Enterprise COBOL for z/OS


Programming Guide
Version 3 Release 3

SC27-1412-02
Enterprise COBOL for z/OS


Programming Guide
Version 3 Release 3

SC27-1412-02
 Note!
Before using this information and the product it supports, be sure to read the general information under “Notices” on page
725.

Third Edition (February 2004)

This edition applies to Version 3 Release 3 of IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS (program number 5655-G53) and to
all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions. Make sure that you are using
the correct edition for the level of the product.
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© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1991, 2004. All rights reserved.
US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract
with IBM Corp.
Contents
Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Initializing a structure (INITIALIZE) . . . . . 27
Assigning values to elementary or group data
About this document . . . . . . . . xv items (MOVE) . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Assigning arithmetic results (MOVE or
Accessibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
COMPUTE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Using assistive technologies . . . . . . . . xv
Assigning input from a screen or file (ACCEPT) 29
Keyboard navigation of the user interface . . . xv
Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY) 30
Accessibility of this document . . . . . . . xv
Displaying data on the system logical output
How this document will help you . . . . . . xvi
device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Abbreviated terms . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi
Using WITH NO ADVANCING . . . . . . 31
Comparison of commonly used terms . . . . . xvii
Using intrinsic functions (built-in functions) . . . 32
How to read syntax diagrams . . . . . . . . xvii
Types of intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . 33
How examples are shown . . . . . . . . . xviii
Nesting functions . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Accessing softcopy documentation and support
Using tables (arrays) and pointers . . . . . . . 33
information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix
Storage and its addressability . . . . . . . . 34
Summary of changes . . . . . . . . . . . xix
Settings for RMODE . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Version 3 Release 3 (February 2004) . . . . . xix
Storage restrictions for passing data . . . . . 35
Version 3 Release 2 (September 2002) . . . . xix
Location of data areas . . . . . . . . . . 35
Version 3 Release 1 (November 2001) . . . . . xx
Storage for LOCAL-STORAGE data . . . . . 35
How to send your comments . . . . . . . . xxi
Storage for external data . . . . . . . . . 35
Storage for QSAM input-output buffers . . . . 36
Part 1. Coding your program . . . . 1
Chapter 3. Working with numbers and
Chapter 1. Structuring your program . . 5 arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Identifying a program . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Defining numeric data . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Identifying a program as recursive . . . . . . 6 Displaying numeric data . . . . . . . . . . 38
Marking a program as callable by containing Controlling how numeric data is stored . . . . . 39
programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Formats for numeric data . . . . . . . . . . 40
Setting a program to an initial state . . . . . . 6 External decimal (DISPLAY) items . . . . . . 40
Changing the header of a source listing . . . . 7 External floating-point (DISPLAY) items . . . . 40
Describing the computing environment . . . . . 7 Binary (COMP) items . . . . . . . . . . 41
Example: FILE-CONTROL entries . . . . . . 8 Native binary (COMP-5) items . . . . . . . 41
Specifying the collating sequence . . . . . . 8 Packed-decimal (COMP-3) items . . . . . . 42
Defining symbolic characters . . . . . . . 10 Floating-point (COMP-1 and COMP-2) items . . 42
Defining a user-defined class . . . . . . . 10 Examples: numeric data and internal
Defining files to the operating system . . . . 10 representation . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Describing the data . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Data format conversions . . . . . . . . . . 43
Using data in input and output operations . . . 13 Conversions and precision . . . . . . . . 44
Comparison of WORKING-STORAGE and Sign representation and processing . . . . . . 45
LOCAL-STORAGE . . . . . . . . . . . 15 NUMPROC(PFD) . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Using data from another program . . . . . . 17 NUMPROC(NOPFD) . . . . . . . . . . 45
Processing the data . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 NUMPROC(MIG) . . . . . . . . . . . 46
How logic is divided in the PROCEDURE Checking for incompatible data (numeric class test) 46
DIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Performing arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Declaratives . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 COMPUTE and other arithmetic statements . . 47
Arithmetic expressions . . . . . . . . . 48
Chapter 2. Using data . . . . . . . . 23 Numeric intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . 48
Using variables, structures, literals, and constants . 23 Math and date Language Environment services 49
Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Examples: numeric intrinsic functions . . . . 51
Data structure: data items and group items . . . 23 Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic . . . 53
Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Floating-point evaluations . . . . . . . . 54
Constants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fixed-point evaluations . . . . . . . . . 54
Figurative constants . . . . . . . . . . 25 Arithmetic comparisons (relation conditions) . . 54
Assigning values to data items . . . . . . . . 25 Examples: fixed-point and floating-point
Examples: initializing data items . . . . . . 26 evaluations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 iii

Using currency signs . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Evaluating single characters for collating
Example: multiple currency signs . . . . . . 56 sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Finding the largest or smallest data item . . . 99
Chapter 4. Handling tables . . . . . . 59 Finding the length of data items . . . . . . 101
Defining a table (OCCURS) . . . . . . . . . 59 Finding the date of compilation . . . . . . 102
Nesting tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Subscripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Chapter 7. Processing character data
Indexing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 in an international environment . . . 103
Referring to an item in a table . . . . . . . . 61 Unicode and encoding of language characters . . 105
Subscripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL . . . . 106
Indexing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 National data items . . . . . . . . . . 106
Putting values into a table . . . . . . . . . 64 National literals . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Loading a table dynamically . . . . . . . . 64 National characters as figurative constants . . 106
Initializing a table (INITIALIZE) . . . . . . 64 Storage of national data . . . . . . . . . 107
Assigning values when you define a table Converting national data . . . . . . . . . 107
(VALUE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Converting alphanumeric and integer to
Example: PERFORM and subscripting . . . . 66 national data (MOVE) . . . . . . . . . 107
Example: PERFORM and indexing. . . . . . 67 Converting alphanumeric to national data
Creating variable-length tables (DEPENDING ON) 68 (NATIONAL-OF) . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Loading a variable-length table . . . . . . . 69 Converting national to alphanumeric data
Assigning values to a variable-length table . . . 70 (DISPLAY-OF) . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Searching a table . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Conversion exceptions . . . . . . . . . 108
Doing a serial search (SEARCH) . . . . . . 71 Example: converting national data . . . . . 109
Doing a binary search (SEARCH ALL) . . . . 72 Processing UTF-8 data . . . . . . . . . . 109
Processing table items using intrinsic functions . . 73 Processing Chinese GB 18030 data . . . . . . 110
Example: intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . 73 Comparing national data items . . . . . . . 111
Comparing national operands . . . . . . . 111
Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating Comparing national and numeric operands . . 111
program actions . . . . . . . . . . 75 Comparing national and alphabetic or
Selecting program actions . . . . . . . . . 75 alphanumeric operands . . . . . . . . . 111
Coding a choice of actions . . . . . . . . 75 Comparing national and group operands . . . 111
Coding conditional expressions . . . . . . . 79 Processing alphanumeric data items that contain
Repeating program actions . . . . . . . . . 83 DBCS data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Choosing inline or out-of-line PERFORM . . . 83
Coding a loop . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Chapter 8. Processing files . . . . . 113
Coding a loop through a table . . . . . . . 85 File organization and input-output devices . . . 113
Executing multiple paragraphs or sections . . . 85 Choosing file organization and access mode . . . 115
Format for coding input and output . . . . . 116
Chapter 6. Handling strings . . . . . . 87 Allocating files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Joining data items (STRING) . . . . . . . . 87 Checking for input or output errors . . . . . . 118
Example: STRING statement . . . . . . . . 88
Splitting data items (UNSTRING) . . . . . . . 89 Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files . . 119
Example: UNSTRING statement . . . . . . 89 Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL . . . 119
Manipulating null-terminated strings . . . . . . 91 Establishing record formats . . . . . . . . 120
Example: null-terminated strings . . . . . . 92 Setting block sizes . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Referring to substrings of data items . . . . . . 93 Coding input and output statements for QSAM
Reference modifiers. . . . . . . . . . . 94 files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Example: arithmetic expressions as reference Opening QSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 130
modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Dynamically creating QSAM files with
Example: intrinsic functions as reference CBLQDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Adding records to QSAM files. . . . . . . 131
Tallying and replacing data items (INSPECT) . . . 95 Updating QSAM files . . . . . . . . . 131
Examples: INSPECT statement . . . . . . . 96 Writing QSAM files to a printer or spooled data
Converting data items (intrinsic functions) . . . . 97 set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Converting to uppercase or lowercase Closing QSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 132
(UPPER-CASE, LOWER-CASE) . . . . . . . 97 Handling errors in QSAM files . . . . . . . 133
Converting to reverse order (REVERSE) . . . . 97 Working with QSAM files . . . . . . . . . 133
Converting to numbers (NUMVAL, NUMVAL-C) 97 Defining and allocating QSAM files . . . . . 134
Converting from one code page to another . . . 98 Retrieving QSAM files . . . . . . . . . 136
Evaluating data items (intrinsic functions) . . . . 99 Ensuring file attributes match your program 137

iv Programming Guide
 Using striped extended-format QSAM data sets 139 Describing the input to sorting or merging . . . 183
Accessing HFS files using QSAM . . . . . . . 140 Example: describing sort and input files for
Labels for QSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 141 SORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Using trailer and header labels . . . . . . 141 Coding the input procedure . . . . . . . . 184
Format of standard labels . . . . . . . . 143 Describing the output from sorting or merging . . 185
Processing QSAM ASCII files on tape . . . . . 144 Coding the output procedure . . . . . . . . 185
Requesting the ASCII alphabet . . . . . . 144 Coding considerations when using DFSORT . . 186
Defining the record formats . . . . . . . 144 Example: coding the output procedure when
Defining the ddname . . . . . . . . . . 144 using DFSORT . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Processing ASCII file labels . . . . . . . . . 145 Restrictions on input and output procedures . . . 187
Defining sort and merge data sets . . . . . . 187
Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 147 Sorting variable-length records . . . . . . . 188
VSAM files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Requesting the sort or merge . . . . . . . . 188
Defining VSAM file organization and records . . 149 Setting sort or merge criteria . . . . . . . 189
Specifying sequential organization for VSAM Example: sorting with input and output
files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Specifying indexed organization for VSAM files 150 Choosing alternate collating sequences . . . . 190
Specifying relative organization for VSAM files 151 Sorting on windowed date fields . . . . . . 191
Specifying access modes for VSAM files . . . 153 Preserving the original sequence of records with
Defining record lengths for VSAM files . . . . 154 equal keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Coding input and output statements for VSAM Determining whether the sort or merge was
files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 successful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
File position indicator . . . . . . . . . 157 Stopping a sort or merge operation prematurely 192
Opening a file (ESDS, KSDS, or RRDS) . . . . 158 Improving sort performance with FASTSRT . . . 193
Reading records from a VSAM file . . . . . 160 FASTSRT requirements for JCL . . . . . . 193
Updating records in a VSAM file . . . . . . 161 FASTSRT requirements for sort input and
Adding records to a VSAM file . . . . . . 162 output files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Replacing records in a VSAM file. . . . . . 162 Checking for sort errors with NOFASTSRT . . . 195
Deleting records from a VSAM file . . . . . 163 Controlling sort behavior . . . . . . . . . 195
Closing VSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 163 Sort special registers . . . . . . . . . . 196
Handling errors in VSAM files . . . . . . . 164 Changing DFSORT defaults with control
Protecting VSAM files with a password . . . . 164 statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Example: password protection for a VSAM Allocating storage for sort or merge operations 197
indexed file . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Allocating space for sort files . . . . . . . 198
Working with VSAM data sets under z/OS and Using checkpoint/restart with DFSORT . . . . 198
UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Sorting under CICS . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Defining VSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 166 CICS SORT application restrictions . . . . . 199
Creating alternate indexes . . . . . . . . 167
Allocating VSAM files . . . . . . . . . 169 Chapter 13. Handling errors . . . . . 201
Sharing VSAM files through RLS . . . . . . 170 Requesting dumps . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Improving VSAM performance . . . . . . . 171 Creating a formatted dump. . . . . . . . 201
Creating a system dump . . . . . . . . 202
Chapter 11. Processing line-sequential Handling errors in joining and splitting strings . . 202
files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Handling errors in arithmetic operations . . . . 203
Example: checking for division by zero . . . . 203
Defining line-sequential files and records in
Handling errors in input and output operations 203
COBOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Using the end-of-file condition (AT END) . . . 206
Allowable control characters . . . . . . . 176
Coding ERROR declaratives . . . . . . . 207
Describing the structure of a line-sequential file 176
Using file status keys . . . . . . . . . . 208
Defining and allocating line-sequential files . . . 177
Example: file status key . . . . . . . . . 209
Coding input-output statements for line-sequential
Using VSAM return codes (VSAM files only) 209
files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Example: checking VSAM status codes . . . . 210
Opening line-sequential files . . . . . . . 178
Coding INVALID KEY phrases . . . . . . 212
Reading records from line-sequential files . . . 178
Example: FILE STATUS and INVALID KEY . . 212
Adding records to line-sequential files . . . . 179
Handling errors when calling programs . . . . 213
Closing line-sequential files. . . . . . . . 179
Writing routines for handling errors . . . . . . 213
Handling errors in line-sequential files . . . . . 180

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 181 Part 2. Compiling and debugging
Sort and merge process . . . . . . . . . . 182 your program . . . . . . . . . . 215
Describing the sort or merge file . . . . . . . 182

Contents v
Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 217 Example: compiling and linking a COBOL class
Compiling with JCL . . . . . . . . . . . 217 definition under UNIX . . . . . . . . . 259
Using a cataloged procedure . . . . . . . 218 Running OO applications under UNIX . . . . 259
Writing JCL to compile programs . . . . . . 228 Compiling, linking, and running OO applications
Compiling under TSO . . . . . . . . . . 229 using JCL or TSO/E . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Example: ALLOCATE and CALL for compiling Compiling OO applications using JCL or TSO/E 261
under TSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Preparing and running OO applications using
Example: CLIST for compiling under TSO . . . 230 JCL or TSO/E . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Starting the compiler from an assembler program 231 Example: compiling, linking, and running an
Defining compiler input and output . . . . . . 232 OO application using JCL . . . . . . . . 263
Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS . . 233
Defining the source code data set (SYSIN) . . . 235 Chapter 17. Compiler options . . . . 267
Specifying source libraries (SYSLIB) . . . . . 235 Option settings for COBOL 85 Standard
Defining the output data set (SYSPRINT) . . . 236 conformance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Directing compiler messages to your terminal Conflicting compiler options . . . . . . . . 269
(SYSTERM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 ADATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Creating object code (SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH) 236 ADV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Creating an associated data file (SYSADATA) 237 ARITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Defining the output Java data set (SYSJAVA) 237 AWO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Defining the debug data set (SYSDEBUG) . . . 237 BUFSIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Specifying compiler options under z/OS . . . . 238 CICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Specifying compiler options with the PROCESS CODEPAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
(CBL) statement . . . . . . . . . . . 238 COMPILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Example: specifying compiler options using JCL 239 CURRENCY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Example: specifying compiler options under DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
TSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 DATEPROC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Compiler options and compiler output under DBCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
z/OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 DECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Compiling multiple programs (batch compilation) 241 DIAGTRUNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Example: batch compilation . . . . . . . 242 DLL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Specifying compiler options in a batch DUMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 DYNAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Example: precedence of options in a batch EXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 EXPORTALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Example: LANGUAGE option in a batch FASTSRT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 FLAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Correcting errors in your source program . . . . 245 FLAGSTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Generating a list of compiler error messages . . 246 INTDATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Messages and listings for compiler-detected LANGUAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 LIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Format of compiler error messages . . . . . 246 LINECOUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Severity codes for compiler error messages . . 247 LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Chapter 15. Compiling under UNIX 249 NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Setting environment variables under UNIX . . . 249 NSYMBOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Specifying compiler options under UNIX . . . . 250 NUMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Compiling and linking with the cob2 command 251 NUMPROC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Defining input and output . . . . . . . . 251 OBJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Creating a DLL . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 OFFSET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Example: using cob2 to compile under UNIX 252 OPTIMIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
cob2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 OUTDD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
cob2 input and output files . . . . . . . . 254 PGMNAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Compiling using scripts . . . . . . . . . . 255 PGMNAME(COMPAT) . . . . . . . . . 297
PGMNAME(LONGUPPER). . . . . . . . 298
Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) . . . . . . . 298
QUOTE/APOST . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
running OO applications . . . . . . 257 RENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Compiling, linking, and running OO applications RMODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
under UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 SEQUENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Compiling OO applications under UNIX . . . 257 SIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Preparing OO applications under UNIX . . . 258 SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302

vi Programming Guide
SPACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Calling to or from COBOL programs . . . . 361
SQL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Coding nested programs . . . . . . . . 361
SSRANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 Coding a COBOL program to run above the
TERMINAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 16-MB line . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
TEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 Determining the success of ECI calls. . . . . 362
THREAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Compiling with the CICS option . . . . . . . 362
TRUNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Compiling a sequence of programs . . . . . 363
TRUNC example 1 . . . . . . . . . . 312 Separating CICS suboptions . . . . . . . 364
TRUNC example 2 . . . . . . . . . . 312 Integrated CICS translator . . . . . . . . 364
VBREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 Using the separate CICS translator . . . . . . 365
WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 CICS reserved-word table . . . . . . . . . 366
XREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314 Handling errors by using CICS HANDLE . . . . 367
YEARWINDOW . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Example: handling errors by using CICS
ZWB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316 HANDLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

Chapter 18. Compiler-directing Chapter 21. Programming for a DB2

statements . . . . . . . . . . . . 317 environment . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Coding SQL statements . . . . . . . . . . 371
Chapter 19. Debugging . . . . . . . 321 Using SQL INCLUDE with the DB2 coprocessor 371
Debugging with source language . . . . . . . 322 Using character data . . . . . . . . . . 372
Tracing program logic . . . . . . . . . 322 Using binary items . . . . . . . . . . 373
Finding and handling input-output errors . . . 323 Determining the success of SQL statements . . 373
Validating data . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 Compiling with the SQL option . . . . . . . 373
Finding uninitialized data . . . . . . . . 323 Compiling in batch . . . . . . . . . . 374
Generating information about procedures . . . 324 Separating DB2 suboptions . . . . . . . . 374
Debugging using compiler options . . . . . . 325 DB2 coprocessor . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Finding coding errors . . . . . . . . . 326
Finding line sequence problems . . . . . . 327 Chapter 22. Developing COBOL
Checking for valid ranges . . . . . . . . 327 programs for IMS. . . . . . . . . . 377
Selecting the level of error to be diagnosed . . 328 Compiling and linking COBOL programs for
Finding program entity definitions and running under IMS . . . . . . . . . . . 377
references . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 Using object-oriented COBOL and Java under IMS 378
Listing data items . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Calling a COBOL method from an IMS Java
Getting listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 application . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Example: short listing . . . . . . . . . 332 Building a mixed COBOL and Java application
Example: SOURCE and NUMBER output . . . 335 that starts with COBOL . . . . . . . . . 379
Example: embedded map summary . . . . . 337 Writing mixed-language applications . . . . 380
Terms used in MAP output . . . . . . . . 338
Symbols used in LIST and MAP output . . . 338 Chapter 23. Running COBOL
Example: nested program map . . . . . . 340
Reading LIST output . . . . . . . . . . 340
programs under UNIX . . . . . . . . 383
Example: XREF output - data-name Running in UNIX environments . . . . . . . 383
cross-references . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 Setting and accessing environment variables . . . 384
Example: XREF output - program-name Setting environment variables that affect
cross-references . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 execution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Example: embedded cross-reference . . . . . 353 Resetting environment variables . . . . . . 385
Example: OFFSET compiler output . . . . . 354 Accessing environment variables . . . . . . 385
Example: VBREF compiler output . . . . . 355 Example: accessing environment variables . . . 385
Preparing to use the debugger . . . . . . . . 355 Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs . . . . . . . . . 386
fork(), exec(), and spawn() . . . . . . . . 386
Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Part 3. Targeting COBOL programs Accessing main program parameters . . . . . 388
for certain environments . . . . . 357 Example: accessing main program parameters 388

Chapter 20. Developing COBOL Part 4. Structuring complex

programs for CICS . . . . . . . . . 359 applications . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS . . 359
Coding file input and output . . . . . . . 360 Chapter 24. Using subprograms . . . 393
Retrieving the system date and time . . . . . 360
Main programs, subprograms, and calls . . . . 394
Displaying the contents of data items . . . . 361

Contents vii
Ending and reentering main programs or Choosing THREAD to support multithreading . . 439
subprograms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 Transferring control with multithreading . . . . 439
Transferring control to another program . . . . 396 Using cancel with threaded programs . . . . 439
Making static calls . . . . . . . . . . . 397 Ending a program . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Making dynamic calls . . . . . . . . . 397 Preinitializing the COBOL environment . . . 440
AMODE switching . . . . . . . . . . 399 Processing files with multithreading . . . . . . 440
Performance considerations of static and File definition storage . . . . . . . . . 440
dynamic calls . . . . . . . . . . . . 401 Recommended usage for file access . . . . . 441
Making both static and dynamic calls . . . . 401 Example: usage patterns of file input and
Examples: static and dynamic CALL statements 402 output with multithreading. . . . . . . . 441
Calling nested COBOL programs . . . . . . 403 Handling COBOL limitations with multithreading 442
Making recursive calls . . . . . . . . . . 407
Calling to and from object-oriented programs . . 407
Part 5. Using XML and COBOL
Using procedure and function pointers . . . . . 407
Deciding which type of pointer to use . . . . 408 together . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
Calling a C function pointer . . . . . . . 408
Calling to alternate entry points . . . . . . 409 Chapter 28. Processing XML input 447
Making programs reentrant . . . . . . . . 409 XML parser in COBOL . . . . . . . . . . 447
Accessing XML documents . . . . . . . . . 449
Chapter 25. Sharing data . . . . . . 411 Parsing XML documents . . . . . . . . . 449
Passing data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411 Processing XML events . . . . . . . . . 450
Describing arguments in the calling program 413 Writing procedures to process XML . . . . . 456
Describing parameters in the called program 413 Understanding the encoding of XML documents 462
Testing for OMITTED arguments . . . . . . 414 Coded character sets for XML documents . . . 463
Coding the LINKAGE SECTION . . . . . . . 414 Code-page-sensitive characters in XML markup 464
Coding the PROCEDURE DIVISION for passing Specifying the code page . . . . . . . . 464
arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 Handling errors in parsing XML documents . . . 465
Grouping data to be passed . . . . . . . 415 Unhandled exceptions . . . . . . . . . 467
Handling null-terminated strings . . . . . . 415 Handling exceptions . . . . . . . . . . 468
Using pointers to process a chained list . . . 416 Terminating XML parsing . . . . . . . . 468
Passing return code information . . . . . . . 419 Code-page conflict exception . . . . . . . 469
Understanding the RETURN-CODE special
register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419 Chapter 29. Producing XML output 471
Using PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING . . Generating XML output . . . . . . . . . . 471
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420 Example: generating XML . . . . . . . . 473
Specifying CALL . . . RETURNING . . . . . 420 Enhancing XML output . . . . . . . . . . 476
Sharing data by using the EXTERNAL clause. . . 420 Example: enhancing XML output . . . . . . 477
Sharing files between programs (external files) . . 421 Controlling the encoding of generated XML output 480
Example: using external files . . . . . . . 421 Handling errors in generating XML output . . . 480

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL Part 6. Developing object-oriented

application . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 programs . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Dynamic link libraries (DLLs) . . . . . . . . 425
Compiling programs to create DLLs . . . . . . 426
Linking DLLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented
Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428 Example: accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Prelinking certain DLLs . . . . . . . . . . 429 Subclasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Using CALL identifier with DLLs . . . . . . 429 Defining a class . . . . . . . . . . . . 488
Search order for DLLs in HFS . . . . . . . 430 CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a class . . . 490
Using DLL linkage and dynamic calls together . . 430 REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class 490
Using procedure or function pointers with DLLs 431 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining
Calling DLLs from non-DLLs . . . . . . . 432 class instance data . . . . . . . . . . . 492
Example: calling DLLs from non-DLLs . . . . 432 Example: defining a class . . . . . . . . 493
Using COBOL DLLs with C/C++ programs . . . 434 Defining a class instance method . . . . . . . 493
Using DLLs in OO COBOL applications . . . . 434 METHOD-ID paragraph for defining a class
instance method . . . . . . . . . . . 494
Chapter 27. Preparing COBOL INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION for defining a class
instance method . . . . . . . . . . . 495
programs for multithreading . . . . . 437
Multithreading . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437

viii Programming Guide

 DATA DIVISION for defining a class instance Requesting deferred restart . . . . . . . . 549
method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 Formats for requesting deferred restart . . . . 550
PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class Resubmitting jobs for restart . . . . . . . 551
instance method . . . . . . . . . . . 496 Example: restarting a job at a specific
Overriding an instance method . . . . . . 497 checkpoint step . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Overloading an instance method . . . . . . 498 Example: requesting a step restart . . . . . 551
Coding attribute (get and set) methods . . . . 499 Example: resubmitting a job for a step restart 551
Example: defining a method . . . . . . . 500 Example: resubmitting a job for a checkpoint
Defining a client . . . . . . . . . . . . 502 restart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a client 503
DATA DIVISION for defining a client . . . . 504 Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year
Comparing and setting object references . . . 505 dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Invoking methods (INVOKE) . . . . . . . 506
Millennium language extensions (MLE) . . . . 554
Creating and initializing instances of classes . . 508
Principles and objectives of these extensions . . 554
Freeing instances of classes . . . . . . . . 509
Resolving date-related logic problems . . . . . 555
Example: defining a client . . . . . . . . 510
Using a century window . . . . . . . . 556
Defining a subclass . . . . . . . . . . . 510
Using internal bridging . . . . . . . . . 557
CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a subclass . . 511
Moving to full field expansion. . . . . . . 558
REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a subclass 512
Using year-first, year-only, and year-last date fields 560
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining
Compatible dates . . . . . . . . . . . 561
subclass instance data . . . . . . . . . 512
Example: comparing year-first date fields . . . 562
Defining a subclass instance method . . . . 513
Using other date formats . . . . . . . . 562
Example: defining a subclass (with methods) 513
Example: isolating the year . . . . . . . . 562
Defining a factory section . . . . . . . . . 514
Manipulating literals as dates . . . . . . . . 563
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining
Assumed century window . . . . . . . . 564
factory data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515
Treatment of nondates . . . . . . . . . 565
Defining a factory method . . . . . . . . 516
Setting triggers and limits . . . . . . . . . 565
Example: defining a factory (with methods) . . 518
Example: using limits . . . . . . . . . 566
Wrapping procedure-oriented COBOL programs 523
Using sign conditions . . . . . . . . . 567
Structuring OO applications . . . . . . . . 524
Sorting and merging by date . . . . . . . . 567
Examples: COBOL applications that you can run
Example: sorting by date and time . . . . . 568
using the java command . . . . . . . . 524
Performing arithmetic on date fields . . . . . . 569
Allowing for overflow from windowed date
Chapter 31. Communicating with Java fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527 Specifying the order of evaluation . . . . . 570
Accessing JNI services . . . . . . . . . . 527 Controlling date processing explicitly . . . . . 571
Handling Java exceptions . . . . . . . . 528 Using DATEVAL . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Managing local and global references . . . . 530 Using UNDATE . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Java access controls . . . . . . . . . . 531 Example: DATEVAL . . . . . . . . . . 572
Sharing data with Java . . . . . . . . . . 531 Example: UNDATE . . . . . . . . . . 572
Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Analyzing and avoiding date-related diagnostic
Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532 messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Declaring arrays and strings for Java . . . . 532 Avoiding problems in processing dates . . . . . 574
Manipulating Java arrays . . . . . . . . 534 Avoiding problems with packed-decimal fields 574
Manipulating Java strings . . . . . . . . 536 Moving from expanded to windowed date fields 574
Example: J2EE client written in COBOL . . . . 539
COBOL client (ConverterClient.cbl) . . . . . 539
Part 8. Improving performance and
Java client (ConverterClient.java) . . . . . . 541
productivity . . . . . . . . . . . 577
Part 7. Specialized processing . . 543
Chapter 34. Tuning your program . . . 579
Using an optimal programming style . . . . . 579
Chapter 32. Interrupts and Using structured programming . . . . . . 580
checkpoint/restart . . . . . . . . . 545 Factoring expressions . . . . . . . . . . 580
Setting checkpoints . . . . . . . . . . . 545 Using symbolic constants . . . . . . . . 580
Designing checkpoints . . . . . . . . . 546 Grouping constant computations . . . . . . 580
Testing for a successful checkpoint . . . . . 546 Grouping duplicate computations . . . . . 581
DD statements for defining checkpoint data sets 547 Choosing efficient data types . . . . . . . . 581
Messages generated during checkpoint . . . . 548 Computational data items . . . . . . . . 581
Restarting programs . . . . . . . . . . . 548 Consistent data types . . . . . . . . . . 582
Requesting automatic restart . . . . . . . 549

Contents ix
 Arithmetic expressions . . . . . . . . . 582 Preventing overlay when adding elements to a
Exponentiations . . . . . . . . . . . 582 variable table . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
Handling tables efficiently . . . . . . . . . 583
Optimization of table references . . . . . . 584 Appendix C. Converting double-byte
Optimizing your code . . . . . . . . . . 586 character set (DBCS) data . . . . . . 619
Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
DBCS notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Example: PERFORM procedure integration . . 588
Alphanumeric to DBCS data conversion
Choosing compiler features to enhance
(IGZCA2D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
IGZCA2D syntax . . . . . . . . . . . 619
Performance-related compiler options . . . . 589
IGZCA2D return codes . . . . . . . . . 620
Evaluating performance . . . . . . . . . 592
Example: IGZCA2D . . . . . . . . . . 621
Running efficiently with CICS, IMS, or VSAM . . 592
DBCS to alphanumeric data conversion (IGZCD2A) 622
CICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
IGZCD2A syntax . . . . . . . . . . . 622
IMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
IGZCD2A return codes . . . . . . . . . 623
VSAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
Example: IGZCD2A . . . . . . . . . . 623

