ReddRadar
Agent skill
mainframe-planning
Create a transformation guide for replacing mainframe-specific COBOL constructs with standard COBOL equivalents. Use when preparing COBOL code for local execution or migration.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/OpenHands/extensions/tree/main/plugins/cobol-modernization/skills/mainframe-planning
SKILL.md
Create a comprehensive transformation guide that maps each mainframe dependency to its standard COBOL replacement.
This guide is a prerequisite for the actual transformation — DO NOT modify any code, only create the guide.
Output Format
Document each mainframe-specific construct with:
- Pattern: The mainframe construct (e.g.,
EXEC CICS READ FILE(...)) - Replacement: The standard COBOL equivalent
- Error Handling: How to replicate the mainframe's error behavior
- Map CICS RESP/RESP2 codes to FILE STATUS equivalents
- Specify which FILE STATUS values to check (e.g., 00=success, 23=not found, 35=file not exists)
- Resource Cleanup: Any cleanup the replacement requires (CICS auto-manages resources; file I/O does not)
- Edge Cases: Behavior differences between mainframe and standard COBOL
Constructs to Address
Data Operations (CICS/IMS/VSAM)
- READ, WRITE, REWRITE, DELETE operations
- STARTBR, READNEXT, READPREV (browse operations)
- CICS error handling: HANDLE CONDITION, RESP/RESP2 options
- VSAM → sequential or indexed file I/O
UI/Terminal Operations (BMS maps, screens)
- SEND MAP, RECEIVE MAP → these can be MOCKED or stubbed
- Screen I/O is not needed for business logic validation
- Document how to replace with simple ACCEPT/DISPLAY or test harness stubs
- Focus on preserving the data flow, not the UI interaction
Other Mainframe Constructs
- Mainframe data types (COMP-3 packed decimal, etc.)
- JCL-embedded constructs
- IMS calls (if present)
Critical Requirements
- Every CICS command that can fail MUST have an error handling replacement documented
- UI operations should be clearly marked as "mock/stub" so the agent doesn't get stuck on them
- Prefer: file-based I/O over mainframe I/O, standard data types over mainframe types
Common Mappings Reference
FILE STATUS Codes
| Code | Meaning | CICS Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | Success | Normal completion |
| 23 | Record not found | NOTFND condition |
| 35 | File does not exist | NOTOPEN condition |
| 22 | Duplicate key | DUPREC condition |
| 3x | I/O errors | Various IOERR conditions |
CICS to Standard COBOL
| CICS Command | Standard COBOL |
|---|---|
EXEC CICS READ FILE(...) |
READ filename INTO... |
EXEC CICS WRITE FILE(...) |
WRITE record-name FROM... |
EXEC CICS REWRITE FILE(...) |
REWRITE record-name FROM... |
EXEC CICS DELETE FILE(...) |
DELETE filename RECORD |
EXEC CICS STARTBR FILE(...) |
START filename KEY... |
EXEC CICS READNEXT FILE(...) |
READ filename NEXT INTO... |
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