The terms in this glossary are defined in accordance with their meaning
as used in this document describing this COBOL implementation and may not
have the same meaning in others.
These definitions are also intended to be either reference material or
introductory material to be reviewed prior to reading the detailed
language specifications that are contained in this manual. These
definitions are, in most instances, brief and do not include detailed
syntactic rules, or dialect bubbles. Therefore, parts of the information
may or may not be relevant based on the dialect/reserved words selected.
!
- 77 Level-description-entry
- A data description entry that describes a noncontiguous data item
with the level-number 77.
- 78 Level-description-entry
- A data description entry that describes a condition-name with the
level-number 78.
A
- Abbreviated Combined Relation Condition
- The combined condition that results from the omission of a common
subject or a common subject and common relational operator in a
consecutive sequence of relation conditions.
- Abstract Class
- A class which does not act as a creator of instance objects. Abstract
classes implement behavior for their subclasses.
- Access Mode
- The manner in which records are to be operated upon within a file.
- Actual Decimal Point
- The physical representation, using either of the decimal point
characters "." (period) or "," (comma) of the
decimal point position in a data item.
- Alphabet-name
- A user-defined word in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the Environment
Division that assigns a name to a specific character set and/or
collating sequence.
- Alphabetic Character
- A character that belongs to the following set of letters: A, B, C, D,
E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z and the
space. Also a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t,
u, v, w, x, y and z.
- Alphanumeric Character
- Any letter or number in the computer's character set.
- Alternate Record Key
- A key, other than the prime record key, whose contents identify a
record within an indexed file.
- Alphanumeric Function
- A function whose value is composed of a string of one or more
characters from the computer's character set.
- Argument
- An identifier, a literal, or an arithmetic expression that specifies
a value to be used in the evaluation of a function.
- Arithmetic Expression
- An arithmetic expression can be an identifier or a numeric elementary
item, a numeric literal, such identifiers and literals separated by
arithmetic operators, two arithmetic expressions separated by an
arithmetic operator, or an arithmetic expression enclosed in
parentheses.
- Arithmetic Operator
- A single character, or a fixed two-character combination, that
belongs to the following set:
Character
|
Meaning
|
+ |
Addition |
|
Subtraction |
* |
Multiplication |
/ |
Division |
** |
Exponentiation |
- Ascending Key
- A key upon the values of which data is ordered starting with the
lowest value of key up to the highest value of key in accordance with
the rules for comparison of the data items.
-
- Assumed Decimal Point
- A decimal point position which does not involve the existence of an
actual character in a data item. The assumed decimal point has logical
meaning but no physical representation.
- At End Condition
- A condition caused in one of three circumstances:
- During the execution of a READ statement for a sequentially
accessed file.
- During the execution of a RETURN statement when no next logical
record exists for the associated sort or merge file.
- During the execution of a SEARCH statement, when the search
operation terminates without satisfying the condition specified in
any of the associated WHEN phrases.
B
- Block
- A physical unit of data that is normally composed of one or more
logical records. For mass storage files, a block can contain a portion
of a logical record. The size of a block has no direct relationship to
the size of the file within which the block is contained or to the size
of the logical record(s) that are either continued within the block or
that overlap the block. The term is equivalent to physical record.
C
- Call Prototype
- A program with the EXTERNAL clause in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph. A
call prototype is a program declaration that is not executed but is used
by the compiler system to validate CALL statements in program
definitions that appear in the same source file.
- Called Program
- A program which is the object of a CALL statement combined at run
time with the calling program to produce a run unit.
- Calling Program
- A program which executes a CALL to another program.
- Cd-name
- A user-defined word that names an MCS interface area described in a
communication description entry within the Communication Section of the
Data Division.
- Chained Program
- A program which is the object of a CHAIN statement.
- Chaining Program
- A program which executes a CHAIN to another program.
- Character
- The basic indivisible unit of the language.
- Character Position
- A character position is the amount of physical storage required to
store a single standard data format character described as USAGE IS
DISPLAY.
- Character Set
- The complete COBOL language character set consists of all characters
listed below:
Character
|
Meaning
|
0,1,...,9 |
Numeric digit |
|
A,B,...,Z |
Uppercase alphabetic |
a,b,...,z |
Lowercase alphabetic |
|
|
Space (blank) |
|
+ |
Plus Sign |
|
|
Minus Sign |
|
* |
Asterisk |
|
/ |
Stroke (Virgule, Slant or Slash) |
|
= |
Equal Sign |
|
$ |
Currency Sign |
|
, |
Comma |
|
; |
Semicolon |
|
. |
Period (Decimal Point, Fullstop) |
|
" |
Quotation Mark |
|
( |
Left Parenthesis |
|
) |
Right Parenthesis |
|
> |
Greater Than Symbol |
|
< |
Less Than Symbol |
|
: |
Colon |
|
' |
Apostrophe |
|
& |
Ampersand |
|
Note: When the computer character set includes lowercase
letters, they can be used in character strings and text words. Except when
used in nonnumeric literals, each lowercase letter is equivalent to the
corresponding uppercase letter.
- Character-string
- A sequence of contiguous characters which form a COBOL word, a
literal, a PICTURE character-string or a comment-entry.
