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Chapter 8: Data Division - Data Description

8.1 Data Description

8.1.1 Data Description

8.1.1.1 Complete Entry Skeleton

Function

A data description entry specifies the characteristics of a particular item of data

or the characteristics of a programmer-defined type of data which can then be used to specify the description of one or more particular items of data.

A level 01 data description entry within the Working-Storage Section or File Section determines whether the data record and its subordinate data items have local names or global names.

A level 01 data description in the Working-Storage Section determines the internal or external attribute of the data record and its subordinate data items.

General Formats

Format 1
Format 2
Format 3
Format 4

Syntax Rules

  1. The level-number in Format 1 can be any number from 01 through 49 or 77.

  2. The clauses can be written in any order with two exceptions: the data-name-1 or FILLER clause

    , if specified,

    must immediately follow the level-number; the REDEFINES clause, when used, must immediately follow the data-name-1 or FILLER clause

    if either is specified; otherwise it must immediately follow the level number.

  3. The P ICTURE clause must be specified for every elementary item except an index data item,

    a procedure pointer

    a pointer or an internal floating-point data item,

    in which case use of this clause is prohibited.

  4. The words THRU and THROUGH are equivalent.

  5. The EXTERNAL clause can be specified only in data description entries in the Working-Storage Section whose level-number is 01.

  6. The EXTERNAL clause and the REDEFINES clause must not be specified in the same data description entry.

  7. The GLOBAL clause can be specified only in data description entries whose level-number is 01.

  8. Data-name-1 must be specified for any entry containing the GLOBAL or EXTERNAL clause, or for record descriptions associated with a file description entry which contains the EXTERNAL or GLOBAL clause.

  9. The TYPEDEF clause can only be specified in data description entries whose level-number is 01.

  10. The TYPEDEF clause can only be used when data-name-1 is also specified. In other words, it cannot be used in the same data description with either an explicit or implicit FILLER clause.

    Note that if the TYPEDEF clause is specified for a group item, subordinate data descriptions can be defined with either an implicit or explicit FILLER clause.

  11. The clauses SYNCHRONIZED, PICTURE, JUSTIFIED, and BLANK WHENZERO must not be specified except for an elementary data item.

    The SYNCHRONIZED clause can be specified for a group item.

  12. Literal-5 and integer-1 must not be floating-point values and must not be negative values.

  13. If literal-5 is used as part of an expression, it must be a positive or zero integer.

  14. Data-name-2 and data-name-3 can be implicitly qualified.

General Rules

  1. Format 3 is used for each condition-name. Each condition-name requires a separate entry with level-n umber 88. Format 3 contains the name of the condition and the value, values, or range of values associated with the condition-name. The condition-name entries for a particular conditional variable must immediately follow the entry describing the item with which the condition-name is associated. A condition-name can be associated with any data description entry which contains a level-number except the following:

    1. Another condition-name.

    2. A level 66 item.

    3. A group containing items with descriptions including JUSTIFIED, SYNCHRONIZED or USAGE (other than USAGE IS DISPLAY).

    4. An index

      or pointer

      data item (see the section The USAGE IS INDEX Clause in this chapter).

    5. A constant-name.

  2. Condition-names can be associated with internal floating-point items.

    Condition-names can be associated with external floating-point items.

  3. Format 4 defines a constant-name, which is a symbolic name representing a constant value assigned to it when the source code is passed through your COBOL system. Your COBOL system replaces each reference to a constant-name by its value.

  4. The TYPEDEF clause allows you to declare a group or elementary data description as a type definition, which allows instances of that data description to be declared as data items using data-name-1 as typedef-name-1 in the USAGE clause. The type definition itself is not a data item with allocated storage.

  5. If the TYPEDEF clause is specified at a group level, the components of the type definition are implicitly declared for any data item of that type and are referenced using the usual COBOL rules of qualification for the data item.

8.1.1.2 The BLANK WHEN ZERO Clause

Function

The BLANK WHEN ZERO clause permits the blanking of an item when its value is zero.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The BLANK WHEN ZERO clause can be used only for an elementary item whose PICTURE is specified as numeric (with implicit or explicit USAGE IS DISPLAY) or numeric edited. (See the section The PICTURE Clause later in this chapter.)

  2. The asterisk, when used as the zero suppression symbol, and the clause BLANK WHEN ZERO should not appear in the same entry.

    This construct is, however, permitted in which case, zero suppression overrides the BLANK WHEN ZERO clause.

General Rules

  1. When the BLANK WHEN ZERO clause is used, the item will contain nothing but spaces if the value of the item is zero.

  2. When the BLANK WHEN ZERO clause is used for an item whose PICTURE is numeric, the category of the item is considered to be numeric edited.

8.1.1.3 The BLOCK CONTAINS Clause

Function

The BLOCK CONTAINS clause specifies the size of a physical record.

Although it is a part of the standard COBOL definition, this feature is explicitly excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Format

General Rules

  1. This clause is documentary only.

8.1.1.4 The CODE-SET Clause

Function

The CODE-SET clause specifies the character code set used to represent data on the external media.

It can be specified only for files with record sequential

and line sequential

organization.

Although it is a part of the standard COBOL definition, this feature is explicitly excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Format

Directives

  1. In addition to Compiler directives which provide flagging and modify the reserved word list, the following directive may impact either the syntax or semantics described in this section.

Syntax Rules

  1. When the CODE-SET clause is specified for a file, all data in that file must be described as usage is DISPLAY and any signed numeric data must be described with the SIGN IS SEPARATE clause.

    These restrictions do not apply.

  2. The alphabet-name clause referenced by the CODE-SET clause must not specify the literal phrase.

    These restrictions do not apply.

  3. Identifier-1 can be qualified, but must not be subscripted.

  4. Each identifier-1 must be a data item described in the same record description for the file, and must not itself be a record description.

  5. If the optional FOR phrase is specified, the CODE-SET clause specifies the character code to be used for the data items named. If the FOR phrase is not specified, the CODE-SET clause specifies the character code to be used for the whole file.

  6. The native character set is used for any file, or data item in a file, to which no CODE-SET clause applies.

General Rules

  1. The data in the record area is always in ASCII. If alphabet-name has been equated in the Special-Names paragraph to EBCDIC, then data affected by the CODE-SET clause is translated from ASCII to EDCDIC as it is written to the file; or from EBCDIC to ASCII as it is read from the file. If alphabet-name has been equated in the Special-Names paragraph to STANDARD-1, STANDARD-2, NATIVE, or ASCII, no translation is necessary.

  2. For the purposes of this translation, any data item to which a CODE-SET clause applies is treated as alphanumeric. No account is taken of the class and category of the item as described in its data description.

  3. If identifier-1 has an OCCURS clause, the CODE-SET clause applies to only the first occurrence of it. If identifier-1 has a subordinate item with an OCCURS clause, the CODE-SET clause applies to the whole of identifier-1.

8.1.1.5 The DATA RECORDS Clause

Function

The DATA RECORDS clause serves only as documentation for the names of data records with their associated file.

The DATA RECORDS clause of the file description entry is classed as an obsolete element in the ANSI'85 standard and is scheduled to be deleted from the next full revision of the ANSI Standard.

All dialects in this COBOL implementation fully support this syntax. The FLAGSTD Compiler directive can be used to detect all occurrences of this syntax.

Although part of the standard COBOL definition, this feature is explicity excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. Data-name-1 and data-name-2 are the names of data records and should have 01 level-number record descriptions, with the same names, associated with them.

    These data-names do not have to be associated with any data description entry in the program.

General Rules

  1. The presence of more than one data-name indicates that the file contains more than one type of data record. These records can be of differing sizes, different formats, and so on. The order in which they are listed is not significant.

    Note: When using multiple 01 level items within an FD, if the SELECT statement contains key definitions, the key sizes must be contained within the minimum record length of that FD.


  2. Conceptually, all data records within a file share the same area. This is in no way altered by the presence of more than one type of data record within the file.

8.1.1.6 The Data-Name or FILLER Clause

Function

A data-name specifies the name of the data being described. The word FILLER can be used to specify an elementary item of the logical record that cannot be referred to explicitly.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The data-name or FILLER clause

    , if specified,

    must be the first word following the level-number in a data description entry.

General Rules

  1. The key word FILLER can be used to name an elementary item or group in a record. Under no circumstances can a FILLER item be referred to explicitly. However, a data item defined with the key word FILLER can be used as a conditional variable because such use does not require explicit reference to the FILLER item but only to the value contained therein.

  2. If this clause is omitted, the data item being described is treated as though FILLER had been specified.

8.1.1.7 The EXTERNAL Clause

Function

The EXTERNAL clause specifies that a data item or a file connector is external. The constituent data items and group items of an external data record are available to every program in the run unit which describes that record.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The EXTERNAL clause can be specified only in file description entries, or in record description entries in the Working-Storage Section.

  2. In the same program, the data-name specified as the subject of the entry whose level-number is 01 that includes the EXTERNAL clause must not be the same data-name specified for any other data description entry which includes the EXTERNAL clause.

  3. The VALUE clause must not be used in any data description entry that includes, or is subordinate to an entry that includes, the EXTERNAL clause. The VALUE clause can be specified for condition-name entries associated with such data description entries.

  4. Literal-1 must be a nonnumeric or a national literal.

General Rules

  1. The data contained in the record named by the data-name clause is external and can be accessed and processed by any program in the run unit which describes and, optionally, redefines it subject to the following general rules.

  2. Within a run unit, if two or more programs describe the same external data record, each record-name of the associated record description entries must be the same and the records must define the same number of standard data format characters. However, a program which describes an external record can contain a data description entry including the REDEFINES clause which redefines the complete external record, and this complete redefinition need not occur identically in other programs in the run unit. See the section The REDEFINES Clause.