Chapter 35. Simplifying coding . . . . 595 Appendix D. XML reference material 625
Eliminating repetitive coding . . . . . . . . 595
XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation 625
Example: using the COPY statement . . . . . 596
XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow
Using Language Environment callable services . . 597
continuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628
Sample list of Language Environment callable
XML conformance . . . . . . . . . . . . 631
services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
XML GENERATE exceptions . . . . . . . . 633
Calling Language Environment services . . . 599
Example: Language Environment callable
services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 Appendix E. EXIT compiler option . . 635
Using the user-exit work area . . . . . . . . 636
Calling from exit modules . . . . . . . . . 637
Part 9. Appendixes . . . . . . . . 601 Processing of INEXIT . . . . . . . . . . . 637
Parameter list for INEXIT . . . . . . . . 637
Appendix A. Intermediate results and Processing of LIBEXIT . . . . . . . . . . 638
arithmetic precision . . . . . . . . 603 Processing of LIBEXIT with nested COPY
Terminology used for intermediate results . . . . 604 statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639
Example: calculation of intermediate results . . . 605 Parameter list for LIBEXIT . . . . . . . . 640
Fixed-point data and intermediate results . . . . 605 Processing of PRTEXIT . . . . . . . . . . 641
Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and Parameter list for PRTEXIT . . . . . . . . 641
division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605 Processing of ADEXIT . . . . . . . . . . 642
Exponentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . 606 Parameter list for ADEXIT . . . . . . . . 643
Example: exponentiation in fixed-point Error handling for exit modules . . . . . . . 644
arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607 Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and
Truncated intermediate results . . . . . . . 608 SQL statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
Binary data and intermediate results . . . . 608 INEXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
Intrinsic functions evaluated in fixed-point LIBEXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 608 PRTEXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
Integer functions . . . . . . . . . . . 608 ADEXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
Mixed functions . . . . . . . . . . . 609 Example: INEXIT user exit . . . . . . . . . 645
Floating-point data and intermediate results . . . 610
Exponentiations evaluated in floating-point Appendix F. JNI.cpy . . . . . . . . 649
arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
Intrinsic functions evaluated in floating-point Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file
arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611 contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655
Arithmetic expressions in nonarithmetic statements 611
Existing compiler options affecting the SYSADATA
file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655
Appendix B. Complex OCCURS SYSADATA record types . . . . . . . . . 656
DEPENDING ON . . . . . . . . . . 613 Example: SYSADATA . . . . . . . . . . 657
Example: complex ODO . . . . . . . . . . 613 SYSADATA record descriptions . . . . . . . 658
How length is calculated . . . . . . . . 614 Common header section . . . . . . . . . . 659
Setting values of ODO objects . . . . . . . 614 Job identification record - X’0000’ . . . . . . . 660
Effects of change in ODO object value . . . . . 614 ADATA identification record - X’0001’ . . . . . 661
Preventing index errors when changing ODO Compilation unit start/end record - X’0002’ . . . 662
object value . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615 Options record - X’0010’ . . . . . . . . . . 662

x Programming Guide
External symbol record - X’0020’ . . . . . . . 672 Preparing to run IGYTCARB . . . . . . . 709
Parse tree record - X’0024’ . . . . . . . . . 673 IGYTSALE: nested program application . . . . 711
Token record - X’0030’ . . . . . . . . . . 687 Input data for IGYTSALE . . . . . . . . 713
Source error record - X’0032’ . . . . . . . . 687 Reports produced by IGYTSALE . . . . . . 715
Source record - X’0038’ . . . . . . . . . . 688 Preparing to run IGYTSALE . . . . . . . 719
COPY REPLACING record - X’0039’ . . . . . . 688 Language elements and concepts that are
Symbol record - X’0042’ . . . . . . . . . . 689 illustrated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720
Symbol cross-reference record - X’0044’ . . . . . 700
Nested program record - X’0046’ . . . . . . . 701 Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 725
Library record - X’0060’ . . . . . . . . . . 702 Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 726
Statistics record - X’0090’ . . . . . . . . . 703
EVENTS record - X’0120’ . . . . . . . . . 703
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727
Appendix H. Sample programs . . . . 705
List of resources . . . . . . . . . . 751
IGYTCARA: batch application . . . . . . . . 705
Enterprise COBOL for z/OS . . . . . . . . 751
Input data for IGYTCARA . . . . . . . . 706
Related publications . . . . . . . . . . . 751
Report produced by IGYTCARA . . . . . . 707
Preparing to run IGYTCARA . . . . . . . 708
IGYTCARB: interactive program . . . . . . . 709 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 753

Contents xi
xii Programming Guide
Tables
1. FILE-CONTROL entries . . . . . . . . 8 44. Compiler options . . . . . . . . . . 267
2. FILE SECTION entries . . . . . . . . 14 45. Mutually exclusive compiler options 270
3. Assignment to data items in a program 25 46. Values of the LANGUAGE compiler option 288
4. Effect of RMODE and RENT compiler 47. Severity levels of compiler messages 328
options on the RMODE attribute . . . . . 35 48. Using compiler options to get listings 331
5. Ranges in value of COMP-5 data items 41 49. Terms used in MAP output . . . . . . 338
6. Internal representation of numeric items 42 50. Symbols used in LIST and MAP output 338
7. NUMCLS(PRIM) and valid signs . . . . . 46 51. Signature information bytes for compiler
8. NUMCLS(ALT) and valid signs . . . . . 47 options . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
9. Order of evaluation of arithmetic operators 48 52. Signature information bytes for the DATA
10. Numeric intrinsic functions . . . . . . . 49 DIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
11. Compatibility of math intrinsic functions and 53. Signature information bytes for the
callable services . . . . . . . . . . . 50 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION . . . . . . 346
12. INTDATE(ANSI) and compatibility of date 54. Signature information bytes for
intrinsic functions and callable services . . . 51 PROCEDURE DIVISION verbs . . . . . 346
13. INTDATE(LILIAN) and compatibility of date 55. Signature information bytes for more
intrinsic functions and callable services . . . 51 PROCEDURE DIVISION items . . . . . 348
14. Hexadecimal values of the euro sign . . . . 56 56. Calls between COBOL and assembler under
15. COBOL statements and national data 103 CICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
16. Intrinsic functions and national data 104 57. Compiler options required for the integrated
17. Encoding and size of alphanumeric and CICS translator . . . . . . . . . . . 363
national data . . . . . . . . . . . 107 58. Compiler options required for the separate
18. File organization, access mode, and record CICS translator . . . . . . . . . . . 366
format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 59. TRUNC compiler options recommended for
19. QSAM file allocation . . . . . . . . . 134 the separate CICS translator . . . . . . 366
20. Maximum record length of QSAM files 137 60. Compiler options required with the DB2
21. Handling of QSAM user labels . . . . . 142 coprocessor . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
22. Identifiers for standard tape labels . . . . 143 61. Samples with POSIX function calls . . . . 387
23. Comparison of VSAM data set types 149 62. Effects of termination statements. . . . . 394
24. VSAM file organization, access mode, and 63. Methods for passing data in the CALL
record format . . . . . . . . . . . 150 statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
25. Steps for using variable-length RRDS 152 64. Compiler options for DLL applications 426
26. Definition of VSAM fixed-length records 154 65. Binder options for DLL applications 427
27. Definition of VSAM variable-length records 155 66. Special registers used by the XML parser 456
28. I/O statements for VSAM sequential files 156 67. Supported EBCDIC code pages . . . . . 463
29. I/O statements for VSAM relative and 68. Hexadecimal values of special characters for
indexed files . . . . . . . . . . . 156 code page CCSIDs . . . . . . . . . 464
30. Statements to load records into a VSAM file 159 69. Aliases for XML encoding declarations 465
31. Statements to update records in a VSAM 70. Encoding of generated XML output . . . . 480
file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 71. Structure of class definitions . . . . . . 488
32. Methods for improving VSAM performance 172 72. Structure of instance method definitions 493
33. Methods for checking for sort errors with 73. Structure of COBOL clients . . . . . . 502
NOFASTSRT . . . . . . . . . . . 195 74. Structure of factory definitions . . . . . 515
34. Methods for controlling sort behavior 196 75. Structure of factory method definitions 516
35. Compiler data sets . . . . . . . . . 233 76. JNI services for local and global references 531
36. Block size of fixed-length compiler data sets 235 77. Interoperable data types in COBOL and Java 532
37. Block size of variable-length compiler data 78. Interoperable arrays and strings in COBOL
sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 and Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
38. Types of compiler output under z/OS 239 79. Noninteroperable array types in COBOL
39. Severity codes for compiler error messages 247 and Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
40. Input files to the cob2 command . . . . . 254 80. JNI array services . . . . . . . . . . 534
41. Output files from the cob2 command 255 81. Services that convert between jstring
42. Commands for compiling and linking a references and national data . . . . . . 536
class definition . . . . . . . . . . . 258 82. Services that convert between jstring
43. java command options for customizing the references and alphanumeric data . . . . 537
JVM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 xiii

83. Advantages and disadvantages of Year 2000 100. ADEXIT processing . . . . . . . . . 642
solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 556 101. ADEXIT parameter list . . . . . . . . 643
84. Performance-related compiler options 589 102. SYSADATA record types . . . . . . . 656
85. Performance-tuning worksheet . . . . . 592 103. SYSADATA common header section 659
86. Language Environment callable services 598 104. SYSADATA job identification record 661
87. IGZCA2D return codes . . . . . . . . 620 105. ADATA identification record . . . . . . 662
88. IGZCD2A return codes . . . . . . . . 623 106. SYSADATA compilation unit start/end
89. XML PARSE exceptions that allow record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 662
continuation . . . . . . . . . . . . 625 107. SYSADATA options record . . . . . . . 662
90. XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow 108. SYSADATA external symbol record 672
continuation . . . . . . . . . . . . 628 109. SYSADATA parse tree record . . . . . . 673
91. XML GENERATE exceptions . . . . . . 633 110. SYSADATA token record . . . . . . . 687
92. INEXIT processing . . . . . . . . . 637 111. SYSADATA source error record . . . . . 687
93. INEXIT parameter list . . . . . . . . 638 112. SYSADATA source record . . . . . . . 688
94. LIBEXIT processing . . . . . . . . . 638 113. SYSADATA COPY REPLACING record 688
95. LIBEXIT processing with nonnested COPY 114. SYSADATA symbol record . . . . . . . 689
statements . . . . . . . . . . . . 639 115. SYSADATA symbol cross-reference record 700
96. LIBEXIT processing with nested COPY 116. SYSADATA nested program record . . . . 701
statements . . . . . . . . . . . . 640 117. SYSADATA library record . . . . . . . 702
97. LIBEXIT parameter list . . . . . . . . 640 118. SYSADATA statistics record . . . . . . 703
98. PRTEXIT processing . . . . . . . . . 641 119. SYSADATA EVENTS record . . . . . . 703
99. PRTEXIT parameter list . . . . . . . . 642

xiv Programming Guide

 About this document
Welcome to IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS, IBM’s latest host COBOL compiler!

This version of IBM COBOL adds new COBOL function to help integrate COBOL
business processes and Web-oriented business processes by:
v Simplifying the componentization of COBOL programs and enabling
interoperability with Java components
v Promoting the exchange and use of data in standardized formats, including
XML and Unicode

Accessibility
| Accessibility features help a user who has a physical disability, such as restricted
| mobility or limited vision, to use software products successfully. The accessibility
| features in z/OS provide accessibility for Enterprise COBOL.

| The major accessibility features in z/OS enable users to:

| v Use assistive technology products such as screen readers and screen magnifier
| software.
| v Operate specific or equivalent features by using only the keyboard.
| v Customize display attributes such as color, contrast, and font size.

Using assistive technologies

| Assistive technology products work with the user interfaces that are found in
| z/OS. For specific guidance information, consult the documentation for the
| assistive technology product that you use to access z/OS interfaces.

Keyboard navigation of the user interface

| Users can access z/OS user interfaces by using TSO/E or ISPF. For information
| about accessing TSO/E and ISPF interfaces, refer to the following publications:
| v z/OS TSO/E Primer
| v z/OS TSO/E User’s Guide
| v z/OS ISPF User’s Guide Volume I

| These guides describe how to use TSO/E and ISPF, including the use of keyboard
| shortcuts or function keys (PF keys). Each guide includes the default settings for
| the PF keys and explains how to modify their functions.

Accessibility of this document

| The English-language XHTML format of this document that is provided with
| WebSphere Studio Enterprise Developer is accessible to visually impaired
| individuals who use a screen reader.

| To enable your screen reader to accurately read syntax diagrams, source code
| examples, and text that contains the period and comma PICTURE symbols, you
| must set the screen reader to speak all punctuation.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 xv

How this document will help you
This document will help you write and compile Enterprise COBOL programs. It
will also help you define object-oriented classes and methods, invoke methods, and
refer to objects in your programs.

This document assumes experience in developing application programs and some

knowledge of COBOL. It focuses on using Enterprise COBOL to meet your
programming objectives and not on the definition of the COBOL language. For
complete information on COBOL syntax, see IBM Enterprise COBOL Language
Reference.

For information on migrating programs to Enterprise COBOL, see IBM Enterprise

COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide.

IBM z/OS Language Environment provides the run-time environment and

run-time services that are required to run your Enterprise COBOL programs. You
will find information on link-editing and running programs in the IBM z/OS
Language Environment Programming Guide and IBM z/OS Language Environment
Programming Reference.

For a comparison of commonly used Enterprise COBOL and IBM z/OS Language
Environment terms, see “Comparison of commonly used terms” on page xvii.

Abbreviated terms
Certain terms are used in a shortened form in this document. Abbreviations for the
product names used most frequently are listed alphabetically in the following
table:

Term used Long form

CICS CICS Transaction Server
Enterprise COBOL IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS
Language Environment IBM z/OS Language Environment
MVS MVS/ESA
UNIX z/OS UNIX System Services

OS/390 Version 2 Release 10 and z/OS Version 1 Release 1 and later are referred to
collectively as “z/OS” throughout this document. The e-server zSeries and the
S/390 hardware are referred to collectively as “zSeries.”

In addition to these abbreviated terms, the term “COBOL 85 Standard” is used to

refer to the combination of the following standards:
v ISO 1989:1985, Programming languages - COBOL
v ISO/IEC 1989/AMD1:1992, Programming languages - COBOL - Intrinsic
function module
v ISO/IEC 1989/AMD2:1994, Programming languages - COBOL - Correction and
clarification amendment for COBOL
v ANSI INCITS 23-1985, Programming Languages - COBOL
v ANSI INCITS 23a-1989, Programming Languages - Intrinsic Function Module for
COBOL

xvi Programming Guide

 v ANSI INCITS 23b-1993, Programming Language - Correction Amendment for
COBOL

The ISO standards are identical to the American National standards.

Other terms, if not commonly understood, are shown in italics the first time that
they appear, and are listed in the glossary at the back of this document.

Comparison of commonly used terms

To better understand the terms used throughout the IBM z/OS Language
Environment and IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS publications and what terms
are meant to be equivalent, see the following table:

Language Environment term Enterprise COBOL equivalent

Aggregate Group item
Array A table created using the OCCURS clause
Array element Table element
Enclave Run unit
External data WORKING-STORAGE data defined with EXTERNAL clause
Local data Any non-EXTERNAL data item
Pass parameters directly, by value BY VALUE
Pass parameters indirectly, by BY REFERENCE
reference
Pass parameters indirectly, by value BY CONTENT
Routine Program
Scalar Elementary item

How to read syntax diagrams

The following rules apply to syntax diagrams:
v Read the syntax diagrams from left to right, from top to bottom, following the
path of the line.
The >>—- symbol indicates the beginning of a syntax diagram.
The —-> symbol indicates that the syntax diagram is continued on the next line.
The >—- symbol indicates that the syntax diagram is continued from the
previous line.
The —->< symbol indicates the end of a syntax diagram.
Diagrams of syntactical units other than complete statements start with the >—-
symbol and end with the —-> symbol.
v Required items appear on the horizontal line (the main path):

required_item


v Optional items appear below the main path:

required_item

optional_item

About this document xvii

 v If you can choose from two or more items, they appear vertically, in a stack. If
you must choose one of the items, one item of the stack appears on the main
path:

required_item required_choice1

required_choice2

If choosing one of the items is optional, the entire stack appears below the main
path:

required_item

optional_choice1
optional_choice2

If one of the items is the default, it appears above the main path and the
remaining choices are shown below:

default_choice


required_item

optional_choice
optional_choice

v An arrow returning to the left, above the main line, indicates an item that can be
repeated:

required_item  repeatable_item


If the repeat arrow contains a comma, you must separate repeated items with a
comma:

required_item  repeatable_item


v Keywords appear in uppercase (for example, FROM). They must be spelled exactly
as shown. Variables appear in lowercase italics (for example, column-name). They
represent user-supplied names or values.
v If punctuation marks, parentheses, arithmetic operators, or other such symbols
are shown, you must enter them as part of the syntax.

How examples are shown

This document shows numerous examples of sample COBOL statements, program
fragments, and small programs to illustrate the coding techniques being discussed.
The examples of program code are written in lowercase, uppercase, or mixed case
to demonstrate that you can write your programs in any of these ways.

To more clearly separate some examples from the explanatory text, they are
presented in a monospace font.

COBOL keywords and compiler options that appear in text are generally shown in
SMALL UPPERCASE. Other terms such as program variable names are sometimes
shown in an italic font for clarity.

xviii Programming Guide

 Accessing softcopy documentation and support information
IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS provides PDF and BookManager versions of the
library on the product site at
www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/cobol/zos/library/.

You can check that Web site for the latest editions of the documents. In the
BookManager version of a document, the content of some tables and syntax
diagrams might be aligned improperly due to variations in the display technology.

Support information is also available on the product site at

www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/cobol/zos/support/.

Summary of changes
This section lists the key changes that have been made to Enterprise COBOL. The
changes that are discussed in this document have an associated cross-reference for
your convenience. The latest technical changes are marked by a revision bar in the
left margin.

Version 3 Release 3 (February 2004)

| v XML support has been enhanced. A new statement, XML GENERATE, converts the
| content of COBOL data records to XML format. XML GENERATE creates XML
| documents encoded in Unicode UTF-16 or in one of several single-byte EBCDIC
| code pages (Chapter 29, “Producing XML output,” on page 471).
| v The XML PARSE statement supports XML files encoded in Unicode UTF-16 or any
| of several single-byte EBCDIC code pages. Support is not provided for ASCII
| code pages.
| v There are new and improved features of Debug Tool:
| – Performance is improved when you use COBOL SYSDEBUG files.
| – You can more easily debug programs that use national data: When you
| display national data in a formatted dump or by using the Debug Tool LIST
| command, the data is automatically converted to EBCDIC representation
| using the code page specified by the CODEPAGE compiler option. You can use
| the Debug Tool MOVE command to assign values to national data items, and
| you can move national data items to or from group data items. You can use
| national data as a comparand in Debug Tool conditional commands such as
| IF and EVALUATE.
| – You can debug mixed COBOL-Java applications, COBOL class definitions, and
| COBOL programs that contain object-oriented syntax.
| For further details about these enhancements to debugging support, see Debug
| Tool User’s Guide.
| v DB2 Version 8 SQL features are supported when you use the integrated DB2
| coprocessor.
| v The syntax for specifying options in the COBJVMINITOPTIONS environment
| variable has changed (“Running OO applications that start with a COBOL
| program” on page 260).

Version 3 Release 2 (September 2002)

v The compiler has been enhanced to support new features of Debug Tool, and
features of Debug Tool Utilities and Advanced Functions:

About this document xix

 – Playback support lets you record and replay application execution paths and
data values.
– Automonitor support displays the values of variables that are referenced in
the current statement during debugging.
– Programs that have been compiled with the OPTIMIZE and
TEST(NONE,SYM,. . .) options are supported for debugging (“TEST” on page
306).
– The Debug Tool GOTO command is enabled for programs that have been
compiled with the NOOPTIMIZE option and the TEST option with any of its
suboptions (“TEST” on page 306). (In earlier releases, the GOTO command was
not supported for programs compiled with TEST(NONE,. . .).)
For further details about these enhancements to debugging support, see Debug
Tool User’s Guide.
v Extending Java interoperability to IMS: Object-oriented COBOL programs can
run in an IMS Java dependent region. The object-oriented COBOL and Java
languages can be mixed in a single application (“Using object-oriented COBOL
and Java under IMS” on page 378).
v Enhanced support for Java interoperability:
– The OPTIMIZE compiler option is fully supported for programs that contain
OO syntax for Java interoperability.
– Object references of type jobjectArray are supported for interoperation
between COBOL and Java (“Declaring arrays and strings for Java” on page
532).
– OO applications that begin with a COBOL main factory method can be
invoked with the java command (“Structuring OO applications” on page
524).
– A new environment variable, COBJVMINITOPTIONS, is provided, enabling
the user to specify options that will be used when COBOL initializes a Java
virtual machine (JVM) (“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page
259).
– OO applications that begin with a COBOL program can, with some
limitations, be bound as modules in a PDSE and run using batch JCL
(“Preparing and running OO applications using JCL or TSO/E” on page 262).
v Unicode enhancement for working with DB2: The code pages for host variables
are handled implicitly when you use the DB2 integrated coprocessor. SQL
DECLARE statements are necessary only for variables described with USAGE
DISPLAY or USAGE DISPLAY-1 when COBOL and DB2 code pages do not match
(“Coding SQL statements” on page 371).

Version 3 Release 1 (November 2001)

v Interoperation of COBOL and Java by means of object-oriented syntax,
permitting COBOL programs to instantiate Java classes, invoke methods on Java
objects, and define Java classes that can be instantiated in Java or COBOL and
whose methods can be invoked in Java or COBOL (Chapter 30, “Writing
object-oriented programs,” on page 485)
v Ability to call services provided by the Java Native Interface (JNI) to obtain
additional Java capabilities, with a copybook JNI.cpy and special register
JNIEnvPtr to facilitate access (“Accessing JNI services” on page 527)
v XML support, including a high-speed XML parser that allows programs to
consume inbound XML messages, verify that they are well formed, and
transform their contents into COBOL data structures; with support for XML

xx Programming Guide
 documents encoded in Unicode UTF-16 or several single-byte EBCDIC or ASCII
code pages (Chapter 28, “Processing XML input,” on page 447)
v Support for compilation of programs that contain CICS statements, without the
need for a separate translation step (“Integrated CICS translator” on page 364)
– Compiler option CICS, enabling integrated CICS translation and specification
of CICS options (“CICS” on page 273)
v Support for Unicode provided by NATIONAL data type and national (N, NX) literals,
intrinsic functions DISPLAY-OF and NATIONAL-OF for character conversions, and
compiler options NSYMBOL and CODEPAGE (Chapter 7, “Processing character data in
an international environment,” on page 103)
– Compiler option CODEPAGE to specify the code page used for encoding national
literals, and alphanumeric and DBCS data items and literals (“CODEPAGE”
on page 274)
– Compiler option NSYMBOL to control whether national or DBCS processing
should be in effect for literals and data items that use the N symbol
(“NSYMBOL” on page 291)
v Multithreading support: support of POSIX threads and asynchronous signals,
permitting applications with COBOL programs to run on multiple threads
within a process (Chapter 27, “Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading,”
on page 437)
– Compiler option THREAD, enabling programs to run in Language Environment
enclaves with multiple POSIX threads or PL/I subtasks (“THREAD” on page
309)
v VALUE clauses for BINARY data items that permit numeric literals to have a value
of magnitude up to the capacity of the native binary representation, rather than
being limited to the value implied by the number of 9s in the PICTURE clause
(“Formats for numeric data” on page 40)
v A 4-byte FUNCTION-POINTER data item that can contain the address of a COBOL
or non-COBOL entry point, providing easier interoperability with C function
pointers (“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407)
v The following support is no longer provided (as documented in Enterprise
COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide):
– SOM-based object-oriented syntax and services
– Compiler options CMPR2, ANALYZE, FLAGMIG, TYPECHK, and IDLGEN
v Changed default values for the following compiler options: DBCS (“DBCS” on
page 279), FLAG(I,I) (“FLAG” on page 284), RENT (“RENT” on page 299), and
XREF(FULL) (“XREF” on page 314)

For a history of changes to previous COBOL compilers, see Enterprise COBOL

Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide.

How to send your comments

Your feedback is important in helping us to provide accurate, high-quality
information. If you have comments about this document or any other Enterprise
COBOL documentation, contact us in one of these ways:
v Fill out the Readers’ Comment Form at the back of this document, and return it
by mail or give it to an IBM representative. If the form has been removed,
address your comments to:
IBM Corporation
H150/090

About this document xxi

 555 Bailey Avenue
San Jose, CA 95141-1003
USA
v Fax your comments to this U.S. number: (800)426-7773.
v Use the Online Readers’ Comment Form at
www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/rcf/.

Be sure to include the name of the document, the publication number of the
document, the version of Enterprise COBOL, and, if applicable, the specific
location (for example, page number) of the text that you are commenting on.

When you send information to IBM, you grant IBM a nonexclusive right to use or
distribute the information in any way it believes appropriate without incurring any
obligation to you.

xxii Programming Guide

Part 1. Coding your program
Chapter 1. Structuring your program . . . . . 5 Types of intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . 33
Identifying a program . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Nesting functions . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Identifying a program as recursive . . . . . . 6 Using tables (arrays) and pointers . . . . . . . 33
Marking a program as callable by containing Storage and its addressability . . . . . . . . 34
programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Settings for RMODE . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Setting a program to an initial state . . . . . . 6 Storage restrictions for passing data . . . . . 35
Changing the header of a source listing . . . . 7 Location of data areas . . . . . . . . . . 35
Describing the computing environment . . . . . 7 Storage for LOCAL-STORAGE data . . . . . 35
Example: FILE-CONTROL entries . . . . . . 8 Storage for external data . . . . . . . . . 35
Specifying the collating sequence . . . . . . 8 Storage for QSAM input-output buffers . . . . 36
Example: specifying the collating sequence . . 9
Defining symbolic characters . . . . . . . 10 Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 37
Defining a user-defined class . . . . . . . 10 Defining numeric data . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Defining files to the operating system . . . . 10 Displaying numeric data . . . . . . . . . . 38
Varying the input or output file at run time . 11 Controlling how numeric data is stored . . . . . 39
Optimizing buffer and device space . . . . 12 Formats for numeric data . . . . . . . . . . 40
Describing the data . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 External decimal (DISPLAY) items . . . . . . 40
Using data in input and output operations . . . 13 External floating-point (DISPLAY) items . . . . 40
FILE SECTION entries . . . . . . . . . 14 Binary (COMP) items . . . . . . . . . . 41
Comparison of WORKING-STORAGE and Native binary (COMP-5) items . . . . . . . 41
LOCAL-STORAGE . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Packed-decimal (COMP-3) items . . . . . . 42
Example: storage sections . . . . . . . . 15 Floating-point (COMP-1 and COMP-2) items . . 42
Using data from another program . . . . . . 17 Examples: numeric data and internal
Sharing data in separately compiled programs 17 representation . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Sharing data in nested programs . . . . . 17 Data format conversions . . . . . . . . . . 43
Sharing data in recursive or multithreaded Conversions and precision . . . . . . . . 44
programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Conversions that preserve precision . . . . 44
Processing the data . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Conversions that result in rounding . . . . 44
How logic is divided in the PROCEDURE Sign representation and processing . . . . . . 45
DIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 NUMPROC(PFD) . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Imperative statements . . . . . . . . . 19 NUMPROC(NOPFD) . . . . . . . . . . 45
Conditional statements . . . . . . . . 19 NUMPROC(MIG) . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Compiler-directing statements . . . . . . 20 Checking for incompatible data (numeric class test) 46
Scope terminators . . . . . . . . . . 21 Performing arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Declaratives . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 COMPUTE and other arithmetic statements . . 47
Arithmetic expressions . . . . . . . . . 48
Chapter 2. Using data . . . . . . . . . . 23 Numeric intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . 48
Using variables, structures, literals, and constants . 23 Nesting functions and arithmetic expressions 49
Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ALL subscripting and special registers . . . 49
Data structure: data items and group items . . . 23 Math and date Language Environment services 49
Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Math-oriented callable services . . . . . . 50
Constants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Date callable services . . . . . . . . . 51
Figurative constants . . . . . . . . . . 25 Examples: numeric intrinsic functions . . . . 51
Assigning values to data items . . . . . . . . 25 General number handling . . . . . . . 51
Examples: initializing data items . . . . . . 26 Date and time . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Initializing a structure (INITIALIZE) . . . . . 27 Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Assigning values to elementary or group data Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
items (MOVE) . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Assigning arithmetic results (MOVE or Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic . . . 53
COMPUTE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Floating-point evaluations . . . . . . . . 54
Assigning input from a screen or file (ACCEPT) 29 Fixed-point evaluations . . . . . . . . . 54
Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY) 30 Arithmetic comparisons (relation conditions) . . 54
Displaying data on the system logical output Examples: fixed-point and floating-point
device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 evaluations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Using WITH NO ADVANCING . . . . . . 31 Using currency signs . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Using intrinsic functions (built-in functions) . . . 32 Example: multiple currency signs . . . . . . 56

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 1

Chapter 4. Handling tables. . . . . . . . . 59 Example: arithmetic expressions as reference
Defining a table (OCCURS) . . . . . . . . . 59 modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Nesting tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Example: intrinsic functions as reference
Subscripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Indexing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Tallying and replacing data items (INSPECT) . . . 95
Referring to an item in a table . . . . . . . . 61 Examples: INSPECT statement . . . . . . . 96
Subscripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Converting data items (intrinsic functions) . . . . 97
Indexing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Converting to uppercase or lowercase
Putting values into a table . . . . . . . . . 64 (UPPER-CASE, LOWER-CASE) . . . . . . . 97
Loading a table dynamically . . . . . . . . 64 Converting to reverse order (REVERSE) . . . . 97
Initializing a table (INITIALIZE) . . . . . . 64 Converting to numbers (NUMVAL, NUMVAL-C) 97
Assigning values when you define a table Converting from one code page to another . . . 98
(VALUE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Evaluating data items (intrinsic functions) . . . . 99
Initializing each table item individually . . . 65 Evaluating single characters for collating
Initializing a table at the 01 level . . . . . 65 sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Initializing all occurrences of a table element 65 Finding the largest or smallest data item . . . 99
Example: PERFORM and subscripting . . . . 66 MAX and MIN . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Example: PERFORM and indexing. . . . . . 67 ORD-MAX and ORD-MIN . . . . . . . 100
Creating variable-length tables (DEPENDING ON) 68 Returning variable-length results with
Loading a variable-length table . . . . . . . 69 alphanumeric functions . . . . . . . . 100
Assigning values to a variable-length table . . . 70 Finding the length of data items . . . . . . 101
Searching a table . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Finding the date of compilation . . . . . . 102
Doing a serial search (SEARCH) . . . . . . 71
Example: serial search . . . . . . . . . 71 Chapter 7. Processing character data in an
Doing a binary search (SEARCH ALL) . . . . 72 international environment . . . . . . . . 103
Example: binary search . . . . . . . . 72 Unicode and encoding of language characters . . 105
Processing table items using intrinsic functions . . 73 Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL . . . . 106
Example: intrinsic functions . . . . . . . . 73 National data items . . . . . . . . . . 106
National literals . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program National characters as figurative constants . . 106
actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Storage of national data . . . . . . . . . 107
Selecting program actions . . . . . . . . . 75 Converting national data . . . . . . . . . 107
Coding a choice of actions . . . . . . . . 75 Converting alphanumeric and integer to
Using nested IF statements . . . . . . . 76 national data (MOVE) . . . . . . . . . 107
Using the EVALUATE statement . . . . . 77 Converting alphanumeric to national data
Coding conditional expressions . . . . . . . 79 (NATIONAL-OF) . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Switches and flags . . . . . . . . . . 80 Converting national to alphanumeric data
Defining switches and flags . . . . . . . 80 (DISPLAY-OF) . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Example: switches . . . . . . . . . . 81 Overriding the default code page . . . . . 108
Example: flags . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Conversion exceptions . . . . . . . . . 108
Resetting switches and flags . . . . . . . 81 Example: converting national data . . . . . 109
Example: set switch on . . . . . . . . 82 Processing UTF-8 data . . . . . . . . . . 109
Example: set switch off . . . . . . . . 82 Processing Chinese GB 18030 data . . . . . . 110
Repeating program actions . . . . . . . . . 83 Comparing national data items . . . . . . . 111
Choosing inline or out-of-line PERFORM . . . 83 Comparing national operands . . . . . . . 111
Example: inline PERFORM statement . . . . 84 Comparing national and numeric operands . . 111
Coding a loop . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Comparing national and alphabetic or
Coding a loop through a table . . . . . . . 85 alphanumeric operands . . . . . . . . . 111
Executing multiple paragraphs or sections . . . 85 Comparing national and group operands . . . 111
Processing alphanumeric data items that contain
Chapter 6. Handling strings . . . . . . . . 87 DBCS data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Joining data items (STRING) . . . . . . . . 87
Example: STRING statement . . . . . . . . 88 Chapter 8. Processing files . . . . . . . . 113
STRING program results . . . . . . . . 88 File organization and input-output devices . . . 113
Splitting data items (UNSTRING) . . . . . . . 89 Choosing file organization and access mode . . . 115
Example: UNSTRING statement . . . . . . 89 Format for coding input and output . . . . . 116
UNSTRING program results . . . . . . . 91 Allocating files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Manipulating null-terminated strings . . . . . . 91 Checking for input or output errors . . . . . . 118
Example: null-terminated strings . . . . . . 92
Referring to substrings of data items . . . . . . 93 Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files . . . . . 119
Reference modifiers. . . . . . . . . . . 94 Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL . . . 119