- Class Condition
- The proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that an
operand is wholly alphabetic or is wholly numeric, or alphabetic-lower,
or alphabetic-upper, or contains only the characters in the set of
characters specified by the CLASS clause as defined in the SPECIAL-NAMES
paragraph of the Environment Division.
- Class Method
- A method for a class object.
- Clause
- A clause is an ordered set of consecutive COBOL character-strings
whose purpose is to specify an attribute of an entry.
- COBOL System Directing Statement
- A statement, beginning with a directing verb, that causes your COBOL
system to take a specific action during creation of the intermediate
code.
- COBOL Word
- See Word.
- Collating Sequence
- The sequence in which the characters that are acceptable in a
computer are ordered for purposes of sorting, merging and or comparing.
- Column
- A character position within a print line. The columns are numbered
from one, by one, starting at the leftmost character position of the
print line and extending to the rightmost character position of the
print line.
- Combined Condition
- A condition that is the result of connecting two or more conditions
with the "AND" or the "OR" logical operator.
- Comment Entry
- An entry in the Identification Division that can be any combination
of characters from the computer character set. A comment entry is for
documentary purposes only, may extend over more than one line and is
terminated upon encountering a division, section or paragraph name
or
encountering any character
in area A of a line.
- Comment Line
- A source program line represented by an asterisk in the indicator
area of the line and any characters from the computer's character set in
area A and area B of that line. The comment line serves only for
documentation in a program. A special form of comment line is
represented by a slash (/) in the indicator area of the line and any
characters from the computer's character set in area A and area B of
that line causes page ejection before printing the comment.
- Common Program
- A program which, despite being directly contained within another
program, can be called from any program directly or indirectly contained
in that other program.
- Communication Description Entry
- An entry in the Communication Section of the Data Division that is
composed of the level indicator CD, followed by a cd-name, and then
followed by a set of clauses as required. It describes the interface
between the MCS and the COBOL program.
- Communication Device
- A mechanism (hardware or hardware/software) capable of sending data
to a queue and/or receiving data from a queue. This mechanism can be a
computer or a peripheral device. One or more programs containing
communication description entries and residing within the same computer
define one or more of these mechanisms.
- Communication Section
- The section of the Data Division that describes the interface areas
between the MCS and the program, composed of one or more CD description
entries. See Message Control Systems.
- Complex Condition
- A condition in which one or more logical operators act upon one or
more conditions. See Negated Simple Condition, Combined Condition,
Negated Combined Condition.
- Computer-name
- A system-name that identifies the computer upon which the source
program is to be converted to object code, or the object code run.
- Condition
- A status of a program at execution time for which a truth value can
be determined. Where the term "condition" (condition-1,
condition-2, ...) appears in these language specifications in or in
reference to "condition" (condition-1, condition-2, ...) of a
general format, it is a conditional expression consisting of either a
simple condition optionally parenthesized, or a combined condition
consisting of the syntactically correct combination of simple
conditions, logical operators, and parentheses for which a truth value
can be determined.
- Condition Name
- A user-defined word assigned to a specific value, set of values, or
range of values, within the complete set of values that a conditional
variable can possess; or the user-defined word assigned to a status of
an implementor-defined switch or device.
- Condition-name Condition
- The proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that the
value of a conditional variable is a member of the set of values
attributed to a condition-name associated with the conditional variable.
- Conditional Expression
- A simple condition or a complex condition specified in an IF,
PERFORM, EVALUATE or SEARCH statement. See Simple Condition and
Complex Condition.
- Conditional Statement
- A conditional statement specifies that the truth value of a condition
is to be determined, and that the subsequent action of the run-time
program is dependent on this truth value.
- Conditional Variable
- A data item, one or more values of which has a condition-name
assigned to it.
- Configuration Section
- A section of the Environment Division that describes overall
specifications of source and run computers.
- Constant-name
- A user-defined word assigned as the name of a fixed value.
- Contiguous Items
- Items that are described by consecutive entries in the Data Division
and that bear a definite hierarchic relationship to one another.
- Counter
- A data item used for storing numbers or number representations in a
manner that permits these numbers to be increased or decreased by the
value of another number, or to be changed or reset to zero or to an
arbitrary positive or negative value.
- CRT
- An output device by which an operator can receive visual data.
- Currency Symbol
- The character defined by the CURRENCY SIGN clause in the
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. If no CURRENCY SIGN clause is present in a
COBOL source program, the currency symbol is identical to the currency
sign. See the section The SPECIAL-NAMES Paragraph in the chapter
The Nucleus.
- Current Record
- The record which is available in the record area associated with the
file.
- Cursor
- The indicator on a CRT screen that marks the line and character
position which the input/output control is currently referencing.
D
- Data Clause
- A clause that appears in a data description entry in the Data
Division and provides information describing a particular attribute of a
data item.
- Data Description Entry
- An entry in the Data Division that is composed of a level-number
followed by a data-name, if required, and then followed by a set of data
clauses as required.
- Data Dictionary
- A table built by your COBOL system and held in memory, which contains
information on each user-defined name.
- Data Item
- A unit of data (excluding literals) defined by a COBOL program or by
the rules for function evaluation.
- Data-name
- A user-defined word that names a data item described in a data
description entry in the Data Division. When used in the general
formats, "data-name" represents a word which can neither be
subscripted nor indexed unless specifically permitted by the rules for
that format.
