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.
- Activated Runtime
Element
- A method or program placed into the active state by a statement.
- Activating Statement
-
A statement that causes the execution of a method or program.
- Activating Runtime
Element
-
A method or program that contains the activating statement.
- Active State
-
The state of a method or program that has been activated but has not
yet returned to the activating runtime element.
- 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 operand specified in
the activating statement of an intrinsic function, a method or a program
that specifies the data to be passed upon activation of the intrinsic
function or runtime element.
- 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.
- Automatic Data
-
The data described in the local-storage section.
- Automatic Data Item
-
A data item that is described as part of an automatic data record.
- Automatic Data Record
-
A logical record that is described in the local-storage section.
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 that receives
control as the result of the execution of a CALL statement.
- Calling Runtime
Element
- A method or program
that transfers control to a program by execution of a CALL statement.
- 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 Boundary
-
The leftmost bit of an addressing boundary in the storage of the
computer.
- 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
-
The entity that defines common behavior and implementation for zero,
one or more objects. The objects that share the same implementation
are considered to be objects of the same class.
- 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 Definition
- The source unit that defines a class.
- Class Method
- A method for a class object.
- Class-name (for truth
value proposition)
-
A user-defined word defined in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the
environment division that assigns a name to the proposition for which
a truth value can be determined, that the content of a data item
consists exclusively of those characters listed in the definition of
the class-name.
- Class-name (for object
orientation)
-
A user-defined word that identifies a class.
- 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,
comparing and for
processing indexed files sequentially.
- 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 indicator
-
The two contiguous COBOL characters '*>', which indicate a
comment line or an in-line comment.
- Comment Line
- A source
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
. 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.
- Compilation Group
-
A sequence of source units submitted for compilation together.
- Compilation Unit
-
A source unit that is not nested within another source unit. A
source unit is always part of a compilation group.
- Compile Time
- The time at which a compilation group is translated to a runtime
module consisting of one or more executable runtime elements.
- Compiler Directive
-
An instruction to the COBOL compiler to take specific action when
compiling a compilation group.
- Compiler Directive
Line
- A line of source-text beginning with the two contiguous COBOL
characters >> followed by a compiler-directive word.
- Compiler-directive
Word
- A COBOL word that is used in the syntax of a compiler directive.
- Compiler directing
statement
- A statement that instructs the compiler to take a specific action in
the process of compiling a compilation group.
- 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
compilation group
is to be converted to object code, or the object code run.
- Condition
- A status for which a
truth value can be determined at execution time. 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 statement for which
the truth value of a specified condition is evaluated and used to
determine subsequent flow of control.
- 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.
- Conformance (for
object orientation)
- The property that allows an object with a given interface to be used
where an object with a different interface is expected. Conformance
ensures that any operation specified for the conformed interface is
supported by the conforming interface.
- Constant-name
- A user-defined word assigned as the name of a fixed value.
- Context-sensitive
Words
- COBOL words that are specified in formats but are reserved only in
the context in which they are specified.
- 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.
- CRT Status
- A conceptual entity whose value is set to indicate the status of a
terminal input-output operation during the execution of an ACCEPT screen
statement.
- 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 unit,
the currency symbol is identical to the currency sign. See the section
The SPECIAL-NAMES Paragraph in the chapter The Nucleus.
- Current Record
- In file processing, the
record that is available in the record area associated with a file.
- Current Volume Pointer
- A conceptual entity that points to the current volume of a
sequential file.
- Cursor
- A visible indicator on
a character addressable terminal screen that shows the position on the
screen at which the next data character input at the keyboard will be
displayed.
- Cursor Control Keys
- Keys on the keyboard of a character addressable terminal that
control the positioning of the cursor on the screen. Typically these
include keys that move the cursor up, down, left, right, next screen
item, previous screen item.
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 defined
by a data description entry or resulting from the evaluation of an
identifier.
- Data Keys
- Keys on the keyboard of a character addressable terminal that
represent individual printable data characters.
- 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.
- Data-pointer Data Item
- A data item in which the address of a data item may be stored.
- 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 source
element: 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 Marker
- A marker for the end of a source unit.
- End of Procedure Division
- The physical position in a COBOL source
element after which
no further procedures appear.
- End Program Marker
- 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.
- Enter Key
- A key on the keyboard of a character addressable terminal that
signals that the input of the screen item or the screen record is
complete.
- 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
.
-
- 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.
- Execution Time
- The time at which a method or program is executed.