2 Programming Guide
 Establishing record formats . . . . . . . . 120 Specifying relative organization for VSAM files 151
Logical records . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Fixed-length and variable-length RRDS . . . 152
Requesting fixed-length format . . . . . 121 Simulating variable-length RRDS . . . . . 152
Requesting variable-length format . . . . 122 Specifying access modes for VSAM files . . . 153
Requesting spanned format. . . . . . . 124 Example: using dynamic access with VSAM
Requesting undefined format . . . . . . 126 files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Setting block sizes . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Defining record lengths for VSAM files . . . . 154
Letting z/OS determine block size . . . . 127 Defining fixed-length records . . . . . . 154
Setting block size explicitly . . . . . . . 127 Defining variable-length records . . . . . 155
Taking advantage of LBI. . . . . . . . 128 Coding input and output statements for VSAM
Block size and the DCB RECFM files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
subparameter . . . . . . . . . . . 129 File position indicator . . . . . . . . . 157
Coding input and output statements for QSAM Opening a file (ESDS, KSDS, or RRDS) . . . . 158
files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Opening an empty file . . . . . . . . 158
Opening QSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 130 Statements to load records into a VSAM file 159
Dynamically creating QSAM files with Opening a loaded file (a file with records) 160
CBLQDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Reading records from a VSAM file . . . . . 160
Adding records to QSAM files. . . . . . . 131 Updating records in a VSAM file . . . . . . 161
Updating QSAM files . . . . . . . . . 131 Adding records to a VSAM file . . . . . . 162
Writing QSAM files to a printer or spooled data Adding records sequentially . . . . . . 162
set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Adding records randomly or dynamically 162
Controlling the page size . . . . . . . 132 Replacing records in a VSAM file. . . . . . 162
Controlling the vertical positioning of records 132 Deleting records from a VSAM file . . . . . 163
Closing QSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 132 Closing VSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 163
Handling errors in QSAM files . . . . . . . 133 Handling errors in VSAM files . . . . . . . 164
Working with QSAM files . . . . . . . . . 133 Protecting VSAM files with a password . . . . 164
Defining and allocating QSAM files . . . . . 134 Example: password protection for a VSAM
Parameters for creating QSAM files . . . . 135 indexed file . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Retrieving QSAM files . . . . . . . . . 136 Working with VSAM data sets under z/OS and
Parameters for retrieving QSAM files . . . 136 UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Ensuring file attributes match your program 137 Defining VSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 166
Processing existing files . . . . . . . . 137 Creating alternate indexes . . . . . . . . 167
Defining variable-length (format-V) records 138 Example: entries for alternate indexes . . . 168
Defining format-U records . . . . . . . 138 Allocating VSAM files . . . . . . . . . 169
Defining fixed-length records . . . . . . 138 Sharing VSAM files through RLS . . . . . . 170
Processing new files . . . . . . . . . 138 Preventing update problems with VSAM files
Processing files dynamically created by in RLS mode . . . . . . . . . . . 170
COBOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Restrictions when using RLS . . . . . . 171
Using striped extended-format QSAM data sets 139 Handling errors in VSAM files in RLS mode 171
Allocation of buffers for QSAM files . . . . 140 Improving VSAM performance . . . . . . . 171
Accessing HFS files using QSAM . . . . . . . 140
Labels for QSAM files . . . . . . . . . . 141 Chapter 11. Processing line-sequential files . . 175
Using trailer and header labels . . . . . . 141 Defining line-sequential files and records in
Getting a user-label track . . . . . . . 142 COBOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Handling user labels . . . . . . . . . 142 Allowable control characters . . . . . . . 176
Format of standard labels . . . . . . . . 143 Describing the structure of a line-sequential file 176
Standard user labels . . . . . . . . . 143 Defining and allocating line-sequential files . . . 177
Processing QSAM ASCII files on tape . . . . . 144 Coding input-output statements for line-sequential
Requesting the ASCII alphabet . . . . . . 144 files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Defining the record formats . . . . . . . 144 Opening line-sequential files . . . . . . . 178
Defining the ddname . . . . . . . . . . 144 Reading records from line-sequential files . . . 178
Processing ASCII file labels . . . . . . . . . 145 Adding records to line-sequential files . . . . 179
Closing line-sequential files. . . . . . . . 179
Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files . . . . . 147 Handling errors in line-sequential files . . . . . 180
VSAM files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Defining VSAM file organization and records . . 149 Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files . . . . 181
Specifying sequential organization for VSAM Sort and merge process . . . . . . . . . . 182
files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Describing the sort or merge file . . . . . . . 182
Specifying indexed organization for VSAM files 150 Describing the input to sorting or merging . . . 183
Alternate keys . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Example: describing sort and input files for
Alternate index . . . . . . . . . . . 151 SORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Part 1. Coding your program 3

Coding the input procedure . . . . . . . . 184
Describing the output from sorting or merging . . 185
Coding the output procedure . . . . . . . . 185
Coding considerations when using DFSORT . . 186
Example: coding the output procedure when
using DFSORT . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Restrictions on input and output procedures . . . 187
Defining sort and merge data sets . . . . . . 187
Sorting variable-length records . . . . . . . 188
Requesting the sort or merge . . . . . . . . 188
Setting sort or merge criteria . . . . . . . 189
Example: sorting with input and output
procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Choosing alternate collating sequences . . . . 190
Sorting on windowed date fields . . . . . . 191
Preserving the original sequence of records with
equal keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Determining whether the sort or merge was
successful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Stopping a sort or merge operation prematurely 192
Improving sort performance with FASTSRT . . . 193
FASTSRT requirements for JCL . . . . . . 193
FASTSRT requirements for sort input and
output files . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
QSAM requirements . . . . . . . . . 194
VSAM requirements . . . . . . . . . 195
Checking for sort errors with NOFASTSRT . . . 195
Controlling sort behavior . . . . . . . . . 195
Sort special registers . . . . . . . . . . 196
Changing DFSORT defaults with control
statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Default characteristics of the IGZSRTCD data
set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Allocating storage for sort or merge operations 197
Allocating space for sort files . . . . . . . 198
Using checkpoint/restart with DFSORT . . . . 198
Sorting under CICS . . . . . . . . . . . 199
CICS SORT application restrictions . . . . . 199

Chapter 13. Handling errors . . . . . . . . 201

Requesting dumps . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Creating a formatted dump. . . . . . . . 201
Creating a system dump . . . . . . . . 202
Handling errors in joining and splitting strings . . 202
Handling errors in arithmetic operations . . . . 203
Example: checking for division by zero . . . . 203
Handling errors in input and output operations 203
Using the end-of-file condition (AT END) . . . 206
Coding ERROR declaratives . . . . . . . 207
Using file status keys . . . . . . . . . . 208
Example: file status key . . . . . . . . . 209
Using VSAM return codes (VSAM files only) 209
Example: checking VSAM status codes . . . . 210
Coding INVALID KEY phrases . . . . . . 212
INVALID KEY and ERROR declaratives . . 212
NOT INVALID KEY . . . . . . . . . 212
Example: FILE STATUS and INVALID KEY . . 212
Handling errors when calling programs . . . . 213
Writing routines for handling errors . . . . . . 213

4 Programming Guide
Chapter 1. Structuring your program
A COBOL program consists of four divisions, each with a specific logical function:
v IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
v ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
v DATA DIVISION
v PROCEDURE DIVISION

Only the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION is required.

To define a COBOL class or method, you need to define some divisions differently
than you do for a program.

RELATED TASKS
“Identifying a program”
“Describing the computing environment” on page 7
“Describing the data” on page 12
“Processing the data” on page 18
“Defining a class” on page 488
“Defining a class instance method” on page 493
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524

Identifying a program
Use the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION to name your program and, if you want, give
other identifying information.

You can use the optional AUTHOR, INSTALLATION, DATE-WRITTEN, and DATE-COMPILED
paragraphs for descriptive information about your program. The data you enter on
the DATE-COMPILED paragraph is replaced with the latest compilation date.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
Program-ID. Helloprog.
Author. A. Programmer.
Installation. Computing Laboratories.
Date-Written. 08/21/2003.
Date-Compiled. 02/27/2004.

Use the PROGRAM-ID paragraph to name your program. The program name that you
assign is used in these ways:
v Other programs use the name to call your program.
v The name appears in the header on each page, except the first page, of the
program listing generated when the program is compiled.
v If you use the NAME compiler option, the name is placed on the NAME
linkage-editor or binder control statement to identify the object module created
by the compilation.
Tip: Do not use program names that start with prefixes used by IBM products. If
you try to use programs whose names start with any of the following, your CALL
statements might resolve to IBM library or compiler routines rather than to your
intended program:

AFB AFH CBC CEE EDC

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 5

 IBM IFY IGY IGZ ILB

Tip: When the program name is case sensitive, avoid mismatches with the name
the compiler is looking for. Verify that the appropriate setting of the PGMNAME
compiler option is used.

RELATED TASKS
“Changing the header of a source listing” on page 7
“Identifying a program as recursive”
“Marking a program as callable by containing programs”
“Setting a program to an initial state”

RELATED REFERENCES
Compiler limits (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Conventions for program names (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Identifying a program as recursive

Code the RECURSIVE attribute on the PROGRAM-ID clause to specify that your
program can be recursively reentered while a previous invocation is still active.

You can code RECURSIVE only on the outermost program of a compilation unit.
Neither nested subprograms nor programs that contain nested subprograms can be
recursive. You must code RECURSIVE for programs that you compile with the THREAD
option.

RELATED TASKS
“Sharing data in recursive or multithreaded programs” on page 17
“Making recursive calls” on page 407

Marking a program as callable by containing programs

Use the COMMON attribute on the PROGRAM-ID clause to specify that your program can
be called by the containing program or by any program in the containing program.
The COMMON program cannot be called by any program contained in itself.

Only contained programs can have the COMMON attribute.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Nested programs” on page 404

Setting a program to an initial state

Use the INITIAL attribute to specify that whenever a program is called, it is placed
in its initial state. If the program contains programs, these are also placed in their
initial states.

A program is in its initial state when the following has occurred:

v Data items having VALUE clauses are set to the specified value.
v Changed GO TO statements and PERFORM statements are set to their initial states.
v Non-EXTERNAL files are closed.

6 Programming Guide
 Changing the header of a source listing
The header on the first page of your source statement listing contains the
identification of the compiler and the current release level, plus the date and time
of compilation and the page number. For example:

PP 5655-G53 IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3.3.0 Date 02/27/2004 Time 15:05:19 Page 1

You can customize the header on succeeding pages of the listing with the
compiler-directing TITLE statement.

RELATED REFERENCES
TITLE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Describing the computing environment

In the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION you describe the aspects of your program that
depend on the computing environment.

Use the CONFIGURATION SECTION to specify the following items:

v Computer for compiling your program (in the SOURCE-COMPUTER paragraph)
v Computer for running your program (in the OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph)
v Special items such as the currency sign and symbolic characters (in the
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph)
v User-defined classes (in the REPOSITORY paragraph)

Use the FILE-CONTROL and I-O-CONTROL paragraphs of the INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION to

do the following:
v Identify and describe the characteristics of your program files.
v Associate your files with the external QSAM, VSAM, or HFS (hierarchical file
system) data sets where they physically reside.
The terms file, in COBOL terminology, and data set or HFS file, in operating
system terminology, have essentially the same meaning and are used
interchangeably in this documentation.
For Customer Information Control System (CICS) and online Information
Management System (IMS) message processing programs (MPP), code only the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION header and, optionally, the CONFIGURATION SECTION. CICS
does not allow COBOL definition of files. IMS allows COBOL definition of files
only for batch programs.
v Provide information to control efficient transmission of the data records between
your program and the external medium.

“Example: FILE-CONTROL entries” on page 8

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying the collating sequence” on page 8
“Defining symbolic characters” on page 10
“Defining a user-defined class” on page 10
“Defining files to the operating system” on page 10

RELATED REFERENCES
Sections and paragraphs (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 7

 Example: FILE-CONTROL entries
The following table shows FILE-CONTROL entries for a QSAM sequential file, a
VSAM indexed file, and a line-sequential file.
Table 1. FILE-CONTROL entries
QSAM file VSAM file Line-sequential file
1 1
SELECT PRINTFILE SELECT COMMUTER-FILE SELECT PRINTFILE1
ASSIGN TO UPDPRINT2 ASSIGN TO COMMUTER2 ASSIGN TO UPDPRINT2
ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL3 ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED3 ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL3
ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL.4 ACCESS IS RANDOM4 ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL.4
RECORD KEY IS COMMUTER-KEY5
FILE STATUS IS5
COMMUTER-FILE-STATUS
COMMUTER-VSAM-STATUS.

1. The SELECT clause chooses a file in the COBOL program to be associated with an external data set.
2. The ASSIGN clause associates the program’s name for the file with the external name for the actual data file. You
can define the external name with a DD statement or an environment variable.
3. The ORGANIZATION clause describes the file’s organization. For QSAM files, the ORGANIZATION clause is optional.
4. The ACCESS MODE clause defines the manner in which the records are made available for processing: sequential,
random, or dynamic. For QSAM and line-sequential files, the ACCESS MODE clause is optional. These files always
have sequential organization.
5. For VSAM files, you might have additional statements in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph depending on the type of
VSAM file you use.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 9, “Processing QSAM files,” on page 119
Chapter 10, “Processing VSAM files,” on page 147
Chapter 11, “Processing line-sequential files,” on page 175
“Describing the computing environment” on page 7

Specifying the collating sequence

You can use the PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE clause and the ALPHABET clause of the
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph to establish the collating sequence used in the following
operations on alphanumeric items:
v Nonnumeric comparisons explicitly specified in relation conditions and
condition-name conditions
v HIGH-VALUE and LOW-VALUE settings
v SEARCH ALL
v SORT and MERGE unless overridden by a COLLATING SEQUENCE phrase on the SORT
or MERGE statement

“Example: specifying the collating sequence” on page 9

The sequence that you use can be based on one of these alphabets:
v EBCDIC: references the collating sequence associated with the EBCDIC character
set
v NATIVE: references the same collating sequence as EBCDIC
v STANDARD-1: references the collating sequence associated with the ASCII
character set defined by ANSI INCITS X3.4, Coded Character Sets - 7-bit American
National Standard Code for Information Interchange (7-bit ASCII)

8 Programming Guide
v STANDARD-2: references the collating sequence associated with the character set
defined by ISO/IEC 646 — Information technology — ISO 7-bit coded character set
for information interchange, International Reference Version
v An alteration of the EBCDIC sequence that you define in the SPECIAL-NAMES
paragraph

The PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE clause does not affect comparisons that involve
national operands.

RELATED TASKS
“Choosing alternate collating sequences” on page 190
“Comparing national data items” on page 111

Example: specifying the collating sequence

The following example shows the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION coding used to specify a
collating sequence where uppercase and lowercase letters are similarly handled for
comparisons and for sorting or merging. When you change the EBCDIC sequence
in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph, the overall collating sequence is affected, not just
the collating sequence of the characters included in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
. . .
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.

Source-Computer. IBM-390.
Object-Computer. IBM-390.

Program Collating Sequence Special-Sequence.

Special-Names.
Alphabet Special-Sequence Is
“A” Also “a”
“B” Also “b”
“C” Also “c”
“D” Also “d”
“E” Also “e”
“F” Also “f”
“G” Also “g”
“H” Also “h”
“I” Also “i”
“J” Also “j”
“K” Also “k”
“L” Also “l”
“M” Also “m”
“N” Also “n”
“O” Also “o”
“P” Also “p”
“Q” Also “q”
“R” Also “r”
“S” Also “s”
“T” Also “t”
“U” Also “u”
“V” Also “v”
“W” Also “w”
“X” Also “x”
“Y” Also “y”
“Z” Also “z”.

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying the collating sequence” on page 8

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 9

 Defining symbolic characters
Use the SYMBOLIC CHARACTERS clause to give symbolic names to any character of the
specified alphabet. Use ordinal position to identify the character. Position 1
corresponds to character X’00’.

For example, to give a name to the backspace character (X’16’ in the EBCDIC
alphabet), code:
SYMBOLIC CHARACTERS BACKSPACE IS 23

Defining a user-defined class

Use the CLASS clause to give a name to a set of characters listed in the clause. For
example, name the set of digits by using this code:
CLASS DIGIT IS “0” THROUGH “9”

The class-name can be referenced only in a class condition. This user-defined class
is not the same as an object-oriented class.

Defining files to the operating system

For all files that you process in your COBOL program, you need to define the files
to the operating system with an appropriate system data definition:
v DD statement for z/OS JCL.
v ALLOCATE command under TSO.
v Environment variable for z/OS or UNIX. The contents can define either an MVS
data set or a file in the HFS (hierarchical file system).

The following shows the relationship of a FILE-CONTROL entry to the system data
definition and to the FD entry in the FILE SECTION.
v JCL DD statement:
(1)
//OUTFILE DD DSNAME=MY.OUT171,UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(50,5)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=400)
/*
. . .
v Environment variable (export command):
(1)
export OUTFILE=DSNAME(MY.OUT171),UNIT(SYSDA),SPACE(TRK,(50,5))
. . .
v COBOL code:
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT CARPOOL
ASSIGN TO OUTFILE (1)
ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL.
. . .
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD CARPOOL (2)
LABEL RECORD STANDARD
BLOCK CONTAINS 0 CHARACTERS
RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS
(1) The ddname in the DD statement or the environment variable name in the
export command, corresponds to the assignment-name in the ASSIGN clause:
v //OUTFILE DD DSNAME=OUT171 . . ., or

10 Programming Guide
 v export OUTFILE= . . .

This assignment-name points to the ddname OUTFILE in the DD statement or

the environment variable name OUTFILE in the export command:
ASSIGN TO OUTFILE
(2) When you specify a file in a COBOL FILE-CONTROL entry, you must
describe the file in an FD entry for file-name.
SELECT CARPOOL
. . .
FD CARPOOL

RELATED TASKS
“Optimizing buffer and device space” on page 12

Varying the input or output file at run time

The file-name you code in your SELECT clause is used as a constant throughout your
COBOL program, but you can associate the name of the file on the DD statement or
export command with a different file at run time.

Changing a file-name in your COBOL program requires changing the input

statements and output statements and recompiling the program. Alternatively, you
can change the dsname in the DD statement or the dsname path-name in your export
command.

Rules for using different files: The name you use in the assignment-name of the
ASSIGN clause must be the same as the ddname in the DD statement or the
environment variable in the export command. You can change the actual file by
using the DSNAME in the DD statement or the DSNAME or path name in the
environment variable.

The file-name that you use with the SELECT clause (such as SELECT MASTER) must be
the same as in the FD file-name entry.

Two files should not use the same ddname or environment variable name in their
SELECT clauses; otherwise, results could be unpredictable. For example, if DISPLAY
is directed to SYSOUT, do not use SYSOUT as the ddname or environment variable
name on the SELECT clause for a file.

“Example: using different input files”

Example: using different input files: Consider a COBOL program that is used in
exactly the same way for several different master files. It contains this SELECT
clause:
SELECT MASTER
ASSIGN TO DA-3330-S-MASTERA

Assume the three possible input files are MASTER1, MASTER2, and MASTER3. You must
code one of the following DD statements in the job step that calls for program
execution, or issue one of the following export commands from the same shell
from which you run the program, prior to running the program:
//MASTERA DD DSNAME=MY.MASTER1,. . .
export MASTERA=DSN(MY.MASTER1),. . .

//MASTERA DD DSNAME=MY.MASTER2,. . .

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 11

 export MASTERA=DSN(MY.MASTER2),. . .

//MASTERA DD DSNAME=MY.MASTER3,. . .
export MASTERA=DSN(MY.MASTER3),. . .

Any reference in the program to MASTERA will therefore be a reference to the file
currently assigned to ddname or environment variable name MASTERA.

Notice that in this example, you cannot use the PATH(path) form of the export
command to reference a line-sequential file in the HFS, because you cannot specify
an organization field (S- or AS-) with a line-sequential file.

Optimizing buffer and device space

Use the APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause to make optimum use of buffer and device space
when creating a sequential file with blocked variable-length records. With APPLY
WRITE-ONLY specified, a buffer is truncated only when the next record does not fit
in the unused portion of the buffer. Without APPLY WRITE-ONLY specified, a buffer is
truncated when it does not have enough space for a maximum-size record.

The APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause has meaning only for sequential files that have
variable-length records and are blocked.

The AWO compiler option applies an implicit APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause to all eligible
files. The NOAWO compiler option has no effect on files that have the APPLY
WRITE-ONLY clause specified. The APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause takes precedence over
the NOAWO compiler option.

The APPLY-WRITE ONLY clause can cause input files to use a record area rather than
process the data in the buffer. This use might affect the processing of both input
files and output files.

RELATED REFERENCES
“AWO” on page 272

Describing the data

Define the characteristics of your data and group your data definitions into one of
the sections in the DATA DIVISION:
v Define data used in input-output operations (FILE SECTION).
v Define data developed for internal processing:
– To have storage be statically allocated and exist for the life of the run unit
(WORKING-STORAGE SECTION).
– To have storage be allocated each time a program is entered, and deallocated
on return from the program (LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION).
v Describe data from another program (LINKAGE SECTION).

The Enterprise COBOL compiler limits the maximum size of DATA DIVISION
elements.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Comparison of WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE” on page 15

RELATED TASKS
“Using data in input and output operations” on page 13
“Using data from another program” on page 17

12 Programming Guide
 RELATED REFERENCES
Compiler limits (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Using data in input and output operations

Define the data you use in input and output operations in the FILE SECTION:
v Name the input and output files your program will use. Use the FD entry to give
names to your files that the input-output statements in the PROCEDURE DIVISION
can refer to.
Data items defined in the FILE SECTION are not available to PROCEDURE DIVISION
statements until the file has been successfully opened.
v In the record description following the FD entry, describe the fields of the records
in the file:
– You can code a level-01 description of the entire record, and then in the
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION code a working copy that describes the fields of the
record in more detail. Use the READ INTO statement to bring the records into
WORKING-STORAGE. Processing occurs on the copy of data in WORKING-STORAGE.
A WRITE FROM statement then writes processed data into the record area
defined in the FILE SECTION.
– The record-name established is the object of WRITE and REWRITE statements.
– For QSAM files only, you can set the record format in the RECORDING MODE
clause. If you omit the RECORDING MODE clause, the compiler determines the
record format based on the RECORD clause and on the level-01 record
descriptions.
– For QSAM files, you can set a blocking factor for the file in the BLOCK
CONTAINS clause. If you omit the BLOCK CONTAINS clause, the file defaults to
unblocked. However, you can override this with z/OS data management
facilities (including a DD file job control statement).
– For line-sequential files, you can set a blocking factor for the file in the BLOCK
CONTAINS clause. When you code BLOCK CONTAINS 1 RECORDS, or BLOCK
CONTAINS n CHARACTERS, where n is the length of one logical record, WRITE
statements result in the record being transferred immediately to the file,
rather than being buffered. This technique is useful when you want each
record written immediately, such as to an error log.

Programs in the same run unit can share, or have access to, common files. The
method for doing this depends on whether the programs are part of a nested
(contained) structure or are separately compiled (including programs compiled as
part of a batch sequence).

You can use the EXTERNAL clause for separately compiled programs. A file that is
defined as EXTERNAL can be referenced by any program in the run unit that
describes the file.

You can use the GLOBAL clause for programs in a nested, or contained, structure. If
a program contains another program (directly or indirectly), both programs can
access a common file by referencing a GLOBAL file name.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Nested programs” on page 404

RELATED TASKS
“Sharing files between programs (external files)” on page 421

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 13

 RELATED REFERENCES
“FILE SECTION entries”

FILE SECTION entries

Entries in the FILE SECTION are summarized in the table below.
Table 2. FILE SECTION entries
Clause To define Notes
FD The file-name to be referred to Must match file-name in the SELECT
in PROCEDURE DIVISION clause. file-name is associated with a
input-output statements (OPEN, ddname through the assignment-name.
CLOSE, READ, also START and
DELETE for VSAM)
BLOCK CONTAINS Size of physical record QSAM: If provided, must match
information on JCL or data set label. If
not provided, the system determines
the optimal block size for you.

Line sequential: Can be specified to

control buffering for WRITE statements.

VSAM: Handled as comments.

RECORD CONTAINS Size of logical records (fixed If provided, must match information on
n length) JCL or data set label. If n is equal to 0,
LRECL must be coded on JCL or data set
label.
RECORD IS Size of logical records If provided, must match information on
VARYING (variable length) JCL or data set label; compiler checks
match with record descriptions.
RECORD CONTAINS Size of logical records If provided, must match information on
n TO m (variable length) JCL or data set label; compiler checks
match with record descriptions.
LABEL RECORDS Labels for QSAM files VSAM: Handled as comments
STANDARD Labels exist QSAM: Handled as comments
OMITTED Labels do not exist QSAM: Handled as comments
data-name Labels defined by the user QSAM: Allowed for (optional) tape or
disk
VALUE OF An item in the label records Comments only
associated with file
DATA RECORDS Names of records associated Comments only
with file
LINAGE Depth of logical page QSAM only
CODE-SET ASCII or EBCDIC files QSAM only.

When an ASCII file is identified with

the CODE-SET clause, the corresponding
DD statement might need to have
DCB=(OPTCD=Q. . .) or
DCB=(RECFM=D. . .) coded if the file
was not created using VS COBOL II,
COBOL for OS/390 & VM, or IBM
Enterprise COBOL for z/OS.
RECORDING MODE Physical record description QSAM only

14 Programming Guide
 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Labels for QSAM files” on page 141

Comparison of WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE

WORKING-STORAGE for programs is allocated at the start of the run unit. Any data
items with VALUE clauses are initialized to the appropriate value at that time. For
the duration of the run unit, WORKING-STORAGE items persist in their last-used state.
Exceptions are:
v A program with INITIAL specified in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph
In this case, WORKING-STORAGE data items are reinitialized each time that the
program is entered.
v A subprogram that is dynamically called and then canceled
In this case, WORKING-STORAGE data items are reinitialized on the first reentry into
the program following the CANCEL.

WORKING-STORAGE is deallocated at the termination of the run unit.

See the related tasks for information about WORKING-STORAGE in COBOL class
definitions.

A separate copy of LOCAL-STORAGE data is allocated for each call of a program or

invocation of a method, and is freed on return from the program or method. If you
specify a VALUE clause on a LOCAL-STORAGE item, the item is initialized to that value
on each call or invocation. If a VALUE clause is not specified, the initial value of the
item is undefined.

Threading: Each invocation of a program that runs simultaneously on multiple

threads shares access to a single copy of WORKING-STORAGE data. Each invocation
has a separate copy of LOCAL-STORAGE data.

“Example: storage sections”

RELATED TASKS
“WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining class instance data” on page 492
Chapter 27, “Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading,” on page 437
“Ending and reentering main programs or subprograms” on page 394

RELATED REFERENCES
Working-storage section (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Local-storage section (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: storage sections

The following is an example of a recursive program that uses both
WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE.
CBL pgmn(lu)
*********************************
* Recursive Program - Factorials
*********************************
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
Program-Id. factorial recursive.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
Working-Storage Section.
01 numb pic 9(4) value 5.
01 fact pic 9(8) value 0.
Local-Storage Section.

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 15

 01 num pic 9(4).
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
move numb to num.

if numb = 0
move 1 to fact
else
subtract 1 from numb
call ’factorial’
multiply num by fact
end-if.

display num ’! = ’ fact.

goback.
End Program factorial.

The program produces the following output:

0000! = 00000001
0001! = 00000001
0002! = 00000002
0003! = 00000006
0004! = 00000024
0005! = 00000120

The following tables show the changing values of the data items in LOCAL-STORAGE
and WORKING-STORAGE in the successive recursive calls of the program, and in the
ensuing gobacks. During the gobacks, fact progressively accumulates the value of
5! (five factorial).

Value for num in Value for numb in Value for fact in

Recursive calls LOCAL-STORAGE WORKING-STORAGE WORKING-STORAGE
Main 5 5 0
1 4 4 0
2 3 3 0
3 2 2 0
4 1 1 0
5 0 0 0

Value for num in Value for numb in Value for fact in

Gobacks LOCAL-STORAGE WORKING-STORAGE WORKING-STORAGE
5 0 0 1
4 1 0 1
3 2 0 2
2 3 0 6
1 4 0 24
Main 5 0 120

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Comparison of WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE” on page 15

16 Programming Guide
Using data from another program
How you share data depends on the type of program. You share data differently in
programs that are separately compiled than you do for programs that are nested or
for programs that are recursive or multithreaded.

RELATED TASKS
“Sharing data in separately compiled programs”
“Sharing data in nested programs”
“Sharing data in recursive or multithreaded programs”

Sharing data in separately compiled programs

Many applications consist of separately compiled programs that call and pass data
to one another. Use the LINKAGE SECTION in the called program to describe the data
passed from another program. In the calling program, use a CALL . . . USING or
INVOKE . . . USING statement to pass the data.

RELATED TASKS
“Passing data” on page 411

Sharing data in nested programs

Some applications consist of nested programs, that is, programs that are contained
in other programs. Level-01 data items can include the GLOBAL attribute. This
attribute allows any nested program that includes the declarations to access these
data items.

A nested program can also access data items in a sibling program (one at the same
nesting level in the same containing program) that is declared with the COMMON
attribute.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Nested programs” on page 404

Sharing data in recursive or multithreaded programs

If your program has the RECURSIVE attribute or is compiled with the THREAD
compiler option, data that is defined in the LINKAGE SECTION is not accessible on
subsequent invocations of the program.

To address a record in the LINKAGE SECTION, use either of these techniques:

v Pass an argument to the program and specify the record in an appropriate
position in the USING phrase in the program.
v Use the format-5 SET statement.

