File Organizations

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Overview

One of the main facilities COBOL has to offer as a programming language is its built-in file handling capabilities. Files of sequential, relative and indexed organization can be handled using simple COBOL syntax. In addition, Micro Focus COBOL extends the file handling capabilities of COBOL as follows:

• An additional file organization, line sequential, enables you to access ASCII text files from your COBOL program.
  
  
• A set of COBOL system library routines enable you to manipulate files and directories.
  
  
• A set of COBOL system library routines enable you to handle files at the byte level.
  
  
• Fileshare enables programs to access groups of files on network servers.

1.2 Micro Focus File Handler

The Micro Focus File Handler is used, by default, to perform all COBOL I/O operations on all the standard COBOL file organizations: sequential, relative and indexed files. In addition, an API is provided to enable you to call the File Handler directly from your COBOL program.

File Organizations