- Explicit Attribute
- Any attribute which has been explicitly defined.
- Explicit Scope
Terminator
- A reserved word that terminates the scope of a particular procedure
division statement.
- Exponent
- In floating-point representation, that power to which the radix of
the representation is to be raised.
- Expression
- An arithmetic or conditional expression.
- Extend Mode
- The state of a file
connector after execution of an OPEN statement, with the EXTEND phrase
specified, for that file connector and before the execution of a CLOSE
statement without the REEL or UNIT phrase for that file connector.
- External Data
- Data described as
external data items and external file connectors.
- External File Connector
- A file connector which is accessible to one or more
runtime elements in
the run unit.
- External Repository
- An implementor-provided storage for information relating to class
names, method names, method parameters, and any other information that
the implementor requires.
- External Switch
- A hardware or software device, defined and named by the implementor,
that is used to indicate that one of two alternate states exists.
F
- Factory Method
- A method for a factory object.
- Factory Object
- The single object of a class, defined by the factory definition of a
class. There is one factory object for each class. The factory object is
the creator of objects of the class.
- Factory (object) Data
- The data for a factory object, declared in the data division of a
factory definition and common for all objects of the class.
- Factory Definition
- The source unit that defines a factory object.
- Field (of a screen)
- A contiguous area of a terminal screen that represents an elementary
screen item.
- Figurative Constant
- A value generated by your COBOL system which is referenced through
the use of certain reserved words.
- File
- A physical collection
of logical 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
are declared.
- File Control Entry
- A SELECT clause and subordinate clauses that declare the relevant
physical attributes of a file.
- 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 connector
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
contains the value of the current key within the key of reference for an
indexed file, or the record number of the current record for a
sequential file, or the relative record number of the current record for
a relative file, or indicates that no next logical record exists, or
that the number of significant digits in the relative record number is
larger than the size of the relative key data item, or that an optional
input file is not present, or that the at end condition already exists,
or that no valid next record has been established.
- File Section
- The section of the Data Division that contains file description
entries and sort-merge file
description entries together with their associated record
descriptions.
- File Sharing
- A cooperative environment that controls concurrent access to the
same physical file.
- 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
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.
- Fixed-length Record
- A record associated with a file whose file description or sort-merge
description entry requires that all records contain the same number of
character positions.
- Fixed-point Numeric
Item
- A numeric data item using fixed-point representation.
- Fixed-point Numeric
Literal
- A quantity, in fixed-point representation, that has a radix of ten
and is expressed as a literal composed of one or more numeric characters
and optionally either a decimal point or an algebraic sign, or both.
- Fixed-point
Representation
- A positional representation in which each number is represented by a
single sequence of digits, the position of the radix point being fixed
with respect to the rightmost end of the set according to the position
of the implicit or explicit radix point.
- 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).
- Floating-point
Representation
- A number representation in which a number is represented by two
sequences of digits, the significand and the exponent.
- Footing Area
- The position of the page body adjacent to the bottom margin.
- Format Parameter
- A data-name specified in the USING phrase of the procedure division
header or ENTRY statement that gives the name used in the method or
program for a parameter.
- 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
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
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 Key
- A key on the keyboard of a character addressable terminal that, when
enabled and pressed, signals that input of the screen record is complete
and a function is requested.
- Function-name
- A word that names a mechanism provided by the implementor to
determine the value of a function.
G
- Global Name
- A name declared in only one program that may be referenced from that
program and from any program contained within that program.
- 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 connector
after execution of an OPEN statement, with the I-O phrase specified, for
that file connector and before the execution of a CLOSE statement
without the REEL or UNIT phrase for that file connector.
- I-O Status
- A conceptual entity that contains a two-character value indicting the
status of an input-output operation.
- Identifier
- A sequence of
character-strings and separators that uniquely references a unit of data.
- Imperative Statement
- A statement that
specifies an unconditional action to be taken or a conditional statement
that is delimited by its explicit scope terminator (delimited scope
statement). 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 that
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 area
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.
- Inheritance (for
classes)
- A mechanism for using the interface and implementation of one or
more classes as the basis for another class. A subclass inherits from
one or more superclasses. The interface of an inheriting class conforms
to the interface of the inherited classes.
- Inheritance (for
interfaces)
- A mechanism for using the specification of one or more interfaces as
the basis for another interface. An inheriting interface conforms to the
inherited interface.
- Indicator Area
- The leftmost parameter position of a COBOL source record that
indicates the use of the record.