If your program has the RECURSIVE attribute or is compiled with the THREAD
compiler option, the address of the record is valid for a particular instance of the
program invocation. The address of the record in another execution instance of the
same program must be reestablished for that execution instance. Unpredictable
results will occur if you refer to a data item for which the address has not been
established.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Multithreading” on page 437

RELATED TASKS
“Making recursive calls” on page 407
“Processing files with multithreading” on page 440

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 17

 RELATED REFERENCES
SET statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“THREAD” on page 309

Processing the data

In the PROCEDURE DIVISION of a program, you code the executable statements that
process the data you have defined in the other divisions. The PROCEDURE DIVISION
contains one or two headers and the logic of your program.

The PROCEDURE DIVISION begins with the division header and a procedure-name
header. The division header for a program can simply be:
PROCEDURE DIVISION.

You can code your division header to receive parameters with the USING phrase or
to return a value with the RETURNING phrase.

To receive an argument that was passed by reference (the default) or by content,

code the division header for a program in either of these ways:
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING dataname
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING BY REFERENCE dataname

Be sure to define dataname in the LINKAGE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION.

To receive a parameter that was passed by value, code the division header for a
program as follows:
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING BY VALUE dataname

To return a value as a result, code the division header as follows:

PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING dataname2

You can also combine USING and RETURNING in a PROCEDURE DIVISION header:
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING dataname RETURNING dataname2

Be sure to define dataname and dataname2 in the LINKAGE SECTION of the DATA
DIVISION.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“How logic is divided in the PROCEDURE DIVISION”

RELATED TASKS
“Eliminating repetitive coding” on page 595

How logic is divided in the PROCEDURE DIVISION

The PROCEDURE DIVISION of a program is divided into sections and paragraphs,
which contain sentences and statements:
Section
Logical subdivision of your processing logic.
A section has a section header and is optionally followed by one or more
paragraphs.
A section can be the subject of a PERFORM statement. One type of section is
for declaratives.

18 Programming Guide
Paragraph
Subdivision of a section, procedure, or program.
A paragraph has a name followed by a period and zero or more sentences.
A paragraph can be the subject of a statement.
Sentence
Series of one or more COBOL statements ending with a period.
Statement
Performs a defined step of COBOL processing, such as adding two
numbers.
A statement is a valid combination of words, beginning with a COBOL
verb. Statements are imperative (indicating unconditional action),
conditional, or compiler-directing. Using explicit scope terminators instead
of periods to show the logical end of a statement is preferred.
Phrase
A subdivision of a statement.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Compiler-directing statements” on page 20
“Scope terminators” on page 21
“Imperative statements”
“Conditional statements”
“Declaratives” on page 22

RELATED REFERENCES
PROCEDURE DIVISION structure (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Imperative statements
An imperative statement indicates an unconditional action to be taken (such as
ADD, MOVE, INVOKE, or CLOSE).

An imperative statement can be ended with an implicit or explicit scope

terminator.

A conditional statement that ends with an explicit scope terminator becomes an

imperative statement called a delimited scope statement. Only imperative statements
(or delimited scope statements) can be nested.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Conditional statements”
“Scope terminators” on page 21

Conditional statements
A conditional statement is either a simple conditional statement (IF, EVALUATE,
SEARCH) or a conditional statement made up of an imperative statement that
includes a conditional phrase or option.

You can end a conditional statement with an implicit or explicit scope terminator.
If you end a conditional statement explicitly, it becomes a delimited scope
statement (which is an imperative statement).

You can use a delimited scope statement in these ways:

v To delimit the range of operation for a COBOL conditional statement and to
explicitly show the levels of nesting

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 19

 For example, use an END-IF statement instead of a period to end the scope of an
IF statement within a nested IF.
v To code a conditional statement where the COBOL syntax calls for an imperative
statement
For example, code a conditional statement as the object of an inline PERFORM:
PERFORM UNTIL TRANSACTION-EOF
PERFORM 200-EDIT-UPDATE-TRANSACTION
IF NO-ERRORS
PERFORM 300-UPDATE-COMMUTER-RECORD
ELSE
PERFORM 400-PRINT-TRANSACTION-ERRORS
END-IF
READ UPDATE-TRANSACTION-FILE INTO WS-TRANSACTION-RECORD
AT END
SET TRANSACTION-EOF TO TRUE
END-READ
END-PERFORM
An explicit scope terminator is required for the inline PERFORM statement, but it is
not valid for the out-of-line PERFORM statement.

For additional program control, you can use the NOT phrase with conditional
statements. For example, you can provide instructions to be performed when a
particular exception does not occur, such as NOT ON SIZE ERROR. The NOT phrase
cannot be used with the ON OVERFLOW phrase of the CALL statement, but it can be
used with the ON EXCEPTION phrase.

Do not nest conditional statements. Nested statements must be imperative

statements (or delimited scope statements) and must follow the rules for
imperative statements.

The following statements are examples of conditional statements if they are coded
without scope terminators:
v Arithmetic statement with ON SIZE ERROR
v Data-manipulation statements with ON OVERFLOW
v CALL statements with ON OVERFLOW
v I/O statements with INVALID KEY, AT END, or AT END-OF-PAGE
v RETURN with AT END

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Imperative statements” on page 19
“Scope terminators” on page 21

RELATED TASKS
“Selecting program actions” on page 75

RELATED REFERENCES
Conditional statements (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Compiler-directing statements
A compiler-directing statement is not part of the program logic. A
compiler-directing statement causes the compiler to take specific action about the
program structure, COPY processing, listing control, or control flow.

RELATED REFERENCES
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317
Compiler-directing statements (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

20 Programming Guide
Scope terminators
Scope terminators can be explicit or implicit. Explicit scope terminators end a verb
without ending a sentence. They consist of END followed by a hyphen and the
name of the verb being terminated, such as END-IF. An implicit scope terminator is
a period (.) that ends the scope of all previous statements not yet ended.

Each of the two periods in the following program fragment ends an IF statement,
making the code equivalent to the code after it that instead uses explicit scope
terminators:
IF ITEM = “A”
DISPLAY “THE VALUE OF ITEM IS ” ITEM
ADD 1 TO TOTAL
MOVE “C” TO ITEM
DISPLAY “THE VALUE OF ITEM IS NOW ” ITEM.
IF ITEM = “B”
ADD 2 TO TOTAL.
IF ITEM = “A”
DISPLAY “THE VALUE OF ITEM IS ” ITEM
ADD 1 TO TOTAL
MOVE “C” TO ITEM
DISPLAY “THE VALUE OF ITEM IS NOW ” ITEM
END-IF
IF ITEM = “B”
ADD 2 TO TOTAL
END-IF

If you use implicit terminators, the end of statements can be unclear. As a result,
you might end statements unintentionally, changing your program’s logic. Explicit
scope terminators make a program easier to understand and prevent unintentional
ending of statements. For example, in the program fragment below, changing the
location of the first period in the first implicit scope example changes the meaning
of the code:
IF ITEM = “A”
DISPLAY “VALUE OF ITEM IS ” ITEM
ADD 1 TO TOTAL.
MOVE “C” TO ITEM
DISPLAY “ VALUE OF ITEM IS NOW ” ITEM
IF ITEM = “B”
ADD 2 TO TOTAL.

The MOVE statement and the DISPLAY statement after it are performed regardless of
the value of ITEM, despite what the indentation indicates, because the first period
terminates the IF statement.

For improved program clarity and to avoid unintentional ending of statements, use
explicit scope terminators, especially within paragraphs. Use implicit scope
terminators only at the end of a paragraph or the end of a program.

Be careful when coding an explicit scope terminator for an imperative statement

that is nested within a conditional statement. Ensure that the scope terminator is
paired with the statement for which it was intended. In the following example, the
scope terminator will be paired with the second READ statement, though the
programmer intended it to be paired with the first.
READ FILE1
AT END
MOVE A TO B
READ FILE2
END-READ

Chapter 1. Structuring your program 21

 To ensure that the explicit scope terminator is paired with the intended statement,
the preceding example can be recoded in this way:
READ FILE1
AT END
MOVE A TO B
READ FILE2
END-READ
END-READ

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Conditional statements” on page 19
“Imperative statements” on page 19

Declaratives
Declaratives provide one or more special-purpose sections that are executed when
an exception condition occurs.

Start each declarative section with a USE statement that identifies the function of
the section; in the procedures, specify the actions to be taken when the condition
occurs.

RELATED TASKS
“Finding and handling input-output errors” on page 323

RELATED REFERENCES
Declaratives (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

22 Programming Guide
Chapter 2. Using data
This information is intended to help non-COBOL programmers relate terms used
in other programming languages to COBOL terms for data. It introduces COBOL
fundamentals for:
v Variables, structures, literals, and constants
v Assigning and displaying values
v Intrinsic (built-in) functions
v Tables (arrays) and pointers

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
“Using variables, structures, literals, and constants”
“Assigning values to data items” on page 25
“Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY)” on page 30
“Using intrinsic functions (built-in functions)” on page 32
“Using tables (arrays) and pointers” on page 33
Chapter 7, “Processing character data in an international environment,” on page
103

Using variables, structures, literals, and constants

Most high-level programming languages share the concept of data being
represented as variables, structures, literals, and constants. The data in a COBOL
program can be alphabetic, alphanumeric, national, or numeric. You can also define
index data items, and data items described with USAGE POINTER, USAGE
FUNCTION-POINTER, USAGE PROCEDURE-POINTER, or USAGE OBJECT REFERENCE. You
place all data definitions in the DATA DIVISION of your program.

Variables
A variable is a data item; its value can change during a program. The values are
restricted, however, to the data type that you define when you give the data item a
name and a length. For example, if a customer name is a data item in your
program, you could code:
Data Division.
. . .
01 Customer-Name Pic X(20).
01 Original-Customer-Name Pic X(20).
. . .
Procedure Division.
. . .
Move Customer-Name to Original-Customer-Name
. . .

Data structure: data items and group items

Related data items can be parts of a hierarchical data structure. A data item that
does not have any subordinate items is called an elementary data item. A data item
that is composed of subordinated data items is called a group item. A record can be
either an elementary data item or a group of data items.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 23

 In this example, Customer-Record is a group item composed of two group items
(Customer-Name and Part-Order), each of which contains elementary data items.
You can refer to the entire group item or to parts of the group item as shown in
the MOVE statements in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Data Division.
File Section.
FD Customer-File
Record Contains 45 Characters.
01 Customer-Record.
05 Customer-Name.
10 Last-Name Pic x(17).
10 Filler Pic x.
10 Initials Pic xx.
05 Part-Order.
10 Part-Name Pic x(15).
10 Part-Color Pic x(10).
Working-Storage Section.
01 Orig-Customer-Name.
05 Surname Pic x(17).
05 Initials Pic x(3).
01 Inventory-Part-Name Pic x(15).
. . .
Procedure Division.
. . .
Move Customer-Name to Orig-Customer-Name
Move Part-Name to Inventory-Part-Name
. . .

Literals
A literal is a character string whose value is given by the characters themselves.
When you know the value you want to use for a data item, use a literal
representation of the data value in the PROCEDURE DIVISION. You do not need to
define it or refer to a data-name. For example, you can prepare an error message
for an output file this way:
Move “Name is not valid” To Customer-Name

You can compare a data item to a certain number this way:

01 Part-number Pic 9(5).
. . .
If Part-number = 03519 then display “Part number was found”

In these examples, “Name is not valid” is an alphanumeric literal, and 03519 is a

numeric literal.

Constants
A constant is a data item that has only one value. COBOL does not define a
construct specifically for constants. However, most COBOL programmers define a
data item with an initial VALUE (as opposed to initializing a data item by using the
INITIALIZE statement). For example:
Data Division.
. . .
01 Report-Header pic x(50) value “Company Sales Report”.
. . .
01 Interest pic 9v9999 value 1.0265.

24 Programming Guide
 Figurative constants
Certain commonly used constants and literals are provided as reserved words
called figurative constants: ZERO, SPACE, HIGH-VALUE, LOW-VALUE, QUOTE, NULL, and ALL.
Because they represent fixed values, figurative constants do not require a data
definition. For example:
Move Spaces To Report-Header

RELATED REFERENCES
Classes and categories of data (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
PICTURE clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Literals (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Figurative constants (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Assigning values to data items

After you have defined a data item, you can assign a value to it at any time.
Assignment takes many forms in COBOL, depending on what you want to do.
Table 3. Assignment to data items in a program
What you want to do How to do it
To assign values to a data item or large data area Use one of these ways:
v INITIALIZE statement
v MOVE statement
v STRING or UNSTRING statement
v VALUE clause (to set data items to the values you want
them to have when the program is in its initial state)
To assign the results of arithmetic Use the COMPUTE statement.
To replace characters or groups of characters in a data Use the INSPECT statement.
item
To receive values from a file Use the READ (or READ INTO) statement.
To receive values from a system input device or a file Use the ACCEPT statement.
To establish a constant Use the VALUE clause in the definition of the data item,
| and do not use the data item as a receiver in the
| program. Such an item gives the equivalent of a constant
| even though the compiler does not enforce read-only
| constants.
To place a value associated with a table element in an Use the SET statement.
index
To set the status of an external switch to ON or OFF
To move data to a condition-name to make the condition
true
To set a POINTER, PROCEDURE-POINTER, or
FUNCTION-POINTER data item to an address
To associate an OBJECT REFERENCE data item with an
object instance

“Examples: initializing data items” on page 26

RELATED TASKS
“Initializing a structure (INITIALIZE)” on page 27
“Assigning values to elementary or group data items (MOVE)” on page 27
“Joining data items (STRING)” on page 87
“Splitting data items (UNSTRING)” on page 89
Chapter 2. Using data 25
 “Assigning arithmetic results (MOVE or COMPUTE)” on page 28
“Tallying and replacing data items (INSPECT)” on page 95
“Assigning input from a screen or file (ACCEPT)” on page 29
Chapter 7, “Processing character data in an international environment,” on page
103

RELATED REFERENCES
Enterprise COBOL Language Reference

Examples: initializing data items

Initializing a data item to blanks or zeros:
INITIALIZE identifier-1

IDENTIFIER-1 PICTURE IDENTIFIER-1 before IDENTIFIER-1 after

9(5) 12345 00000
X(5) AB123 bbbbb1
99XX9 12AB3 bbbbb1
XXBX/XX ABbC/DE bbbb/bb1
**99.9CR 1234.5CR **00.0bb1
A(5) ABCDE bbbbb1
+99.99E+99 +12.34E+02 +00.00E+00

1. The symbol b represents a blank space.

Initializing a right-justified field:

01 ANJUST PIC X(8) JUSTIFIED RIGHT.
01 ALPHABETIC-1 PIC A(4) VALUE “ABCD”.
. . .
INITIALIZE ANJUST
REPLACING ALPHANUMERIC DATA BY ALPHABETIC-1

ALPHABETIC-1 ANJUST before ANJUST after

1
ABCD bbbbbbbb bbbbABCD1

1. The symbol b represents a blank space.

Initializing an alphanumeric data item:

01 ALPHANUMERIC-1 PIC X.
01 ALPHANUMERIC-3 PIC X(1) VALUE “A”.
. . .
INITIALIZE ALPHANUMERIC-1
REPLACING ALPHANUMERIC DATA BY ALPHANUMERIC-3

ALPHANUMERIC-3 ALPHANUMERIC-1 before ALPHANUMERIC-1 after

A y A

Initializing a numeric data item:

01 NUMERIC-1 PIC 9(8).
01 NUM-INT-CMPT-3 PIC 9(7) COMP VALUE 1234567.
. . .
INITIALIZE NUMERIC-1
REPLACING NUMERIC DATA BY NUM-INT-CMPT-3

26 Programming Guide
 NUM-INT-CMPT-3 NUMERIC-1 before NUMERIC-1 after
1234567 98765432 01234567

Initializing an edited alphanumeric data item:

01 ALPHANUM-EDIT-1 PIC XXBX/XXX.
01 ALPHANUM-EDIT-3 PIC X/BB VALUE “M/bbb”.
. . .
INITIALIZE ALPHANUM-EDIT-1
REPLACING ALPHANUMERIC-EDITED DATA BY ALPHANUM-EDIT-3

ALPHANUM-EDIT-3 ALPHANUM-EDIT-1 before ALPHANUM-EDIT-1 after

1 1
M/bb ABbC/DEF M/bb/bbb1

1. The symbol b represents a blank space.

RELATED TASKS
“Initializing a structure (INITIALIZE)”

Initializing a structure (INITIALIZE)

You can reset the values of all subordinate data items in a group item by applying
the INITIALIZE statement to the group item. However, it is inefficient to initialize
an entire group unless you really need all the items in the group initialized.

The following example shows how you can reset fields in a transaction record
produced by a program to spaces and zeros. The fields are not identical in each
record produced.
01 TRANSACTION-OUT.
05 TRANSACTION-CODE PIC X.
05 PART-NUMBER PIC 9(6).
05 TRANSACTION-QUANTITY PIC 9(5).
05 PRICE-FIELDS.
10 UNIT-PRICE PIC 9(5)V9(2).
10 DISCOUNT PIC V9(2).
10 SALES-PRICE PIC 9(5)V9(2).
. . .
INITIALIZE TRANSACTION-OUT

Record TRANSACTION-OUT before TRANSACTION-OUT after

1 R001383000240000000000000000 b0000000000000000000000000001
2 R001390000480000000000000000 b0000000000000000000000000001
3 S001410000120000000000000000 b0000000000000000000000000001
4 C001383000000000425000000000 b0000000000000000000000000001
5 C002010000000000000100000000 b0000000000000000000000000001

1. The symbol b represents a blank space.

Assigning values to elementary or group data items (MOVE)

Use the MOVE statement to assign values to elementary data items or group data
items.

For example, the following statement assigns the contents of the data item
Customer-Name to the data item Orig-Customer-Name:
Move Customer-Name to Orig-Customer-Name

Chapter 2. Using data 27

 If Customer-Name were longer than Orig-Customer-Name, truncation would occur on
the right. If it were shorter, the extra character positions on the right would be
filled with spaces.

When you move a group item to another group item, be sure that the subordinate
data descriptions are compatible. The compiler performs all MOVE statements
regardless of whether the items fit, even if a destructive overlap could occur at run
time.

For data items that contain numbers, moves can be more complicated because
there are several ways numbers are represented. In general, the algebraic values of
numbers are moved if possible (as opposed to the digit-by-digit move performed
with character data):
01 Item-x Pic 999v9.
. . .
Move 3.06 to Item-x

This move would result in Item-x containing the value 3.0, represented by 0030.

You can move an alphanumeric item or an integer item to a national data item; the
item is converted. You can move a national data item only to another national data
item. In either case padding or truncation might occur, and you must ensure that
truncation does not occur within a character.

The following example shows a data item in the Greek language that moves into a
national data item:
CBL CODEPAGE(00875)
. . .
01 Data-in-Unicode Pic N(100) usage national.
01 Data-in-Greek Pic X(100).
. . .
Read Greek-file into Data-in-Greek
Move Data-in-Greek to Data-in-Unicode

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED REFERENCES
MOVE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“CODEPAGE” on page 274
“Converting national data” on page 107

Assigning arithmetic results (MOVE or COMPUTE)

When assigning a number to a data item, consider using the COMPUTE statement
instead of the MOVE statement. For example, the following two statements
accomplish the same thing in most cases:
Move w to z
Compute z = w

The MOVE statement carries out the assignment with truncation. You can, however,
specify the DIAGTRUNC compiler option to request that the compiler issue a warning
diagnostic for MOVE statements that might truncate numeric receivers.

When significant left-order digits would be lost in execution, the COMPUTE statement
can detect the condition and allow you to handle it.

28 Programming Guide
 When you use the ON SIZE ERROR phrase of the COMPUTE statement, the compiler
generates code to detect a size-overflow condition. If the condition occurs, the code
in the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is performed, and the content of z remains
unchanged. If the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is not specified, the assignment is carried
out with truncation. There is no ON SIZE ERROR support for the MOVE statement.

You can also use the COMPUTE statement to assign the result of an arithmetic
expression (or intrinsic function) to a data item. For example:
Compute z = y + (x ** 3)
Compute x = Function Max(x y z)

Results of date, time, and mathematical calculations, as well as other operations,

can be assigned to data items using Language Environment callable services. These
Language Environment services are available through a standard COBOL CALL
statement, and the values they return are passed in the parameters in the CALL
statement. For example, you can call the Language Environment service CEESIABS
to find the absolute value of a data item by coding the statement:
Call ’CEESIABS’ Using Arg, Feedback-code, Result.

As a result of this call, the data item Result is assigned to be the absolute value of
the value that is in the data item Arg; the data item Feedback-code contains the
return code indicating whether the service completed successfully. You have to
define all the data items in the DATA DIVISION using the correct descriptions
according to the requirements of the particular callable service you are using. For
the example above, the data items could be defined like this:
77 Arg Pic s9(9) Binary.
77 Feedback-code Pic x(12) Display.
77 Result Pic s9(9) Binary.

RELATED REFERENCES
“DIAGTRUNC” on page 280
Intrinsic functions (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Callable services (Language Environment Programming Reference)

Assigning input from a screen or file (ACCEPT)

One way to assign a value to a data item is to read the value from a screen or a
file. To enter data from the screen, first associate the monitor with a
mnemonic-name in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. Then use ACCEPT to assign the
line of input entered at the screen to a data item.

For example:
Environment Division.
Configuration Section.
Special-Names.
Console is Names-Input.
. . .
Accept Customer-Name From Names-Input

To read from a file instead of the screen, make the following change:
v Change Console to device, where device is any valid system device (for example,
SYSIN). For example:
SYSIN is Names-Input
Note that device can be a ddname that references a hierarchical file system (HFS)
path. If this DD is not defined and your program is running in a UNIX

Chapter 2. Using data 29

 environment, stdin is the input source. If this DD is not defined and your
program is not running in a UNIX environment, the ACCEPT statement fails.

When you assign a value to a national data item, input data from the console is
converted from EBCDIC to Unicode representation (UTF-16), based on the value of
the CODEPAGE option. This is the only situation where conversion of national data is
done when you use the ACCEPT statement, because the input is known to be
coming from a screen.

If you want conversion done when the input data is from any other device, use the
NATIONAL-OF intrinsic function.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED TASKS

RELATED REFERENCES
“CODEPAGE” on page 274
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY)

You can display the value of a data item on a screen or write it to a file by using
the DISPLAY statement. For example:
Display “No entry for surname ’” Customer-Name
“’ found in the file.”.

If the content of the data item Customer-Name is JOHNSON, then the statement
above displays the following message on the system logical output device:
No entry for surname ’JOHNSON’ found in the file.

To write data to a destination other than the system logical output device, use the
UPON clause with a destination other than SYSOUT. For example, the following
statement writes to the file specified in the SYSPUNCH DD statement:
Display “Hello” upon syspunch.

You can specify a file in the hierarchical file system (HFS) with this ddname. For
example, with the following definition, your DISPLAY output is written to the HFS
file /u/userid/cobol/demo.lst:
//SYSPUNCH DD PATH=’/u/userid/cobol/demo.lst’,
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC),PATHMODE=SIRWXU,
// FILEDATA=TEXT

The following statement writes to the job log or console and to the TSO screen if
you are running under TSO:
Display “Hello” upon console.

When you display the value of a national data item to the console, it is converted
from Unicode representation (UTF-16) to EBCDIC, based on the value of the
CODEPAGE option. This is the only situation where conversion of national data is
done when you use the DISPLAY statement, because the output is known to be
directed to a screen.

If you want a national data item to be converted when you direct output to a
different device, use the DISPLAY-OF intrinsic function, such as in this example:
30 Programming Guide
 01 Data-in-Unicode pic N(10) usage national.
. . .
Display function Display-of(Data-in-Unicode, 00037)

Displaying data on the system logical output device

To write data to the system logical output device, either omit the UPON clause or
use the UPON clause with destination SYSOUT. For example:
Display “Hello” upon sysout.

The output is directed to the ddname that you specify in the OUTDD compiler
option. You can specify a file in the hierarchical file system (HFS) with this
ddname.

If the OUTDD ddname is not allocated and you are not running in a UNIX
environment, a default DD of SYSOUT=* is allocated.

If the OUTDD ddname is not allocated and you are running in a UNIX environment,
the _IGZ_SYSOUT environment variable is used as follows:
Undefined or set to stdout
Output is routed to stdout (file descriptor 1).
Set to stderr
Output is routed to stderr (file descriptor 2).
Otherwise (set to something other than stdout or stderr)
The DISPLAY statement fails; a severity-3 Language Environment condition
is raised.

When DISPLAY output is routed to stdout or stderr, the output is not subdivided
into records; rather the output is written as a single stream of characters without
line breaks.

If OUTDD and the Language Environment run-time option MSGFILE both specify the
same ddname, DISPLAY output and Language Environment run-time diagnostics
are both routed to the Language Environment message file.

Using WITH NO ADVANCING

If you specify the WITH NO ADVANCING phrase and the output is going to a ddname,
the printer control character + (plus) is placed into the first output position from
the next DISPLAY statement. + is the ANSI-defined printer control character that
suppresses line spacing before a record is printed.

If you specify the WITH NO ADVANCING phrase and the output is going to stdout or
stderr, a new-line character is not appended to the end of the stream. A subsequent
DISPLAY statement might add additional characters to the end of the stream.

If you do not specify WITH NO ADVANCING and the output is going to a ddname, the
printer control character ’ ’ (space) is placed into the first output position from the
next DISPLAY statement, indicating single-spaced output.

For example:
DISPLAY “ABC”
DISPLAY “CDEF” WITH NO ADVANCING
DISPLAY “GHIJK” WITH NO ADVANCING
DISPLAY “LMNOPQ”
DISPLAY “RSTUVWX”

Chapter 2. Using data 31

 If you use the statements above, the result sent to the output device is:
ABC
CDEF
+GHIJK
+LMNOPQ
RSTUVMX

The output printed depends on how the output device interprets printer control
characters.

If you do not specify the WITH NO ADVANCING phrase and the output is going to
stdout or stderr, a new-line character is appended to the end of the stream.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED TASKS
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
“Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS” on page 359
“Converting national data” on page 107

RELATED REFERENCES
DISPLAY statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“OUTDD” on page 296
“CODEPAGE” on page 274

Using intrinsic functions (built-in functions)

Some high-level programming languages have built-in functions that you can
reference in your program as if they were variables that have defined attributes
and a predetermined value. In COBOL, these functions are called intrinsic functions.
They provide capabilities for manipulating strings and numbers.

Because the value of an intrinsic function is derived automatically at the time of

reference, you do not need to define functions in the DATA DIVISION. Define only
the nonliteral data items that you use as arguments. Figurative constants are not
allowed as arguments.

A function-identifier is the combination of the COBOL reserved word FUNCTION

followed by a function name (such as Max), followed by any arguments to be used
in the evaluation of the function (such as x, y, z).

The groups of highlighted words in the following examples are referred to as

function-identifiers.
Unstring Function Upper-case(Name) Delimited By Space Into Fname Lname
Compute A = 1 + Function Log10(x)
Compute M = Function Max(x y z)

A function-identifier represents both the invocation of the function and the data
value returned by the function. Because it actually represents a data item, you can
use a function-identifier in most places in the PROCEDURE DIVISION where a data
item having the attributes of the returned value can be used.

The COBOL word function is a reserved word, but the function-names are not
reserved. You can use them in other contexts, such as for the name of a data item.
For example, you could use Sqrt to invoke an intrinsic function and to name a
data item in your program:
32 Programming Guide
 Working-Storage Section.
01 x Pic 99 value 2.
01 y Pic 99 value 4.
01 z Pic 99 value 0.
01 Sqrt Pic 99 value 0.
. . .
Compute Sqrt = 16 ** .5
Compute z = x + Function Sqrt(y)
. . .

Types of intrinsic functions

A function-identifier represents a value that is of one of these types: alphanumeric,
national, numeric, or integer. You can include a substring specification (reference
modifier) in a function-identifier for alphanumeric or national functions. Numeric
intrinsic functions are further classified according to the type of numbers they
return.

The functions MAX, MIN, DATEVAL, and UNDATE can return either type of value
depending on the type of arguments you supply.

The functions DATEVAL, UNDATE, and YEARWINDOW are provided with the millennium
language extensions to assist with manipulating and converting windowed date
fields.

Nesting functions
Functions can reference other functions as arguments as long as the results of the
nested functions meet the requirements for the arguments of the outer function.
For example:
Compute x = Function Max((Function Sqrt(5)) 2.5 3.5)

In this case, Function Sqrt(5) returns a numeric value. Thus, the three arguments
to the MAX function are all numeric, which is an allowable argument type for this
function.

RELATED TASKS
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73
“Converting data items (intrinsic functions)” on page 97
“Evaluating data items (intrinsic functions)” on page 99

Using tables (arrays) and pointers

In COBOL, arrays are called tables. A table is a set of logically consecutive data
items that you define in the DATA DIVISION by using the OCCURS clause.

Pointers are data items that contain virtual storage addresses. You define them
explicitly with the USAGE IS POINTER clause in the DATA DIVISION or implicitly as
ADDRESS OF special registers.

You can perform the following operations on pointer data items:

v Pass them between programs by using the CALL . . . BY REFERENCE statement
v Move them to other pointers by using the SET statement
v Compare them to other pointers for equality by using a relation condition
v Initialize them to contain an address that is not valid by using VALUE IS NULL

Use pointer data items to:

Chapter 2. Using data 33

 v Accomplish limited base addressing, particularly if you want to pass and receive
addresses of a record area that is defined with OCCURS DEPENDING ON and is
therefore variably located.
v Handle a chained list.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a table (OCCURS)” on page 59
“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407

Storage and its addressability

When you run your COBOL programs, the programs and the data that they use
reside in virtual storage. Storage that you use with COBOL can be either below the
16-MB line or above the 16-MB line but below the 2-GB bar. Two modes of
addressing are available to address this storage: 24-bit and 31-bit.

You can address storage below (but not above) the 16-MB line with 24-bit
addressing. You can address storage either above or below the 16-MB line with
31-bit addressing. Unrestricted storage is addressable by 31-bit addressing and
therefore encompasses all the storage available to your program, both above and
below the 16-MB line.

Enterprise COBOL does not directly exploit the 64-bit virtual addressing capability
of z/OS, however COBOL applications running in 31-bit or 24-bit addressing mode
are fully supported on 64-bit z/OS systems.

Addressing mode (AMODE) is the attribute that tells which hardware addressing mode
is supported by your program: 24-bit addressing, 31-bit addressing, or either 24-bit
or 31-bit addressing. This attribute is AMODE 24, AMODE 31, or AMODE ANY,
respectively. The object program, the load module, and the executing program each
has an AMODE attribute. All Enterprise COBOL object programs are AMODE ANY.

Residency mode (RMODE) is the attribute of a program load module that identifies
where in virtual storage the program will reside: below the 16-MB line, or either
below or above. This attribute is RMODE 24 or RMODE ANY.

Enterprise COBOL uses Language Environment services to control the storage used
at run time. Thus COBOL compiler options and Language Environment run-time
options influence the AMODE and RMODE attributes of your program and data, alone
and in combination:
DATA Compiler option that influences the location of storage for WORKING-STORAGE
| data, I-O buffers, and parameter lists for programs compiled with RENT.
| RMODE Compiler option that influences the residency mode and also influences the
| location of storage for WORKING-STORAGE data, I-O buffers, and parameter
| lists for programs compiled with NORENT.
RENT Compiler option to generate a reentrant program.
HEAP Run-time option that controls storage for the run-time heap. For example,
COBOL WORKING-STORAGE is allocated from heap storage.
STACK Run-time option that controls storage for the run-time stack. For example,
COBOL LOCAL-STORAGE is allocated from stack storage.
ALL31 Run-time option that specifies whether an application can run entirely in
AMODE 31.