  3. Use of the EXTERNAL clause does not imply that the associated file-name or data-name is a global name. See the section The GLOBAL Clause later in this chapter.

  4. The file connector associated with this description entry is an external file connecter.

  5. See your COBOL system documentation on file handling for further information on files with the EXTERNAL attribute.

  6. Literal-1 identifies the external name of an external data item or file connector. The same external name must be used by all programs that reference the same external data item or file connector.

8.1.1.8 The GLOBAL Clause

Function

The GLOBAL clause specifies that a data-name, a file-name, or a report-name is a global name. A global name is available to every program contained within the program which declares it.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The GLOBAL clause can be specified only in data description entries whose level-number is 01 in the File Section or the Working-Storage Section, file description entries, or report description entries.

    The GLOBAL clause can also be specified in the Linkage Section.

  2. In the same Data Division, the data description entries for any two data items for which the same data-name is specified must not include the GLOBAL clause.

  3. If the SAME RECORD AREA clause is specified for several files, the record description entries or the file description entries for these files must not include the GLOBAL clause.

General Rules

  1. A data-name, file-name or report-name described using a GLOBAL clause is a global name. All data-names subordinate to a global name are global names. All condition-names associated with a global name are global names.

  2. A statement in a program contained directly or indirectly within a program which describes a global name can reference that name without describing it again. See the section Scope of Names in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.

  3. If the GLOBAL clause is used in a data description entry which contains the REDEFINES clause, it is only the subject of that REDEFINES clause which possesses the global attribute.

8.1.1.9 The JUSTIFIED Clause

Function

The JUSTIFIED clause specifies non-standard positioning of data within a receiving data item.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The JUSTIFIED clause can be specified only at the elementary item level.

  2. JUST is an abbreviation for JUSTIFIED.

  3. The JUSTIFIED clause cannot be specified for any data item described as numeric or for which editing is specified.

  4. The JUSTIFIED clause cannot be specified for an index data item (see the section The USAGE IS INDEX Clause)

    , or for a pointer data item.

  5. The JUSTIFIED clause cannot be specified for external or internal floating-point data items.

General Rules

  1. When a receiving data item is described with the JUSTIFIED clause and the sending data item is larger than the receiving data item, the leftmost characters are truncated. When the receiving data item is described with the JUSTIFIED clause and it is larger than the sending data item, the data is aligned at the rightmost character position in the data item with space fill for the leftmost character positions.

    The contents of the sending data item are not taken into account, that is, trailing spaces within the sending data item are not suppressed.

    For example, if a data item PIC X(4) whose value is "A   " (that is, A followed by three spaces) is moved into a data item PIC X(6) JUSTIFIED the result will be "  A   ". If the same data item is moved to one with PIC X(3) JUSTIFIED the result will be "   " that is, the leftmost character is truncated.

  2. When the JUSTIFIED clause is omitted, the standard rules for aligning data within an elementary item apply. (See the section Standard Alignment Rules in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.)

8.1.1.10 The LABEL RECORDS Clause

Function

The LABEL RECORDS clause specifies whether labels are present.

The LABEL RECORDS clause is classed as an obsolete element in the ANSI'85 standard and is scheduled to be deleted from the next full revision of the ANSI Standard.

All dialects in this COBOL implementation fully support this syntax. The FLAGSTD Compiler directive can be used to detect all occurrences of this syntax.

Although it is a part of the standard COBOL definition, this feature is explicitly excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. This clause should be present in every file description entry.

    It is not required.

  2. Data-name-1 is the name of a label record and should have a 01 level-number record description, with the same name, associated with it.

  3. Data-name-1 must not appear in the DATA RECORDS clause for the file.

  4. Both LABEL RECORDS IS and LABEL RECORD ARE are accepted as valid syntax.

General Rule

  1. This clause is documentary only.

8.1.1.11 Level Number

Function

The level-number shows the hierarchy of data within a logical record. In addition, it is used to identify entries for working-storage items, linkage items, condition-names

, constant-names

and the RENAMES clause.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. A level-number is required as the first element in each data description entry.

  2. Data description entries subordinate to an FD, CD, or SD entry must have level-numbers with the values 01 through 49, 66

    ,78

    or 88. (See the section The FILE Description earlier in this chapter.)

  3. Data description entries in the Report Section and Screen Section must have level-numbers with the values 01 through 49

    , or 78

  4. Data description entries in the Working-Storage Section

    , Local-Storage

    and Linkage Section must have level-numbers with the values 01 through 49, 66, 7 7

    , 78

    or 88.

  5. A level-number can be a one or two digit number.

General Rules

  1. The level-number 01 identifies the first entry in each record description.

  2. Special level numbers have been assigned to certain entries where there is no real concept of level hierarchy:

    1. The level-number 77 is assigned to identify noncontiguous working-storage data items and noncontiguous linkage data items. It can be used only as described by Format 1 of the data description skeleton earlier in this chapter.

    2. Level number 66 is assigned to identify RENAMES entries and can be used only as described in Format 2 of the data description skeleton earlier in this chapter.

    3. Level number 88 is assigned to entries which define condition-names associated with a conditional variable and can be used only as described in Format 3 of the data description skeleton earlier in this chapter.

    4. Level number 78 is assigned to entries which define constant-names. It can be used only as described in Format 4 of the data description skeleton earlier in this chapter.

  3. Multiple level 01 entries subordinate to a CD, FD or SD entry represent implicit redefinitions of the same area.

8.1.1.12 Linage-Counter

The reserved word LINAGE-COUNTER is a name for a special register generated by the presence of a LINAGE clause in a file description entry for a record sequential file. The implicit description is that of an unsigned integer whose size is equal to the size of integer-1 or the data item referenced by data-name-1 in the LINAGE clause.

8.1.1.13 The LINAGE Clause

Function

The LINAGE clause allows the user to specify the depth of a logical page in terms of number of lines. The user can also specify the size of the top and bottom margins on the logical page, and the line number, within the page body, at which the footing area begins.

It can be specified only for files with sequential organization.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. Data-name-1, data-name-2, data-name-3 and data-name-4 must reference elementary unsigned integer data items.

  2. The value of integer-1 must be greater than zero.

  3. The value of integer-2 must not be greater than integer-1.

  4. The value of integer-3 and integer-4 can be zero.

General Rules

  1. The LINAGE clause allows the user to specify the size of a logical page in terms of number of lines. The logical page size is the sum of the values referenced by each phrase except the FOOTING phrase. If the FOOTING phrase is not specified, the values for these functions are zero and no end-of-page condition independent of the page overflow condition exists.

    There is not necessarily any relationship between the size of the logical page and the size of a physical page.

  2. The value of integer-1 or the data item referenced by data-name-1 specifies the number of lines that can be written and/or spaced on the logical page. The value must be greater than zero. That part of the logical page in which these lines can be written and/or spaced is called the page body.

  3. The value of integer-2 or the data item referenced by data-name-2 specifies the line number within the page body at which the footing area begins. The value must be greater than zero and not greater than the value of integer-1 or the data item referenced by data-name-1.

    The footing area comprises the area of the logical page between the line represented by the value of integer-2 of the data item referenced by data-name-2, and the line represented by the value of integer-1 or the data item referenced by data-name-1, inclusive.

  4. The value of integer-3 or the data item referenced by data-name-3 specifies the number of lines that comprise the top margin on the logical page. The value can be zero.

    The value of integer-4 or the data item referenced by data-name-4 specifies the number of lines that comprise the bottom margin on the logical page. The value can be zero.

  5. The value of integer-1, integer-3, and integer-4, if specified, will be used at the time the file is opened by the execution of an OPEN statement with the OUTPUT phrase, to specify the number of lines that comprise each of the indicated sections of a logical page. The value of integer-2, if specified, will be used at that time to define the footing area. These values are used for all logical pages written for the file during a given execution of the program.

  6. The values of the data items referenced by data-name-1, data-name-3, and data-name-4, if specified at the time an open statement with the OUTPUT phrase is executed for the file, will be used to specify the number of lines that are to comprise each of the indicated sections for the first logical page.

    The value of the data item referenced by data-name-2, if specified, will be used at the time an OPEN statement with the OUTPUT phrase is executed for the file to define the footing area for the first logical page.

  7. A LINAGE-COUNTER is generated by the presence of a LINAGE clause. The value in the LINAGE-COUNTER at any one time represents the line number at which the device is positioned within the current page body. The rules governing the LINAGE-COUNTER are as follows:

    1. A separate LINAGE-COUNTER is supplied for each file described in the File Section whose file description entry contains a LINAGE clause.

    2. LINAGE-COUNTER can be referenced, but can not be modified, by PROCEDURE DIVISION statements. Since more than one LINAGE-COUNTER can exist in a program, the user must qualify LINAGE-COUNTER by file-name when necessary.

  8. Each logical page is contiguous to the next with no additional spacing provided.

  9. The values of the data items, at the time a WRITE statement with the ADVANCING PAGE phrase is executed or page overflow condition occurs (see the section The WRITE Statement later in this chapter), will be used to specify the number of lines that are to comprise each of the indicated sections for the next logical page.

  10. The value of the data item referenced by data-name-2, if specified, will be used at the time a WRITE statement with the ADVANCING PAGE phrase is executed or a page overflow condition occurs, to define the footing area for the next logical page.

  11. LINAGE-COUNTER is automatically modified, according to the following rules, during the execution of a WRITE statement to an associated file:

  12. The value of LINAGE-COUNTER is automatically set to one when an OPEN statement is executed for the associated file.

8.1.1.14 The OCCURS Clause

Function

The OCCURS clause eliminates the need for separate entries for repeated data items and supplies information required for the application of subscripts or indices.