- Initial Data
- The data described in the working-storage or file section of an
initial program.
- Initial Data Item
- A data item that is described as part of an initial data record.
- Initial Data Record
- A logical record that is described in the working-storage or file
section of an initial program and is initialized on every call to the
program.
- Initial File Connector
- A file connector that is described in an initial program and is not
in an open mode on any call to the program.
- Initial Program
- A program that is placed into an initial state every time the
program is called in a run unit.
- Initial State
- The state of a method or program when it is first activated in a run
unit.
- In-line Comment
- A comment preceded on a source line by one or more COBOL words or
character-strings.
- 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 connector after execution of an OPEN statement,
with the INPUT phrase specified, for that file connector and before the
execution of a CLOSE statement without the REEL or UNIT phrase for that
file connector.
- Input-Output Control
System (IOCS)
- A system provided by the implementor that directs, or controls, the
processing of files.
- 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
and which provides information required for transmission and
handling of data during execution
.
- Input-Output Statement
- A statement that causes files to be processed by performing
operations upon individual records or upon the file as a unit. The
input-output statements are: CLOSE, DELETE, OPEN, READ, REWRITE, START
and WRITE.
- Input Procedure
- A set of statements to
which control is given during the execution of a SORT statement, for the
purpose of controlling the release of specified records to be sorted..
- 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.
- Interface (for a
method)
- The information needed to invoke a method correctly.
- Interface (the
language construct)
- A grouping of method prototypes.
- Interface Definition
- The source unit the defines an interface.
- Internal Data
- The data described in a source
unit excluding all external data items and external file
connectors. Items described in the linkage section
are treated as internal data.
- Internal File Connector
- A file connector which is accessible to
only one runtime module in a run unit.
- Invalid Key Condition
- A condition occurring at execution
time when a specific value of the key associated with an indexed
or relative file is determined to be invalid.
- Invocation
- See Method Invocation.
- IOCS
- See input-output control system.
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, either prime
or alternate, currently being used by a file connector to access
records within an indexed file.
- Key Word
- A reserved word or
function-name whose presence is required when the general format in
which the word appears is used.
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. The
level indicators in the data division are: CD, FD, RD and SD.
- 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
- Text that resides in a
COBOL library for the purpose of being introduced into the source text
at compile time by a COPY statement.
- 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 activated element that describes data items available
from the activating element. These data items can be referenced by both
the activating and the activated elements.
- Literal
- A character-string whose value is derived
from the ordered set of characters in the string.
- Literal Field
- An elementary screen item whose description contains no PICTURE
clause.
- Lock Mode
- The state of an open file connector when record locking is in effect
that indicates whether record locking is manual or automatic.
- 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 Page
- A conceptual entity consisting of the top margin, the page body and
the bottom margin.
- 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
- Mass Storage
- A storage medium in which data may be organized and maintained in
both a sequential and nonsequential manner.
- Mass Storage Control
System (MSCS)
- An input-output control system that directs, or controls, the
processing of mass storage files.
- Mass Storage File
- A collection of records that is assigned to a mass storage medium.
- 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 in the
Communications Facility. (See Message Indicators.)
- Message Control System (MCS)
- A communication control system that supports the processing of
messages.
- 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
method definition and is executed by a method invocation on that object.
- Method Definition
- The 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.
- Method-name
- A user-defined word that identifiers a method.
- Method Prototype
- The method-name and parameter types (including a returning item if
specified) for a method. It is specified by a method definition in an
interface.
- 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.
- MSCS
- See Mass Storage Control System.
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 (Alphanumeric 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 (Alphanumeric 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.
- Null
-
- the state of a data-pointer that guarantees no storage is
addressed by that data item indicated by the predefined null
data address value.
- the state of a program-pointer that guarantees no program is
addressed by that data item indicated by the predefined null
program address value.
- the state of an object reference that guarantees no object is
referenced by that data item indicated by the value of the
predefined object reference NULL.
- 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
- Either a fixed-point
numeric literal or a float-point numeric literal.
O
- Object (instance)
- A unit consisting of
data and the methods that can act upon that data.
- Object Computer
Entry
- An entry in the
OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph of the Environment Division that describes the
computer environment in which the runtime module is to be executed.
- Object Data
- Data described in the data division of an object definition,
excluding data described in its methods.
- Object Definition
- The source unit that defines an object.
- Object Method
- A method of an object (as opposed to a factory method), although a
factory method is a method of a factory object.