34 Programming Guide
 Settings for RMODE
The RMODE and RENT options determine the RMODE attribute of your program:
Table 4. Effect of RMODE and RENT compiler options on the RMODE attribute
RMODE compiler option RENT compiler option RMODE attribute
RMODE(AUTO) NORENT RMODE 24
RMODE(AUTO) RENT RMODE ANY
RMODE(24) RENT or NORENT RMODE 24
RMODE(ANY) RENT or NORENT RMODE ANY

Storage restrictions for passing data

Do not pass parameters that are allocated in storage above the 16-MB line to AMODE
24 subprograms. Force the WORKING-STORAGE data and parameter lists below the line
for programs that run in 31-bit addressing mode and pass data to programs that
run in AMODE 24:
v Compile reentrant programs (RENT) with DATA(24).
v Compile nonreentrant programs (NORENT) with RMODE(24) or RMODE(AUTO).
v Nonreentrant programs (NORENT) compiled with RMODE(ANY) must be link-edited
with RMODE 24. The data areas for NORENT programs are above the 16-MB line or
below the 16-MB line depending on where the program is loaded, even if the
program was compiled with DATA(24). The DATA option does not affect programs
compiled with NORENT.

Location of data areas

For reentrant programs, the DATA compiler option and the HEAP run-time option
control whether storage for data areas such as WORKING-STORAGE SECTION and FD
record areas is obtained from below the 16-MB line or from unrestricted storage.
Compile programs with RENT or RMODE(ANY) if they will be run with 31-bit
addressing in virtual storage addresses above the 16-MB line. The DATA option does
not affect programs compiled with NORENT.

When you specify the run-time option HEAP(,,BELOW), the DATA compiler option has
| no effect; the storage for WORKING-STORAGE SECTION data areas is allocated from
below the 16-MB line. However, with HEAP(,,ANYWHERE) as the run-time option,
storage for data areas is allocated from below the 16-MB line if you compiled the
program with the DATA(24) compiler option, or from unrestricted storage if you
compiled with the DATA(31) compiler option.

Storage for LOCAL-STORAGE data

The location of LOCAL-STORAGE data items is controlled by the STACK run-time
option and the AMODE of the program. LOCAL-STORAGE data items are acquired in
unrestricted storage when the STACK(,,ANYWHERE) run-time option is in effect and
the program is running in AMODE 31. Otherwise LOCAL-STORAGE is acquired below
the 16-MB line. The DATA compiler option does not influence the location of
LOCAL-STORAGE data.

Storage for external data

In addition to affecting how storage is obtained for dynamic data areas
(WORKING-STORAGE, FD record areas, and parameter lists), the DATA compiler option

Chapter 2. Using data 35

 can also influence where storage for EXTERNAL data is obtained. Storage required for
EXTERNAL data is obtained from unrestricted storage if the following conditions are
met:
v The program is compiled with the DATA(31) and RENT compiler options or the
RMODE(ANY) and NORENT compiler options.
v The HEAP(,,ANYWHERE) run-time option is in effect.
v The ALL31(ON) run-time option is in effect.

In all other cases, the storage for EXTERNAL data is obtained from below the 16-MB
line. When you specify the ALL31(ON) run-time option, all the programs in the run
unit must be capable of running in 31-bit addressing mode.

Storage for QSAM input-output buffers

The DATA compiler option can also influence where input-output buffers for QSAM
files are obtained. See the related references below for information about allocation
of buffers for QSAM files and the DATA compiler option.

RELATED CONCEPTS
AMODE considerations for heap storage (Language Environment Programming Guide)
“AMODE switching” on page 399

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 24, “Using subprograms,” on page 393
Chapter 25, “Sharing data,” on page 411

RELATED REFERENCES
“Allocation of buffers for QSAM files” on page 140
“DATA” on page 277
“RENT” on page 299
“RMODE” on page 300
“Performance-related compiler options” on page 589
HEAP (Language Environment Programming Reference)
STACK (Language Environment Programming Reference)
ALL31 (Language Environment Programming Reference)
z/OS DFSMS: Program Management

36 Programming Guide
Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic
In general, you can view COBOL numeric data as a series of decimal digit
positions. However, numeric items can also have special properties such as an
arithmetic sign or a currency sign.

This section describes how to define, display, and store numeric data so that you
can perform arithmetic operations efficiently:
v Use the PICTURE clause and the characters 9, +, -, P, S, and V to define numeric
data.
v Use the PICTURE clause and editing characters (such as Z, comma, and period)
along with MOVE and DISPLAY statements to display numeric data.
v Use the USAGE clause with various formats to control how numeric data is stored.
v Use the numeric class test to validate that data values are appropriate.
v Use ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, and COMPUTE statements to perform
arithmetic.
v Use the CURRENCY SIGN clause and appropriate PICTURE characters to designate
the currency you want.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining numeric data”
“Displaying numeric data” on page 38
“Controlling how numeric data is stored” on page 39
“Checking for incompatible data (numeric class test)” on page 46
“Performing arithmetic” on page 47
“Using currency signs” on page 55

Defining numeric data

Define numeric items by using the PICTURE clause with the character 9 in the data
description to represent the decimal digits of the number. Do not use an X, which
is for alphanumeric items:
05 Count-y Pic 9(4) Value 25.
05 Customer-name Pic X(20) Value “Johnson”.

You can code up to 18 digits in the PICTURE clause when you compile using the
default compiler option ARITH(COMPAT) (referred to as compatibility mode). When
you compile using ARITH(EXTEND) (referred to as extended mode), you can code up
to 31 digits in the PICTURE clause.

Other characters of special significance that you can code are:

P Indicates leading or trailing zeroes
S Indicates a sign, positive or negative
V Implies a decimal point

The s in the following example means that the value is signed:

05 Price Pic s99v99.

The field can therefore hold a positive or a negative value. The v indicates the
position of an implied decimal point, but does not contribute to the size of the
© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 37
 item because it does not require a storage position. An s usually does not
contribute to the size of a numeric item, because by default it does not require a
storage position.

However, if you plan to port your program or data to a different machine, you
might want to code the sign as a separate position in storage. In this case, the sign
takes 1 byte:
05 Price Pic s99V99 Sign Is Leading, Separate.

This coding ensures that the convention your machine uses for storing a
nonseparate sign will not cause unexpected results on a machine that uses a
different convention.

Separate signs are also preferable for data items that will be printed or displayed.

You cannot use the PICTURE clause with internal floating-point data (COMP-1 or
COMP-2). However, you can use the VALUE clause to provide an initial value for a
floating-point literal:
05 Compute-result Usage Comp-2 Value 06.23E-24.

“Examples: numeric data and internal representation” on page 42

RELATED CONCEPTS
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

RELATED TASKS
“Displaying numeric data”
“Controlling how numeric data is stored” on page 39
“Performing arithmetic” on page 47

RELATED REFERENCES
“Sign representation and processing” on page 45
“ARITH” on page 271
“NUMPROC” on page 293

Displaying numeric data

You can define numeric items with certain editing symbols (such as decimal points,
commas, dollar signs, and debit or credit signs) to make the data easier to read
and understand when you display it or print it. For example, in the code below,
Edited-price is a numeric-edited item:
05 Price Pic 9(5)v99.
05 Edited-price Pic $zz,zz9.99.
. . .
Move Price To Edited-price
Display Edited-price

If the contents of Price are 0150099 (representing the value 1,500.99), then
$ 1,500.99 is displayed when you run the code. The z in the PICTURE clause of
Edited-price indicates the suppression of leading zeros.

You cannot use numeric-edited items as operands in arithmetic expressions or in

ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, or COMPUTE statements. You use numeric-edited
items primarily for displaying or printing numeric data. (You can specify the
clause USAGE IS DISPLAY for numeric-edited items; however, it is implied. It means
that the items are stored in character format.)

38 Programming Guide
 You can move numeric-edited items to numeric or numeric-edited items. In the
following example, the value of the numeric-edited item is moved to the numeric
item:
Move Edited-price to Price
Display Price

If these two statements immediately followed the statements in the previous

example, then Price would be displayed as 0150099, representing the value
1,500.99.

“Examples: numeric data and internal representation” on page 42

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling how numeric data is stored”
“Defining numeric data” on page 37
“Performing arithmetic” on page 47

RELATED REFERENCES
MOVE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Controlling how numeric data is stored

You can control how the computer stores numeric data items by coding the USAGE
clause in your data description entries. You might want to control the format for
any of several reasons such as these:
v Arithmetic on computational data types is more efficient than on USAGE DISPLAY
data types.
v Packed-decimal format requires less storage per digit than USAGE DISPLAY data
types.
v Packed-decimal format converts to and from DISPLAY format more efficiently
than binary format does.
v Floating-point format is well suited for arithmetic operands and results with
widely varying scale, while maintaining the maximal number of significant
digits.
v You might need to preserve data formats when you move data from one
machine to another.

The numeric data you use in your program will have one of the following formats
available with COBOL:
v External decimal (USAGE DISPLAY)
v External floating point (USAGE DISPLAY)
v Internal decimal (USAGE PACKED-DECIMAL)
v Binary (USAGE BINARY)
v Native binary (USAGE COMP-5)
v Internal floating point (USAGE COMP-1, USAGE COMP-2)

COMP and COMP-4 are synonymous with BINARY, and COMP-3 is synonymous with
PACKED-DECIMAL.

The compiler converts displayable numbers to the internal representation of their

numeric values before using them in arithmetic operations. Therefore it is often
more efficient if you define data items as BINARY or PACKED-DECIMAL rather than as
DISPLAY. For example:

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 39

 05 Initial-count Pic S9(4) Usage Binary Value 1000.

Regardless of which USAGE clause you use to control the internal representation of a
value, you use the same PICTURE clause conventions and decimal value in the
VALUE clause (except for floating-point data, for which you cannot use a PICTURE
clause).

“Examples: numeric data and internal representation” on page 42

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data”
“Data format conversions” on page 43
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

RELATED TASKS
“Defining numeric data” on page 37
“Displaying numeric data” on page 38
“Performing arithmetic” on page 47

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conversions and precision” on page 44
“Sign representation and processing” on page 45

Formats for numeric data

The following are the available formats for numeric data.

External decimal (DISPLAY) items

When USAGE DISPLAY is in effect for a data item (either because you have coded it,
or by default), each position (byte) of storage contains one decimal digit. This
means the items are stored in displayable form.

External decimal (also known as zoned decimal) items are primarily intended for
receiving and sending numbers between your program and files, terminals, or
printers. You can also use external decimal items as operands and receivers in
arithmetic processing. However, if your program performs a lot of intensive
arithmetic and efficiency is a high priority, COBOL’s computational numeric types
might be a better choice for the data items used in the arithmetic.

External floating-point (DISPLAY) items

Displayable numbers coded in a floating-point format are called external
floating-point items. As with external decimal items, you define external
floating-point items explicitly by coding USAGE DISPLAY or implicitly by omitting
the USAGE clause. You cannot use the VALUE clause for external floating-point items.

In the following example, Compute-Result is implicitly defined as an external

floating-point item. Each byte of storage contains one of the characters (except for
the v).
05 Compute-Result Pic -9v9(9)E-99.

The minus signs (-) do not mean that the mantissa and exponent must necessarily
be negative numbers. Instead, they mean that when the number is displayed, the
sign appears as a blank for positive numbers or a minus sign for negative
numbers. If you instead code a plus sign (+), the sign appears as a plus sign for
positive numbers or a minus sign for negative numbers.

40 Programming Guide
 As with external decimal numbers, external floating-point numbers have to be
converted (by the compiler) to an internal representation of their numeric value
before they can be used in arithmetic operations. If you compile with the default
option ARITH (COMPAT), external floating-point numbers are converted to long
(64-bit) floating-point format. If you compile with ARITH (EXTEND), they are instead
converted to extended-precision (128-bit) floating-point format.

Binary (COMP) items

BINARY, COMP, and COMP-4 are synonyms. Binary-format numbers occupy 2, 4, or 8
bytes of storage. If the PICTURE clause specifies that an item is signed, the leftmost
bit is used as the operational sign.

A binary number with a PICTURE description of four or fewer decimal digits

occupies 2 bytes; five to nine decimal digits, 4 bytes; and 10 to 18 decimal digits, 8
bytes. Binary items with nine or more digits require more handling by the
compiler. Testing them for the SIZE ERROR condition and rounding is more
cumbersome than with other types.

You can use binary items, for example, for indexes, subscripts, switches, and
arithmetic operands or results.

Use the TRUNC(STD|OPT|BIN) compiler option to indicate how binary data (BINARY,
COMP, or COMP-4) is to be truncated.

Native binary (COMP-5) items

Data items that you declare as USAGE COMP-5 are represented in storage as binary
data. However, unlike USAGE COMP items, they can contain values of magnitude up
to the capacity of the native binary representation (2, 4, or 8 bytes) rather than
being limited to the value implied by the number of 9s in the PICTURE clause.

When you move or store numeric data into a COMP-5 item, truncation occurs at the
binary field size rather than at the COBOL PICTURE size limit. When you reference
a COMP-5 item, the full binary field size is used in the operation.

COMP-5 is thus particularly useful for binary data items originating in non-COBOL
programs where the data might not conform to a COBOL PICTURE clause.

The table below shows the ranges of values possible for COMP-5 data items.
Table 5. Ranges in value of COMP-5 data items
PICTURE Storage representation Numeric values
S9(1) through S9(4) Binary halfword (2 bytes) -32768 through +32767
S9(5) through S9(9) Binary fullword (4 bytes) -2,147,483,648 through +2,147,483,647
S9(10) through Binary doubleword (8 -9,223,372,036,854,775,808 through
S9(18) bytes) +9,223,372,036,854,775,807
9(1) through 9(4) Binary halfword (2 bytes) 0 through 65535
9(5) through 9(9) Binary fullword (4 bytes) 0 through 4,294,967,295
9(10) through 9(18) Binary doubleword (8 0 through 18,446,744,073,709,551,615
bytes)

You can specify scaling (that is, decimal positions or implied integer positions) in
the PICTURE clause of COMP-5 items. If you do so, you must appropriately scale the

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 41

 maximal capacities listed above. For example, a data item you describe as PICTURE
S99V99 COMP-5 is represented in storage as a binary halfword, and supports a range
of values from -327.68 through +327.67.

Large literals in VALUE clauses: Literals specified in VALUE clauses for COMP-5 items
can, with a few exceptions, contain values of magnitude up to the capacity of the
native binary representation. See Enterprise COBOL Language Reference for the
exceptions.

Regardless of the setting of the TRUNC compiler option, COMP-5 data items behave
like binary data does in programs compiled with TRUNC(BIN).

Packed-decimal (COMP-3) items

PACKED-DECIMAL and COMP-3 are synonyms. Packed-decimal items occupy 1 byte of
storage for every two decimal digits you code in the PICTURE description, except
that the rightmost byte contains only one digit and the sign. This format is most
efficient when you code an odd number of digits in the PICTURE description, so
that the leftmost byte is fully used. Packed-decimal items are handled as
fixed-point numbers for arithmetic purposes.

Floating-point (COMP-1 and COMP-2) items

COMP-1 refers to short floating-point format and COMP-2 refers to long floating-point
format, which occupy 4 and 8 bytes of storage, respectively. The leftmost bit
contains the sign and the next 7 bits contain the exponent; the remaining 3 or 7
bytes contain the mantissa.

COMP-1 and COMP-2 data items are stored in zSeries hexadecimal format.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

RELATED REFERENCES
VALUE clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“TRUNC” on page 310

Examples: numeric data and internal representation

The following table shows the internal representation of numeric items.
Table 6. Internal representation of numeric items
PICTURE and USAGE and
Numeric type optional SIGN clause Value Internal representation
External PIC S9999 DISPLAY + 1234 F1 F2 F3 C4
decimal - 1234 F1 F2 F3 D4
1234 F1 F2 F3 C4
PIC 9999 DISPLAY 1234 F1 F2 F3 F4
PIC S9999 DISPLAY + 1234 C1 F2 F3 F4
SIGN LEADING - 1234 D1 F2 F3 F4
PIC S9999 DISPLAY + 1234 4E F1 F2 F3 F4
SIGN LEADING SEPARATE - 1234 60 F1 F2 F3 F4
PIC S9999 DISPLAY + 1234 F1 F2 F3 F4 4E
SIGN TRAILING SEPARATE - 1234 F1 F2 F3 F4 60

42 Programming Guide
Table 6. Internal representation of numeric items (continued)
PICTURE and USAGE and
Numeric type optional SIGN clause Value Internal representation
Binary PIC S9999 BINARY + 1234 04 D2
COMP - 1234 FB 2E
COMP-4
COMP-5 + 123451 30 39
- 123451 CF C7
PIC 9999 BINARY 1234 04 D2
COMP
COMP-4
COMP-5 600001 EA 60
Internal PIC S9999 PACKED-DECIMAL + 1234 01 23 4C
decimal COMP-3 - 1234 01 23 4D
PIC 9999 PACKED-DECIMAL + 1234 01 23 4F
COMP-3 - 1234 01 23 4F
Internal COMP-1 + 1234 43 4D 20 00
floating
point
Internal COMP-2 + 1234 43 4D 20 00 00 00 00 00
floating - 1234 C3 4D 20 00 00 00 00 00
point
External PIC +9(2).9(2)E+99 DISPLAY + 1234 4E F1 F2 4B F3
floating F4 C5 4E F0 F2
point
- 1234 60 F1 F2 4B F3
F4 C5 4E F0 F2

1. The example demonstrates that COMP-5 data items can contain values of magnitude up to the capacity of the
native binary representation (2, 4, or 8 bytes), rather than being limited to the value implied by the number of 9s
in the PICTURE clause.

Data format conversions

When the code in your program involves the interaction of items with different
data formats, the compiler converts these items as follows:
v Temporarily, for comparisons and arithmetic operations
v Permanently, for assignment to the receiver in a MOVE or COMPUTE statement

A conversion is actually a move of a value from one data item to another. The
compiler performs any conversions that are required during the execution of
arithmetic or comparisons with the same rules that are used for MOVE and COMPUTE
statements.

When possible, the compiler performs a move to preserve numeric value as

opposed to a direct digit-for-digit move.

Conversion generally requires additional storage and processing time because data
is moved to an internal work area and converted before the operation is
performed. The results might also have to be moved back into a work area and
converted again.

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 43

 Conversions between fixed-point data formats (external decimal, packed decimal,
or binary) are without loss of precision as long as the target field can contain all
the digits of the source operand.

A loss of precision is possible in conversions between fixed-point data formats and

floating-point data formats (short floating point, long floating point, or external
floating point). These conversions happen during arithmetic evaluations that have
a mixture of both fixed-point and floating-point operands.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conversions and precision”
“Sign representation and processing” on page 45

Conversions and precision

Because both fixed-point and external floating-point items have decimal
characteristics, references to fixed-point items in the following examples include
external floating-point items also unless stated otherwise.

When the compiler converts from fixed-point to internal floating-point format,

fixed-point numbers in base 10 are converted to the numbering system used
internally.

When the compiler converts short form to long form for comparisons, zeros are
used for padding the shorter number.

When a USAGE COMP-1 data item is moved to a fixed-point data item with more
than nine digits, the fixed-point data item will receive only nine significant digits,
and the remaining digits will be zero.

When a USAGE COMP-2 data item is moved to a fixed-point data item with more
than 18 digits, the fixed-point data item will receive only 18 significant digits, and
the remaining digits will be zero.

Conversions that preserve precision

If a fixed-point data item with six or fewer digits is moved to a USAGE COMP-1 data
item and then returned to the fixed-point data item, the original value is recovered.

If a USAGE COMP-1 data item is moved to a fixed-point data item of nine or more
digits and then returned to the USAGE COMP-1 data item, the original value is
recovered.

If a fixed-point data item with 15 or fewer digits is moved to a USAGE COMP-2 data
item and then returned to the fixed-point data item, the original value is recovered.

If a USAGE COMP-2 data item is moved to a fixed-point (not external floating-point)

data item of 18 or more digits and then returned to the USAGE COMP-2 data item,
the original value is recovered.

Conversions that result in rounding

If a USAGE COMP-1 data item, a USAGE COMP-2 data item, an external floating-point
data item, or a floating-point literal is moved to a fixed-point data item, rounding
occurs in the low-order position of the target data item.

If a USAGE COMP-2 data item is moved to a USAGE COMP-1 data item, rounding occurs
in the low-order position of the target data item.

44 Programming Guide
 If a fixed-point data item is moved to an external floating-point data item and the
PICTURE of the fixed-point data item contains more digit positions than the PICTURE
of the external floating-point data item, rounding occurs in the low-order position
of the target data item.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

Sign representation and processing

Sign representation affects the processing and interaction of your numeric data.

Given X’sd’, where s is the sign representation and d represents the digit, the valid
sign representations for external decimal (USAGE DISPLAY without the SIGN IS
SEPARATE clause) are:
Positive:
C, A, E, and F
Negative:
D and B

The COBOL NUMPROC compiler option affects sign processing for external decimal
and internal decimal data. NUMPROC has no effect on binary data or floating-point
data.

NUMPROC(PFD)
Given X’sd’, where s is the sign representation and d represents the digit, when you
use NUMPROC(PFD), the compiler assumes that the sign in your data is one of three
preferred signs:
Signed positive or 0:
X’C’
Signed negative:
X’D’
Unsigned or alphanumeric:
X’F’

Based on this assumption, the compiler uses whatever sign it is given to process
data. The preferred sign is generated only where necessary (for example, when
unsigned data is moved to signed data). Using the NUMPROC(PFD) option can save
processing time, but you must use preferred signs with your data for correct
processing.

NUMPROC(NOPFD)
When the NUMPROC(NOPFD) compiler option is in effect, the compiler accepts any
valid sign configuration. The preferred sign is always generated in the receiver.
NUMPROC(NOPFD) is less efficient than NUMPROC(PFD), but you should use it whenever
data that does not use preferred signs might exist.

If an unsigned, external-decimal sender is moved to an alphanumeric receiver, the

sign is unchanged (even with NUMPROC(NOPFD)).

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 45

 NUMPROC(MIG)
When NUMPROC(MIG) is in effect, the compiler generates code that is similar to that
produced by OS/VS COBOL. This option can be especially useful if you migrate
OS/VS COBOL programs to IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS.

RELATED REFERENCES
“NUMPROC” on page 293

Checking for incompatible data (numeric class test)

The compiler assumes that the values you supply for a data item are valid for the
item’s PICTURE and USAGE clauses, and assigns the values without checking for
validity. When you give an item a value that is incompatible with its data
description, references to that item in the PROCEDURE DIVISION are undefined and
your results will be unpredictable.

It can happen that values are passed into your program and assigned to items that
have incompatible data descriptions for those values. For example, nonnumeric
data might be moved or passed into a field that is defined as numeric. Or a signed
number might be passed into a field that is defined as unsigned. In both cases, the
receiving fields contain invalid data. Ensure that the contents of a data item
conform to its PICTURE and USAGE clauses before using the data item in any further
processing steps.

You can use the numeric class test to perform data validation. For example:
Linkage Section.
01 Count-x Pic 999.
. . .
Procedure Division Using Count-x.
If Count-x is numeric then display “Data is good”

The numeric class test checks the contents of a data item against a set of values
that are valid for the particular PICTURE and USAGE of the data item. For example, a
packed-decimal item is checked for hexadecimal values X’0’ through X’9’ in the
digit positions, and for a valid sign value in the sign position (whether separate or
nonseparate).

For external decimal, external floating-point, and packed-decimal items, the

numeric class test is affected by the NUMPROC compiler option and the NUMCLS option
(which is set at installation time). To determine the NUMCLS setting used at your
installation, consult your system programmer.

If NUMCLS(PRIM) is in effect at your installation, use the following table to find the
values that the compiler considers valid for the sign.
Table 7. NUMCLS(PRIM) and valid signs
NUMPROC(NOPFD) NUMPROC(PFD) NUMPROC(MIG)
Signed C, D, F C, D, +0 (positive C, D, F
zero)
Unsigned F F F
Separate sign +, - +, -, +0 (positive +, -
zero)

46 Programming Guide
 If NUMCLS(ALT) is in effect at your installation, use the following table to find the
values that the compiler considers valid for the sign.
Table 8. NUMCLS(ALT) and valid signs
NUMPROC(NOPFD) NUMPROC(PFD) NUMPROC(MIG)
Signed A to F C, D, +0 (positive A to F
zero)
Unsigned F F F
Separate sign +, - +, -, +0 (positive +, -
zero)

RELATED REFERENCES
“NUMPROC” on page 293

Performing arithmetic
You can use any of several COBOL language features to perform arithmetic:
v “COMPUTE and other arithmetic statements”
v “Arithmetic expressions” on page 48
v “Numeric intrinsic functions” on page 48
v “Math and date Language Environment services” on page 49

COMPUTE and other arithmetic statements

Use the COMPUTE statement for most arithmetic evaluations rather than ADD,
SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, and DIVIDE statements. Often you can code one COMPUTE
statement instead of several individual statements.

The COMPUTE statement assigns the result of an arithmetic expression to one or

more data items:
Compute z = a + b / c ** d - e
Compute x y z = a + b / c ** d - e

Some arithmetic might be more intuitive using arithmetic statements other than
COMPUTE. For example:

COMPUTE Equivalent arithmetic statements

Compute Increment = Add 1 to Increment

Increment + 1

Compute Balance = Subtract Overdraft

Balance - Overdraft from Balance

Compute IncrementOne = Add 1 to IncrementOne,

IncrementOne + 1 IncrementTwo,
Compute IncrementTwo = IncrementThree
IncrementTwo + 1
Compute IncrementThree =
IncrementThree + 1

You might also prefer to use the DIVIDE statement (with its REMAINDER phrase) for
division in which you want to process a remainder. The REM intrinsic function also
provides the ability to process a remainder.

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 47

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic” on page 53
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

Arithmetic expressions
You can use arithmetic expressions in many (but not all) places in statements
where numeric data items are allowed. For example, you can use arithmetic
expressions as comparands in relation conditions:
If (a + b) > (c - d + 5) Then. . .

Arithmetic expressions can consist of a single numeric literal, a single numeric data
item, or a single intrinsic function reference. They can also consist of several of
these items connected by arithmetic operators. Arithmetic operators are evaluated
in the following order of precedence:
Table 9. Order of evaluation of arithmetic operators
Operator Meaning Order of evaluation
Unary + or - Algebraic sign First
** Exponentiation Second
/ or * Division or multiplication Third
Binary + or - Addition or subtraction Last

Operators at the same level of precedence are evaluated from left to right;
however, you can use parentheses to change the order of evaluation. Expressions
in parentheses are evaluated before the individual operators are evaluated.
Parentheses, necessary or not, make your program easier to read.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic” on page 53
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

Numeric intrinsic functions

You can use numeric intrinsic functions only in places where numeric expressions
are allowed. These functions can save you time because you don’t have to code the
many common types of calculations that they provide.

Numeric intrinsic functions return a signed numeric value. They are treated as
temporary numeric data items.

Many of the capabilities of numeric intrinsic functions are also provided by

Language Environment callable services.

Numeric functions are classified into these categories:

Integer
Those that return an integer
Floating point
Those that return a long (64-bit) or extended-precision (128-bit)
floating-point value (depending on whether you compile using the default
option ARITH(COMPAT) or using ARITH(EXTEND))
Mixed Those that return an integer, a floating-point value, or a fixed-point
number with decimal places, depending on the arguments

48 Programming Guide
 You can use intrinsic functions to perform several different arithmetic operations,
as outlined in the following table.
Table 10. Numeric intrinsic functions
Number handling Date and time Finance Mathematics Statistics
LENGTH CURRENT-DATE ANNUITY ACOS MEAN
MAX DATE-OF-INTEGER PRESENT-VALUE ASIN MEDIAN
MIN DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD ATAN MIDRANGE
NUMVAL DATEVAL COS RANDOM
NUMVAL-C DAY-OF-INTEGER FACTORIAL RANGE
ORD-MAX DAY-TO-YYYYDDD INTEGER STANDARD-DEVIATION
ORD-MIN INTEGER-OF-DATE INTEGER-PART VARIANCE
INTEGER-OF-DAY LOG
UNDATE LOG10
WHEN-COMPILED MOD
YEAR-TO-YYYY REM
YEARWINDOW SIN
SQRT
SUM
TAN

“Examples: numeric intrinsic functions” on page 51

Nesting functions and arithmetic expressions

You can reference one function as the argument of another. A nested function is
evaluated independently of the outer function, except when determining whether a
mixed function should be evaluated using fixed-point or floating-point
instructions.

You can also nest an arithmetic expression as an argument to a numeric function:

Compute x = Function Sum(a b (c / d))

In this example, there are only three function arguments: a, b, and the arithmetic
expression (c / d).

ALL subscripting and special registers

You can reference all the elements of a table (or array) as function arguments by
using the ALL subscript.

You can use the integer special registers as arguments wherever integer arguments
are allowed.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic” on page 53
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

RELATED REFERENCES
“ARITH” on page 271

Math and date Language Environment services

Many of the capabilities of COBOL intrinsic functions are also provided by
Language Environment callable services. Language Environment callable services
provide a means of assigning arithmetic results to data items. They include
mathematical functions, and date and time operations.

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 49

 Math-oriented callable services
For most COBOL intrinsic functions there are corresponding math-oriented callable
services you can use that produce the same results, as shown in the following
table. When you compile with the default option ARITH(COMPAT), COBOL
floating-point intrinsic functions return long (64-bit) results. When you compile
with option ARITH(EXTEND), COBOL floating-point intrinsic functions (with the
exception of RANDOM) return extended-precision (128-bit) results.

So for example (considering the first row of the table), if you compile using
ARITH(COMPAT), CEESDACS returns the same result as ACOS. If you compile using
ARITH(EXTEND), CEESQACS returns the same result as ACOS.
Table 11. Compatibility of math intrinsic functions and callable services
Corresponding Corresponding Results same for intrinsic
COBOL intrinsic long-precision Language extended-precision Language function and callable
function Environment callable service Environment callable service service?
ACOS CEESDACS CEESQACS Yes
ASIN CEESDASN CEESQASN Yes
ATAN CEESDATN CEESQATN Yes
COS CEESDCOS CEESQCOS Yes
LOG CEESDLOG CEESQLOG Yes
LOG10 CEESDLG1 CEESQLG1 Yes
1
RANDOM CEERAN0 none No
REM CEESDMOD CEESQMOD Yes
SIN CEESDSIN CEESQSIN Yes
SQRT CEESDSQT CEESQSQT Yes
TAN CEESDTAN CEESQTAN Yes

1. RANDOM returns a long (64-bit) floating-point result even if you pass it a 31-digit argument and compile using
option ARITH(EXTEND).

Both the RANDOM intrinsic function and CEERAN0 service generate random
numbers between zero and one. However, because each uses its own algorithm,
RANDOM and CEERAN0 produce different random numbers from the same seed.

Even for functions that produce the same results, how you use intrinsic functions
and Language Environment callable services differs. The rules for the data types
required for intrinsic function arguments are less restrictive. For numeric intrinsic
functions, you can use arguments that are of any numeric data type. When you
invoke a Language Environment callable service with a CALL statement, however,
you must ensure that the parameters match the numeric data types required by
that service (generally COMP-1 or COMP-2).