- Debugging Line
- A debugging line is any line with "D" or "d" in
the indicator area of the line for Fixed Format Source, or any line with
"D" or "d" as the first character and space as the
second character of the line for Free Format Source.
- Debugging Section
- A debugging section is a section that contains a USE FOR DEBUGGING
statement.
- Declaratives
- A set of one or more special purpose sections written at the
beginning of the Procedure Division, the first of which is preceded by
the key word DECLARATIVES and the last of which is followed by the key
words END DECLARATIVES. A declarative is composed of a section header,
followed by a USE COBOL system-directing-sentence, followed by a set of
associated paragraphs (0 or more).
- Declarative-sentence
- A COBOL system directing sentence consisting of a single USE
statement terminated by the separator period (. ).
- De-edit
- The logical removal of all editing characters from a numeric edited
data item in order to determine that item's unedited numeric value.
- Delimited Scope Statement
- Any statement that includes its explicit scope terminator.
- Delimiter
- A character (or sequence of contiguous characters) that identifies
the end of a string of characters, and separates that string of
characters from the following string of characters. A delimiter is not
part of the string of characters that it delimits.
- Descending Key
- A key upon the values of which data is ordered starting with the
highest value of key down to the lowest value of key, in accordance with
the rules for comparing data items.
- Destination
- The symbolic identification of the receiver of a transmission from a
queue.
- Digit Position
- A digit position is the amount of physical storage required to store
a single digit. This amount varies depending on the usage of the data
item describing the digit position.
- Division
- A set of sections or paragraphs (0 or more) that are formed and
combined in accordance with a specific set of rules is called a division
body. There are four divisions in a COBOL program: Identification,
Environment, Data and Procedure.
- Division Header
- A combination of words followed by a period and a space that indicate
the beginning of a division. The division headers are:
- Dynamic Access
- An access mode in which specific logical records can be obtained from
or placed into a disk file in a non-sequential manner (see Random
Access) and obtained from a file in a sequential manner (see Sequential
Access) during the scope of the same OPEN statement.
E
- Editing Character
- A single character or a fixed two-character combination belonging to
the same set:
Character
|
Meaning
|
B |
Space |
|
0 |
Zero |
|
+ |
Plus |
|
|
Minus |
|
CR |
Credit |
|
DB |
Debit |
|
Z |
Zero Suppress |
|
* |
Check Protect |
|
$ |
Currency Sign |
|
, |
Comma |
|
. |
Period (Decimal Point) |
|
/ |
Slash (Virgule, Stroke) |
- Elementary Item
- A data item that is described as not being further logically
subdivided.
- End of Procedure Division
- The physical position in a COBOL source program after which no
further procedures appear.
- End Program Header
- A combination of words, followed by a separator period, that
indicates the end of a COBOL source program. The end program header is:
END PROGRAM program-name.
- Entry
- Any descriptive set of consecutive clauses terminated by a separator
period (. ) (except for a comment entry) and written in the
Identification Division, Environment Division or Data Division of a
COBOL source program.
-
- Entry-name
- A user-defined word that identifies an alternative point at which to
start executing a program from the default which is the first non
declarative procedural statement in the source program.
- Environment Clause
- A clause that appears as part of an Environment Division entry.
- Explicit Attribute
- Any attribute which has been explicitly defined.
- Extend Mode
- With the EXTEND phrase specified, the state of a file after execution
of an OPEN statement, and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for
the file.
- External Data
- The data described in a program as external data items and external
file connectors.
- External File Connector
- A file connector which is accessible to one or more object programs
in the run unit.
F
- Figurative Constant
- A value generated by your COBOL system which is referenced through
the use of certain reserved words.
- File
- A collection of records.
- File Clause
- A clause that appears as part of any of the following
Data Division entries: File Description (FD)
Sort-Merge File Description (SD)
Communication Description (CD)
- File Connector
- A storage area which contains information about a file and is used as
the linkage between a file-name and a physical file and between a
file-name and its associated record area.
- File-control
- The name of an Environment Division paragraph in which the data files
for a given source program are declared.
- File Description Entry
- An entry in the File Section of the Data Division that is composed of
the level indicator FD, followed by a file-name, and then followed by a
set of file clauses as required.
- File-name
- A user-defined word that names a file described in a file description
entry or a sort-merge file description entry within the File Section of
the Data Division.
- File Organization
- The permanent logical file structure established at the time that a
file is created.
- File Position Indicator
- A conceptual entity that is used in the selection of the next record
to be accessed within a given file during certain sequences of
input-output operations. This concept has no meaning for a file opened
in output or extend mode. The setting of the file position indicator is
affected only by the OPEN, READ and START statements.
- File Section
- The section of the Data Division that contains file description
entries together with their associated record descriptions.
-
- Fixed File Attributes
- Information about a file which is established when a file is created
and cannot subsequently be changed during the existence of the file.
These attributes include the organization of the file (sequential,
relative, or indexed), the prime record key, the alternate record keys,
the code set, the minimum and maximum record size, the record type
(fixed or variable), the collating sequence of the keys for indexed
files, the maximum and minimum physical record size, the padding
character, and the record delimiter.
- Fixed Format Mode
- The default manner in which data entry is made to numeric and
numeric-edited screen fields. This mode formats and echoes the entered
data and also moves the cursor in accordance with the requirements of
the field's picture specification, as each keystroke is received.