General Formats

Format 1
Format 2

Directives

  1. In addition to Compiler directives which provide flagging and modify the reserved word list, the following directives may impact either the syntax or semantics described in this section.

Syntax Rules

  1. Where both integer-1 and integer-2 are used, integer-1 must be greater than

    or equal to

    zero and integer-2 must be greater than

    or equal to

    integer-1.

    In Format 2, if "integer-1 TO" is omitted, the default value one is assumed.

  2. The data description of data-name-1 must describe an integer.

  3. Data-name-1, data-name-2, data-name-3, ... can be qualified.

  4. Data-name-2 must be either the name of the entry containing the OCCURS clause or the name of an entry subordinate to the entry containing the OCCURS clause.

    This restriction is removed.

  5. Data-name-3, and so on, must be the name of an entry subordinate to the group item which is the subject of this entry.

    This restriction is removed.

  6. An INDEXED BY phrase is required if the subject of this entry, or an entry subordinate to this entry, is to be referred to by indexing,

    unless it is to be indexed by an index defined for another table (see the section Indexing in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language).

    The index-name identified by this clause is not defined elsewhere, and not being data, cannot be associated with any data hierarchy.

  7. A data description entry that contains Format 2 of the OCCURS clause should only be followed, within that record description, by data description entries which are subordinate to it.

    A data description entry that contains Format 2 of the OCCURS clause can be followed, within that record description, by data description entries which are not subordinate to it. The positions of these entries within the record will vary at run time with the value of the data item referenced in the DEPENDING ON clause

    unless the NOODOSLIDE Compiler directive is set. In this case, the containing record is considered as always containing the maximum number of occurrences of the Format 2 item, irrespective of the value of data-name-1. If the ODOSLIDE Compiler dir ective is set,

    when the value of data-name-1 is changed, the position referenced by identifiers following, but not subordinate to, the table is changed. The data these items contain can be lost.

  8. The OCCURS clause cannot be specified in a data description entry that:

    1. has a 66 or 88 level-number

    2. describes an item whose size is variable. The size of an item is variable if the data description of any subordinate item contains Format 2 of the OCCURS clause.

      An OCCURS clause can be specified for a data description subordinate to another item with a Format 2 OCCURS clause.

  9. The OCCURS clause should not be specified in a data description entry at the 01 level or as a 77 level-number.

    This restriction is removed.

  10. In Format 2, the data item defined by data-name-1 must not occupy a character position within the range of the first character position defined by the data description entry containing the OCCURS clause and the last character position defined by the record description entry containing that OCCURS clause.

    If the ODOSLIDE Compiler directive is set, data-name-1 must have a fixed location.

  11. If data-name-2 is not the subject of this entry, then:

    1. all of the items identified by the data-names in the KEY IS phrase must be within the group item which is the subject of this entry

    2. items identified by the data-name in the KEY IS phrase must not contain an OCCURS clause

    3. there must not be any entry that contains an OCCURS clause between the items identified by the data-names in the KEY IS phrase and the subject of this entry.

  12. Index-name-1, index-name-2, ... must be unique words within the program.

    Index-name-1, index-name-2, ... need not be unique and can be qualified by the data-name which is the subject of this entry.

  13. The OCCURS clause can be specified for external or internal floating-point data items.

General Rules

  1. The OCCURS clause is used in defining tables and other homogenous sets of repeated data items. Whenever the OCCURS clause is used, the data-name which is the subject of this entry must be either subscripted or indexed whenever it is referred to in a statement other than SEARCH

    , SORT

    or USE FOR DEBUGGING. Further, if the subject of this entry is the name of a group item, then all data-names belonging to the group must be subscripted or indexed whenever they are used as operands, except as the object of a REDEFINES clause. (See the sections Subscripting, Indexing and Identifier in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.)

  2. Except for the OCCURS clause itself, all data description clauses associated with an item whose description includes an OCCURS clause apply to each occurrence of the item described. (See the restriction in general rule 20 under Data Description Entries Other Than Condition-Names

    and Constant-Names.)

  3. Data-name-1 must have a fixed location, and must not follow an item that contains an OCCU RS DEPENDING ON clause.

  4. The nu mber of occu rrences of the subject entry is defined as follows:

    1. In Format 1, the value of integer-2 represents the exact number of occurrences.

    2. In Format 2, the current value of the data item referenced by data-name-1 represents the number of occurrences.

      This format specifies that the subject of this entry has a variable number of occurrences. The value of integer-2 represents the maximum number of occurrences and the value of integer-1 represents the minimum number of occurrences. This does not imply that the length of the subject of the entry is variable, but that the number of occurrences is variable.

      The value of the data item referenced by data-name-1 must fall within the range of integer-1 through integer-2. Reducing the value of this data item makes the contents of data items, whose occurrence numbers now exceed the value of the data item referenced by data-name-1, unpredictable.

  5. When a group item, having subordinate to it an entry that specifies Format 2 of the OCCURS clause, is referenced, the part of the table area used in the operation is determined as follows:

    1. If the data item referenced by data-name-1 is outside the group, only that part of the table area that is specified by the value of the data item referenced by data-name-1 at the start of the operation will be used.

    2. If the data item referenced by data-name-1 is included in the same group and the group data item is referenced as a sending item, only that part of the table area that is specified by the value of the data item referenced by data-name-1 at the start of the operation will be used in the operation. If the group is a receiving item, the maximum length of the group will be used.

  6. The KEY IS phrase is used to indicate that the repeated data is arranged in ascending or descending order according to the values contained in data-name-2, data-name-3, and so on. The ascending or descending order is determined according to the rules for comparison of operands (see the sections Comparison of Numeric Operands and Comparison of Nonnumeric Operands). The data-names are listed in their descending order of significance.

8.1.1.15 The PICTURE Clause

Function

The PICTURE clause describes the general characteristics and editing requirements of an elementary item.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. A PICTURE clause can be specified only at the elementary item level.

  2. A character-string consists of certain allowable combinations of characters in the COBOL character set used as symbols. The allowable combinations determine the category of the elementary item.

  3. The maximum number of characters allowed in the character- string is 30.

  4. The PICTURE clause must be specified for every elementary item except an index data item

    , pointer,

    or internal floating-point data item

    or the subject of a RENAMES clause, in which case use of this clause is prohibited.

  5. PIC is an abbreviation for PICTURE.

  6. The asterisk when used as the zero suppression symbol and the clause BLANK WHEN ZERO should not appear in the same entry.

    This construct is, however, permitted, in which case zero suppression overrides the BLANK WHEN ZERO clause.

  7. An integer in parentheses following a character indicates that the character is repeated the number of times shown by the integer.

General Rules

There are six categories of data that can be described with a PICTURE clause: alphabetic, numeric, alphanumeric, alphanumeric edited, numeric edited,

and external floating-point

. General rules within these categories are given below:

Alphabetic Data Rules

  1. Its PICTURE character-string can only contain the symbols "A" and "B".

    Its PICTURE character-string can contain only the symbol "A".

  2. Its contents when represented in standard data format must be one or more alphabetic characters.

Numeric Data Rules

  1. Its PICTURE character-string can contain only the symbols "9", "P", "S", and "V". The number of digit positions that can be described by the PICTURE character-string must range from 1 to 18 inclusive.

  2. If unsigned, the data in standard data format must be a combination of the Arabic numerals "0", "1", "2", " 3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", and "9"; if signed, the item can also contain a "+", "–", or other representation of an operational sign. (See the section The SIGN Clause later in this chapter.)

Numeric Data can also be held in formats other than standard data format (see the section The USAGE Clause later in this chapter and the section Selection Of Character Representation And Radix in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language).

Alphanumeric Data Rules

  1. Its PICTURE character-string is restricted to certain combinations of the symbols " A", "X", "9", and the item is treated as if the character-string contained all X"s. A PICTURE character-string which contains all A"s or all 9"s does not define an alphanumeric item.

  2. Its contents when represented in standard data format can consist of any characters in the computer's character set.

Alphanumeric Edited Data Rules

  1. Its PICTURE character-string is restricted to certain combinations of the following symbols: "A", "X", " 9", "B", "0", and "/" as follows:

    1. The character-string must contain at least one "B" and at least one "X" or at least one "0" (zero) and at least one "X" or at least one "/" (slash) and at least one "X", or:

    2. The character-string must contain at least one "0" (zero) and at least one "A" or at least one "/" (slash) and at least one "A".

  2. Its contents when represented in standard data format can consist of any characters in the computer's character set.

Numeric Edited Data Rules

  1. Its PICTURE character-string is restricted to certain combinations of the symbols "B", "/", "P", "V" , "Z", "0", "9", ",", ".", "*", "+", "–", "CR", "DB", and the currency symbol. The allowable combinations are determined from the order of precedence of symbols and the editing rules as follows:

    1. The number of digit positions that can be represented in the PICTURE character-string must range from 1 to 18 inclusive.

    2. The character-string must contain at least one "0" , "B", "/", "Z", "*", "+", ",", ".", "–", "CR" , "DB", or currency symbol.

  2. The contents of the character positions that represent a digit must be one of the numerals.

  3. If all character positions in the PICTURE character-string are represented by an insertion character, at least one of the insertion characters must be positioned to the left of the decimal point.

External Floating-point Data Items

  1. The PICTURE string must have the following form:

    A sign character must immediately precede both the mantissa and the exponent.

    A "+" sign indicates that a positive sign will be used in the output to represent positive values and that a negative sign will represent negative values.