The error handling of intrinsic functions and Language Environment callable

services sometimes differs. If you pass an explicit feedback token when calling the
Language Environment math services, you must check the feedback code after
each call and take explicit action to deal with errors. However, if you call with the
feedback token explicitly OMITTED, you do not need to check the token; Language
Environment automatically signals any errors.

50 Programming Guide
 Date callable services
Both the COBOL date intrinsic functions and the Language Environment date
callable services are based on the Gregorian calendar. However, the starting dates
can differ depending on the setting of the INTDATE compiler option. When the
default setting of INTDATE(ANSI) is in effect, COBOL uses January 1, 1601 as day 1.
When INTDATE(LILIAN) is in effect, COBOL uses October 15, 1582 as day 1.
Language Environment always uses October 15, 1582 as day 1.

This means that if you use INTDATE(LILIAN), you get equivalent results from
COBOL intrinsic functions and Language Environment callable date services.

The following table shows the results when INTDATE(ANSI) is in effect.

Table 12. INTDATE(ANSI) and compatibility of date intrinsic functions and callable
services
COBOL intrinsic Language Environment callable
function service Results
INTEGER-OF-DATE CEECBLDY Compatible
DATE-OF-INTEGER CEEDATE with picture string YYYYMMDD Incompatible
DAY-OF-INTEGER CEEDATE with picture string YYYYDDD Incompatible
INTEGER-OF-DATE CEEDAYS Incompatible

The following table shows the results when INTDATE(LILIAN) is in effect.

Table 13. INTDATE(LILIAN) and compatibility of date intrinsic functions and callable
services
COBOL intrinsic Language Environment callable
function service Results
DATE-OF-INTEGER CEEDATE with picture string YYYYMMDD Compatible
DAY-OF-INTEGER CEEDATE with picture string YYYYDDD Compatible
INTEGER-OF-DATE CEEDAYS Compatible
INTEGER-OF-DATE CEECBLDY Incompatible

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic” on page 53
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

RELATED TASKS
“Using Language Environment callable services” on page 597

RELATED REFERENCES
“ARITH” on page 271

Examples: numeric intrinsic functions

The following examples and accompanying explanations show intrinsic functions
in each of several categories.

General number handling

Suppose you want to find the maximum value of two prices (represented as
alphanumeric items with dollar signs), put this value into a numeric field in an

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 51

 output record, and determine the length of the output record. You can use
NUMVAL-C (a function that returns the numeric value of an alphanumeric string) and
the MAX and LENGTH functions to do this:
01 X Pic 9(2).
01 Price1 Pic x(8) Value “$8000”.
01 Price2 Pic x(8) Value “$2000”.
01 Output-Record.
05 Product-Name Pic x(20).
05 Product-Number Pic 9(9).
05 Product-Price Pic 9(6).
. . .
Procedure Division.
Compute Product-Price =
Function Max (Function Numval-C(Price1) Function Numval-C(Price2))
Compute X = Function Length(Output-Record)

Additionally, to ensure that the contents in Product-Name are in uppercase letters,

you can use the following statement:
Move Function Upper-case (Product-Name) to Product-Name

Date and time

The following example shows how to calculate a due date that is 90 days from
today. The first eight characters returned by the CURRENT-DATE function represent
the date in a four-digit year, two-digit month, and two-digit day format (YYYYMMDD).
The date is converted to its integer value; then 90 is added to this value and the
integer is converted back to the YYYYMMDD format.
01 YYYYMMDD Pic 9(8).
01 Integer-Form Pic S9(9).
. . .
Move Function Current-Date(1:8) to YYYYMMDD
Compute Integer-Form = Function Integer-of-Date(YYYYMMDD)
Add 90 to Integer-Form
Compute YYYYMMDD = Function Date-of-Integer(Integer-Form)
Display ’Due Date: ’ YYYYMMDD

Finance
Business investment decisions frequently require computing the present value of
expected future cash inflows to evaluate the profitability of a planned investment.
The present value of an amount that you expect to receive at a given time in the
future is that amount, which, if invested today at a given interest rate, would
accumulate to that future amount.

For example, assume that a proposed investment of $1,000 produces a payment

stream of $100, $200, and $300 over the next three years, one payment per year
respectively. The following COBOL statements calculate the present value of those
cash inflows at a 10% interest rate:
01 Series-Amt1 Pic 9(9)V99 Value 100.
01 Series-Amt2 Pic 9(9)V99 Value 200.
01 Series-Amt3 Pic 9(9)V99 Value 300.
01 Discount-Rate Pic S9(2)V9(6) Value .10.
01 Todays-Value Pic 9(9)V99.
. . .
Compute Todays-Value =
Function
Present-Value(Discount-Rate Series-Amt1 Series-Amt2 Series-Amt3)

You can use the ANNUITY function in business problems that require you to
determine the amount of an installment payment (annuity) necessary to repay the
principal and interest of a loan. The series of payments is characterized by an
equal amount each period, periods of equal length, and an equal interest rate each

52 Programming Guide
 period. The following example shows how you can calculate the monthly payment
required to repay a $15,000 loan in three years at a 12% annual interest rate (36
monthly payments, interest per month = .12/12):
01 Loan Pic 9(9)V99.
01 Payment Pic 9(9)V99.
01 Interest Pic 9(9)V99.
01 Number-Periods Pic 99.
. . .
Compute Loan = 15000
Compute Interest = .12
Compute Number-Periods = 36
Compute Payment =
Loan * Function Annuity((Interest / 12) Number-Periods)

Mathematics
The following COBOL statement demonstrates that you can nest intrinsic
functions, use arithmetic expressions as arguments, and perform previously
complex calculations simply:
Compute Z = Function Log(Function Sqrt (2 * X + 1)) + Function Rem(X 2)

Here in the addend the intrinsic function REM (instead of a DIVIDE statement with a
REMAINDER clause) returns the remainder of dividing X by 2.

Statistics
Intrinsic functions make calculating statistical information easier. Assume you are
analyzing various city taxes and want to calculate the mean, median, and range
(the difference between the maximum and minimum taxes):
01 Tax-S Pic 99v999 value .045.
01 Tax-T Pic 99v999 value .02.
01 Tax-W Pic 99v999 value .035.
01 Tax-B Pic 99v999 value .03.
01 Ave-Tax Pic 99v999.
01 Median-Tax Pic 99v999.
01 Tax-Range Pic 99v999.
. . .
Compute Ave-Tax = Function Mean (Tax-S Tax-T Tax-W Tax-B)
Compute Median-Tax = Function Median (Tax-S Tax-T Tax-W Tax-B)
Compute Tax-Range = Function Range (Tax-S Tax-T Tax-W Tax-B)

Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic

Many statements in a program could involve arithmetic. For example, each of the
following types of COBOL statements requires some arithmetic evaluation:
v General arithmetic
compute report-matrix-col = (emp-count ** .5) + 1
add report-matrix-min to report-matrix-max giving report-matrix-tot
v Expressions and functions
compute report-matrix-col = function sqrt(emp-count) + 1
compute whole-hours = function integer-part((average-hours) + 1)
v Arithmetic comparisons
if report-matrix-col < function sqrt(emp-count) + 1
if whole-hours not = function integer-part((average-hours) + 1)

How you code arithmetic in a program (whether an arithmetic statement, an

intrinsic function, an expression, or some combination of these nested within each
other) determines whether the evaluation is done in floating-point or fixed-point
arithmetic.

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 53

 Floating-point evaluations
In general, if your arithmetic coding has either of the characteristics listed below, it
is evaluated in floating-point arithmetic:
v An operand or result field is floating point.
An operand is floating point if you code it as a floating-point literal or if you
code it as a data item that is defined as USAGE COMP-1, USAGE COMP-2, or external
floating point (USAGE DISPLAY with a floating-point PICTURE).
An operand that is a nested arithmetic expression or a reference to a numeric
intrinsic function results in floating-point arithmetic when any of the following
conditions is true:
– An argument in an arithmetic expression results in floating point.
– The function is a floating-point function.
– The function is a mixed function with one or more floating-point arguments.
v An exponent contains decimal places.
An exponent contains decimal places if you use a literal that contains decimal
places, give the item a PICTURE containing decimal places, or use an arithmetic
expression or function whose result has decimal places.

An arithmetic expression or numeric function yields a result with decimal places if

any operand or argument (excluding divisors and exponents) has decimal places.

Fixed-point evaluations
In general, if an arithmetic operation contains neither of the characteristics listed
above for floating point, the compiler causes it to be evaluated in fixed-point
arithmetic. In other words, arithmetic evaluations are handled as fixed point only if
all the operands are fixed point, the result field is defined to be fixed point, and
none of the exponents represent values with decimal places. Nested arithmetic
expressions and function references must also represent fixed-point values.

Arithmetic comparisons (relation conditions)

When you compare numeric expressions using a relational operator, the numeric
expressions (whether they are data items, arithmetic expressions, function
references, or some combination of these) are comparands in the context of the
entire evaluation. That is, the attributes of each can influence the evaluation of the
other: both expressions are evaluated in fixed point, or both are evaluated in
floating point. This is also true of abbreviated comparisons even though one
comparand does not explicitly appear in the comparison. For example:
if (a + d) = (b + e) and c

This statement has two comparisons: (a + d) = (b + e), and (a + d) = c.

Although (a + d) does not explicitly appear in the second comparison, it is a
comparand in that comparison. Therefore, the attributes of c can influence the
evaluation of (a + d).

The compiler handles comparisons (and the evaluation of any arithmetic

expressions nested in comparisons) in floating-point arithmetic if either comparand
is a floating-point value or resolves to a floating-point value.

The compiler handles comparisons (and the evaluation of any arithmetic

expressions nested in comparisons) in fixed-point arithmetic if both comparands
are fixed-point values or resolve to fixed-point values.

54 Programming Guide
 Implicit comparisons (no relational operator used) are not handled as a unit,
however; the two comparands are treated separately as to their evaluation in
floating-point or fixed-point arithmetic. In the following example, five arithmetic
expressions are evaluated independently of one another’s attributes, and then are
compared to each other.
evaluate (a + d)
when (b + e) thru c
when (f / g) thru (h * i)
. . .
end-evaluate

“Examples: fixed-point and floating-point evaluations”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Arithmetic expressions in nonarithmetic statements” on page 611

Examples: fixed-point and floating-point evaluations

Assume you define the data items for an employee table in the following manner:
01 employee-table.
05 emp-count pic 9(4).
05 employee-record occurs 1 to 1000 times
depending on emp-count.
10 hours pic +9(5)e+99.
. . .
01 report-matrix-col pic 9(3).
01 report-matrix-min pic 9(3).
01 report-matrix-max pic 9(3).
01 report-matrix-tot pic 9(3).
01 average-hours pic 9(3)v9.
01 whole-hours pic 9(4).

These statements are evaluated using floating-point arithmetic:

compute report-matrix-col = (emp-count ** .5) + 1
compute report-matrix-col = function sqrt(emp-count) + 1
if report-matrix-tot < function sqrt(emp-count) + 1

These statements are evaluated using fixed-point arithmetic:

add report-matrix-min to report-matrix-max giving report-matrix-tot
compute report-matrix-max =
function max(report-matrix-max report-matrix-tot)
if whole-hours not = function integer-part((average-hours) + 1)

Using currency signs

Many programs need to process financial information and present that information
using the appropriate currency signs. With COBOL currency support (and the
appropriate code page for your printer or display unit), you can use one or more
of the following signs in a program:
v Symbols such as the dollar sign ($)
v Currency signs of more than one character (such as USD or EUR)
v Euro sign, established by the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)

To specify the symbols for displaying financial information, use the CURRENCY SIGN
clause (in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph in the CONFIGURATION SECTION) with the
PICTURE characters that relate to the symbols. In the following example, the
PICTURE character $ indicates that the currency sign $US is to be used:

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 55

 Currency Sign is “$US” with Picture Symbol “$”.
. . .
77 Invoice-Amount Pic $$,$$9.99.
. . .
Display “Invoice amount is ” Invoice-Amount.

In this example, if Invoice-Amount contained 1500.00, the display output would be:
Invoice amount is $US1,500.00

By using more than one CURRENCY SIGN clause in your program, you can allow for
multiple currency signs to be displayed.

You can use a hexadecimal literal to indicate the currency sign value. This could be
useful if the data-entry method for the source program does not allow the entry of
the intended characters easily. The following example shows the hexadecimal value
X’9F’ used as the currency sign:
Currency Sign X’9F’ with Picture Symbol ’U’.
. . .
01 Deposit-Amount Pic UUUUU9.99.

If there is no corresponding character for the euro sign on your keyboard, you
need to specify it as a hexadecimal value in the CURRENCY SIGN clause. The
hexadecimal value for the euro sign is either X’9F’ or X’5A’ depending on the code
page in use, as shown in the following table.
Table 14. Hexadecimal values of the euro sign
Code page Modified
| CCSID Applicable countries from Euro sign
1140 USA, Canada, Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, 037 X’9F’
New Zealand
1141 Austria, Germany 273 X’9F’
1142 Denmark, Norway 277 X’5A’
1143 Finland, Sweden 278 X’5A’
1144 Italy 280 X’9F’
1145 Spain, Latin America - Spanish 284 X’9F’
1146 UK 285 X’9F’
1147 France 297 X’9F’
1148 Belgium, Canada, Switzerland 500 X’9F’
1149 Iceland 871 X’9F’

“Example: multiple currency signs”

Example: multiple currency signs

The following example shows how you can display values in both euro currency
(as EUR) and Swiss francs (as CHF):
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. EuroSamp.
Environment Division.
Configuration Section.
Special-Names.
Currency Sign is “CHF ” with Picture Symbol “F”
Currency Sign is “EUR ” with Picture Symbol “U”.
Data Division.

56 Programming Guide
Working-Storage Section.
01 Deposit-in-Euro Pic S9999V99 Value 8000.00.
01 Deposit-in-CHF Pic S99999V99.
01 Deposit-Report.
02 Report-in-Franc Pic -FFFFF9.99.
02 Report-in-Euro Pic -UUUUU9.99.
. . .
01 EUR-to-CHF-Conv-Rate Pic 9V99999 Value 1.53893.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Report-Deposit-in-CHF-and-EUR.
Move Deposit-in-Euro to Report-in-Euro
. . .
Compute Deposit-in-CHF Rounded
= Deposit-in-Euro * EUR-to-CHF-Conv-Rate
On Size Error
Perform Conversion-Error
Not On Size Error
Move Deposit-in-CHF to Report-in-Franc
Display “Deposit in Euro = ” Report-in-Euro
Display “Deposit in Franc = ” Report-in-Franc
End-Compute
. . .
Goback.
Conversion-Error.
Display “Conversion error from EUR to CHF”
Display “Euro value: ” Report-in-Euro.

The above example produces the following display output:

Deposit in Euro = EUR 8000.00
Deposit in Franc = CHF 12311.44

The exchange rate used in this example is for illustrative purposes only.

Chapter 3. Working with numbers and arithmetic 57

58 Programming Guide
Chapter 4. Handling tables
A table is a collection of data items that have the same description, such as account
totals or monthly averages. A table is the COBOL equivalent of an array of
elements. It consists of a table name and subordinate items called table elements.

In the example above, SAMPLE-TABLE-ONE is the group item that contains the table.
TABLE-COLUMN names the table element of a one-dimensional table that occurs three
times.

Rather than define repetitious items as separate, consecutive entries in the DATA
DIVISION, you can use the OCCURS clause in the DATA DIVISION entry to define a
table. This practice has these advantages:
v The code clearly shows the unity of the items (the table elements).
v You can use subscripts and indexes to refer to the table elements.
v You can easily repeat data items.

Tables are important for increasing the speed of a program, especially one that
looks up records.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a table (OCCURS)”
“Referring to an item in a table” on page 61
“Putting values into a table” on page 64
“Nesting tables” on page 60
“Creating variable-length tables (DEPENDING ON)” on page 68
“Searching a table” on page 71
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583

Defining a table (OCCURS)

To code a table, give the table a group name and define a subordinate item (the
table element) that is to be repeated n times. table-name is the group name in the
following example:
01 table-name.
05 element-name OCCURS n TIMES.
. . . (subordinate items of the table element might follow)

The table element definition (which includes the OCCURS clause) is subordinate to
the group item that contains the table. The OCCURS clause cannot appear in a
level-01 description.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 59

 To create tables of two to seven dimensions, use nested OCCURS clauses.

RELATED TASKS
“Creating variable-length tables (DEPENDING ON)” on page 68
“Nesting tables”
“Putting values into a table” on page 64
“Referring to an item in a table” on page 61
“Searching a table” on page 71

RELATED REFERENCES
OCCURS clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Nesting tables
To create a two-dimensional table, define a one-dimensional table in each
occurrence of another one-dimensional table. For example:

In SAMPLE-TABLE-TWO, TABLE-ROW is an element of a one-dimensional table that

occurs two times. TABLE-COLUMN is an element of a two-dimensional table that
occurs three times in each occurrence of TABLE-ROW.

To create a three-dimensional table, define a one-dimensional table in each

occurrence of another one-dimensional table, which is itself contained in each
occurrence of another one-dimensional table. For example:

In SAMPLE-TABLE-THREE, TABLE-DEPTH is an element of a one-dimensional table that

occurs two times. TABLE-ROW is an element of a two-dimensional table that occurs
two times within each occurrence of TABLE-DEPTH. TABLE-COLUMN is an element of a
three-dimensional table that occurs three times within each occurrence of
TABLE-ROW.

Subscripting
In a two-dimensional table, the two subscripts correspond to the row and column
numbers. In a three-dimensional table, the three subscripts correspond to the
depth, row, and column numbers.

60 Programming Guide
 The following valid references to SAMPLE-TABLE-THREE use literal subscripts. The
spaces are required in the second example.
TABLE-COLUMN (2, 2, 1)
TABLE-COLUMN (2 2 1)

In either table reference, the first value (2) refers to the second occurrence within
TABLE-DEPTH, the second value (2) refers to the second occurrence within TABLE-ROW,
and the third value (1) refers to the first occurrence within TABLE-COLUMN.

The following reference to SAMPLE-TABLE-TWO uses variable subscripts. The reference

is valid if SUB1 and SUB2 are data names that contain positive integer values within
the range of the table.
TABLE-COLUMN (SUB1 SUB2)

Indexing
Consider the following three-dimensional table, SAMPLE-TABLE-FOUR:
01 SAMPLE-TABLE-FOUR
05 TABLE-DEPTH OCCURS 3 TIMES INDEXED BY INX-A.
10 TABLE-ROW OCCURS 4 TIMES INDEXED BY INX-B.
15 TABLE-COLUMN OCCURS 8 TIMES INDEXED BY INX-C PIC X(8).

Suppose you code the following relative indexing reference to SAMPLE-TABLE-FOUR:

TABLE-COLUMN (INX-A + 1, INX-B + 2, INX-C - 1)

This reference causes the following computation of the displacement to the

TABLE-COLUMN element:
(contents of INX-A) + (256 * 1)
+ (contents of INX-B) + (64 * 2)
+ (contents of INX-C) - (8 * 1)

This calculation is based on the following element lengths:

v Each occurrence of TABLE-DEPTH is 256 bytes in length (4 * 8 * 8).
v Each occurrence of TABLE-ROW is 64 bytes in length (8 * 8).
v Each occurrence of TABLE-COLUMN is 8 bytes in length.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a table (OCCURS)” on page 59
“Referring to an item in a table”
“Putting values into a table” on page 64
“Creating variable-length tables (DEPENDING ON)” on page 68
“Searching a table” on page 71
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583

RELATED REFERENCES
OCCURS clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Referring to an item in a table

A table element has a collective name, but the individual items within it do not
have unique data names.

To refer to an item, you have a choice of three techniques:

v Use the data name of the table element, along with its occurrence number
(called a subscript) in parentheses. This technique is called subscripting.
Chapter 4. Handling tables 61
 v Use the data name of the table element, along with a value (called an index) that
is added to the address of the table to locate an item (the displacement from the
beginning of the table). This technique is called indexing, or subscripting using
index-names.
v Use both subscripts and indexes together.

RELATED TASKS
“Indexing” on page 63
“Subscripting”

Subscripting
The lowest possible subscript value is 1, which points to the first occurrence of the
table element. In a one-dimensional table, the subscript corresponds to the row
number.

You can use a data-name or a literal for a subscript.

If a data item with a literal subscript is of fixed length, the compiler resolves the
location of the data item.

When you use a data-name as a variable subscript, you must describe the data
name as an elementary numeric integer. The most efficient format is COMPUTATIONAL
(COMP) with a PICTURE size smaller than five digits. You cannot use a subscript with
a data-name that is used as a subscript.

The code generated for the application resolves the location of a variable subscript
at run time.

You can increment or decrement a literal or variable subscript by a specified

integer amount. For example:
TABLE-COLUMN (SUB1 - 1, SUB2 + 3)

You can change part of a table element rather than the whole element. Simply refer
to the character position and length of the substring to be changed within the
subscripted element. For example:
01 ANY-TABLE.
05 TABLE-ELEMENT PIC X(10)
OCCURS 3 TIMES
VALUE “ABCDEFGHIJ”.
. . .
MOVE “??” TO TABLE-ELEMENT (1) (3 : 2).

The MOVE statement moves the value ?? into table element number 1, beginning at
character position 3, for a length of 2:

RELATED TASKS
“Indexing” on page 63

62 Programming Guide
 “Putting values into a table” on page 64
“Searching a table” on page 71
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583

Indexing
You create an index using OCCURS INDEXED BY.

For example:
05 TABLE-ITEM PIC X(8)
OCCURS 10 INDEXED BY INX-A.

The compiler calculates the value contained in the index as the occurrence number
(subscript) minus 1, multiplied by the length of the table element. Therefore, for
the fifth occurrence of TABLE-ITEM, the binary value contained in INX-A is (5 - 1) * 8,
or 32.

You can use this index to index another table only if both table descriptions have
the same number of table elements, and the table elements are the same length.

If you use USAGE IS INDEX to create an index, you can use the index data item with
any table. For example:
77 INX-B USAGE IS INDEX.
. . .
| SET INX-A TO 10
| SET INX-B TO INX-A.
| PERFORM VARYING INX-A FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL INX-A > INX-B
| DISPLAY TABLE-ITEM (INX-A)
. . .
END-PERFORM.

| INX-A is used to traverse table TABLE-ITEM above, but could be used to traverse
| other tables also. INX-B is used to hold the index of the last element of the table.
| The advantage of this type of coding is that calculation of offsets of table elements
| is minimized, and no conversion is necessary for the UNTIL condition.

You can increment or decrement an index-name by an unsigned numeric literal.

The literal is considered to be an occurrence number. It is converted to an index
value before being added to or subtracted from the index-name.

Initialize the index-name with a SET, PERFORM VARYING, or SEARCH ALL statement.
You can then also use it in SEARCH or relational condition statements. To change the
value, use a PERFORM, SEARCH, or SET statement.

Use the SET statement to assign to an index the value that you stored in the index
data item defined by USAGE IS INDEX. For example, when you load records into a
variable-length table, you can store the index value of the last record read in a data
item defined as USAGE IS INDEX. Then you can test for the end of the table by
comparing the current index value with the index value of the last record. This
technique is useful when you look through or process the table.

Because you are comparing a physical displacement, you can use index data items
only in SEARCH and SET statements or for comparisons with indexes or other index
data items. You cannot use index data items as subscripts or indexes.

RELATED TASKS
“Subscripting” on page 62

Chapter 4. Handling tables 63

 “Putting values into a table”
“Searching a table” on page 71
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583

RELATED REFERENCES
INDEXED BY phrase (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
INDEX phrase (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Putting values into a table

Use one of these methods to put values into a table:
v Load the table dynamically.
v Initialize the table (INITIALIZE statement).
v Assign values when you define the table (VALUE clause).

RELATED TASKS
“Loading a table dynamically”
“Loading a variable-length table” on page 69
“Initializing a table (INITIALIZE)”
“Assigning values when you define a table (VALUE)” on page 65
“Assigning values to a variable-length table” on page 70

Loading a table dynamically

If the initial values of your table are different with each execution of your
program, you can define the table without initial values. You can then read the
changed values into the table before your program refers to the table.

To load a table, use the PERFORM statement and either subscripting or indexing.

When reading data to load your table, test to make sure that the data does not
exceed the space allocated for the table. Use a named value (rather than a literal)
for the item count. Then, if you make the table bigger, you need to change only
one value, instead of all references to a literal.

“Example: PERFORM and subscripting” on page 66

“Example: PERFORM and indexing” on page 67

RELATED REFERENCES
PERFORM with VARYING phrase (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Initializing a table (INITIALIZE)

You can load your table with a value during execution with the INITIALIZE
statement. For example, to fill a table with 3s, you can use this code:
INITIALIZE TABLE-ONE REPLACING NUMERIC DATA BY 3.

The INITIALIZE statement cannot load a variable-length table (one that was defined
using OCCURS DEPENDING ON).

RELATED REFERENCES
INITIALIZE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

64 Programming Guide
Assigning values when you define a table (VALUE)
If your table contains stable values (such as days and months), set the specific
values the table holds when you define it.

See static values in tables in one of these ways:

v Initialize each table item individually.
v Initialize an entire table at the 01 level.
v Initialize all occurrences of a given table element to the same value.

Initializing each table item individually

If the table is small, you can use this technique:
1. Declare a record that contains the same items as are in the table.
2. Set the initial value of each item in a VALUE clause.
3. Code a REDEFINES entry to make the record into a table.

For example:
***********************************************************
*** E R R O R F L A G T A B L E ***
***********************************************************
01 Error-Flag-Table Value Spaces.
88 No-Errors Value Spaces.
05 Type-Error Pic X.
05 Shift-Error Pic X.
05 Home-Code-Error Pic X.
05 Work-Code-Error Pic X.
05 Name-Error Pic X.
05 Initials-Error Pic X.
05 Duplicate-Error Pic X.
05 Not-Found-Error Pic X.
01 Filler Redefines Error-Flag-Table.
05 Error-Flag Occurs 8 Times
Indexed By Flag-Index Pic X.

(In this example, the items could all be initialized with one VALUE clause at the 01
level, because each item is being initialized to the same value.)

To initialize larger tables, use MOVE, PERFORM, or INITIALIZE statements.

Initializing a table at the 01 level

Code a level-01 record and assign to it, through the VALUE clause, the contents of
the whole table. Then, in a subordinate level data item, use an OCCURS clause to
define the individual table items.

For example:
01 TABLE-ONE VALUE “1234”.
05 TABLE-TWO OCCURS 4 TIMES PIC X.

Initializing all occurrences of a table element

You can use the VALUE clause on a table element to initialize the element to the
indicated value. For example:
01 T2.
05 T-OBJ PIC 9 VALUE 3.
05 T OCCURS 5 TIMES
DEPENDING ON T-OBJ.
10 X PIC XX VALUE “AA”.
10 Y PIC 99 VALUE 19.
10 Z PIC XX VALUE “BB”.

Chapter 4. Handling tables 65

 The above code causes all the X elements (1 through 5) to be initialized to AA, all
the Y elements (1 through 5) to be initialized to 19, and all the Z elements (1
through 5) to be initialized to BB. T-OBJ is then set to 3.

RELATED REFERENCES
REDEFINES clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
PERFORM statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
INITIALIZE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
OCCURS clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: PERFORM and subscripting

This example traverses an error flag table using subscripting until an error code
that has been set is found. If an error code is found, the corresponding error
message is moved to a print report field.
. . .
***********************************************************
*** E R R O R F L A G T A B L E ***
***********************************************************
01 Error-Flag-Table Value Spaces.
88 No-Errors Value Spaces.
05 Type-Error Pic X.
05 Shift-Error Pic X.
05 Home-Code-Error Pic X.
05 Work-Code-Error Pic X.
05 Name-Error Pic X.
05 Initials-Error Pic X.
05 Duplicate-Error Pic X.
05 Not-Found-Error Pic X.
01 Filler Redefines Error-Flag-Table.
05 Error-Flag Occurs 8 Times
77 ERROR-ON Pic X Value “E”.
Indexed By Flag-Index Pic X.
***********************************************************
*** E R R O R M E S S A G E T A B L E ***
***********************************************************
01 Error-Message-Table.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Transaction Type Invalid”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Shift Code Invalid”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Home Location Code Inval.”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Work Location Code Inval.”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Last Name - Blanks”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Initials - Blanks”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Duplicate Record Found”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Commuter Record Not Found”.
01 Filler Redefines Error-Message-Table.
05 Error-Message Occurs 8 Times
Indexed By Message-Index Pic X(25).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
Perform
Varying Sub From 1 By 1
Until No-Errors
If Error-Flag (Sub) = Error-On
Move Space To Error-Flag (Sub)

66 Programming Guide
 Move Error-Message (Sub) To Print-Message
Perform 260-Print-Report
End-If
End-Perform
. . .

Example: PERFORM and indexing

This example traverses an error flag table using indexing until an error code that
has been set is found. If an error code is found, the corresponding error message is
moved to a print report field.
. . .
***********************************************************
*** E R R O R F L A G T A B L E ***
***********************************************************
01 Error-Flag-Table Value Spaces.
88 No-Errors Value Spaces.
05 Type-Error Pic X.
05 Shift-Error Pic X.
05 Home-Code-Error Pic X.
05 Work-Code-Error Pic X.
05 Name-Error Pic X.
05 Initials-Error Pic X.
05 Duplicate-Error Pic X.
05 Not-Found-Error Pic X.
01 Filler Redefines Error-Flag-Table.
05 Error-Flag Occurs 8 Times
Indexed By Flag-Index Pic X.
***********************************************************
*** E R R O R M E S S A G E T A B L E ***
***********************************************************
01 Error-Message-Table.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Transaction Type Invalid”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Shift Code Invalid”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Home Location Code Inval.”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Work Location Code Inval.”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Last Name - Blanks”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Initials - Blanks”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Duplicate Record Found”.
05 Filler Pic X(25) Value
“Commuter Record Not Found”.
01 Filler Redefines Error-Message-Table.
05 Error-Message Occurs 8 Times
Indexed By Message-Index Pic X(25).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
Set Flag-Index To 1
Perform Until No-Errors
Search Error-Flag
When Error-Flag (Flag-Index) = Error-On
Move Space To Error-Flag (Flag-Index)
Set Message-Index To Flag-Index
Move Error-Message (Message-Index) To
Print-Message
Perform 260-Print-Report
End-Search
End-Perform
. . .

Chapter 4. Handling tables 67

Creating variable-length tables (DEPENDING ON)
If you do not know before run time how many times a table element occurs, you
need to set up a variable-length table definition. To do this, use the OCCURS
DEPENDING ON (ODO) clause. For example:
X OCCURS 1 TO 10 TIMES DEPENDING ON Y

In this example, X is called the ODO subject, and Y is the ODO object.

Two factors affect the successful manipulation of variable-length records:

v Correct calculation of record lengths
The length of the variable portions of a group item is the product of the object
of the DEPENDING ON phrase and the length of the subject of the OCCURS clause.
v Conformance of the data in the object of the OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause to its
PICTURE clause
If the content of the ODO object does not match its PICTURE clause, the program
could abnormally terminate. You must ensure that the ODO object correctly
specifies the current number of occurrences of table elements.

