  RMS to Relational Database Migration? 
 The Question is:
 
can you tell me if there is a cobol precompiler for Oracle (like there is for
 Oracle /Rdb) ?
 
We would like to migrate from Open VMS/RMS files to an Oracle database. We have
 over 1000 cobol programs that we need to change. Right now they all use RMS
 files. We would like to keep the bulk of this code in tact and just change the
 file access from RMS
 files to Oracle - and continue using cobol. Does this make sense ? Thanks for
 any comments.
 
Bob Paluses
P&amp;W RR
 
 The Answer is:
 
  Please contact Oracle for information on Oracle products.
 
  The Oracle Rdb precompiler referenced translates embedded SQL into
  executable code, while what you appear to seek would be a tool to
  translate embeded RMS access into embeded SQL access.
 
  The OpenVMS Wizard is not aware of any particular translation tools
  for converting RMS to a relational database, but would expect that
  existing tools such as ODBC or similar that permit remote RMS access
  might be of interest, as these could permit SQL-based applications to
  access existing RMS files during the migration.
 
  Other alternatives include periodically unloading the data from the
  relational database into RMS files for use in the source code modules
  that have not yet been converted, if this is feasible.
 
  Another alternative would be to provide a local database API that would
  permit you to switch your code from RMS access to SQL or other access
  by replacing an underlying image when ready to perform the cut-over.
  (eg: Loading the data from the RMS files into the database, and then
  swapping out the local shareable image that accesses RMS files for one
  that accesses the database -- this permits incremental changes to the
  source code pool with reduced impact on the business operations.  This
  API approach also provides you with a level of isolation from the
  underlying file system and even the particular database.)
 