    A "–"sign indicates that a blank will be used in the output to represent positive values and that a negative sign will represent negative values.

    Each sign position occupies one byte of storage.

    mantissa

    The mantissa can contain the symbols:

    9 . V

    An actual decimal point can be represented with a period while an assumed decimal point is represented by a V. Either an actual or an assumed decimal point must be present in the mantissa; the decimal point can be leading, embedded or trailing. The mantissa can contain from 1 to 16 numeric characters.

    E

    Indicates the exponent.

    exponent

    The exponent must be a PIC "99".

  2. The OCCURS, REDEFINES and RENAMES clauses can be associated with external floating-point items.

  3. The SIGN clause is documentary only and has no effect on the representation of the sign.

  4. The SYNCHRONIZED clause is documentary only.

  5. The following clauses are invalid with external floating-point items:

    BLANK WHEN ZERO
    JUSTIFIED
    VALUE

Elementary Item Size

The size of an elementary item, where size means the number of character positions occupied by the elementary item in standard data format, is determined by the number of allowable symbols that represent character positions. An integer which is enclosed in parentheses following the symbols "A", ",", "X" , "9", "P", "Z", "*", "B", "/", "0", "+", "–", or the currency symbol indicates the number of replications of the symbol. Note that the following symbols can appear only once in a given PICTURE: "S" , "V", ".",

"E",

"C R", and "D B".

Symbols Used

The functions of the symbols used to describe an elementary item are explained as follows:

A Each "A" in the character-string represents a character position which can contain only a letter of the alphabet or a space.
B Each "B" in the character-string represents a character position into which the space character will be inserted.
E Marks the start of the exponent in an external floating-point item. The exponent occupies 1 byte of storage at run time.
P Each "P" indicates an assumed decimal scaling position and is used to specify the location of an assumed decimal point when the point is not within the number that appears in the data item. The scaling position character "P" is not counted in the size of the data item. Scaling position characters are counted in determining the maximum number of digit positions (18) in numeric edited items or numeric items. The scaling position character "P" can appear only to the left or right as a continuous string of "P"s within a PICTURE description; since the scaling position character "P" implies an assumed decimal point (to the left of "P" s if "P"s are leftmost PICTURE characters and to the right if "P"s are rightmost PICTURE characters), the assumed decimal point symbol "V" is redundant as either the leftmost or rightmost character within such a PICTURE description.

The character "P" and the insertion character "." (period) cannot both occur in the same PICTURE character-string. If, in any operation involving conversion of data from one form of internal representation to another, the data item being converted is described with the PICTURE character "P", each digit position described by a "P" is considered to contain the value zero, and the size of the data item is considered to include the digit positions so described.

In certain operations that reference a data item whose PICTURE character-string contains the symbol "P", the algebraic value of the data item is used rather than the actual character representation of the data item. This algebraic value assumes the decimal point in the prescribed location and zero in place of the digit position specified by the symbol "P". The size of the value is the number of digit positions represented by the PICTURE character-string. These operations are any of the following:

  1. Any operation requiring a numeric sending operand.

  2. An elementary MOVE statement where the sending operand is numeric and its PICTURE character-string contains the symbol "P".

  3. A MOVE statement where the sending operand is numeric edited and its PICTURE character-string contains the symbol "P" and the receiving operand is numeric or numeric edited.

  4. A comparison operation where both operands are numeric.

In all other operations the digit positions specified with the symbol "P" are ignored and are not counted in the size of the operand.

S The letter "S" is used in a character-string to indicate the presence, but neither the representation nor, necessarily, the position of an operational sign; it must be written as the leftmost character in the PICTURE. The "S" is not counted in determining the size (in terms of standard data format characters) of the elementary item unless the entry is subject to a SIGN clause which specifies the optional SEPARATE CHARACTER phrase. (See the section The SIGN Clause in this chapter.)
V The letter "V" is used in a character-string to indicate the location of the assumed decimal point and can only appear once in a character-string. The "V" does not represent a character position and therefore is not counted in the size of the elementary item. When the assumed decimal point is to the right of the rightmost symbol in the string the "V" is redundant.
X Each "X" in the character-string is used to represent a character position which contains any allowable character from the computer's character set.
Z Each "Z" in a character-string can only be used to represent the leftmost numeric character positions which will be replaced by a space character when the contents of that character position is zero. Each "Z" is counted in the size of the item.
9 Each "9" in the character-string represents a character position which contains a numeral and is counted in the size of the item.
0 Each "0" (zero) in the character-string represents a character position into which the numeral zero will be inserted. The "0" is counted in the size of the item.
/ Each "/" (slash) in the character-string represents a character position into which the slash character will be inserted. The "/" is counted in the size of the item.
, Each "," (comma) in the character-string represents a character position into which the character "," will be inserted. This character position is counted in the size of the item. The insertion character "," must not be the last character in the PICTURE character-string.

The insertion character "," can be the last character in the PICTURE character-string.

. When the character "." (period) appears in the character-string it is an editing symbol which represents the decimal point for alignment purposes and, in addition, represents a character position into which the character "." will be inserted. The character "." is counted in the size of the item. For a given program the functions of the period and comma are exchanged if the clause DECIMAL-POINT IS COMMA is stated in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. In this exchange the rules for the period apply to the comma and the rules for the comma apply to the period wherever they appear in a PICTURE clause. The insertion character " ." must not be the last character in the PICTURE character-string.

The insertion character "." can be the last character in the PICTURE character-string.

+, –, CR, DB These symbols are used as editing sign control symbols. When used, they represent the character position into which the editing sign control symbol will be placed. The symbols are mutually exclusive in any one character-string and each character used in the symbol is counted in determining the size of the data item.
* Each "*" (asterisk) in the character-string represents a leading numeric character position into which an asterisk will be placed when the contents of that position is zero. Each "*" is counted in the size of the item.
cs The currency symbol in the character-string represents a character position into which a currency symbol is to be placed. The currency symbol in a character-string is represented by either the currency sign or by the single character specified in the CURRENCY SIGN clause in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. The currency symbol is counted in the size of the item. The CURRENCY Compiler directive also affects the currency symbol used.

Editing Rules

Two general methods of performing editing in the PICTURE clause are available: insertion or suppression and replacement. Four types of insertion editing are available:

  1. Simple insertion

  2. Special insertion

  3. Fixed insertion

  4. Floating insertion

Two types of suppression and replacement editing are available:

  1. Zero suppression and replacement with spaces

  2. Zero suppression and replacement with asterisks

The type of editing which can be performed upon an item is dependent upon the category to which the item belongs. Table 8-1 specifies which type of editing can be performed upon a given category.

Table 8-1: Editing Types For Data Categories

Category Type of Editing
Alphabetic Simple insertion "B" only 1
Numeric None
Alphanumeric None
Alphanumeric Edited Simple insertion "0", "B" and "/"
Numeric Edited All 2
DBCS Simple insertion
External floating-point Special insertion


Notes:

  1. In the ANSI'74 standard, PICTURE clauses containing both "A" and "B" are treated as simple insertion in category Alphabetic. As the ANSI'85 standard does not support "B" in the Alphabetic category, the ANSI'85 standard considers this PICTURE as simple insertion in the Alphanumeric Edited category.

  2. Floating insertion editing and editing by zero suppression and replacement are mutually exclusive in a PICTURE clause. Only one type of replacement can be used with zero suppression in a PICTURE clause.

Simple Insertion Editing

The "," (comma), "B" (space), "0" (zero), and " /" (slash) are used as the insertion characters. The insertion characters are counted in the size of the item and represent the position in the item into which the character will be inserted.

Special Insertion Editing

This type of editing is valid for either numeric edited items or external floating-point items.

The "." (period) is used as the insertion character. In addition to being an insertion character it represents the decimal point for alignment purposes. The insertion character used for the actual decimal point is counted in the size of the item. The use of the assumed decimal point, represented by the symbol "V" and the actual decimal point, represented by the insertion character, in the same PICTURE character-string is disallowed. The result of special insertion editing is the appearance of the insertion character in the item in the same position as shown in the character-string.

Fixed Insertion Editing

The currency symbol and the editing sign control symbols "+" , "–", "CR", "DB" are the insertion characters. Only one currency symbol and only one of the editing sign control symbols can be used in a given PICTURE character-string. When the symbols "CR" or "DB" are used, they represent two character positions in determining the size of the item and they must represent the rightmost character positions that are counted in the size of the item. The symbol "+" or "–", when used, must be either the leftmost or rightmost character position to be counted in the size of the item. The currency symbol must be the leftmost character.

Table 8-2 : Editing Symbols in PICTURE Character-Strings

Editing Symbol in Picture Character-string Result
Data Item Positive or Zero Data Item Negative
+ +
space
CR 2 spaces CR
DB 2 spaces DB

Floating Insertion Editing

The currency symbol and the editing sign control symbols "+" and "–" are the floating insertion characters and as such are mutually exclusive in a given PICTURE character-string.

Floating insertion editing is indicated in a PICTURE character-string by using a string of at least two of the floating insertion characters. This string of floating insertion characters can contain any of the simple insertion characters or have simple insertion characters immediately to the right of this string. These simple insertion characters are part of the floating string.

When the floating insertion character is the currency symbol, this string of floating insertion characters can have one of the editing sign control symbols "+", "–", "CR" or " DB" immediately to the right of this string.

The leftmost character of the floating insertion string represents the leftmost limit of the floating symbol in the data item. The rightmost character of the floating string represents the rightmost limit of the floating symbols in the data item.

The second floating character from the left represents the leftmost limit of the numeric data that can be stored in the data item. Non-zero numeric data can replace all the characters at or to the right of this limit.