The following example shows a group item (REC-1) that contains both the subject
and object of the OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause. The way the length of the group
item is determined depends on whether it is sending or receiving data.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 MAIN-AREA.
03 REC-1.
05 FIELD-1 PIC 9.
05 FIELD-2 OCCURS 1 TO 5 TIMES
DEPENDING ON FIELD-1 PIC X(05).
01 REC-2.
03 REC-2-DATA PIC X(50).

If you want to move REC-1 (the sending item in this case) to REC-2, the length of
REC-1 is determined immediately before the move, using the current value in
FIELD-1. If the content of FIELD-1 conforms to its PICTURE (that is, if FIELD-1
contains an external decimal item), the move can proceed based on the actual
length of REC-1. Otherwise, the result is unpredictable. You must ensure that the
ODO object has the correct value before you initiate the move.

When you do a move to REC-1 (the receiving item in this case), the length of REC-1
is determined using the maximum number of occurrences. In this example, that
would be five occurrences of FIELD-2, plus FIELD-1, for a length of 26 bytes.

In this case, you need not set the ODO object (FIELD-1) before referencing REC-1 as
a receiving item. However, the sending field’s ODO object (not shown) must be set
to a valid numeric value between 1 and 5 for the ODO object of the receiving field
to be validly set by the move.

However, if you do a move to REC-1 (again the receiving item) where REC-1 is
followed by a variably located group (a type of complex ODO), the actual length of
REC-1 is calculated immediately before the move. In the following example, REC-1
and REC-2 are in the same record, but REC-2 is not subordinate to REC-1 and is
therefore variably located:
01 MAIN-AREA
03 REC-1.
05 FIELD-1 PIC 9.
05 FIELD-3 PIC 9.

68 Programming Guide
 05 FIELD-2 OCCURS 1 TO 5 TIMES
DEPENDING ON FIELD-1 PIC X(05).
03 REC-2.
05 FIELD-4 OCCURS 1 TO 5 TIMES
DEPENDING ON FIELD-3 PIC X(05).

When you do a MOVE to REC-1 in this case, the actual length of REC-1 is calculated
immediately before the move using the current value of the ODO object (FIELD-1).
The compiler issues a message letting you know that the actual length was used.
This case requires that you set the value of the ODO object before using the group
item as a receiving field.

The following example shows how to define a variable-length table when the ODO
object (here LOCATION-TABLE-LENGTH) is outside the group.
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD LOCATION-FILE
RECORDING MODE F
BLOCK 0 RECORDS
RECORD 80 CHARACTERS
LABEL RECORD STANDARD.
01 LOCATION-RECORD.
05 LOC-CODE PIC XX.
05 LOC-DESCRIPTION PIC X(20).
05 FILLER PIC X(58).
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 FLAGS.
05 LOCATION-EOF-FLAG PIC X(5) VALUE SPACE.
88 LOCATION-EOF VALUE “FALSE”.
01 MISC-VALUES.
05 LOCATION-TABLE-LENGTH PIC 9(3) VALUE ZERO.
05 LOCATION-TABLE-MAX PIC 9(3) VALUE 100.
*****************************************************************
*** L O C A T I O N T A B L E ***
*** FILE CONTAINS LOCATION CODES. ***
*****************************************************************
01 LOCATION-TABLE.
05 LOCATION-CODE OCCURS 1 TO 100 TIMES
DEPENDING ON LOCATION-TABLE-LENGTH PIC X(80).

RELATED CONCEPTS
Appendix B, “Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON,” on page 613

RELATED TASKS
“Assigning values to a variable-length table” on page 70
“Loading a variable-length table”
Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Loading a variable-length table

You can use a do-until structure (a TEST AFTER loop) to control the loading of a
variable-length table. For example, after the following code runs,
LOCATION-TABLE-LENGTH contains the subscript of the last item in the table.
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD LOCATION-FILE
RECORDING MODE F
BLOCK 0 RECORDS

Chapter 4. Handling tables 69

 RECORD 80 CHARACTERS
LABEL RECORD STANDARD.
01 LOCATION-RECORD.
05 LOC-CODE PIC XX.
05 LOC-DESCRIPTION PIC X(20).
05 FILLER PIC X(58).
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 FLAGS.
05 LOCATION-EOF-FLAG PIC X(5) VALUE SPACE.
88 LOCATION-EOF VALUE “YES”.
01 MISC-VALUES.
05 LOCATION-TABLE-LENGTH PIC 9(3) VALUE ZERO.
05 LOCATION-TABLE-MAX PIC 9(3) VALUE 100.
*****************************************************************
*** L O C A T I O N T A B L E ***
*** FILE CONTAINS LOCATION CODES. ***
*****************************************************************
01 LOCATION-TABLE.
05 LOCATION-CODE OCCURS 1 TO 100 TIMES
DEPENDING ON LOCATION-TABLE-LENGTH PIC X(80).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
Perform Test After
Varying Location-Table-Length From 1 By 1
Until Location-EOF
Or Location-Table-Length = Location-Table-Max
Move Location-Record To
Location-Code (Location-Table-Length)
Read Location-File
At End Set Location-EOF To True
End-Read
End-Perform

Assigning values to a variable-length table

You can use a VALUE clause on a group item that contains an OCCURS clause with the
DEPENDING ON phrase. Each subordinate structure that contains the DEPENDING ON
phrase is initialized using the maximum number of occurrences. If you define the
entire table with the DEPENDING ON phrase, all the elements are initialized using the
maximum defined value of the DEPENDING ON object.

If the ODO object has a VALUE clause, it is logically initialized after the ODO subject
has been initialized. For example, in the following code:
01 TABLE-THREE VALUE “3ABCDE”.
05 X PIC 9.
05 Y OCCURS 5 TIMES
DEPENDING ON X PIC X.

the ODO subject Y(1) is initialized to ’A’, Y(2) to ’B’, . . ., Y(5) to ’E’, and finally
the ODO object X is initialized to 3. Any subsequent reference to TABLE-THREE (such
as in a DISPLAY statement) refers to the first three elements, Y(1) through Y(3).

RELATED TASKS
Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

70 Programming Guide
Searching a table
COBOL provides two search techniques for tables: serial and binary.

To do serial searches, use SEARCH and indexing. For variable-length tables, you can
use PERFORM with subscripting or indexing.

To do binary searches, use SEARCH ALL and indexing.

A binary search can be considerably more efficient than a serial search. For a serial
search, the number of comparisons is of the order of n, the number of entries in
the table. For a binary search, the number of comparisons is only of the order of
the logarithm (base 2) of n. A binary search, however, requires that the table items
already be sorted.

RELATED TASKS
“Doing a serial search (SEARCH)”
“Doing a binary search (SEARCH ALL)” on page 72

Doing a serial search (SEARCH)

Use the SEARCH statement to do a serial search beginning at the current index
setting. To modify the index setting, use the SET statement.

The conditions in the WHEN option are evaluated in the order in which they appear:
v If none of the conditions is satisfied, the index is increased to correspond to the
next table element, and the WHEN conditions are evaluated again.
v If one of the WHEN conditions is satisfied, the search ends. The index remains
pointing to the table element that satisfied the condition.
v If the entire table has been searched and no conditions were met, the AT END
imperative statement is executed if there is one. If you do not use AT END,
control passes to the next statement in your program.

You can reference only one level of a table (a table element) with each SEARCH
statement. To search multiple levels of a table, use nested SEARCH statements.
Delimit each nested SEARCH statement with END-SEARCH.

If the found condition comes after some intermediate point in the table, you can
speed up the search. Use the SET statement to set the index to begin the search
after that point.

Arranging the table so that the data used most often is at the beginning also
enables more efficient serial searching. If the table is large and is presorted, a
binary search is more efficient.

“Example: serial search”

RELATED REFERENCES
SEARCH statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: serial search

Suppose you define a three-dimensional table, each with its own index (set to 1, 4,
and 1, respectively). The innermost table (TABLE-ENTRY3) has an ascending key. The
object of the search is to find a particular string in the innermost table.

Chapter 4. Handling tables 71

 01 TABLE-ONE.
05 TABLE-ENTRY1 OCCURS 10 TIMES
INDEXED BY TE1-INDEX.
10 TABLE-ENTRY2 OCCURS 10 TIMES
INDEXED BY TE2-INDEX.
15 TABLE-ENTRY3 OCCURS 5 TIMES
ASCENDING KEY IS KEY1
INDEXED BY TE3-INDEX.
20 KEY1 PIC X(5).
20 KEY2 PIC X(10).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
SET TE1-INDEX TO 1
SET TE2-INDEX TO 4
SET TE3-INDEX TO 1
MOVE “A1234” TO KEY1 (TE1-INDEX, TE2-INDEX, TE3-INDEX + 2)
MOVE “AAAAAAAA00” TO KEY2 (TE1-INDEX, TE2-INDEX, TE3-INDEX + 2)
. . .
SEARCH TABLE-ENTRY3
AT END
MOVE 4 TO RETURN-CODE
WHEN TABLE-ENTRY3(TE1-INDEX, TE2-INDEX, TE3-INDEX)
= “A1234AAAAAAAA00”
MOVE 0 TO RETURN-CODE
END-SEARCH

Values after execution:

TE1-INDEX = 1
TE2-INDEX = 4
TE3-INDEX points to the TABLE-ENTRY3 item
that equals “A1234AAAAAAAA00”
RETURN-CODE = 0

Doing a binary search (SEARCH ALL)

When you use SEARCH ALL to do a binary search, you do not need to set the index
before you begin. The index used is always the one associated with the first index
name in the OCCURS clause. The index varies during execution to maximize the
search efficiency.

To use the SEARCH ALL statement, your table must already be ordered on the key or
keys coded in the OCCURS clause. You can use any key in the WHEN condition, but
you must test all preceding data-names in the KEY option, if any. The test must be
an equal-to condition, and the KEY data-name must be either the subject of the
condition or the name of a conditional variable with which the tested
condition-name is associated. The WHEN condition can also be a compound
condition, formed from simple conditions with AND as the only logical connective.
The key and its object of comparison must be compatible.

“Example: binary search”

RELATED REFERENCES
SEARCH statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: binary search

Suppose you define a table that contains 90 elements of 40 bytes each, with three
keys. The primary and secondary keys (KEY-1 and KEY-2) are in ascending order,
but the least significant key (KEY-3) is in descending order:
01 TABLE-A.
05 TABLE-ENTRY OCCURS 90 TIMES
ASCENDING KEY-1, KEY-2

72 Programming Guide
 DESCENDING KEY-3
INDEXED BY INDX-1.
10 PART-1 PIC 99.
10 KEY-1 PIC 9(5).
10 PART-2 PIC 9(6).
10 KEY-2 PIC 9(4).
10 PART-3 PIC 9(18).
10 KEY-3 PIC 9(5).

You can search this table using the following instructions:

SEARCH ALL TABLE-ENTRY
AT END
PERFORM NOENTRY
WHEN KEY-1 (INDX-1) = VALUE-1 AND
KEY-2 (INDX-1) = VALUE-2 AND
KEY-3 (INDX-1) = VALUE-3
MOVE PART-1 (INDX-1) TO OUTPUT-AREA
END-SEARCH

If an entry is found in which the three keys are equal to the given values (VALUE-1,
VALUE-2, and VALUE-3), PART-1 of that entry will be moved to OUTPUT-AREA. If
matching keys are not found in any of the entries in TABLE-A, the NOENTRY routine
is performed.

Processing table items using intrinsic functions

You can use an intrinsic function to process an alphanumeric or numeric table
item. However, the data description of the table item must be compatible with the
argument requirements for the function.

Use a subscript or index to reference an individual data item as a function

argument. For example, assuming Table-One is a 3x3 array of numeric items, you
can find the square root of the middle element with this statement:
Compute X = Function Sqrt(Table-One(2,2))

You might often need to process the data in tables iteratively. For intrinsic
functions that accept multiple arguments, you can use the ALL subscript to
reference all the items in the table or a single dimension of the table. The iteration
is handled automatically, making your code shorter and simpler.

You can mix scalars and array arguments for functions that accept multiple
arguments:
Compute Table-Median = Function Median(Arg1 Table-One(ALL))

“Example: intrinsic functions”

RELATED TASKS
“Using intrinsic functions (built-in functions)” on page 32

RELATED REFERENCES
Intrinsic functions (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: intrinsic functions

This example sums a cross-section of Table-Two:
Compute Table-Sum = FUNCTION SUM (Table-Two(ALL, 3, ALL))

Chapter 4. Handling tables 73

 Assuming that Table-Two is a 2x3x2 array, the statement above causes the
following elements to be summed:
Table-Two(1,3,1)
Table-Two(1,3,2)
Table-Two(2,3,1)
Table-Two(2,3,2)

This example computes values for all employees.

01 Employee-Table.
05 Emp-Count Pic s9(4) usage binary.
05 Emp-Record Occurs 1 to 500 times
depending on Emp-Count.
10 Emp-Name Pic x(20).
10 Emp-Idme Pic 9(9).
10 Emp-Salary Pic 9(7)v99.
. . .
Procedure Division.
Compute Max-Salary = Function Max(Emp-Salary(ALL))
Compute I = Function Ord-Max(Emp-Salary(ALL))
Compute Avg-Salary = Function Mean(Emp-Salary(ALL))
Compute Salary-Range = Function Range(Emp-Salary(ALL))
Compute Total-Payroll = Function Sum(Emp-Salary(ALL))

74 Programming Guide
Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program actions
Use COBOL control language to choose program actions based on the outcome of
logical tests, to iterate over selected parts of your program and data, and to
identify statements to be performed as a group. These controls include:
v IF statement
v EVALUATE statement
v Switches and flags
v PERFORM statement

RELATED TASKS
“Selecting program actions”
“Repeating program actions” on page 83

Selecting program actions

You can provide for different program actions depending on the tested value of
one or more data items.

The IF and EVALUATE statements in COBOL test one or more data items by means
of a conditional expression.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding a choice of actions”
“Coding conditional expressions” on page 79

RELATED REFERENCES
IF statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
EVALUATE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Coding a choice of actions

Use IF . . . ELSE to code a choice between two processing actions. (The word
THEN is optional in a COBOL program.)
IF condition-p
statement-1
ELSE
statement-2
END-IF

When one of the processing choices is no action, code the IF statement with or
without ELSE. Because the ELSE clause is optional, you can code the following:
IF condition-q
statement-1
END-IF

This coding is suitable for simple programming cases. For complex logic, you
probably need to use the ELSE clause. For example, suppose you have nested IF
statements with an action for only one of the processing choices; you could use the
ELSE clause and code the null branch of the IF statement with the CONTINUE
statement:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 75

 IF condition-q
statement-1
ELSE
CONTINUE
END-IF

Use the EVALUATE statement to code a choice among three or more possible
conditions instead of just two. The EVALUATE statement is an expanded form of the
IF statement that allows you to avoid nesting IF statements for such coding, a
common source of logic errors and debugging problems.

With the EVALUATE statement, you can test any number of conditions in a single
statement and have separate actions for each. In structured programming terms,
this is a case structure. It can also be thought of as a decision table.

“Example: EVALUATE using THRU phrase” on page 78

“Example: EVALUATE using multiple WHEN statements” on page 78
“Example: EVALUATE testing several conditions” on page 78

RELATED TASKS
“Coding conditional expressions” on page 79
“Using the EVALUATE statement” on page 77
“Using nested IF statements”

Using nested IF statements

When an IF statement has another IF statement as one of its possible processing
branches, these IF statements are said to be nested. Theoretically, there is no limit
to the depth of nested IF statements. However, when the program has to test a
variable for more than two values, EVALUATE is the better choice.

Use nested IF statements sparingly. The logic can be difficult to follow, although
explicit scope terminators and proper indentation help.

The following pseudocode depicts a nested IF statement:

IF condition-p
IF condition-q
statement-1
ELSE
statement-2
END-IF
statement-3
ELSE
statement-4
END-IF

Here an IF is nested, along with a sequential structure, in one branch of another

IF. In a structure like this, the END-IF closing the inner nested IF is very important.
Use END-IF instead of a period, because a period would end the outer IF structure
as well.

The following figure shows the logic structure for nested IF statements.

76 Programming Guide
RELATED TASKS
“Coding a choice of actions” on page 75

RELATED REFERENCES
Explicit scope terminators (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Using the EVALUATE statement

Use the EVALUATE statement to test several conditions and design a different action
for each, a construct often known as a case structure. The expressions to be tested
are called selection subjects; the answer selected is called a selection object. You can
code multiple subjects and multiple objects in the same structure.

You can code the EVALUATE statement to handle the case where multiple conditions
lead to the same processing by using the THRU phrase and by using multiple WHEN
statements.

When evaluated, each pair of selection subjects and selection objects must belong
to the same class (numeric, character, CONDITION TRUE or FALSE).

The execution of the EVALUATE statement ends when:

v The statements associated with the selected WHEN phrase are performed.
v The statements associated with the WHEN OTHER phrase are performed.
v No WHEN conditions are satisfied.

WHEN phrases are tested in the order they are coded. Therefore, you should order
these phrases for the best performance: code first the WHEN phrase containing
selection objects most likely to be satisfied, then the next most likely, and so on. An
exception is the WHEN OTHER phrase, which must come last.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding a choice of actions” on page 75

Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program actions 77

 Example: EVALUATE using THRU phrase: This example shows how you can use
the THRU phrase to easily code several conditions in a range of values that lead to
the same processing action. In this example, CARPOOL-SIZE is the selection subject;
1, 2, and 3 THRU 6 are the selection objects.
EVALUATE CARPOOL-SIZE
WHEN 1
MOVE “SINGLE” TO PRINT-CARPOOL-STATUS
WHEN 2
MOVE “COUPLE” TO PRINT-CARPOOL-STATUS
WHEN 3 THRU 6
MOVE “SMALL GROUP” TO PRINT-CARPOOL STATUS
WHEN OTHER
MOVE “BIG GROUP” TO PRINT-CARPOOL STATUS
END-EVALUATE

The following nested IF statements represent the same logic:

IF CARPOOL-SIZE = 1 THEN
MOVE “SINGLE” TO PRINT-CARPOOL-STATUS
ELSE
IF CARPOOL-SIZE = 2 THEN
MOVE “COUPLE” TO PRINT-CARPOOL-STATUS
ELSE
IF CARPOOL-SIZE >= 3 and CARPOOL-SIZE <= 6 THEN
MOVE “SMALL GROUP” TO PRINT-CARPOOL-STATUS
ELSE
MOVE “BIG GROUP” TO PRINT-CARPOOL-STATUS
END-IF
END-IF
END-IF

Example: EVALUATE using multiple WHEN statements: You can use multiple
WHEN statements when several conditions lead to the same processing action. This
gives you more flexibility than using the THRU phrase, because the conditions do
not have to evaluate to values that fall in a range or evaluate to alphanumeric
values.
EVALUATE MARITAL-CODE
WHEN “M”
ADD 2 TO PEOPLE-COUNT
WHEN “S”
WHEN “D”
WHEN “W”
ADD 1 TO PEOPLE-COUNT
END-EVALUATE

The following nested IF statements represent the same logic:

IF MARITAL-CODE = “M” THEN
ADD 2 TO PEOPLE-COUNT
ELSE
IF MARITAL-CODE = “S” OR
MARITAL-CODE = “D” OR
MARITAL-CODE = “W” THEN
ADD 1 TO PEOPLE-COUNT
END-IF
END-IF

Example: EVALUATE testing several conditions: In this example both selection

subjects in a WHEN phrase must satisfy the TRUE, TRUE condition before the phrase is
performed. If both subjects do not evaluate to TRUE, the next WHEN phrase is
processed.
Identification Division.
Program-ID. MiniEval.
Environment Division.

78 Programming Guide
 Configuration Section.
Source-Computer. IBM-390.
Data Division.
Working-Storage Section.
01 Age Pic 999.
01 Sex Pic X.
01 Description Pic X(15).
01 A Pic 999.
01 B Pic 9999.
01 C Pic 9999.
01 D Pic 9999.
01 E Pic 99999.
01 F Pic 999999.
Procedure Division.
PN01.
Evaluate True Also True
When Age < 13 Also Sex = “M”
Move “Young Boy” To Description
When Age < 13 Also Sex = “F”
Move “Young Girl” To Description
When Age > 12 And Age < 20 Also Sex = “M”
Move “Teenage Boy” To Description
When Age > 12 And Age < 20 Also Sex = “F”
Move “Teenage Girl” To Description
When Age > 19 Also Sex = “M”
Move “Adult Man” To Description
When Age > 19 Also Sex = “F”
Move “Adult Woman” To Description
When Other
Move “Invalid Data” To Description
End-Evaluate
Evaluate True Also True
When A + B < 10 Also C = 10
Move “Case 1” To Description
When A + B > 50 Also C = ( D + E ) / F
Move “Case 2” To Description
When Other
Move “Case Other” To Description
End-Evaluate
Stop Run.

Coding conditional expressions

Using the IF and EVALUATE statements, you can code program actions that will be
performed depending on the truth value of a conditional expression. The following
are some of the conditions that you can specify:
v Relation conditions, such as:
– Numeric comparisons
– Alphanumeric comparisons
– DBCS comparisons
– National comparisons
v Class conditions; for example, to test whether a data item:
– IS NUMERIC
– IS ALPHABETIC
– IS DBCS
– IS KANJI
– IS NOT KANJI
v Condition-name conditions, to test the value of a conditional variable that you
define

Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program actions 79

 v Sign condition, to test whether a numeric operand IS POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or
ZERO
v Switch-status condition, to test the status of UPSI switches that you name in the
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph
v Complex conditions, such as:
– Negated conditions; for example, NOT (A IS EQUAL TO B)
– Combined conditions (conditions combined with logical operators AND or OR)

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Switches and flags”

RELATED TASKS
“Defining switches and flags”
“Resetting switches and flags” on page 81
“Checking for incompatible data (numeric class test)” on page 46
“Comparing national data items” on page 111

RELATED REFERENCES
Rules for condition-name values (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Switch-status condition (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Sign condition (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Comparing numeric and alphanumeric operands (Enterprise COBOL Language
Reference)
Combined conditions (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Class condition (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Switches and flags

Some program decisions are based on whether the value of a data item is true or
false, on or off, yes or no. Control these two-way decisions with level-88 items
with meaningful names (condition-names) to act as switches.

Other program decisions depend on the particular value or range of values of a

data item. When you use condition-names to give more than just on or off values
to a field, the field is generally referred to as a flag.

Flags and switches make your code easier to change. If you need to change the
values for a condition, you have to change only the value of that level-88
condition-name.

For example, suppose a program uses a condition-name to test a field for a given
salary range. If the program must be changed to check for a different salary range,
you need to change only the value of the condition-name in the DATA DIVISION.
You do not need to make changes in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining switches and flags”
“Resetting switches and flags” on page 81

Defining switches and flags

In the DATA DIVISION, define level-88 items to give meaningful names (condition
names) to values that will act as switches or flags.

To test for more than two values, as flags, assign more than one condition name to
a field by using multiple level-88 items.

80 Programming Guide
The reader can easily follow your code if you choose meaningful condition names
and if the values assigned have some association with logical values.

“Example: switches”
“Example: flags”

Example: switches
To test for an end-of-file condition for an input file named Transaction-File, you
could use the following data definitions:
WORKING-STORAGE Section.
01 Switches.
05 Transaction-EOF-Switch Pic X value space.
88 Transaction-EOF value “y”.

The level-88 description says a condition named Transaction-EOF is turned on

when Transaction-EOF-Switch has value ’y’. Referencing Transaction-EOF in your
PROCEDURE DIVISION expresses the same condition as testing for
Transaction-EOF-Switch = “y”. For example, the following statement causes the
report to be printed only if your program has read to the end of the
Transaction-File and if the Transaction-EOF-Switch has been set to ’y’:
If Transaction-EOF Then
Perform Print-Report-Summary-Lines

Example: flags
Consider a program that updates a master file. The updates are read from a
transaction file. The transaction file’s records contain a field for the function to be
performed: add, change, or delete. In the record description of the input file code a
field for the function code using level-88 items:
01 Transaction-Input Record
05 Transaction-Type Pic X.
88 Add-Transaction Value “A”.
88 Change-Transaction Value “C”.
88 Delete-Transaction Value “D”.

The code in the PROCEDURE DIVISION for testing these condition-names might look
like this:
Evaluate True
When Add-Transaction
Perform Add-Master-Record-Paragraph
When Change-Transaction
Perform Update-Exisitng-Record-Paragraph
When Delete-Transaction
Perform Delete-Master-Record-Paragraph
End-Evaluate

Resetting switches and flags

Throughout your program, you might need to reset switches or change flags back
to the original values they have in their data descriptions. To do so, use either a
SET statement or define your own data item to use.

When you use the SET condition-name TO TRUE statement, the switch or flag is set
back to the original value that was assigned in its data description.

For a level-88 item with multiple values, SET condition-name TO TRUE assigns the
first value (here, A):
88 Record-is-Active Value “A” “O” “S”

Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program actions 81

 Using the SET statement and meaningful condition-names makes it easy for the
reader to follow your code.

“Example: set switch on”

“Example: set switch off”

Example: set switch on

The SET statement in the following example does the same thing as Move “y” to
Transaction-EOF-Switch:
01 Switches
05 Transaction-EOF-Switch Pic X Value space.
88 Transaction-EOF Value “y”.
. . .
Procedure Division.
000-Do-Main-Logic.
Perform 100-Initialize-Paragraph
Read Update-Transaction-File
At End Set Transaction-EOF to True
End-Read

The following example shows how to assign a value for a field in an output record
based on the transaction code of an input record.
01 Input-Record.
05 Transaction-Type Pic X(9).
. . .
01 Data-Record-Out.
05 Data-Record-Type Pic X.
88 Record-Is-Active Value “A”.
88 Record-Is-Suspended Value “S”.
88 Record-Is-Deleted Value “D”.
05 Key-Field Pic X(5).
. . .
Procedure Division.
. . .
Evaluate Transaction-Type of Input-Record
When “ACTIVE”
Set Record-Is-Active to TRUE
When “SUSPENDED”
Set Record-Is-Suspended to TRUE
When “DELETED”
Set Record-Is-Deleted to TRUE
End-Evaluate

Example: set switch off

You could use a data item called SWITCH-OFF throughout your program to set
on/off switches to off, as in the following code:
01 Switches
05 Transaction-EOF-Switch Pic X Value space.
88 Transaction-EOF Value “y”.
01 SWITCH-OFF Pic X Value “n”.
. . .
Procedure Division.
. . .
Move SWITCH-OFF to Transaction-EOF-Switch

This code resets the switch to indicate that the end of the file has not been reached.

82 Programming Guide
Repeating program actions
Use the PERFORM statement to run a paragraph and then implicitly return control to
the next executable statement. In effect, the PERFORM statement is a way of coding a
closed subroutine that you can enter from many different parts of the program.

Use the PERFORM statement to loop (repeat the same code) a set number of times or
to loop based on the outcome of a decision.

PERFORM statements can be inline or out-of-line.

RELATED TASKS
“Choosing inline or out-of-line PERFORM”
“Coding a loop” on page 84
“Coding a loop through a table” on page 85
“Executing multiple paragraphs or sections” on page 85

RELATED REFERENCES
PERFORM statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Choosing inline or out-of-line PERFORM

The inline PERFORM statement has the same general rules as the out-of-line PERFORM
statement except for one area: statements within the inline PERFORM statement are
executed rather than those within the range of the procedure named in the
out-of-line PERFORM statement.

To determine whether to code an inline or out-of-line PERFORM statement, consider

the following questions:
v Is the PERFORM statement used from several places?
Use out-of-line PERFORM when you use the same piece of code from several
places in your program.
v Which placement of the statement will be easier to read?
Use an out-of-line PERFORM if the logical flow of the program will be less clear
because the PERFORM extends over several screens. If, however, the PERFORM
paragraph is short, an inline PERFORM can save the trouble of skipping around in
the code.
v What are the efficiency tradeoffs?
Avoid the overhead of branching around an out-of-line PERFORM if performance is
an issue. But remember, even out-of-line PERFORM coding can improve code
optimization, so efficiency gains should not be overemphasized.

In the 1974 COBOL standard, the PERFORM statement is out-of-line and thus requires
an explicit branch to a separate paragraph and has an implicit return. If the
performed paragraph is in the subsequent sequential flow of your program, it is
also executed in that flow of the logic. To avoid this additional execution, you
must place the paragraph outside the normal sequential flow (for example, after
the GOBACK) or code a branch around it.

The subject of an inline PERFORM is an imperative statement. Therefore, you must

code statements (other than imperative statements within an inline PERFORM) with
explicit scope terminators. Each paragraph performs one logical function.

“Example: inline PERFORM statement” on page 84

Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program actions 83

 Example: inline PERFORM statement
This example shows the structure of an inline PERFORM statement with the required
scope terminators and the required END-PERFORM statement.
Perform 100-Initialize-Paragraph
* The following is an inline PERFORM
Perform Until Transaction-EOF
Read Update-Transaction-File Into WS-Transaction-Record
At End
Set Transaction-EOF To True
Not At End
Perform 200-Edit-Update-Transaction
If No-Errors
Perform 300-Update-Commuter-Record
Else
Perform 400-Print-Transaction-Errors
* End-If is a required scope terminator
End-If
Perform 410-Re-Initialize-Fields
* End-Read is a required scope terminator
End-Read
End-Perform

Coding a loop
Use the PERFORM . . . TIMES statement to execute a paragraph a certain number of
times:
PERFORM 010-PROCESS-ONE-MONTH 12 TIMES
INSPECT . . .

When control reaches the PERFORM statement, the code for the paragraph
010-PROCESS-ONE-MONTH is executed 12 times before control is transferred to the
INSPECT statement.

Use the PERFORM . . . UNTIL statement to execute a paragraph until a condition

you choose is satisfied. You can use either of the following forms:
PERFORM . . . WITH TEST AFTER . . . UNTIL . . .
PERFORM . . . [WITH TEST BEFORE] . . . UNTIL . . .

Use the PERFORM . . . WITH TEST AFTER . . . UNTIL if you want to execute the
paragraph at least once and then test before any subsequent execution. This
statement is equivalent to the do-until structure:

In the following example, the implicit WITH TEST BEFORE phrase provides a
do-while structure:
PERFORM 010-PROCESS-ONE-MONTH
UNTIL MONTH GREATER THAN 12
INSPECT . . .

When control reaches the PERFORM statement, the condition (MONTH EQUAL DECEMBER)
is tested. If the condition is satisfied, control is transferred to the INSPECT
statement. If the condition is not satisfied, 010-PROCESS-ONE-MONTH is executed, and

84 Programming Guide
 the condition is tested again. This cycle continues until the condition tests as true.
(To make your program easier to read, you might want to code the WITH TEST
BEFORE clause.)

Coding a loop through a table

You can use PERFORM . . . VARYING to initialize a table. In this form of the PERFORM
statement, a variable is increased or decreased and tested until a condition is
satisfied.

Thus you use the PERFORM statement to control a loop through a table. You can use
either of the following forms:
PERFORM . . . WITH TEST AFTER . . . VARYING . . . UNTIL . . .
PERFORM . . . [WITH TEST BEFORE] . . . VARYING . . . UNTIL .