Characters other than " +", "", and the
decimal point character, are rejected; insertion characters in edited
fields are skipped over as the cursor moves backwards and forwards; any
sign indicator is modified in accordance with its normal specification;
floating symbols move left and right in the field, and insertion symbols
appear and disappear as digits are inserted or deleted.
- Fixed Format Source
- Each COBOL program source line consists of 80 characters which are
divided into various fixed areas. There are restrictions on the syntax
that can appear in each area. The alternative is Free Format Source.
-
- Floating-point Data Item
- A number representation in which:
- Each number is represented by two sequences of digits, the
mantissa and the exponent, and
- Each number equals one of those sequences of digits, the
mantissa, multiplied by the value obtained by raising ten to the
power represented by the other sequence of digits, the exponent.
- Floating-point Literal
- A quantity, in floating point representation, that has a base of ten
and is written as a signed fixed-point numeric literal that must have a
decimal point in any character position (the mantissa), immediately
followed by the letter "E", which is, in turn, immediately
followed by a signed fixed-point numeric literal that does not contain a
decimal point (the exponent).
- Format
- A specific arrangement of a set of data.
- Free Format Mode
- An alternative manner in which data entry can be made to numeric and
numeric-edited screen fields. The default mode is fixed format mode (see
above entry). This configurable mode allows data to be keyed into a PIC
X field of appropriate length, and it is only when the operator leaves
the field that the data is reformatted to comply with the picture
specification. Once the operator moves the cursor from the field, your
COBOL system disregards all characters other than digits and the sign
and decimal point symbols. It then extracts, stores, or reformats the
numeric value in accordance with the normal COBOL rules for a MOVE to an
item with the same picture as the screen or working-storage item. The
numeric value is then usually echoed to the screen.
- Free Format Source
- Each COBOL program source line can consist of up to 250 bytes of
characters. There is no restriction on where syntax may appear on the
line. The alternative is Fixed Format Source.
- Function
- A temporary data item whose value is determined by invoking a
mechanism provided by the implementor at the time the function is
referenced during the execution of a statement.
- Function-identifier
- A syntactically correct combination of character-strings and
separators that references a function. The data item represented by a
function is uniquely identified by a function-name with its arguments,
if any. A function-identifier can include a reference-modifier. A
function-identifier that references an alphanumeric function can be
specified anywhere in the general formats that an identifier can be
specified, subject to certain restrictions. A function-identifier that
references an integer or numeric function can be referenced anywhere in
the general formats that an arithmetic expression can be specified.
- Function-name
- A word that names a mechanism provided by the implementor to
determine the value of a function.
G
- Group Item
- A named contiguous set of elementary items.
H
- High Order End
- The leftmost character of a string of characters.
I
- I-O-control
- The name of an Environment Division paragraph in which object program
requirements for specific input/output techniques, rerun points, sharing
of same areas by several data files, and multiple file storage on a
single input/output device are specified.
- I-O Mode
- The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the
I-O phrase specified for that file, and before the execution of a CLOSE
statement for that file.
- Identifier
- A syntactically correct combination of character-strings and
separators that names a data item. When referencing a data item which is
not a function, an identifier consists of a data-name, together with its
qualifiers, subscripts, and reference-modifier, as required for
uniqueness of reference. When referencing a data item which is a
function, a function-identifier is used. The rules for "identifier"
associated with general formats can, however, specifically prohibit
reference to functions, qualification, subscripting, or reference
modification.
- Imperative Statement
- A statement that begins with an imperative verb and specifies an
unconditional action to be taken. An imperative statement can consist of
a sequence of imperative statements.
- Implicit Attribute
- Any attribute which has not been explicitly specified.
- Implicit Scope Terminator
- A separator period which terminates the scope of any preceding
unterminated statement, or a phrase of a statement which by its
occurrence indicates the end of the scope of any statement contained
within the preceding phrase.
- Implicit Segment
- A segment created by your COBOL system to control the size of code
segments.
- Index
- A computer storage position or register, the contents of which
represent the identification of a particular element in a table.
- Index Data Item
- A data item in which the value associated with an index-name can be
stored.
- Index-name
- A user-defined word that names an index associated with a specific
table.
- Indexed Data-name
- An identifier that is composed of a data-name, followed by one or
more index-names enclosed in parentheses.
- Indexed File
- A file with indexed organization.
- Indexed Organization
- The permanent logical file structure in which each record is
identified by the value of one or more keys within that record.
- Indicator Area
- The leftmost parameter position of a COBOL source record that
indicates the use of the record.
- Input Field
- A screen item whose description contains a TO phrase.
- Input File
- A file that is opened in the input mode.
- Input Mode
- The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the
INPUT phrase specified for that file, and before the execution of a
CLOSE statement for that file.
- Input-Output File
- A file that is opened in the I-O mode.
- Input-Output Section
- The section of the Environment Division that names the files and the
external media used by a program and which provides information required
for transmission and handling of data during execution of the run-time
program.
- Input Procedure
- A set of statements that is executed each time a record is released
to the sort file.
- Instance Method
- A method of an instance object (as opposed to a class method).
- Integer
-
- A numeric literal that does not include any digit positions to
the right of the decimal point.
- A numeric data item defined in the Data Division that does not
include any digit positions to the right of the decimal point.
Where the term "integer" appears in the general formats,
integer must be a numeric literal which is an integer, and must be
neither signed nor zero unless explicitly allowed by the rules of that
format.
