Editing ADABAS (section)

==Natural (4GL)==
Natural is a proprietary [[fourth-generation programming language]]. It was not part of the initial (1971) Adabas release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pks.de/_old/en/adabas-natural |title=Adabas / Natural – From pioneer to relegator - fast and proprietary for over 40 years }}{{Dead link|date=September 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Natural programs can be "run" interpretively or "executed" as compiled objects.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://frontline.compuware.com/doc/sb/sb52/html/Strobe%20Options%20Guide/WebHelp/CWSTUO5B/Anfch3/Natural_Program_Activity.htm
|title=Natural Program Activity}}</ref> Compiled programs can more directly use operating system services, and run faster.

Proponents say that Natural has evolved from a competitor of COBOL
to "being in competition with Java as language of choice for writing services ([[Service-oriented architecture|SOA]])."<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://tech.forums.softwareag.com/techjforum/posts/list/24345.page
|title=Which is better, COBOL/DB2 or Natural/ADABAS
|date=July 6, 2011}}</ref>

===About Natural===

Natural, which includes a built-in screen-oriented editor, has two main components: the system and the language.

The system is the central vehicle of communication between the user and all other components of the processing environment.

The language is structured and less procedural than conventional languages.

Natural objects (programs, maps, data areas, etc.) are stored in libraries, similar in structure to a DOS directory, and can be named with identifiers up to 8 characters.

Objects, even if they are of different types, cannot have the same name (within the same library).

Natural provides both online and batch execution. Batch programs can read/write up to 32 work files and print up to 32 reports.  Natural also supports an interactive debugger that allows developers to step through the code and display the contents of variables.

Versions exist for z/OS, z/VSE, BS2000/OS, Linux, Unix and Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://resources.softwareag.com/adabas-natural/2018-3-fs-natural-app-dev-en-natural-application-development-platform-fact-sheet |title=Resource Library |publisher=Resources.softwareag.com |date= |accessdate=2023-03-22}}</ref>

===Language features===

Natural works not only with Adabas files, but also supports [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]],
[[IBM Db2|DB2]], and others.
<!-- Db2 Discombobulated by 2manyCooks -->

Sample code:
<syntaxhighlight lang="cobolfree">
DEFINE DATA LOCAL                                     
01 EMPLOYEES VIEW OF EMPLOYEES                        
  02 SALARY (1)                                       
END-DEFINE                                            
READ EMPLOYEES BY NAME                                
  AT END OF DATA                                      
    DISPLAY                                           
      MIN (EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1)) (EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)        
      AVER(EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1)) (EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)        
      MAX (EMPLOYEES.SALARY(1)) (EM=ZZZ,ZZZ,ZZ9)        
  END-ENDDATA                                         
END-READ                                              
END                                                   
</syntaxhighlight>
Output:
<pre>
Page      1                                                  18-08-22  16:42:22
                                                                               
  ANNUAL      ANNUAL      ANNUAL                                               
  SALARY      SALARY      SALARY                                               
----------- ----------- -----------                                            
                                                                               
          0     240,976   6,380,000                                            
</pre>
The language is [[Strong and weak typing|strongly-typed]], using explicit typing of variables, which may be one of:
* Alphanumeric 
* Numeric [[Zoned decimal]] up to 27 total digits, of which a total of 7 may be to the right of decimal point
* Packed Decimal,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/ssw_ibm_i_73/rzasd/padecfo.htm|title = Packed-Decimal Format|website = [[IBM]]|date = June 2012}}</ref> same limits as "Numeric")
* Integer (1, 2 or 4 bytes, ranging from -128 to 127 / -32,768 to 32,767 and -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647)
* Date
* Time (which includes the date)
* Logical (True or False)
* Binary
* Control variable paralleling CICS map attribute
* Floating Point (4 or 8 bytes)

===The system file===

The system file is an Adabas file reserved for use by Natural, which contains, but is not limited to, the following:
* All Natural programs, both in source format (programs) and in object format (compiled), grouped in libraries;
* File Definition Modules, or Data Definition Modules (DDM), which describe the fields defined within Adabas or other databases supported by Natural as well as userviews, which are fields groupings/subsets;
* Natural error messages;
* The texts of the Help function.

The system file is not limited to Adabas. Natural can also store programs in VSAM on mainframe operating systems. Natural uses the file system on Windows and various Unix implementations.

====Programs====
Natural objects are identified by names up to 8 characters, the first of which must be alphabetical.

The Natural program editor allows source in rows of up to 72 positions.  Lines are numbered by 4 digits. This numbering is generated by Natural during program creation.  Line numbers used by the compiler and editors, and can have important logical functions in the programs.

Comments can be included in two ways:

* Full-line comments are identified by a "*" or "**" prefix.
* Annotated code lines have a "/*" - everything to its right is a comment.

Examples:
 0010 * These two lines (0010 and 0020)
 0020 ** are comments.
 0030 FORMAT LS = 80 /* As well as this part of the line (0030)
 0040 * NOTE: The "/*" form has no space between the SLASH and ASTERISK.
 .
 .
 0200 END
"END" or "." indicates the end of a program.

A Hello World code example:

 * Hello World in NATURAL
 WRITE 'Hello World!'
 END