- Object of Entry
- A set of operands and reserved words, within a data division entry
that immediately follows the subject of the entry.
- Object Property
- A name that may be used to qualify an object reference to get a
value from or pass a value to an object.
- Object Reference
- An explicitly-or implicitly-defined data item that contains a
reference to an object.
- Obsolete Element
- A language element in Standard COBOL that is to be deleted from the
next edition of Standard COBOL.
- Open Mode
- The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement for that
file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement without
the REEL or UNIT phrase 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, that indicates
whether its value is positive or negative.
- Optional File
- A file declared as being not necessarily present each time the
runtime module is executed.
- Optional Word
- A reserved word that is included in a specific
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.
- 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 connector
after execution of an OPEN statement, with the OUTPUT phrase specified,
for that file connector and before the execution of a CLOSE statement
without the REEL or UNIT phrase for that file connector.
- 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
reaches a point at which
it can select the next record in merged order when requested.
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.
- Paragraph-name
- A user-defined word that identifies and begins a paragraph in the
Procedure Division.
- Parameterized Class
- A class where the full details of one or more dependent classes are
not specified in the class definition. The full details of these
dependent classes are specified by parameters before the parameterized
class is used.
- Phrase
- An ordered set of COBOL
character-strings that specifies an attribute of an entry or a statement
and is a subset of a clause or paragraph in all division except the
procedure division, and a subset of a statement in the procedure
division.
- Physical Page
- A device-dependent concept defined by the implementor.
- Physical Record
- See Block.
- Pointer Item
- An elementary data item to which a USAGE IS POINTER or
PROCEDURE-POINTER clause applies.
- Predefined Object
Reference
- An imbecility-generated data item referenced by on of the
identifiers NULL, SELF, SELFCLASS or SUPER.
- 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 Branching
Statement
- A statement that causes the explicit transfer of control to a
statement other than the next executable statement in the sequence in
which the statements are written. The procedure branching statements
are: CALL, EXIT, EXIT METHOD, EXIT PROGRAM, GO TO, GOBACK, INVOKE, MERGE
(with the OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrase), PERFORM, and SORT (with the INPUT
PROCEDURE or OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrase).
- Procedure-name
- A user-defined word
that names a paragraph or section in the Procedure Division.
- 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 Identification
Entry
- An entry in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph of the identification division
that specifies the program-name and assigns selected program attributes
to the program.
- Program-name
- A user-defined word that identifies a COBOL source program.
- Program-pointer Data
Item
- A data item in which the address of a program may be stored.
- Prompt Character
- The character used to mark empty character positions in a screen
item.
- Property
- See Object Property.
- Pseudo-text
- A sequence of text-words,
comment lines, or the separator space in a source text or a COBOL
library 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 in
pseudo-text delimiters |
' |
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 or name
associated with a level indicator that is used in a reference either
together with a data-name of an item that is subordinate to the
qualifier or together with a condition-name.
- 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
- Radix
- In positional representation of numeric values, that positive
integer by which the significance of a digit place must be multiplied to
give the significance of the next higher digit position.
- Radix Point
- A generalization of the decimal point for numeric representations in
any radix.
- 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 Lock
- An indicator that is associated with a specific record in a file and
is set and released by the locking facility. It is used to determine
whether multiple file connectors may access the record concurrently.
- Record Locking
- The controlling of record access for shared files in which a record
lock prevents access to the associated record from other file
connectors.
- Record-name
- A user-defined word that names a record described in a record
description entry in the Data Division.
- Record Number
- The ordinal number of a record in a file whose organization is
sequential.
- Reel (Unit, Volume)
- A discrete portion of a storage medium that contains part of a file,
all of a file, or any number of files.
- Reference-format
- A format that provides a standard method for describing
source text and library
text.
- Reference Modification
- A definition of a data item by specifying a leftmost character and
length for the data item.
- Reference-modifier
- An identifier that references a unique data item created by
specifying an identifier, a starting position and a length.
- 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
- A proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that the
value of an arithmetic expression, data item, literal or index has a
specific relationship to the value of another arithmetic expression,
data item, literal or index.
- 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.
- Relative Record Number
- The ordinal number of a record in a file whose organization is
relative.
- Reserved Word
- A COBOL word specified
in the list of words which can be used in COBOL, but which must not
appear as user-defined words or system-names.
- Resultant Identifier
- A user-defined data item that is to contain the result of an
arithmetic operation.