- Integer Function
- A function whose category is numeric and whose definition provides
that all digits to the right of the decimal point are zero in the
returned value for any possible evaluation of the function.
- Internal Data
- The data described in a program excluding all external data items and
external file connectors. Items described in the linkage section of a
program are treated as internal data.
- Internal File Connector
- A file connector which is accessible only to one object program in a
run unit.
- Invalid Key Condition
- A condition, at object time, caused when a specified value of the key
associated with an indexed or relative file is determined to be invalid.
- Invocation
- See Method Invocation.
K
- Key
- A data item which identifies the location of a record, or a set of
data items which serve to identify the ordering of data.
- Key of Reference
- The key currently being used to access records within an indexed
file.
- Key Word
- A reserved word or function-name whose presence is required when the
format in which the word appears is used in a source program.
L
- Language-name
- A system-name that specifies a particular programming language.
- Level Indicator
- Two alphabetic characters that identify a specific type of file or a
position in hierarchy.
- Level-number
- A user-defined word which indicates the position of a data item in
the hierarchical structure of a logical record or which indicates
special properties of a data description entry. A level-number is
expressed as a one or two digit number. Level-numbers in the range 1
through 49 indicate the position of a data item in the hierarchical
structure of a logical record.
Level-numbers in the range 1 through 9 can be written either as a
single digit or as a zero followed by a significant digit.
Level-numbers 66, 77, 78 and 88 identify special properties of a data
description entry.
- Library-name
- A user-defined word that names a COBOL library source file that is to
be used by your COBOL system during creation of the object code.
- Library-text
- A sequence of character-strings and/or separators in a COBOL library.
- Line Sequential File Organization
- A type of sequential file containing variable length records in the
format of text files produced by the host operating system.
-
- Linkage Section
- The section in the Data Division of the called program that describes
data items available from the calling program. These data items can be
referred to by both the calling and the called programs.
- Literal
- A character-string whose value is implied by the ordered set of
characters comprising the string.
- Literal Field
- An elementary screen item whose description contains no PICTURE
clause.
- Logical Operator
- One of the reserved words AND, OR or NOT. In the formation of a
condition, both or either of AND and OR can be used as logical
connections. NOT can be used for logical negation.
- Logical Record
- The most inclusive data item. The level-number for a record is 01.
- Low Order End
- The rightmost character of a string of characters.
M
- MCS
- See Message Control System.
- Merge File
- A collection of records to be merged by a MERGE statement. The merge
file is created and can be used only by the merge function.
- Message
- Data associated with an end of message indicator or an end of group
indicator. (See Message Indicators.)
- Message Control System (MCS)
- A communication control system that supports the processing of
messages to and from terminal devices.
- Message Count
- The count of the number of complete messages that exist in the
designated queue of messages.
- Message Indicators
- EGI (end of group indicator), EMI (end of message indicator), and ESI
(end of segment indicator) are conceptual indications that serve to
notify the MCS that a specific condition exists (end of group, end of
message, end of segment).
Within the hierarchy of EGI, EMI, and ESI, an EGI is conceptually
equivalent to an ESI, EMI, and EGI. An EMI is conceptually equivalent
to an ESI and EMI. Thus, a segment can be terminated by an ESI, EMI,
or EGI. A message can be terminated by an EMI or EGI.
- Message Segment
- Data that forms a logical subdivision of a message normally
associated with an end of segment indicator. See Message Indicators.
- Method
- Procedural code that is declared in the Procedure Division of a class
and is executed by an INVOKE statement specifying that method-name on an
object.
- Method Definition
- The COBOL source unit that defines a method.
- Method Invocation
- The request to execute a named method on a given object. A method
invocation identifies an object, a method name, and the parameters
required by the method definition.
- Mixed literal
- A nonnumeric literal that includes DBCS characters.
- Mnemonic-name
- A user-defined word that is associated in the Environment Division
with a specified implementor-name.
N
- Native Character Set
- The implementor-defined character set associated with the computer
specified in the OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph.
- Native Collating Sequence
- The default collating sequence associated with the computer specified
in the OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph.
- Negated Combined Condition
- The "NOT", logical operator immediately followed by a
parenthesized combined condition.
- Negated Simple Condition
- The "NOT" logical operator immediately followed by a simple
condition.
- Next Executable Sentence
- The next sentence to which control will be transferred after
execution of the current statement is complete.
- Next Executable Statement
- The next statement to which control will be transferred after
execution of the current statement is complete.
- Next Record
- The record which logically follows the current record of a file.
- Noncontiguous Items
- Elementary data items, in the Working-Storage, Local-Storage and
Linkage Sections, which bear no hierarchic relationship to other data
items.
- Nonnumeric Item
- A data item whose description permits its contents to be composed of
any combination of characters taken from the computer's character set.
Certain categories of non-numeric items can be formed from more
restricted character sets.
- Nonnumeric Literal
- A character-string bounded by quotation marks. The string of
characters can include any character in the computer's character set. To
represent a single quotation mark character within a nonnumeric literal,
two contiguous quotation marks must be used.
- Numeric Character
- A character that belongs to the following set of digits: 0, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
- Numeric Function
- A function whose class and category are numeric but which for some
possible evaluation does not satisfy the requirements of an integer
function.
