Processing cobol data record schemas having disparate formats

1. A method for implementation by one or more data processors comprising:

receiving, by at least one data processor, a first data record schema and a second data record schema, wherein the first data record schema differs from the second data record schema in at least one of endianness, character encoding and localization;

converting, by at least one data processor, the first data record schema into a first representation and the second data record schema into a second representation, wherein the first representation and the second representation have a common encoding or syntax that is independent of the at least one of endianness, character encoding and localization;

creating, by at least one data processor, a standardized data record schema based on the first representation and the second representation;

receiving, by at least one data processor, a parameterized location of a data record corresponding to a Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL) copybook and information about the data record format; and

processing, by at least one data processor, the data record based on the standardized data record schema;

wherein the standardized data record schema is created by (i) generating a hierarchical structure of field definitions for the standardized data record schema corresponding to the COBOL copybook, and (ii) attaching information extracted from a COBOL data definition contained in the COBOL copybook to a corresponding field definition contained in the standardized data record schema.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating, by at least one data processor, a database table based on the standardized data record schema and the data record; and

executing, by at least one data processor, a data manipulation language statement dependent on the database table.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

selecting, by at least one data processor, a first displayed image representing an association of the standardized data record schema and the data record; and

selecting, by at least one data processor, a second displayed image representing the database table.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

linking, by at least one data processor, the first displayed image and the second displayed image to represent a data flow.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the linking comprises specifying a data transform.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the format of the COBOL copybook is one of a system-specific format and an application-specific format.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

reading, by at least one data processor, a COBOL statement from the COBOL copybook; and

processing, by at least one data processor, the COBOL statement upon determining that the COBOL statement is a COBOL data definition.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a description of a data file containing the data record.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parsing comprises determining that the COBOL copybook contains a nested data record schema, and wherein the creating comprises providing an option to select a type of the standardized data record schema from an expanded data record schema and a collapsed data record schema.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium forming a computer storage product, comprising executable instructions to:

receive a first data record schema and a second data record schema, wherein the first data record schema differs from the second data record schema in at least one of endianness, character encoding and localization;

convert the first data record schema into a first representation and the second data record schema into a second representation, wherein the first representation and the second representation have a common encoding or syntax that is independent of the at least one of endianness, character encoding and localization;

create a standardized data record schema based on the first representation and the second representation;

receive a parameterized location of a data record corresponding to a Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL) copybook and information about the data record format; and

process the data record based on the standardized data record schema;

wherein the standardized data record schema is created by (i) generating a hierarchical structure of field definitions for the standardized data record schema corresponding to the COBOL copybook, and (ii) attaching information extracted from a COBOL data definition contained in the COBOL copybook to a corresponding field definition contained in the standardized data record schema.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising executable instructions to:

create a database table based on the standardized data record schema and the data record;

and

execute a data manipulation language statement dependent on the database table.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising executable instructions to receive a request to process the data record including executable instructions to:

select a first displayed image representing an association of the standardized data record schema and the data record; and

select a second displayed image representing the database table.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising executable instructions to link the first displayed image and the second displayed image to represent a data flow.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the executable instructions to link include executable instructions to specify a data transform.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the format of the COBOL copybook is one of a system-specific format and an application-specific format.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the executable instructions to parse include executable instructions to:

read a COBOL statement from the COBOL copybook; and

process the COBOL statement upon determining that the COBOL statement is a COBOL data definition.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising executable instructions to receive a description of a data file containing the data record.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the executable instructions to parse include executable instructions to determine that the COBOL copybook contains a nested data record schema, and wherein the executable instructions to create include executable instructions to provide an option to select a type of the standardized data record schema from an expanded data record schema and a collapsed data record schema.

19. A system comprising:

at least one data processor; and

memory storing instructions, which when executed by the at least one data processor, result in operations comprising:

receiving a first data record schema and a second data record schema, wherein the first data record schema differs from the second data record schema in at least one of endianness, character encoding and localization;

converting the first data record schema into a first representation and the second data record schema into a second representation, wherein the first representation and the second representation have a common encoding or syntax that is independent of the at least one of endianness, character encoding and localization;

creating a standardized data record schema based on the first representation and the second representation;

receiving a parameterized location of a data record corresponding to a Common Business Oriented Language (COBOL) copybook and information about the data record format; and

processing the data record based on the standardized data record schema;

wherein the standardized data record schema is created by (i) generating a hierarchical structure of field definitions for the standardized data record schema corresponding to the COBOL copybook, and (ii) attaching information extracted from a COBOL data definition contained in the COBOL copybook to a corresponding field definition contained in the standardized data record schema.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:

creating a database table based on the standardized data record schema and the data record; and

executing a data manipulation language statement dependent on the database table.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting, by at least one data processor, a first displayed image representing an association of the standardized data record schema and the data record; and

selecting, by at least one data processor, a second displayed image representing the database table.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprising:

linking, by at least one data processor, the first displayed image and the second displayed image to represent a data flow.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the linking comprises specifying a data transform.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the format of the COBOL copybook is one of a system-specific format and an application-specific format.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:

reading a COBOL statement from the COBOL copybook; and

processing the COBOL statement upon determining that the COBOL statement is a COBOL data definition.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a description of a data file containing the data record.

27. The system of claim 19 , wherein the parsing comprises determining that the COBOL copybook contains a nested data record schema, and wherein the creating comprises providing an option to select a type of the standardized data record schema from an expanded data record schema and a collapsed data record schema.