Floating insertion editing can be represented in a PICTURE character-string in only two ways. One way is to represent any or all of the leading numeric character positions on the left of the decimal point by the insertion character. The other way is to represent all of the numeric character positions in the PICTURE character-string by the insertion character.

If the insertion characters are only to the left of the decimal point in the PICTURE character-string, the result is that a single floating insertion character will be placed into the character position immediately preceding either the decimal point or the first non-zero digit in the data represented by the insertion symbol string, whichever is farther to the left in the PICTURE character-string. The character positions preceding the insertion character are replaced with spaces.

If all numeric character positions in the PICTURE character-string are represented by the insertion character, the result depends upon the value of the data. If the value is zero, the entire data item will contain spaces. If the value is not zero, the result is the same as when the insertion character is only to the left of the decimal point.

If all numeric positions in the PICTURE character string are represented by the insertion character, at least one numeric position must be to the left of the assumed or actual decimal point.

To avoid truncation, the minimum size of the PICTURE character-string for the receiving data item must be the number of characters in the sending data item, plus the number of non-floating insertion characters being edited into the receiving data item, plus one for the floating insertion character.

Zero Suppression Editing

The suppression of leading zeros in numeric character positions is indicated by the use of the alphabetic character "Z" or the character "*" (asterisk) as suppression symbols in a PICTURE character- string. These symbols are mutually exclusive in a given PICTURE character-string. Each suppression symbol is counted in determining the size of the item. If "Z" is used, the replacement character will be the space and if the asterisk is used, the replacement character will be "*".

Zero suppression and replacement is indicated in a PICTURE character-string by using a string of one or more of the allowable symbols to represent leading numeric character positions which are to be replaced when the associated character position in the data contains a zero. Any of the simple insertion characters embedded in the string of symbols or to the immediate right of this string are part of the string.

Zero suppression can be represented in a PICTURE character-string in only two ways. One way is to represent any or all of the leading numeric character positions to the left of the decimal point by suppression symbols. The other way is to represent all of the numeric character positions in the PICTURE character-string by suppression symbols.

If the suppression symbols appear only to the left of the decimal point, any leading zero in the data which corresponds to a symbol in the string is replaced by the replacement character. Suppression terminates at the first non-zero digit in the data represented by the suppression symbol string or at the decimal point, whichever is encountered first.

If all numeric character positions in the PICTURE character-string are represented by suppression symbols and the value of the data is not zero, the result is the same as if the suppression characters were only to the left of the decimal point. If the value is zero and the suppression symbol is "Z", the entire data item will be spaces. If the value is zero and the suppression symbol is "*", the data item will be all "*" except for the actual decimal point.

The symbols "+", "–", "*", " Z" and the currency symbol, when used as floating replacement characters, are mutually exclusive within a given character-string.

Precedence Rules

Table 8-3 shows the order of precedence when using characters as symbols in a character-string. An "X" at an intersection indicates that the symbol(s) at the top of the column can precede, in a given character-string, the symbol(s) at the left of the row. Arguments appearing in braces indicate that the symbols are mutually exclusive. The currency symbol is indicated by the symbol "cs". At least one of the symbols "A " , "X", "Z", " 9" or "*", or at least two of the symbols "+" , "–" or "cs" must be present in a PICTURE string.

In Table 8-3, non-floating insertion symbols "+" and "–" , floating insertion symbols "Z", "*", " +", "–", and "cs", and other symbol "P" appear twice in the PICTURE character precedence chart. The leftmost column and uppermost row for each symbol represents its use to the left of the decimal point position. The second appearance of symbol in the row and column represents its use to the right of the decimal point position.

Table 8-3: PICTURE Character Precedence Chart

First Symbol Non-Floating Insertion Symbols Floating Insertion Symbols Other Symbols
Second Symbol   B 0 / , . +
+
CR
DB
CS E Z
*
Z
*
+
+
CS CS 9 A
X
S V P P G
Non-Floating Insertion Symbols B x x x x x x     x   x x x x x x x x   x   x x
0 x x x x x x     x   x x x x x x x x   x   x  
/ x x x x x x     x   x x x x x x x x   x   x  
, x x x x x x     x   x x x x x x x     x   x  
. x x x x   x     x   x   x   x   x            
+
                                             
+
x x x x x       x x x x     x x x     x x x  
CR
DB
x x x x x       x   x x     x x x     x x x  
CS           x                                  
E       x x                       x     x      
Floating Insertion Symbols Z
*
x x x x   x     x   x                        
Z
*
x x x x x x     x   x x               x   x  
+
x x x x         x       x                    
+
x x x x x       x       x x           x      
CS x x x x   x                 x                
CS x x x x x x                 x x       x      
Other Symbols 9 x x x x x x     x x x   x   x   x x x x x  
A
X
x x x                           x x          
S                                              
V x x x x   x     x   x   x   x   x   x   x    
P x x x x   x     x   x   x   x   x   x   x    
P           x     x                   x x   x  
G x                                           x

8.1.1.16 The RECORD Clause

Function

The RECORD clause specifies either the number of character positions in a fixed length record or the range of character positions in a variable length record. If the number of character positions varies, the clause specifies the minimum and maximum number of character positions.

The concepts of FIXED and VARIABLE format files used throughout this section do not directly apply to LINE SEQUENTIAL files. See your COBOL system documentation on file handling for details on the implications of using LINE SEQUENTIAL files in your COBOL implementation.

Although it is a part of the standard COBOL definition, the RECORD CONTAINS clause is explicitly excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Formats

Format 1

Format 2

Format 3

Syntax Rules

Format 1
  1. No record description entry for the file can specify a number of character positions different from integer-1.
Format 2
  1. Record descriptions for the file must not describe records which contain fewer character positions than specified by integer-2, nor records which contain a greater number of character positions than that specified by integer-3.

  2. Integer-3 must be greater than integer-2.

  3. Data-name-1 must describe an elementary unsigned integer in the Working-Storage or Linkage Section.

General Rules

All Formats
  1. If the RECORD clause is not specified, the size of each data record is completely defined in the record description entry.

  2. If the associated file connector is an external file connector, all file description entries in the run unit which are associated with that file connector must specify the same values for integer-1 or integer-2 and integer-3. If the RECORD clause is not specified, all record description entries associated with this file connector must be the same length.

  3. Line sequential files are neither truly fixed nor truly variable format files: the presence or absence of any RECORDING MODE, RECORD CONTAINS or RECORD VARYING IN SIZE clause does not, therefore, impact their performance.

Format 1
  1. Format 1 is used to specify fixed length records. Integer-1 specifies the number of character positions contained in each record in the file.

Format 2
  1. Format 2 is used to specify variable length records. Integer-2 specifies the minimum number of character positions to be contained in any record of the file. Integer-3 specifies the maximum number of character positions in any record of the file.

  2. The number of character positions associated with a record description is determined by the sum of the number of character positions in all elementary data items excluding redefinitions and renamings, plus any implicit FILLER due to synchronization. If a table is specified:

    1. The minimum number of table elements described in the record is used in the summation above to determine the minimum number of character positions associated with the record description.

    2. The maximum number of table elements described in the record is used in the summation above to determine the maximum number of character positions associated with the record description.

    3. If integer-2 is not specified, the minimum number of character positions to be contained in any record of the file is equal to the least number of character positions described for a record in that file.

  3. If integer-3 is not specified, the maximum number of character positions to be contained in any record of the file is equal to the greatest number of character positions described for a record in that file.

  4. If data-name-1 is specified, the number of character positions in the record must be placed into the data item referenced by data-name-1 before any RELEASE, REWRITE, or WRITE statement is executed for the file.

  5. If data-name-1 is specified, the execution of a DELETE, RELEASE, REWRITE, START, or WRITE statement or the unsuccessful execution of a READ or RETURN statement does not alter the content of the data item referenced by data-name-1.

  6. During the execution of a RELEASE, REWRITE, or WRITE statement, the number of character positions in the record is determined by the following conditions:

    1. If data-name-1 is specified, by the content of the data item referenced by data-name-1.

    2. If data-name-1 is not specified and the record does not contain a variable occurrence data item, by the number of character positions in the record.

    3. If data-name-1 is not specified and the record does contain a variable occurrence data item, by the sum of the fixed portion and that portion of the table described by the number of occurrences at the time of execution of the output statement.

    If the number of character positions in the logical record which is to be written is less than integer-2 or greater than integer-3, the output statement is unsuccessful and, except during execution of a RELEASE statement, the associated I/O status is set to a value indicating the cause of the condition.

  7. If data-name-1 is specified, after the successful execution of a READ or RETURN statement for the file, the contents of the data item referenced by data-name-1 will indicate the number of character positions in the record just read.

  8. If the INTO phrase is specified in the READ or RETURN statement, the number of character positions in the current record that participate as the sending data items in the implicit MOVE statement is determined by the following conditions: a.

    1. If data-name-1 is specified, by the content of the data item referenced by data-name-1. b.

    2. If data-name-1 is not specified, by the value that would have been moved into the data item referenced by data-name-1 had data-name-1 been specified.

Format 3
  1. When format 3 of the RECORD clause is used, integer-4 and integer-5 refer to the minimum number of characters in the smallest size data record and the maximum number of characters in the largest size data record respectively. However, in this case, the size of each data record is completely defined in the record description entry.

  2. The size of each data record is specified in terms of the number of character positions required to store the logical record, regardless of the types of characters used to represent the items within the logical record. The size of a record is determined by the sum of the number of characters in all fixed length elementary items plus the sum of the maximum number of characters in any variable length item subordinate to the record. This sum can be different from the actual size of the record. See the section Selection of Character Representation and Radix in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language, and the sections The SYNCHRONIZED Clause and The USAGE Clause in this chapter.