- Numeric Item
- A data item whose description restricts its contents to a value
represented by characters chosen from the digits 0 through 9; if signed,
the item can also contain a "+", "" , or other
representation of an operational sign.
- Numeric Literal
- A literal composed of one or more numeric characters that also can
contain either a decimal point or an algebraic sign, or both. The
decimal point must not be the rightmost character. The algebraic sign,
if present, must be the leftmost character.
O
- Object
- A unit that comprises data and the methods that can act upon that
data.
- Object-Computer
- The name of an Environment Division paragraph in which the computer
environment, within which the run-time program is executed, is
described.
-
- Open Mode
- The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement for that
file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for that file. The
particular open mode is specified in the OPEN statement as either INPUT,
OUTPUT, I-O or EXTEND.
- Operand
- Whereas the general definition of operand is "that component
which is operated upon", for the purposes of this publication, any
lowercase word (or words) that appears in a statement or entry format
can be considered to be an operand and, as such, is an implied reference
to the data indicated by the operand.
- Operational Sign
- An algebraic sign, associated with a numeric data item or a numeric
literal, to indicate whether its value is positive or negative.
- Optional Word
- A reserved word that is included in a specified format only to
improve the readability of the language and whose presence is optional
to the user when the format in which the word appears is used in a
source program.
- Output Field
- A screen item whose description contains a FROM phrase.
- Output File
- A file that is opened in either the output mode or extend mode.
- Output Mode
- The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the
OUTPUT or EXTEND phrase specified for that file and before the execution
of a CLOSE statement for that file.
-
- Output Procedure
- A set of statements to which control is given during execution of a
SORT statement after the sort function is completed, or during execution
of a MERGE statement after the merge function has selected the next
record in merged order.
P
- Paragraph
- In the Identification and Environment Divisions, a paragraph header
followed by zero, one, or more entries. In the Procedure Division, a
paragraph-name followed by a period and a space and optionally by one or
more sentences.
- Paragraph Header
- A reserved word, followed by a period and a space that indicates the
beginning of a paragraph in the Identification and Environment
Divisions. The permissible paragraph headers are:
In the Identification Division:
PROGRAM-ID.
AUTHOR.
INSTALLATION.
DATE-WRITTEN.
DATE-COMPILED.
SECURITY.
REMARKS.
In the Environment Division:
SOURCE-COMPUTER.
OBJECT-COMPUTER.
SPECIAL-NAMES.
FILE-CONTROL.
I-O-CONTROL.
- Paragraph-name
- A user-defined word that identifies and begins a paragraph in the
Procedure Division.
- Phrase
- A phrase is an ordered set of one or more consecutive COBOL
character-strings that form a portion of a COBOL procedural statement or
of a COBOL clause.
- Physical Record
- See Block.
- Pointer Item
- An elementary data item to which a USAGE IS POINTER or
PROCEDURE-POINTER clause applies.
- Prime Record Key
- A key whose contents uniquely identify a record within an indexed
file.
- Procedure
- A paragraph or group of logically successive paragraphs, or a section
or group of logically successive sections, within the Procedure
Division.
- Procedure-name
- A user-defined word which is used to name a paragraph or section in
the Procedure Division. It consists of a paragraph-name or a
section-name.
- Program Declaration
- A source program that merely declares how the program is to be
called, a call prototype. Unlike a Program Definition, it does not
include any executable procedures. See Call Prototype.
- Program Definition
- A source program that defines how a program is to execute by
procedures specified in a Procedure Division. A traditional COBOL
program, as distinct from a Call Prototype.
- Program-name
- A user-defined word that identifies a COBOL source program.
- Prompt Character
- The character used to mark empty character positions in a screen
item.
- Pseudo-text
- A sequence of character-strings and/or separators bounded by, but not
including, pseudo-text delimiters.
- Pseudo-text Delimiter
- Two contiguous equal sign (=) characters used to delimit pseudo-text.
- Punctuation Character
- A character that belongs to the following set:
Character
|
Meaning
|
, |
Comma |
; |
Semicolon |
. |
Period |
" |
Quotation Mark |
( |
Left Parenthesis |
) |
Right Parenthesis |
|
Space |
= |
Equal Sign |
' |
Apostrophe |
: |
Colon |
& |
Ampersand |
Q
- Qualified Data-name
- An identifier that is composed of a data-name followed by one or more
sets of either of the connectives OF and IN, followed by a data-name
qualifier.
- Qualifier
-
- A data-name which is used in a reference together with another
data name at a lower level in the same hierarchy.
- A section-name which is used in a reference together with a
paragraph-name specified in that section.
- A library-name which is used in a reference together with a
text-name associated with that library.
- Queue
- A logical collection of messages, processes, print jobs, and so on,
awaiting transmission or processing.
- Queue Name
- A symbolic name that indicates to the MCS the logical path by which a
message or a portion of a completed message can be accessible in a
queue.
R
- Random Access
- An access mode in which the program-specified value of a key data
item identifies the logical record that is obtained from, deleted from
or placed into a relative or indexed file.
- Receiving Item
- A data item referenced in a TO or USING phrase in a PICTURE clause in
the Screen Section.
- Record
- See Logical Record.
- Record Area
- A storage area allocated for the purpose of processing the record
described in a record description entry in the File Section.
- Record Description Entry
- The total set of data description entries associated with a
particular record.
