The file description entry furnishes information concerning the physical structure, identification, and record-names pertaining
to a given file.
It determines the internal or external attributes of a file connector, of the associated data records, and of the associated
data items. The file description entry also determines whether a file-name is a local name or a global name.
General Format
Syntax Rules
- The level indicator FD identifies the beginning of the file description entry for a report file and must precede the file-name
of the report file.
- The clauses which follow file-name-1 can appear in any order.
- File-name-1 can only reference a sequential file.
- No record description entries can follow the file description entry for a report file.
Record description entries are permitted.
- The subject of a file description entry that specifies a REPORT clause can be referenced in the procedure division only by
the USE statement, the CLOSE statement, or the OPEN statement with the OUTPUT or EXTEND phrase.
General Rules
- With the exception of the REPORT clause, all clauses in the file description entry for a report file are presented in the
sequential I-O module.
- Details on the REPORT clause are presented below.