8.1.1.17 The RECORDING MODE Clause

Function

The RECORDING MODE clause specifies the format of the logical records in the file.

General Formats

Format 1 (Record Sequential Files)

Format 2 (Line Sequential Files)

Format 3 (Relative and Indexed Files)

Syntax Rules

  1. F and FIXED are synonyms.

  2. V and VARIABLE are synonyms.

General Rules

All Formats (All Files)
  1. Specifying RECORDING MODE IS F causes all the records in the file to be the same length.
Format 1 (Record Sequential Files)
  1. The "U" option is documentary only.

Formats 1 and 3 (Record Sequential, Relative and Indexed Files)
  1. When RECORDING MODE IS V is specified, the records in the file can be either fixed or variable in length. Each data record includes a record length field. These fields are not part of the record description.
Format 2
  1. Line sequential files are neither truly fixed nor truly variable format files: the presence or absence of any RECORDING MODE, RECORD CONTAINS or RECORD VARYING IN SIZE clause does not, therefore, impact their performance.

8.1.1.18 The REDEFINES Clause

Function

The REDEFINES clause allows the same computer storage area to be described by different data description entries.

General Format

Note that level-number and data-name-1

or FILLER 

are shown in the above format to improve clarity. Level-number, and data-name-1

and FILLER

are not part of the REDEFINES clause.

Syntax Rules

  1. The REDEFINES clause, when specified, must immediately follow data-name-1

    or FILLER,

    or it can follow the PICTURE or USAGE clause. 

  2. The level-numbers of data-name-1 and data-name-2 must be identical but must not be 6 6,

    78

    or 88.

  3. This clause must not be used in level 01 entries in the File Section, since multiple level 01 entries subordinate to an FD or SD indicator represent implicit redefinitions of the same areas. (See General Rule 2 of the section The DATA RECORDS Clause in this chapter.)

    This clause can be used on level 01 entries in the File Section.

  4. This clause must not be used in level 01 entries in the Communication Section since multiple level 01 entries subordinate to a CD indicator represent implicit redefinition of the same area.

  5. The data description for data-name-2 can contain a REDEFINES clause and

    data-name-2 can be subordinate to an entry which contains a REDEFINES clause.Its data description cannot contain an OCCURS clause. However, data-name-2 can be subordinate to an item whose data description entry contains an OCCURS clause. In this case, the reference to data-name-2 in the REDEFINES clause cannot be subscripted or indexed. Neither the original definition nor the redefinition can include an item whose size is variable as defined in the OCCURS clause. (See the section The OCCURS Clause in this chapter.)

    The data description for data-name-2 can contain an OCCURS clause.

    If the level number is 01, either or both of the original definition and the redefinition can include an item whose size is variable as defined in the OCCURS clause.

  6. No entry having a level-number numerically lower than the level-number of data-name-2 and data-name-1 can occur between the data description entries of data-name-2 and data-name-1.

  7. An external or internal floating-point data item can be the subject or object of a REDEFINES clause.

  8. Data-name-2 must not be qualified even if it is not unique since no ambiguity of reference exists in this case because of the required placement of the REDEFINES clause within the source program.

    Data-name-2 may be qualified but any qualification specified is ignored.

  9. The entries giving the new description of the character positions must not contain any VALUE clauses except in condition-name entries.

General Rules

  1. Redefinition starts at data-name-2 and ends when a level-number less than or equal to that of data-name-2 is encountered.

  2. When the level-number of data-name-1 is other than 01, it must specify the same number of character positions that the data item referenced by data-name-2 contains

    except that the data-name-1 area can be either smaller than the data-name-2 area

    or be larger than the data- name-2 area. In this case, extra storage is reserved to provide sufficient storage for the number of character positions in the largest of the redefining or redefined items.

    It is important to observe that the REDEFINES clause specifies the redefinition of a storage area, not of the data items occupying the area.

  3. Multiple redefinitions of the same character positions are permitted. The entries giving the new descriptions of the character positions must follow the entries defining the area being redefined, without intervening entries that define new character positions. Multiple redefinitions of the same character positions must all use the data-name of the entry that originally defined the area

    or the data-name of any other preceding redefinition of that entry.

  4. Multiple level 01 entries subordinate to any given level indicator (FD, CD or SD) represent implicit redefinitions of the same area.

8.1.1.19 The RENAMES Clause

Function

The RENAMES clause permits alternative, possibly overlapping, groupings of elementary items.

General Format

Level-number 66 and data-name-1 are shown in the above format to improve clarity. Level-number and data-name-1 are not part of the RENAMES clause.

Syntax Rules

  1. Any number of RENAMES entries can be written for a logical record.

  2. All RENAMES entries referring to data items within a given logical record must immediately follow the last data description entry of the associated record description entry.

  3. Data-name-2 and data-name-3 must be names of elementary items or groups of elementary items in the same logical record, and cannot be the same data-name. A 66 level entry cannot rename another 66 level entry, nor can it rename a 77,

    78,

    88, or 01 entry.

  4. Data-name-1 cannot be used as a qualifier, and can be qualified only by the names of the associated level 01, FD, CD or SD entries. Neither data-name-2 nor data-name-3 can have an OCCURS clause in its data description entry, nor be subordinate to an item that has an OCCURS clause in its data description entry. (See the section The OCCURS Clause.)

  5. The beginning of the area described by data-name-3 must not be to the left of the beginning of the area described by data-name-2. The end of the area described by data-name-3 must be to the right of the end of the area described by data-name-2. Data-name-3, therefore, cannot be subordinate to data-name-2.

  6. Data-name-2 and data-name-3 can be qualified.

  7. The words THRU and THROUGH are equivalent.

  8. None of the items within the range, including data-name-2 and data-name-3, if specified, can be an item whose size is variable as defined in the section The OCCURS Clause in this chapter.

General Rules

  1. When data-name-3 is specified, data-name-1 is a group item which includes all elementary items starting with data-name-2 (if data-name-2 is an elementary item) or the first elementary item in data-name-2 (if data-name-2 is a group item), and concluding with data-name-3 (if data-name-3 is an elementary item) or the last elementary item in data-name-3 (if data-name-3 is a group item).

  2. When data-name-3 is not specified, all of the attributes of data-name-2 become the data attributes for data-name-1.

  3. When data-name-2 and data-name-3 are not explicitly qualified and when no ambiguity of reference exists, implied qualification of the 01 level item is used.

8.1.1.20 The SIGN Clause

Function

The SIGN clause specifies the position and the mode of representation of the operational sign when it is necessary to describe these properties explicitly.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The SIGN clause can be specified only for a numeric data description entry whose PICTURE contains the character "S" , or a group item containing at least one such numeric data description entry.

  2. The numeric data description entries to which the SIGN clause applies must be described, implicitly or explicitly, as USAGE IS DISPLAY.

  3. At most one SIGN clause can apply to any given numeric data description entry.

    This rule is removed.

  4. If the CODE-SET clause is specified, any signed numeric data description entries associated with that file description entry must be described with the SIGN IS SEPARATE clause.

    This restriction is not enforced. See the section The CODE-SET Clause in this chapter.

General Rules

  1. The optional SIGN clause, if present, specifies the position and the mode of representation of the operational sign for the numeric data description entry to which it applies, or for each numeric data description entry subordinate to the group to which it applies. The SIGN clause applies only to numeric data description entries whose PICTURE contains the character "S"; the "S" indicates the presence of, but neither the representation nor, necessarily, the position of the operational sign.

  2. A numeric data description entry whose PICTURE contains the character "S", but to which no optional SIGN clause applies, has an operational sign, but neither the representation nor, necessarily, the position of the operational sign is specified by the character "S". In this (default) case, General Rules 3 through 5 do not apply to such signed numeric data items. The representation of the default operational sign is defined in the section Selection Of Character Representation And Radix in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.

  3. If the optional SEPARATE CHARACTER phrase is not present, then:

    1. the operational sign will be presumed to be associated with the leading (or, respectively, trailing) digit position of the elementary numeric data item in a manner defined in the section Selection Of Character Representation And Radix in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.

    2. the letter "S" in a PICTURE character-string is not counted in determining the size of the item (in terms of standard data format characters).

  4. If the optional SEPARATE CHARACTER phrase is present, then:

    1. the operational sign will be presumed to be the leading (or, respectively, trailing) character position of the elementary numeric data item; this character position is not a digit position.

    2. the letter "S" in a PICTURE character-string is counted in determining the size of the item (in terms of standard data format characters).

    3. the operational signs for positive and negative are the standard data format characters "+" and "–", respectively.

  5. Every numeric data description entry whose PICTURE contains the character "S" is a signed numeric data description entry. If a SIGN clause applies to such an entry and conversion is necessary for purposes of computation or comparisons, conversion takes place automatically.

  6. If a SIGN clause is specified for an item (either an elementary numeric data description entry or a group item) which is subordinate to a group item for which a SIGN clause is also specified, then the SIGN clause specified in the subordinate item takes precedence.

  7. The SIGN clause is treated as documentary for external floating-point items. For internal floating-point items, the SIGN clause is invalid and will result in a diagnostic message.

8.1.1.21 The SYNCHRONIZED Clause

Function

The SYNCHRONIZED clause specifies the alignment of an elementary item on the natural boundaries of the computer memory.

Although it is a part of the standard COBOL definition, this feature is explicitly excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Format

Directives

  1. In addition to Compiler directives which provide flagging and modify the reserved word list, the following directive may impact either the syntax or semantics described in this section.