- Record Key
- A key, either the prime record key or an alternate record key, whose
contents identify a record within an indexed file.
- Record-name
- A user-defined word that names a record described in a record
description entry in the Data Division.
- Reference-format
- A format that provides a standard method for describing COBOL source
programs.
- Reference Modification
- A definition of a data item by specifying a leftmost character and
length for the data item.
- Relation
- See Relational Operator.
- Relation Character
- A character that belongs to the following set:
Character
|
Meaning
|
> |
Greater than |
< |
Less than |
= |
Equal to |
>= |
Greater than or equal to |
<= |
Less than or equal to |
< > |
Unequal to |
- Relation Condition
- The proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that the
value of an arithmetic expression or data item has a specified
relationship to the value of another arithmetic expression or data item.
See Relational Operator.
- Relational Operator
- A reserved word, a relation character, a group of consecutive
reserved words, or a group of consecutive reserved words and relation
characters used in the construction of a relation condition. The
permissible operators and their meanings are:
Relational Operator
|
Meaning
|
IS [NOT] GREATER THAN
IS [NOT] > |
Greater than or not greater than |
IS [NOT] LESS THAN
IS [NOT] < |
Less than or not less than |
IS [NOT] EQUAL TO
IS [NOT] = |
Equal to or not equal to |
IS GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO
IS >= |
Greater than or equal to |
IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO
IS <= |
Less than or equal to |
IS UNEQUAL TO IS < > |
Not equal to |
EQUALS |
Equal to |
EXCEEDS |
Greater than |
- Relative File
- A file with relative organization.
- Relative Key
- A key whose contents identify a logical record in a relative file.
- Relative Organization
- The permanent logical file structure in which each record is uniquely
identified by an integer value greater than zero, which specifies the
record's logical ordinal position in the file.
- Reserved Word
- A COBOL word specified in the list of words which can be used in
COBOL source programs, but which must not appear in the programs as
user-defined words or system-names.
- Root
- A class with no superclass.
- Routine-name
- A user-defined word that identifies a procedure written in a language
other than COBOL.
- Run-time
- The time at which the code produced by your COBOL system is executed.
-
- Run-time System (RTS)
- The software that interprets the code produced by your COBOL system
and enables it to be executed by providing interfaces to the operating
system and CRT.
- Run Unit
- A set of one or more programs which function, at run time, as a unit
to provide problem solutions.
S
- Screen Description Entry
- An entry in the Screen Section of the Data Division that is composed
of a level number, followed by an optional screen-name, and then by a
set of screen clauses as required. This entry is very similar in
structure to a data description entry, but while a data description
entry declares areas in memory, a screen description entry declares
areas on the screen.
- Screen Item
- A field on the screen to which the screen description entry assigns
properties.
- Screen Section
- The last section in the Data Division in which the layouts of the
screen areas accessed in Format 4 of the ACCEPT and Format 2 of the
DISPLAY statements are defined.
- Section
- A set of none, one, or more paragraphs or entries, called a section
body, the first of which is preceded by a section header. Each section
consists of the section header and the related section body.
-
- Section Header
- A combination of words followed by a period and a space that
indicates the beginning of a section in the Environment, Data and
Procedure Divisions.
In the Environment and Data Divisions, a section header is composed
of reserved words followed by a period and a space. The permissible
section headers are:
In the Environment Division:
Configuration Section.
Input-Output Section.
In the Data Division:
File Section.
Working-Storage Section.
Local-Storage Section.
Linkage Section.
Communication Section.
Report Section.
Screen Section.
In the Procedure Division, a section header is composed of a
section-name, followed by the reserved word SECTION, followed by a
segment-number (optional), followed by a period and a space.
- Section-name
- A user-defined word which names a section in the Procedure Division.
- Segment-number
- A user-defined word which classifies sections in the Procedure
Division for purposes of segmentation. Segment-numbers can contain only
the characters "0", "1", ..., " 9". A
segment-number can be expressed either as a one- or two-digit number.
- Sending Item
- A data item referenced in a FROM or USING phrase in a PICTURE clause
in the Screen Section.
- Sentence
- A sequence of one or more statements, the last of which is terminated
by a period followed by a space.
- Separate Program
- A program which, together with its contained programs, is processed
separately from all other programs.
- Separator
- A punctuation character used to delimit character-strings.
- Sequential Access
- An access mode in which logical records are obtained from or placed
into a file in a consecutive predecessor-to-successor logical record
sequence determined by the order of records in the file.
- Sequential File
- A file with sequential organization.
- Sequential Organization
- The permanent logical file structure in which a record is identified
by a predecessor-successor relationship established when the record is
placed into the file.
- Sign Condition
- The proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that the
algebraic value of a data item or an arithmetic expression is either
less than, greater than, or equal to zero.
- Simple Condition
- Any single condition chosen from the set:
relation condition
class condition
switch-status condition
condition-name condition
sign condition
(simple-condition)
- Sort File
- A collection of records to be sorted by a SORT statement. The sort
file is created and can be used by the sort function only.
- Sort-merge File Description Entry
- An entry in the File Section of the Data Division that is composed of
the level indicator SD, followed by a file-name, and then followed by a
set of file clauses as required.
- Source
- The symbolic definition of the originator of a transmission to a
queue.
- Source-Computer
- The name of an Environment Division paragraph in which the computer
environment, within which the intermediate code is created, is
described.
