I've been landed with a project to convert a System 36 system to iSeries 520 with OS V5.4.
I have never worked on a System 36 and do not know where to start. Have looked for some documentation in Red Books but could'nt find anything.
Does anyone have something I can use - something like the CISC-to-RISC Migration Guide - step-by-step if possible. Or point me in the right direction.
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
June 18, 2007 4:25 AM
UPDATED:
April 30, 2012 6:49 PM
Hi,
Sorry, but IBM used to have an S/36 to AS/400 migration aid, but they discontinued it years ago.
You can run the S/36 on the AS/400 in the S/36 environment.
You basically, save an S/36 library, and restore it onto the AS/400 using the RSTS36LIBM command. That will create the library and put the RPG and other sources into a src-pf called QS36SRC, the OCL procedures into QS36PRC and, I believe, the screens into QDDSSRC. Then you recompile. If you’re missing the source, contact juggersoft, they have an RPG decompiler. VTOC files get restored into the QS36F library.
You start the environment with the STRS36 command and end it with ENDS36.
You might want to contact IBM and ask if they still have these Redbooks:
GG24-3250 “System/36 to AS/400 Application Migration”
GG24-3304 “Converting System/36 Environment Applications to Native AS/400″.
Hi,
As a previous comments by Unknowingone all their recommendation are rigth, you do not need to convert o make major changes to your old S36 programs, because you can use the S36 environment into the AS/400 and the programs will run Ok.
A long time ago, I made a migration from S36 to AS/400, and IBM provided me with a tool to analize the programs and ocl under the conditions into the AS/400 (running under S36 environment) and produce reports where they showed me the necesary changes and if I can remmenber there are few changes in some procedures or programs (very few), most of then working very fine.
Most of the changes where in the DFU (when I used the Update/Enter/List), created to maintain or print some of the files, so you can be sure that there is no a big deal.
Regards.
Hi,
Please note that there is one element of disk data management that can definitely effect RPG programs. When you have a file doubly-defined for updates in a Sys 36 SSP program this can cause a data error in running the program on the OS/400 if an attempt is made to read a record by one logical file that is currently being held by the other logical file. Disk data management takes over on the OS/400 and gives an error message, while on the loosey-goosey 36 this would be fine, the disk does not have as strict data management.. I found that I had to make small modifications to about five programs, mainly to be sure that the record was released. However this can blindside you at the time of conversion, since it is a run-time error, not a compile error. (We actually put off the conversion about a week, doing a second pass, since there had been no such warning or anticipation of a problem. IBM was helpful, and gave the correct answer in a couple of hours, however it was surprising that we only found out by doing, not by the VAR or any other warnings. Doubly-defined update files can be common in some Sys 36 environments, in others they will be non-existent.
Hope that helps, apologies for the gap-time in posting, I just registered, partly to get this answer in.
Steven Spencer
Queens, NY
Hi,
I went through a similar process with a conversion from S/36 to AS/400 a few years ago. We had a bespoke logistics system which we converted without too many problems, but we also had an accounting package which we didn’t have the source for (and the company no longer existed).
At the time there was a “virtual” system/36 available for the AS/400, we used this for the accounting package and it worked a charm. Everything that ran on the S/36 seemed to run on the virtual machine – even POP and external assembler subroutines. We even managed to configure a DDM link between our software on the virtual S/36 and our software on the AS/400 in the S/36 environment.
Sadly it appears that this option is either no longer available or no longer actively marketed by IBM – the commands for starting and ending the virtual machine have also disappeared from recent versions of OS/400 (STRM36, CRTM36, etc.). At least this option gave our company the breathing space to convert to another accounting package – I believe that some of the other software still runs in the S/36 environment to this day.
Regards,
Martin Gilbert.
Your best bet is to locate a copy of the old S/36 to AS/400 Migration tool. It was a decent roadmap to converting and covered all the steps especially if you are not familiar with the S/36. I would think you could find the documentation but you may be hard pressed to find the actual software.
I have the 3 original diskettes (8 inch 2D) for the migration aid
S/36 to AS/400 program 5727-MG1
I might have the book but I have to look for it.
Do not convert because I know from experience that it will take at least a year if
you have a few programmers. Migration is easy and the S36 environment works fine.
Marcelmarcha,
Do you still have the 5727-MG1 diskettes?
I have the migration book SC09-1166-03 SYSTEM/36 to AS/400 Migration Aid User’s guide and Reference. Let me know if you still want it.
Hi there,
do you still have the migration book SC09-1166-03 SYSTEM/36 to AS/400 Migration Aid User’s guide and Reference or know how to get a copy? I am really interested, need it badly.. THanks!!
do you still have the migration book …
Are you certain that that’s what you need? Can you describe what equipment you currently have and what you intend to do? Are you sure that System/36 Migration Planning and System/36 Migration Assistant aren’t the appropriate references?
Tom
Thank you very much, indeed that is what I think I need. What we are trying is to migrate our programs in SSP (working on a 9402-436 using RPGII) to an iserver 9406-800 (OS-400). Any information in this regard is really useful for us. Best regards, Jose M.