Syntax Rules

  1. This clause should appear only with an elementary item.

    The SYNCHRONIZED clause can appear with a non-elementary item.

  2. SYNC is an abbreviation for SYNCHRONIZED.

General Rules

  1. SYNCHRONIZED RIGHT specifies that the elementary item is to be positioned so that it will terminate on the right character position of the natural boundary in which the elementary item is placed.

    It takes effect only if the IBMCOMP Compiler directive is set.

  2. Specification of the LEFT phrase in the SYNCHRONIZED clause will have no effect.

  3. The effect of the SYNCHRONIZED clause is, by definition, implementation-dependent.

  4. This clause specifies that the subject data item is to be aligned in the computer so that no other data item occupies any of the character positions between the leftmost and rightmost natural boundaries of the computer memory which delimits this data item.

    If the number of character positions required to store this data item is less than the number of character positions between those natural boundaries, the unused character positions (or portions thereof) must not be used for any other data item. Such unused character positions are, however, included in:

    1. the size of any group item(s) to which the elementary item belongs, and:

    2. the character positions redefined when this data item is the object of a REDEFINES clause.

    Thus the size of an elementary item is unchanged by the SYNCHRONIZED clause, but extra character positions are assigned by the use of the clause.

  5. SYNCHRONIZED not followed by either RIGHT or LEFT specifies that the elementary item is to be positioned between natural boundaries so that it uses the elementary data item efficiently.

  6. Whenever a SYNCHRONIZED item is referenced in the source program, the original size of the item, as shown in the PICTURE clause, is used in determining any action that depends on size, such as justification, truncation or overflow.

  7. If the data description of an item contains the SYNCHRONIZED clause and an operational sign, the sign of the item appears in the normal operational sign position, regardless of whether the item is SYNCHRONIZED LEFT or SYNCHRONIZED RIGHT.

  8. When the SYNCHRONIZED clause is specified in a data description entry of a data item that also contains an OCCURS clause, or in a data description entry of a data item subordinate to a data description entry that contains an OCCURS clause, then:

    1. each occurrence of the data item is SYNCHRONIZED.

    2. any implicit FILLER generated for other data items within that same table is generated for each occurrence of those data items.

  9. If the SYNCHRONIZED clause is specified with a non-elementary item, then the clause applies to all the items subordinate to that non-elementary item.

  10. The effect of using the SYNCHRONIZED clause is discussed in the section Selection Of Character Representation And Radix in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.

8.1.1.22 The TYPEDEF Clause

Function

The TYPEDEF clause defines a record as a programmer-defined type definition.

General Format

Syntax Rules

  1. The TYPEDEF clause can be specified only in data description entries whose level-number is 01.

  2. If TYPEDEF is specified, the following clauses cannot be specified:

    If the TYPEDEF clause is specified for a group item, then subordinate items can be specified with OCCURS or REDEFINES clauses.

    The VALUE clause cannot be specified either in the data descriptions specifying the TYPEDEF clause or in any subordinate item except for condition-names (88 level entries) within the TYPEDEF structure.

  3. If the TYPEDEF clause is specified for a data description, then that same data description must include a data-name, that is, it must not be specified with either an implicit or explicit FILLER clause.

  4. If a TYPEDEF clause is specified in an EXTERNAL program (call prototype) then that TYPEDEF can be referenced in any subsequent source line of the compilation group.

General Rules

  1. The purpose of using the TYPEDEF clause is to create a programmer-defined usage or structure that can subsequently be referenced in the USAGE clause.

  2. A record declared with the TYPEDEF clause does not allocate any storage, but declares that data-name-1 can be specified in a subsequent data description entry as typedef-name-1.

8.1.1.23 The USAGE Clause

Function

The USAGE clause specifies the format of a data item in the computer storage.

General Format

Directives

  1. In addition to Compiler directives which provide flagging and modify the reserved word list, the following directives may impact either the syntax or semantics described in this section.

Syntax Rules

  1. The USAGE clause may be written in any data description entry with an entry-number other than 66 or 88.

  2. If the USAGE clause is written in the data description entry for a group item, it may also be written in the data description entry for any subordinate elementary item or group item, but the same usage must be specified in both entries.

  3. An elementary data item whose declaration contains, or an elementary data item subordinate to a group item whose declaration contains, a USAGE clause specifying COMPUTATIONAL

    , BINARY, PACKED-DECIMAL

    , COMPUTATIONAL-3

    , COMPUTATIONAL-4

    , or COMPUTATIONAL-5

    must be declared with a PICTURE character-string that describes a numeric item (i.e. a PICTURE character-string that contains only the symbols "P", "S", "V", and "9"). See the section The PICTURE Clause earlier in this chapter.

    An elementary data item whose declaration contains no USAGE clause and that is subordinate to a group item whose declaration contains a USAGE clause specifying a format from the list may be declared with a PICTURE character-string that describes an alphabetic, alphanumeric, alphanumeric-edited or numeric-edited data item.

  4. An elementary data item whose declaration contains, or an elementary data item subordinate to a group item whose declaration contains, a USAGE clause specifying COMPUTATIONAL-5

    or COMPUTATIONAL-X

    must be declared with a picture character-string that describes a numeric item

    or describes an alphanumeric item with a size of between one and eight bytes inclusive. If it describes an alphanumeric item of size 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bytes, then this is equivalent to specifying an integer item with 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16 or 18 decimal digit positions respectively.

    When COMPUTATIONAL-X is specified and the PICTURE character-string describes a numeric item, then that item must be unsigned.

  5. The BLANK WHEN ZERO, JUSTIFIED and SIGN clauses must not be specified for data items whose usage is not explicitly or implicitly DISPLAY.

  6. The PICTURE clause must not be specified for data items whose usage is

    COMPUTATIONAL-1, COMPUTATIONAL-2,

    INDEX

    , POINTER

    or PROCEDURE-POINTER.

  7. The SYNCHRONIZED and VALUE clauses must not be specified for data items whose usage is INDEX.

    The SYNCHRONIZED clause can be specified for data items whose usage is INDEX.

  8. COMP is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL.

    COMP-1 is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL-1.
    COMP-2 is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL-2.

    COMP-3 is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL-3.

    COMP-4 is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL-4.

    COMP-5 is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL-5.

    COMP-X is an abbreviation for COMPUTATIONAL-X.

  9. An index item can be referenced explicitly only in a SEARCH or SET statement, a relation condition, the USING phrase of a Procedure Division,

    the USING statement of an ENTRY statement,

    or the USING phrase of a CALL statement.

  10. A pointer

    or procedure-pointer

    item can be referenced explicitly only in a SET statement, a relation condition, the USING phrase of a CALL statement, the USING phrase of a Procedure Division, the USING statement of an ENTRY statement

    or the GIVING phrase of a CALL statement.

  11. An elementary data item described with a USAGE IS INDEX,

    USAGE IS POINTER,

    or USAGE IS PROCEDURE-POINTER

    clause must not be a conditonal variable.

  12. Typedef-name-1 must be previously defined in the same source file as a record with the TYPEDEF clause.

  13. If USAGE typedef-name-1 is specified, the following clauses cannot also be specified:

  14. It is an error to specify USAGE typedef-name-1 if there is an explicit USAGE clause at a higher level in the same hierarchy.

  15. It is an error to specify any subordinate items (items with a higher level number other than 78) immediately following an item defined with USAGE typedef-name-1.

General Rules

  1. If the USAGE clause is written at the group level, it applies to each elementary item in the group

    except when there is a PICTURE clause and the data item described is non-numeric

  2. The USAGE clause specifies the manner in which a data item is represented in the storage of the computer. It does not affect the use of the data item, although the specifications for some statements in the Procedure Division may restrict the USAGE clause of the operands referred to. The USAGE clause may affect the radix or type of character representation of the item. See the section Selection of Character Representation and Radix in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language for more details of the format of each usage.

  3. The USAGE IS BINARY clause specifies that a radix of 2 is used to represent a numeric item in the storage of the computer. This clause is equivalent to specifying USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL.

  4. The USAGE IS PACKED-DECIMAL clause specifies that a radix of 10 is used to represent a numeric item in the storage of the computer. Furthermore, this clause specifies that each digit position must occupy the minimum possible configuration in computer storage.

    This clause is equivalent to specifying USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-3.

  5. The USAGE IS DISPLAY clause (whether specified explicitly or implicitly) specifies that a standard data format is used to represent a data item in the storage of the computer, and that the data item is aligned on a character boundary.

  6. The USAGE IS DISPLAY clause is valid for the following types of items:

  7. If the USAGE clause is not specified for an elementary item, or for any group to which the item belongs, the USAGE is implicitly DISPLAY.

  8. The USAGE IS INDEX clause specifies that a data item is an index data item and contains a value which must correspond to an occurrence number of a table element.

  9. When a MOVE statement or an input-output statement that references a group item that contains an index,

    or pointer,

    or procedure-pointer

    data item is executed, no conversion of the index,

    or pointer

    or procedure-pointer

    data item takes place.

  10. The USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-4 clause is equivalent to specifying USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL.

  11. The USAGE IS POINTER clause identifies a data item in which you can store the address of a data item (see the section The SET Statement in this chapter).

  12. The USAGE IS PROCEDURE-POINTER clause specifies that a data item is a procedure pointer data item in which you can store the address of a procedure. (See the SET statement in this chapter.) The procedure can be written in any language: if COBOL, it represents the Procedure Division of a program that is not nested and identified by either:

  13. If typedef-name-1 was specified as an elementary item, then the USAGE typedef-name-1 clause specifies an elementary item with the same attributes as the programmer-defined usage referenced by typedef-name-1.

