the EBCDIC value for C. Do the same to translate S to A and Y to T.
  2. Replace the existing Comtblg.dat file.
    1. Navigate to the MFTCC_Install/server/webapps/context/translate directory, rename the existing Comtblg.dat file as org.Comtblg.dat.
    2. Copy the new Comtblg.dat file that is customized Step 1 to this folder.
      This file is now your default conversion table used by the system.