- 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
- One or more runtime
modules that interact with one another and that function, at execution
time, as an entity to provide problem solutions.
- Runtime Element
- The executable unit resulting from compiling a source element, which
may be a method or a program.
- Runtime Module
- The result of compiling a compilation unit.
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-name
- A user-defined word that names a screen item described in a screen
description entry.
- Screen Record
- A screen description entry with a level-number of 1.
- 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 zero,
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.
- 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, together
with its contained programs, that is not contained in another program.
- Separator
- A character or two
contiguous characters 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.
- Shared File
- A file for which file sharing has been specified.
- Sharing Mode
- The state of an open file connector that indicates the mode of file
sharing. The sharing modes are: sharing with all other, sharing with no
other, and sharing with read only.
- 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.
- Signature
- The information stored about a source unit in the external
repository.
- Significand
- In floating-point representation, the fixed-point numeral that
represents the significant digits of the number.
- 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
- A Data Division entry
that specifies the characteristics of a sort or merge file.
- Source
- The symbolic definition of the originator of a transmission to a
queue.
- Source Computer
Entry
- An entry in the
SOURCE-COMPUTER paragraph of the Environment Division that describes the
computer environment in which the compilation unit is to be compiled.
- Source Element
- A source unit excluding any contained source units.
- 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".
- Source Text
Manipulation Statement
- A statement beginning with the word COPY or the word REPLACE that
provides the capability to insert and replace source text during
compilation.
- Source Unit
- A sequence of statements beginning with an identification division
and finishing with an end marker or the end of the compilation group,
including any contained source units.
- 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 that is
composed entirely of special characters.
- 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 use of specific 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
- A concept used to
describe data in a COBOL Data Division whereby the characteristics or
properties of the data are expressed in terms of the appearance of
graphic characters on a printed page, rather than 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.
- Static Data
- The data described in the file or working-storage section of a
source element that is not an initial program.
- Static Data Item
- A data item that is described as part of a static data record.
- Static Data Record
- A logical record described in the file or working-storage section of
a source element that is not an initial program.
- Subclass
- A class that inherits from another class. When two classes in an
inheritance relationship are considered together, the subclass is the
inheritor or inheriting class; the superclass is the inheritee or
inherited class.
Note: In the industry literature, the
term derived class is also often used as an alternative to the term
subclass. These terms are equivalent.
- Sub-queue
- A logical hierarchical division of a queue.
- Subject of Entry
- The data item that is
being defined by a data description 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.
- Superclass
- A class that is inherited by another class. See also Subclass.
- 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.
- Symbolic-character
- A user-defined word that specifies a user-defined figurative
constant.
- Syntax
- The order in which elements must be put together to form a
compilation group.
- 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 items
in a table.
- Terminal (in the
Screen Section)
- A character addressable
device that includes a display and a keyboard.
- Terminal (in the
communications module)
- The originator of a transmission to a queue, or to the receiver of a
transmission from a queue.
- Termination Key
- Any function key or the enter key of a terminal.
- 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 text,
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 text,
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. The
type contains all the characteristics of a data item and its
subordinates.
U
- Unit
- See Reel.
-
- Universal Object
Reference
- An object reference that is not restricted to a specific class or
interface.
- Unsuccessful Execution
- The attempted execution of a statement that does not result in the
execution of all the operations specified by that statement.
- Update Field
- A screen item whose description contains a USING phrase.
- User-defined Word
- A COBOL word
supplied by the user to satisfy the format of a clause or
statement.
V
- Variable
- A data item whose value can be changed at
runtime.
- Variable-Length Record
- A record associated with a file whose file description or sort-merge
description entry permits records to contain a varying number of
character positions.
- Variable-Occurrence Data Item
- A table element that is
repeated a variable number of times. Such an item contains an OCCURS
clause with the DEPENDING phrase in its data description entry or is
subordinate to such an item.
- Verb
- A word that expresses
an action to be taken during creation of native code or at run time.
- Volume
- See Reel.
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.
Z
- Zero-Length Group Item
- An item whose minimum length is zero and whose length at execution
time is zero. A zero-length group item can result from one of the
following:
- A group data item containing only a variable-occurrence data item
in which the minimum number of occurrences is zero.
- A group data item containing only a subordinate zero-length group
item.
- A record that has been specified using format 2 or format 3 of
the RECORD clause in which the minimum number of character positions
is zero.
- A function that returns a zero-length item.
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