  14. If typedef-name-1 was specified as a group item, then the USAGE typedef-name-1 clause specifies a group item with an identical structure. The effect is as if the data declarations subordinate to the data description entry identified by typedef-name-1 had been specified identically, subordinate to the item declared with the USAGE typedef-name-1 clause. Data-names of the subordinate data items are identical to those declared within the programmer-defined structure referenced by typedef-name-1 and can be uniquely referenced using qualification.

8.1.1.24 The VALUE Clause

Function

The VALUE clause defines the value of constants, the initial value of working storage items, and the values associated with a condition name.

Examples:

  1. An example of using the NEXT clause is provided in the Examples chapter in your Additonal Topics.

General Formats

Format 1

Format 2

Format 3

Syntax Rules

All Formats
  1. A signed numeric literal must have a signed numeric PICTURE character-string associated with it.

  2. All numeric literals in a VALUE clause of an item must have values which are within the range of values indicated by the PICTURE clause, and must not have a value which would require truncation of nonzero digits. Nonnumeric literals in a VALUE clause of an item must not exceed the size indicated by the PICTURE clause.

  3. A figurative constant can be substituted in both Format 1 and Format 2 wherever a literal is specified.
Format 1
  1. VALUES ARE can be used with Format 1.

  2. The VALUE clause may not be used with external floating-point data items.

    The VALUE clause may be used with external floating-point data items.

  3. The VALUE clause may be used for an internal floating-point data item, that is an item defined with USAGE COMP-1 or USAGE COMP-2. In this case literal-1 must either be a floating-point literal, the figurative constant ZERO, or a numeric literal representing the value zero.
Format 2
  1. The words THRU and THROUGH are equivalent.

  2. Any number of Format 2 entries can be written for a data item.

  3. Format 2 must be used only in connection with a condition-name.

  4. In a condition-name entry, the VALUE clause is required. The VALUE clause and the condition-name itself are the only two clauses permitted in the entry.

  5. Literal-2 must be less than literal-3.

  6. Format 2 may be used to define a conditional-variable associated with an internal floating-point data item, but not an external floating-point data item. In this case, literal-2 and literal-3 must be floating-point literals, the figurative constant ZERO, or numeric literals representing the value zero.

    Format 2 may be used to define a condition-variable associated with an external floating-point data item.

  7. Literal-4 must not be equal to any literal-2, and in any literal-2 THROUGH literal-3 pair, literal-4 cannot be greater than or equal to literal-2 and less than or equal to literal-3.

Format 3

  1. All identifiers must have been defined before the declaration of the level 78 item. If either identifier-1 or identifier-3 (LENGTH parameters) is a group item, the definition of that group must have been completed before the level 78 declaration, by the appearance of another data item at the same or lower level number.

  2. If literal-5 is followed by an operator, literal-5 must be a nonnegative integer.

  3. Literal-5 and integer-1 must not be floating-point values.

General Rules

Formats 1 and 2
  1. The VALUE clause must not conflict with other clauses in the data description of the item or in the data description within the hierarchy of the item. The following rules apply:

    1. If the category of the item is numeric, all literals in the VALUE clause must be numeric. If the literal defines the value of a working storage item, the literal is aligned in the data item according to the standard alignment rules. (See the section Standard Alignment Rules in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.)

    2. If the category of the item is alphabetic, alphanumeric, alphanumeric edited or numeric edited all literals in the VALUE clause must be nonnumeric. The literal is aligned in the data item as if the data item had been described as alphanumeric. (See the section Standard Alignment Rules in the chapter Concepts of the COBOL Language.) Editing characters in the PICTURE clause are included in determining the size of the data item (see the section The PICTURE Clause earlier in this chapter) but have no effect on initialization of the data item. Therefore, the VALUE for an edited item is presented in an edited form.

    3. If the item is numeric edited, the value can be a numeric literal or a nonnumeric literal. If the value is a numeric literal, the value contained in the item will be the same as if the numeric literal were moved to the numeric edited item.

    4. Initialization takes place independent of any BLANK WHEN ZERO or JUSTIFIED clause that can be specified.
Data Description Entries Other than Condition-Names
dialm.gifand Constant-Names
(Format 1)
  1. Rules governing the use of the VALUE clause differ with the respective sections of the Data Division:

    1. In the File Section, the VALUE clause must be used in condition-name entries only.

    2. In the Working-Storage Section and the Communication Section, the VALUE clause must be used in condition-name entries. The VALUE clause can also be used to specify the initial value of a data item, in which case the clause causes the item to assume the specified value at the start of the object program. If the VALUE clause is not used in an item's description, the initial value of that data item is undefined.

    3. In the Linkage Section, the VALUE clause must be used in condition-name entries only.

  2. In the File Section and the Linkage Section,

    and Local-Storage Section,

    the VALUE clause can be used in data item entries, but is documentary only.

  3. The VALUE clause must not be stated in a data description entry that contains a REDEFINES clause, or in an entry that is subordinate to an entry containing a REDEFINES clause. This rule does not apply to condition-name entries.

  4. If the VALUE clause is used in an entry at the group level, the literal must be a figurative constant or a nonnumeric literal, and the group area is initialized without consideration for the individual elementary or group items contained within this group. The VALUE clause cannot be stated at the subordinate levels within this group.

  5. The VALUE clause must not be written for a group containing items with descriptions, including JUSTIFIED, SYNCHRONIZED, or USAGE (other than USAGE IS DISPLAY).

  6. The figurative constant NULL can be specified in the VALUE clause only if the data item is defined with USAGE POINTER or USAGE PROCEDURE-POINTER. This is the only value you can specify in the VALUE clause for such an item. The effect is to set the pointer in such a way that it is guaranteed not to point to any data item.

  7. A VALUE clause specified in a data description entry that contains an OCCURS clause, or in an entry that is subordinate to an OCCURS clause, causes every occurrence of the associated data item to be assigned the specified value.

  8. If a VALUE clause is specified in a data description entry of a data item which is associated with a variable occurrence data item, the initialization of the data item behaves as if the value of the data item referenced by the DEPENDING ON phrase in the OCCURS clause specified for the variable occurrence data item is set to the maximum number of occurrences as specified by that OCCURS clause. A data item is associated with a variable occurrence data item in any of the following cases:

    1. It is a group data item which contains a variable occurrence data item.

    2. It is a variable occurrence data item.

    3. It is a data item that is subordinate to a variable occurrence data item.

    If a VALUE clause is associated with the data item referenced by a DEPENDING ON phrase, that value is considered to be placed in the data item after the variable occurrence data item is initialized.

Condition-Name Rules (Format 2)
  1. In a condition-name entry, the VALUE clause is required. The VALUE clause and the condition-name itself are the only two clauses permitted in the entry. The characteristics of a condition-name are implicitly those of its conditional variable.

  2. Format 2 can be used only in connection with condition- names. Wherever the THRU phrase is used, literal-2 must be less than literal-3.

  3. The FALSE phrase is meaningful only if the associated condition-name is referenced in a SET condition-name TO FALSE statement. (See the section The SET Statement later in this chapter.)

Constant-Name Rules (Format 3)
  1. Format 3 can be used only in a constant-name entry.

  2. If literal-5 is specified and not followed by an operator, the characteristic of the constant-name is that of literal-5. Otherwise, the characteristic of the constant-name is that of an integer.

  3. Any number of arithmetic or logical operators can be used. The result is evaluated using integer arithmetic in strict left to right order. No parentheses can be used. If any intermediate result is less than zero, the final value is undefined. A constant-name may be used in place of integer-1.

  4. The logical operations AND and OR act on the binary representation in a bit-wise manner.

  5. LENGTH of identifier-1 or identifier-3 is the size of the storage allocated for identifier-1 or identifier-3, respectively. If the identifier is a group item, the length includes all subordinate data items.

  6. The value returned by NEXT is the offset at which the next byte of storage occurs after the previous data declaration. If that data declaration was of a table defined with an OCCURS clause, the value returned by NEXT is the offset at which the next byte of storage occurs after the first element of the table.

  7. START of identifier-2 or identifier-4 is the offset at which identifier-2 or identifier-4, respectively, begins.

  8. For rules 18 and 19, the offset is defined as follows:

  9. Offsets are not portable across different COBOL implementations and no reliance should be placed on particular values outside this compilation unit.

8.1.1.25 The VALUE OF Clause

Function

The VALUE OF clause specifies the description of an item in the label records associated with a file.

The VALUE OF clause of the file description entry is classed as an obsolete element in the ANSI'85 standard and is scheduled to be deleted from the next full revision of the ANSI Standard.

All dialects in this COBOL implementation fully support this syntax. The FLAGSTD Compiler directive can be used to detect all occurrences of this syntax.

Although it is a part of the standard COBOL definition, this feature is explicitly excluded from the X/Open COBOL language definitions and should not be used in a conforming X/Open COBOL source program.

General Formats

Format 1 (All Files)

Format 2 (All Files)

Syntax Rules

Format 1 (All Files)
  1. Data-name-1 should be qualified when necessary but cannot be subscripted or indexed, nor can it be an item described with the USAGE IS INDEX clause.
Format 2 (All Files)
  1. Data-name-2 must be in the Working-Storage Section.

  2. Literal-2 must be a nonnumeric literal and cannot be a figurative constant.

  3. The VALUE OF FILE-ID clause cannot be used if external-file-reference, data-name-1 or literal-1 has been specified in the ASSIGN clause in the File-Control Entry (see the section The File-Control Entry earlier in this chapter).

General Rules

Format 1 (All Files)
  1. This clause is documentary only.

Format 2 (All Files)
  1. The character-string specified in literal-2 or data-name-2 is taken as the external file-name.


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