ALPHASTART

Sets the number from which the Compiler counts positions in the collating sequence when compiling the ALPHABET clause.

Syntax:

>>-.---.--ALPHASTART--"integer"------------><
   +-/-+

Parameters:

integer The number to be used.

Properties:

Default: ALPHASTART"1"
Phase: Syntax check
$SET: Initial

Comments:

For ANSI conformance use ALPHASTART"1".

Example:

With ALPHASTART"1", the COBOL statement:

alphabet myalpha is 66,  67

declares an alphabet consisting of "A" and "B" since, counting from 1, these are the 66th and 67th characters in the ASCII collating sequence. With ALPHASTART"0", MYALPHA consists of "B" and "C".