- Source Program
- Although it is recognized that a source program can be represented by
other forms and symbols, in this document it always refers to a
syntactically correct set of COBOL statements beginning with an
Identification Division and ending with the end of the Procedure
Division. In contexts where there is no danger of ambiguity, the word "program"
alone can be used in place of the phrase "source program".
- Special Character
- A character that belongs to the following set:
Character
|
Meaning
|
+ |
Plus Sign |
|
Minus Sign |
* |
Asterisk |
/ |
Slash (Virgule, Stroke) |
= |
Equal Sign |
$ |
Currency Sign |
, |
Comma (Decimal Point) |
; |
Semicolon |
. |
Period (Decimal Point) |
' |
Quotation Mark |
( |
Left Parenthesis |
) |
Right Parenthesis |
> |
Greater Than Symbol |
< |
Less Than Symbol |
' |
Apostrophe |
: |
Colon |
& |
Ampersand |
- Special-character Word
- A reserved word which is an arithmetic operator or a relation
character.
- Special-Names
- The name of an Environment Division paragraph in which
implementor-names are related to user-specified mnemonic-names.
- Special Registers
- Storage areas created by your COBOL system whose primary use is to
store information produced in conjunction with the user of specified
COBOL features.
- Split Key
- A concatenation of one or more data items within a record associated
with that file-name. It can be referenced only in START and READ
statements. See the Examples chapter in your Additional
Topics for an example of Split Key.
- Standard Data Format
- The concept used in describing the characteristics of data in a COBOL
Data Division under which the characteristics or properties of the data
are expressed in a form oriented to the appearance of the data on a
printed page of infinite length and breadth, rather than a form oriented
to the manner in which the data is stored internally in the computer or
on a particular external medium.
- Statement
- A syntactically valid combination of words and symbols written in the
Procedure Division beginning with a verb.
- Sub-queue
- A logical hierarchical division of a queue.
- Subject of Entry
- An operand or reserved word that appears immediately following the
level indicator or the level-number in a Data Division entry.
- Subprogram
- See Called Program.
- Subscript
- An occurrence number represented by either an integer, a data- name
optionally followed by an integer with the operator + or -, or an
index-name optionally followed by an integer with the operator + or -,
that identifies a particular element in a table. A subscript can be the
word ALL when the subscripted identifier is used as a function argument.
- Subscripted Data-name
- An identifier that is composed of a data-name followed by one or more
subscripts enclosed in parentheses.
- Switch-status Condition
- The proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that an
implementor-defined switch, capable of being set to an "on" or
"off" status, has been set to a specified status.
- Symbol Function
- The use of specified characters in the PICTURE clause to represent
data types.
- Syntax
- The order in which elements must be put together to form a program.
- System-name
- A COBOL word which is used to communicate with the operating
environment.
T
- Table
- A set of logically consecutive items of data that are defined in the
Data Division by means of the OCCURS clause.
- Table Element
- A data item that belongs to the set of repeated items comprising a
table.
- Terminal
- An interactive input/output device consisting of a screen display or
printing device and a keyboard by which an operator can enter and
receive visual data.
- Text-name
- A user-defined word which identifies library text.
- Text-word
- A character or a sequence of contiguous characters between margin A
and margin R in a COBOL library, source program, or in pseudo-text which
is:
- A separator, except for: space; a pseudo text delimiter; and the
opening and closing delimiters for nonnumeric literals. The
right-parenthesis and left-parenthesis characters, regardless of
context within the library, source program, or pseudo-text, are
always considered text words.
- A literal including, in the case of nonnumeric literals, the
opening quotation mark and the closing quotation mark which bound
the literal.
- Any other sequence of contiguous COBOL characters except comment
lines and the word "COPY", bounded by separators, which is
neither a separator nor a literal. One or both of the bounding
separators can be a pseudo-text delimiter.
- Truth Value
- The representation of the result of the evaluation of a condition in
terms of one of two values:
true
false
- Typedef-name
- A user-defined word which identifies a Type Definition.
- Type Definition
- A programmer-defined type or USAGE that may be used to define data
items of that type. A type definition is defined in a data description
entry that includes the TYPEDEF clause.
U
- Unary Operator
- A plus (+) or a minus (-) sign, which precedes a variable or a left
parenthesis in an arithmetic expression and which has the effect of
multiplying the expression by +1 or -1, respectively.
- Update Field
- A screen item whose description contains a USING phrase.
- User-defined Word
- A COBOL word that must be supplied by the user to satisfy the format
of a clause or statement.
V
- Variable
- A data item whose value can be changed by execution of the object
program. A variable used in an arithmetic expression must be a numeric
elementary item.
- Variable-Occurrence Data Item
- A variable-occurrence data item is a table element which is repeated
a variable number of times. Such an item must contain an OCCURS
DEPENDING ON clause in its data description entry, or be subordinate to
such an item.
- Verb
- A word that expresses an action to be taken by your COBOL program at
object time, during creation of native code, or at run time.
W
- Word
- A character-string of not more than 30 characters which forms a
user-defined word, a system-name, a reserved word, or a function-name.
- Working-Storage Section
- The section of the Data Division that describes working storage data
items, composed either of noncontiguous items or of working storage
records, or of both.
Copyright © 1999 MERANT International
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This document and the proprietary
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