The following code shows an example of looping through a table to check for
invalid data:
PERFORM TEST AFTER VARYING WS-DATA-IX
FROM 1 BY 1
UNTIL WS-DATA-IX = 12
IF WS-DATA (WS-DATA-IX) EQUALS SPACES
SET SERIOUS-ERROR TO TRUE
DISPLAY ELEMENT-NUM-MSG5
END-IF
END-PERFORM
INSPECT . . .

In the code above, when control reaches the PERFORM statement, WS-DATA-IX is set
equal to 1 and the PERFORM statement is executed. Then the condition
(WS-DATA-IX = 12) is tested. If the condition is true, control drops through to the
INSPECT statement. If it is false, WS-DATA-IX is increased by 1, the PERFORM statement
is executed, and the condition is tested again. This cycle of execution and testing
continues until WS-DATA-IX is equal to 12.

In terms of the application, this loop controls input-checking for the 12 fields of
item WS-DATA. Empty fields are not allowed, and this section of code loops through
and issues error messages as appropriate.

Executing multiple paragraphs or sections

In structured programming, the paragraph you execute is usually a single
paragraph. However, you can execute a group of paragraphs, a single section, or a
group of sections using the PERFORM . . . THRU statement.

When you use PERFORM . . . THRU use a paragraph-EXIT statement to clearly

indicate the end point for the series of paragraphs.

Intrinsic functions can make the coding of the iterative processing of tables simpler
and easier.

Chapter 5. Selecting and repeating program actions 85

 RELATED TASKS
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73

86 Programming Guide
Chapter 6. Handling strings
COBOL provides language constructs for performing the following operations
associated with string data items:
v Joining and splitting data items
v Manipulating null-terminated strings, such as counting or moving characters
v Referring to substrings by their ordinal position and, if needed, length
v Tallying and replacing data items, such as counting the number of times a
specific character occurs in a data item
v Converting data items, such as changing to uppercase or lowercase
v Evaluating data items, such as determining the length of a data item

RELATED TASKS
“Joining data items (STRING)”
“Splitting data items (UNSTRING)” on page 89
“Manipulating null-terminated strings” on page 91
“Referring to substrings of data items” on page 93
“Tallying and replacing data items (INSPECT)” on page 95
“Converting data items (intrinsic functions)” on page 97
“Evaluating data items (intrinsic functions)” on page 99
Chapter 7, “Processing character data in an international environment,” on page
103

Joining data items (STRING)

Use the STRING statement to join all or parts of several data items into one data
item. One STRING statement can save you several MOVE statements.

The STRING statement transfers data items into the receiving item in the order that
you indicate. In the STRING statement you can also specify the following:
v Delimiters that cause a sending field to be ended and another to be started
v Actions to be taken when the single receiving field is filled before all of the
sending characters have been processed (ON OVERFLOW condition)

You can specify a national item for any literal or identifier operand except the
POINTER identifier. However, if you specify a national item, you must specify all of
the literal and identifier operands (except the POINTER identifier) as national.

“Example: STRING statement” on page 88

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in joining and splitting strings” on page 202

RELATED REFERENCES
STRING statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 87

 Example: STRING statement
In the following example, the STRING statement selects and formats information
from record RCD-01 as an output line: line number, customer name and address,
invoice number, next billing date, and balance due. The balance is truncated to the
dollar figure shown.

In the FILE SECTION, the following record is defined:

01 RCD-01.
05 CUST-INFO.
10 CUST-NAME PIC X(15).
10 CUST-ADDR PIC X(35).
05 BILL-INFO.
10 INV-NO PIC X(6).
10 INV-AMT PIC $$,$$$.99.
10 AMT-PAID PIC $$,$$$.99.
10 DATE-PAID PIC X(8).
10 BAL-DUE PIC $$,$$$.99.
10 DATE-DUE PIC X(8).

In the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION, the following fields are defined:

77 RPT-LINE PIC X(120).
77 LINE-POS PIC S9(3).
77 LINE-NO PIC 9(5) VALUE 1.
77 DEC-POINT PIC X VALUE “.”.

The record RCD-01 contains the following information (the symbol b indicates a
blank space):
J.B.bSMITHbbbbb
444bSPRINGbST.,bCHICAGO,bILL.bbbbbb
A14275
$4,736.85
$2,400.00
09/22/76
$2,336.85
10/22/76

In the PROCEDURE DIVISION, the programmer initializes RPT-LINE to SPACES and sets
LINE-POS, the data item to be used as the POINTER field, to 4. (By coding the
POINTER phrase of the STRING statement, you can use the explicit pointer field to
control placement of data in the receiving field.) Then, the programmer codes this
STRING statement:
STRING
LINE-NO SPACE CUST-INFO INV-NO SPACE DATE-DUE SPACE
DELIMITED BY SIZE
BAL-DUE
DELIMITED BY DEC-POINT
INTO RPT-LINE
WITH POINTER LINE-POS.

STRING program results

When the STRING statement is performed, items are moved into RPT-LINE as shown
in the table below.

Item Positions
LINE-NO 4-8
Space 9
CUST-INFO 10 - 59
INV-NO 60 - 65

88 Programming Guide
 Item Positions
Space 66
DATE-DUE 67 - 74
Space 75
Portion of BAL-DUE that precedes the decimal point 76 - 81

After the STRING statement is performed, the value of LINE-POS is 82, and RPT-LINE
appears as shown below.

Splitting data items (UNSTRING)

Use the UNSTRING statement to split one sending field into several receiving fields.
One UNSTRING statement can save you several MOVE statements.

In the UNSTRING statement you can specify the following:

v Delimiters that, when encountered in the sending field, cause the current
receiving field to stop receiving and the next to begin receiving
v Fields that store the number of characters placed in receiving fields
v A field that stores a count of the total number of characters transferred
v Special actions to take if all the receiving fields are filled before the end of the
sending item is reached

You can specify national items as the sending field, receiving fields, and delimiters.
However, if you specify a national item, you must specify all of these operands as
national.

“Example: UNSTRING statement”

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in joining and splitting strings” on page 202
Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
UNSTRING statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: UNSTRING statement

In the following example, selected information is taken from the input record.
Some is organized for printing and some for further processing.

In the FILE SECTION, the following records are defined:

Chapter 6. Handling strings 89

 * Record to be acted on by the UNSTRING statement:
01 INV-RCD.
05 CONTROL-CHARS PIC XX.
05 ITEM-INDENT PIC X(20).
05 FILLER PIC X.
05 INV-CODE PIC X(10).
05 FILLER PIC X.
05 NO-UNITS PIC 9(6).
05 FILLER PIC X.
05 PRICE-PER-M PIC 99999.
05 FILLER PIC X.
05 RTL-AMT PIC 9(6).99.
*
* UNSTRING receiving field for printed output:
01 DISPLAY-REC.
05 INV-NO PIC X(6).
05 FILLER PIC X VALUE SPACE.
05 ITEM-NAME PIC X(20).
05 FILLER PIC X VALUE SPACE.
05 DISPLAY-DOLS PIC 9(6).
*
* UNSTRING receiving field for further processing:
01 WORK-REC.
05 M-UNITS PIC 9(6).
05 FIELD-A PIC 9(6).
05 WK-PRICE REDEFINES FIELD-A PIC 9999V99.
05 INV-CLASS PIC X(3).
*
* UNSTRING statement control fields
77 DBY-1 PIC X.
77 CTR-1 PIC S9(3).
77 CTR-2 PIC S9(3).
77 CTR-3 PIC S9(3).
77 CTR-4 PIC S9(3).
77 DLTR-1 PIC X.
77 DLTR-2 PIC X.
77 CHAR-CT PIC S9(3).
77 FLDS-FILLED PIC S9(3).

In the PROCEDURE DIVISION, the programmer writes the following UNSTRING

statement:
* Move subfields of INV-RCD to the subfields of DISPLAY-REC
* and WORK-REC:
UNSTRING INV-RCD
DELIMITED BY ALL SPACES OR “/” OR DBY-1
INTO ITEM-NAME COUNT IN CTR-1
INV-NO DELIMITER IN DLTR-1 COUNT IN CTR-2
INV-CLASS
M-UNITS COUNT IN CTR-3
FIELD-A
DISPLAY-DOLS DELIMITER IN DLTR-2 COUNT IN CTR-4
WITH POINTER CHAR-CT
TALLYING IN FLDS-FILLED
ON OVERFLOW GO TO UNSTRING-COMPLETE.

Before issuing the UNSTRING statement, the programmer places the value 3 in
CHAR-CT (the POINTER field) to avoid working with the two control characters in
INV-RCD. A period (.) is placed in DBY-1 for use as a delimiter, and the value 0
(zero) is placed in FLDS-FILLED (the TALLYING field). The data is then read into
INV-RCD, as shown below.

90 Programming Guide
 UNSTRING program results
When the UNSTRING statement is performed, the following steps take place:
1. Positions 3 through 18 (FOUR-PENNY-NAILS) of INV-RCD are placed in ITEM-NAME,
left justified in the area, and the four unused character positions are padded
with spaces. The value 16 is placed in CTR-1.
2. Because ALL SPACES is coded as a delimiter, the five contiguous SPACE characters
in positions 19 through 23 are considered to be one occurrence of the delimiter.
3. Positions 24 through 29 (707890) are placed in INV-NO. The delimiter character,
/, is placed in DLTR-1, and the value 6 is placed in CTR-2.
4. Positions 31 through 33 are placed in INV-CLASS. The delimiter is a SPACE, but
because no field has been defined as a receiving area for delimiters, the SPACE
in position 34 is bypassed.
5. Positions 35 through 40 (475120) are examined and placed in M-UNITS. The
value 6 is placed in CTR-3. The delimiter is a SPACE, but because no field has
been defined as a receiving area for delimiters, the SPACE in position 41 is
bypassed.
6. Positions 42 through 46 (00122) are placed in FIELD-A and right justified in the
area. The high-order digit position is filled with a 0 (zero). The delimiter is a
SPACE, but because no field has been defined as a receiving area for delimiters,
the SPACE in position 47 is bypassed.
7. Positions 48 through 53 (000379) are placed in DISPLAY-DOLS. The period (.)
delimiter character in DBY-1 is placed in DLTR-2, and the value 6 is placed in
CTR-4.
8. Because all receiving fields have been acted on and two characters of data in
INV-RCD have not been examined, the ON OVERFLOW exit is taken, and execution
of the UNSTRING statement is completed.

After the UNSTRING statement is performed, the fields contain the values shown
below.

Field Value
DISPLAY-REC 707890 FOUR-PENNY-NAILS 000379
WORK-REC 475120000122BBA
CHAR-CT (the POINTER field) 55
FLDS-FILLED (the TALLYING field) 6

Manipulating null-terminated strings

You can construct and manipulate null-terminated strings (passed to or from a C
program, for example), by various mechanisms:
v Use null-terminated literal constants (Z“. . . ”).
v Use an INSPECT statement to count the number of characters in a null-terminated
string:

Chapter 6. Handling strings 91

 MOVE 0 TO char-count
INSPECT source-field TALLYING char-count
FOR CHARACTERS
BEFORE X“00”
v Use an UNSTRING statement to move characters in a null-terminated string to a
target field, and get the character count:
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 source-field PIC X(1001).
01 char-count COMP-5 PIC 9(4).
01 target-area.
02 individual-char OCCURS 1 TO 1000 TIMES DEPENDING ON char-count
PIC X.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
UNSTRING source-field DELIMITED BY X“00”
INTO target-area
COUNT IN char-count
ON OVERFLOW
DISPLAY “source not null terminated or target too short”
. . .
END-UNSTRING
v Use a SEARCH statement to locate trailing null or space characters. Define the
string being examined as a table of single characters.
v Check each character in a field in a loop (PERFORM). You can examine each
character in the field by using a reference modifier such as source-field (I:1).

“Example: null-terminated strings”

RELATED REFERENCES
Alphanumeric literals (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: null-terminated strings

The following example shows several ways you can manipulate null-terminated
strings:
01 L pic X(20) value z’ab’.
01 M pic X(20) value z’cd’.
01 N pic X(20).
01 N-Length pic 99 value zero.
01 Y pic X(13) value ’Hello, World!’.
. . .
* Display null-terminated string
Inspect N tallying N-length
for characters before initial x’00’
Display ’N: ’ N(1:N-Length) ’ Length: ’ N-Length
. . .
* Move null-terminated string to alphanumeric, strip null
Unstring N delimited by X’00’ into X
. . .
* Create null-terminated string
String Y delimited by size
X’00’ delimited by size
into N.
. . .
* Concatenate two null-terminated strings to produce another
String L delimited by x’00’
M delimited by x’00’
X’00’ delimited by size
into N.

92 Programming Guide
Referring to substrings of data items
Refer to a substring of a character-string data item (including alphanumeric, DBCS,
and national data items) by using a reference modifier. Intrinsic functions that
return character-string values can include a reference modifier.

The following example shows how to use a reference modifier to refer to a

substring of a data item:
Move Customer-Record(1:20) to Orig-Customer-Name

As this example shows, you code two values separated by a colon, in parentheses,
immediately following the data item:
v Ordinal position (from the left) of the character that you want the substring to
start with
v Length of the desired substring

The length is optional. If you omit the length, the substring extends to the end of
the item. Omit the length when possible as a simpler and less error-prone coding
technique.

You can code either of the two values as a variable or as an arithmetic expression.

Because numeric function identifiers can be used anywhere that arithmetic

expressions are allowed, you can use them in the reference modifier as the leftmost
character position or as the length.

You can also refer to substrings of table entries, including variable-length entries.
To refer to a substring of a table entry, you must code the subscript expression
before the reference modifier. For example, assuming that PRODUCT-TABLE is a
properly coded table of character strings, to move D to the fourth character in the
second string in the table, you could code this statement:
MOVE ’D’ to PRODUCT-TABLE (2), (4:1)

Both numbers in the reference modifier must have a value of at least 1. Their sum
should not exceed the total length of the data item by more than 1 so that you do
not reference beyond the end of the desired substring.

If the leftmost character position or the length value is a fixed-point noninteger,

truncation occurs to create an integer. If either is a floating-point noninteger,
rounding occurs to create an integer.

The following options detect out-of-range reference modifiers, and flag violations
with a run-time message:
v SSRANGE compiler option
v CHECK run-time option

You can reference-modify national data items. The reference modifier position and
length for a national item are expressed in terms of national characters.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Reference modifiers” on page 94
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED TASKS
“Referring to an item in a table” on page 61
Chapter 6. Handling strings 93
 RELATED REFERENCES
“SSRANGE” on page 304
Reference modification (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Function definitions (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Reference modifiers
Assume that you want to retrieve the current time from the system and display its
value in an expanded format. You can retrieve the current time with the ACCEPT
statement, which returns the hours, minutes, seconds, and hundredths of seconds
in this format:
HHMMSSss

However, you might prefer to view the current time in this format:
HH:MM:SS

Without reference modifiers, you would have to define data items for both formats.
You would also have to write code to convert from one format to the other.

With reference modifiers, you do not need to provide names for the subfields that
describe the TIME elements. The only data definition you need is for the time as
returned by the system. For example:
01 REFMOD-TIME-ITEM PIC X(8).

The following code retrieves and expands the time value:

ACCEPT REFMOD-TIME-ITEM FROM TIME.
DISPLAY “CURRENT TIME IS: ”
* Retrieve the portion of the time value that corresponds to
* the number of hours:
REFMOD-TIME-ITEM (1:2)
“:”
* Retrieve the portion of the time value that corresponds to
* the number of minutes:
REFMOD-TIME-ITEM (3:2)
“:”
* Retrieve the portion of the time value that corresponds to
* the number of seconds:
REFMOD-TIME-ITEM (5:2)

“Example: arithmetic expressions as reference modifiers”

“Example: intrinsic functions as reference modifiers” on page 95

RELATED TASKS
“Referring to substrings of data items” on page 93
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106

RELATED REFERENCES
Reference modification (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: arithmetic expressions as reference modifiers

Suppose that a field contains some right-justified characters, and you want to
move the characters to another field where they will be left justified. You can do
that using reference modifiers and an INSPECT statement.

Suppose the program has the following data:

94 Programming Guide
 01 LEFTY PIC X(30).
01 RIGHTY PIC X(30) JUSTIFIED RIGHT.
01 I PIC 9(9) USAGE BINARY.

The program counts the number of leading spaces and, using arithmetic
expressions in a reference modifier, moves the right-justified characters into
another field, justified to the left:
MOVE SPACES TO LEFTY
MOVE ZERO TO I
INSPECT RIGHTY
TALLYING I FOR LEADING SPACE.
IF I IS LESS THAN LENGTH OF RIGHTY THEN
MOVE RIGHTY ( I + 1 : LENGTH OF RIGHTY - I ) TO LEFTY
END-IF

The MOVE statement transfers characters from RIGHTY, beginning at the position
computed as I + 1 for a length that is computed as LENGTH OF RIGHTY - I, into the
field LEFTY.

Example: intrinsic functions as reference modifiers

The following code fragment causes a substring of Customer-Record to be moved
into the data item WS-name. The substring is determined at run time.
05 WS-name Pic x(20).
05 Left-posn Pic 99.
05 I Pic 99.
. . .
Move Customer-Record(Function Min(Left-posn I):Function Length(WS-name)) to WS-name

If you want to use a noninteger function in a position requiring an integer

function, you can use the INTEGER or INTEGER-PART function to convert the result to
an integer. For example:
Move Customer-Record(Function Integer(Function Sqrt(I)): ) to WS-name

RELATED REFERENCES
INTEGER-PART (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
INTEGER (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Tallying and replacing data items (INSPECT)

Use the INSPECT statement to do the following tasks:
v Fill selected portions of a data item with a value. If you specify a national data
item, you must also specify a national value.
v Replace portions of a data item with a corresponding portion of another data
item. If you specify any national items or literals in the statement, you must
specify all items as national.
v Count the number of times a specific character (zero, space, or asterisk, for
example) occurs in a data item. For a national data item, the count is in national
characters.

“Examples: INSPECT statement” on page 96

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED REFERENCES
INSPECT statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Chapter 6. Handling strings 95

 Examples: INSPECT statement
The following examples show some uses of the INSPECT statement.

In the following example, the INSPECT statement is used to examine and replace
characters in data item DATA-2. The number of times a leading 0 occurs in the data
item is accumulated in COUNTR. Every instance of the character A that follows the
first instance of the character C is replaced by the character 2.
77 COUNTR PIC 9 VALUE ZERO.
01 DATA-2 PIC X(11).
. . .
INSPECT DATA-2
TALLYING COUNTR FOR LEADING “0”
REPLACING FIRST “A” BY “2” AFTER INITIAL “C”

DATA-2 before COUNTR after DATA-2 after

00ACADEMY00 2 00AC2DEMY00
0000ALABAMA 4 0000ALABAMA
CHATHAM0000 0 CH2THAM0000

In the following example, the INSPECT statement is used to examine and replace
characters in data item DATA-3. Every character in the data item that precedes the
first instance of a quotation mark (“) is replaced by the character 0.
77 COUNTR PIC 9 VALUE ZERO.
01 DATA-3 PIC X(8).
. . .
INSPECT DATA-3
REPLACING CHARACTERS BY ZEROS BEFORE INITIAL QUOTE

DATA-3 before COUNTR after DATA-3 after

456”ABEL 0 000“ABEL
ANDES”12 0 00000“12
”TWAS BR 0 “TWAS BR

The following example shows the use of INSPECT CONVERTING with AFTER and
BEFORE phrases to examine and replace characters in data item DATA-4. All
characters in the data item that follow the first instance of the character / but that
precede the first instance of the character ? (if any) are translated from lowercase
to uppercase.
01 DATA-4 PIC X(11).
. . .
INSPECT DATA-4
CONVERTING
”abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz“ TO
”ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ“
AFTER INITIAL ”/“
BEFORE INITIAL”?“

DATA-4 before DATA-4 after

a/five/?six a/FIVE/?six
r/Rexx/RRRr r/REXX/RRRR
zfour?inspe zfour?inspe

96 Programming Guide
Converting data items (intrinsic functions)
You can use intrinsic functions to convert character-string data items to:
v Uppercase or lowercase
v Reverse order
v Numbers
v One code page to another

You can also use the INSPECT statement to convert characters.

“Examples: INSPECT statement” on page 96

You can use the NATIONAL-OF and DISPLAY-OF intrinsic functions to convert to and
from national (Unicode) strings.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

Converting to uppercase or lowercase (UPPER-CASE,

LOWER-CASE)
01 Item-1 Pic x(30) Value “Hello World!”.
01 Item-2 Pic x(30).
. . .
Display Item-1
Display Function Upper-case(Item-1)
Display Function Lower-case(Item-1)
Move Function Upper-case(Item-1) to Item-2
Display Item-2

The code above displays the following messages on the system logical output
device:
Hello World!
HELLO WORLD!
hello world!
HELLO WORLD!

The DISPLAY statements do not change the actual contents of Item-1, but affect only
how the letters are displayed. However, the MOVE statement causes uppercase
letters to be moved to the actual contents of Item-2.

Converting to reverse order (REVERSE)

The following code reverses the order of the characters in Orig-cust-name.
Move Function Reverse(Orig-cust-name) To Orig-cust-name

For example, if the starting value is JOHNSONbbb, the value after the statement is
performed is bbbNOSNHOJ, where b represents a blank space.

When you reverse the order of a national string, the result is a national string.

Converting to numbers (NUMVAL, NUMVAL-C)

The NUMVAL and NUMVAL-C functions convert character strings to numbers. Use these
functions to convert alphanumeric data items that contain free-format
character-representation numbers to numeric form, and process them numerically.
For example:

Chapter 6. Handling strings 97

 01 R Pic x(20) Value “- 1234.5678”.
01 S Pic x(20) Value “ $12,345.67CR”.
01 Total Usage is Comp-1.
. . .
Compute Total = Function Numval(R) + Function Numval-C(S)

Use NUMVAL-C when the argument includes a currency symbol or comma, or both,
as shown in the example. You can also place an algebraic sign before or after the
character string, and the sign will be processed. The arguments must not exceed 18
digits when you compile with the default option ARITH(COMPAT) (compatibility mode)
nor 31 digits when you compile with ARITH(EXTEND) (extended mode), not including
the editing symbols.

NUMVAL and NUMVAL-C return long (64-bit) floating-point values in compatibility

mode, and return extended-precision (128-bit) floating-point values in extended
mode. A reference to either of these functions, therefore, represents a reference to a
numeric data item.

When you use NUMVAL or NUMVAL-C, you do not need to statically declare numeric
data in a fixed format, nor input data in a precise manner. For example, suppose
you define numbers to be entered as follows:
01 X Pic S999V99 leading sign is separate.
. . .
Accept X from Console

The user of the application must enter the numbers exactly as defined by the
PICTURE clause. For example:
+001.23
-300.00

However, using the NUMVAL function, you could code:

01 A Pic x(10).
01 B Pic S999V99.
. . .
Accept A from Console
Compute B = Function Numval(A)

The input could then be:

1.23
-300

Converting from one code page to another

You can nest the DISPLAY-OF and NATIONAL-OF intrinsic functions to easily convert
from any code page to any other code page. For example, the following code
converts an EBCDIC string to an ASCII string:
77 EBCDIC-CCSID PIC 9(4) BINARY VALUE 1140.
77 ASCII-CCSID PIC 9(4) BINARY VALUE 819.
77 Input-EBCDIC PIC X(80).
77 ASCII-Output PIC X(80).
* Convert EBCDIC to ASCII
Move Function
Display-of
( Function National-of
(Input-EBCDIC EBCDIC-CCSID),
ASCII-CCSID
)
to ASCII-output

98 Programming Guide
 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40

RELATED TASKS
“Assigning input from a screen or file (ACCEPT)” on page 29
“Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY)” on page 30
“Converting national data” on page 107

RELATED REFERENCES
NUMVAL (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
NUMVAL-C (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“ARITH” on page 271

Evaluating data items (intrinsic functions)

You can use several intrinsic functions in evaluating data items:
v CHAR and ORD for evaluating integers and single alphanumeric characters with
respect to the collating sequence used in your program
v MAX, MIN, ORD-MAX, and ORD-MIN for finding the largest and smallest items in a
series of data items, including national data items
v LENGTH for finding the length of data items, including national data items
v WHEN-COMPILED for finding the date and time the program was compiled

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED TASKS
“Evaluating single characters for collating sequence”
“Finding the largest or smallest data item”
“Finding the length of data items” on page 101
“Finding the date of compilation” on page 102

Evaluating single characters for collating sequence

To find out the ordinal position of a given character in the collating sequence, use
the ORD function with the character as the argument. ORD returns an integer
representing that ordinal position. One convenient way to find a character’s ordinal
position is to use a one-character substring of a data item as the argument to ORD:
IF Function Ord(Customer-record(1:1)) IS > 194 THEN . . .

If you know the ordinal position in the collating sequence of a character, and want
to know the character that it corresponds to, use the CHAR function with the integer
ordinal position as the argument. CHAR returns the desired character:
INITIALIZE Customer-Name REPLACING ALPHABETIC BY Function Char(65)

RELATED REFERENCES
CHAR (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
ORD (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Finding the largest or smallest data item

If you want to know which of two or more alphanumeric, alphabetic, or national
data items has the largest value, use the MAX or ORD-MAX function. Supply the data
items in question as arguments. If you want to know which item contains the
smallest value, use the MIN or ORD-MIN function. These functions evaluate the values

Chapter 6. Handling strings 99

 according to the collating sequence. You can also use MAX, ORD-MAX, MIN, or ORD-MIN
for numbers. In that case, the algebraic values of the arguments are compared.

MAX and MIN

The MAX and MIN functions return the contents of one of the arguments that you
supply.

For example, suppose you have these data definitions:

05 Arg1 Pic x(10) Value “THOMASSON ”.
05 Arg2 Pic x(10) Value “THOMAS ”.
05 Arg3 Pic x(10) Value “VALLEJO ”.

The following statement assigns VALLEJObbb to the first 10 character positions of

Customer-record, where b represents a blank space:
Move Function Max(Arg1 Arg2 Arg3) To Customer-record(1:10)

If you use MIN instead, then THOMASbbbb is assigned.

If you specify a national item for any argument, you must specify all arguments as
national.

ORD-MAX and ORD-MIN

The functions ORD-MAX and ORD-MIN return an integer that represents the ordinal
position of the argument with the largest or smallest value in the list of arguments
that you supply (counting from the left).

If you used the ORD-MAX function in the example above, you would receive a syntax
error message at compile time; the reference to a numeric function is in an invalid
place. The following is a valid use of the ORD-MAX function:
Compute x = Function Ord-max(Arg1 Arg2 Arg3)

This code assigns the integer 3 to x if the same arguments are used as in the
previous example. If you use ORD-MIN instead, the integer 2 is returned. The above
examples would probably be more realistic if Arg1, Arg2, and Arg3 were instead
successive elements of an array (table).

If you specify a national item for any argument, you must specify all arguments as
national.

Returning variable-length results with alphanumeric functions

The results of alphanumeric functions could be of varying lengths and values
depending on the function arguments.

In the following example, the amount of data moved to R3 and the results of the
COMPUTE statement depend on the values and sizes of R1 and R2:
01 R1 Pic x(10) value “e”.
01 R2 Pic x(05) value “f”.
01 R3 Pic x(20) value spaces.
01 L Pic 99.
. . .
Move Function Max(R1 R2) to R3
Compute L = Function Length(Function Max(R1 R2))

Here, R2 is evaluated to be larger than R1. Therefore:

v The string ’fbbbb’ is moved to R3, where b represents a blank space. (The unfilled
character positions in R3 are padded with spaces.)

100 Programming Guide

 v L evaluates to the value 5.

If R1 contained ’g’ instead of ’e’, then R1 would evaluate as larger than R2, and:
v The string ’gbbbbbbbbb’ would be moved to R3. (The unfilled character positions
in R3 would be padded with spaces.)
v The value 10 would be assigned to L.

You might be dealing with variable-length output from alphanumeric functions.

Plan your program accordingly. For example, you might need to think about using
variable-length files when the records you are writing could be of different lengths:
File Section.
FD Output-File Recording Mode V.
01 Short-Customer-Record Pic X(50).
01 Long-Customer-Record Pic X(70).
. . .
Working-Storage Section.
01 R1 Pic x(50).
01 R2 Pic x(70).
. . .
If R1 > R2
Write Short-Customer-Record from R1
Else
Write Long-Customer-Record from R2
End-if

RELATED TASKS
“Performing arithmetic” on page 47
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73

RELATED REFERENCES
ORD-MAX (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
ORD-MIN (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Finding the length of data items

You can use the LENGTH function in many contexts (including numeric data and
tables) to determine the length of string items.

The following COBOL statement demonstrates moving a data item into that field
in a record that holds customer names:
Move Customer-name To Customer-record(1:Function Length(Customer-name))

The LENGTH function returns the length of a national item in national characters.

You can also use the LENGTH OF special register, which returns the length in bytes
even for national data. Coding either Function Length(Customer-name) or LENGTH
OF Customer-name returns the same result for alphanumeric items: the length of
Customer-name in bytes.

You can use the LENGTH function only where arithmetic expressions are allowed.
However, you can use the LENGTH OF special register in a greater variety of
contexts. For example, you can use the LENGTH OF special register as an argument
to an intrinsic function that allows integer arguments. (You cannot use an intrinsic
function as an operand to the LENGTH OF special register.) You can also use the
LENGTH OF special register as a parameter in a CALL statement.

Chapter 6. Handling strings 101

 RELATED TASKS
“Performing arithmetic” on page 47
“Processing table items using intrinsic functions” on page 73

RELATED REFERENCES
LENGTH (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Finding the date of compilation

If you want to know the date and time when a program was compiled, you can
use the WHEN-COMPILED function. The result returned has 21 character positions,
with the first 16 positions in the following format:
YYYYMMDDhhmmsshh

These characters show the four-digit year, month, day, and time (in hours, minutes,
seconds, and hundredths of seconds) of compilation.

The WHEN-COMPILED special register is another means you can use to find the date
and time of compilation. It has the following format:
MM/DD/YYhh.mm.ss

The WHEN-COMPILED special register supports only a two-digit year, and carries the
time out only to seconds. This special register be used only as the sending field in
a MOVE statement.

RELATED REFERENCES
WHEN-COMPILED (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

102 Programming Guide

Chapter 7. Processing character data in an international
environment
Enterprise COBOL supports Unicode at run time. Unicode provides a consistent
and efficient way to encode plain text. Using Unicode, you can develop software
that will work with various national languages.

Use these COBOL facilities to code and compile programs with encoding of
national character data and culturally sensitive collation orders for such character
data:
v National data type, defined with USAGE NATIONAL and PICTURE symbol N
v National literals, specified with literal prefix N or NX
v Intrinsic functions:
– NATIONAL-OF to return a character string in UTF-16 representation
– DISPLAY-OF to convert a national string to a selected code page (EBCDIC,
ASCII, EUC, or UTF-8)
v Compiler options:
– CODEPAGE to specify the code page to use for alphanumeric and double-byte
character set (DBCS) data in your program
– NSYMBOL to control whether national or DBCS processing is used for the N
symbol in literals and PICTURE clauses

In addition, when you are working with national data, certain coding situations
such as handling strings, sorting and merging, and passing data require special
attention.
Table 15. COBOL statements and national data
COBOL
statement Can be national Comment For more information
ACCEPT identifier-1 Converted from EBCDIC “Assigning input from a screen or file
only if the CONSOLE option (ACCEPT)” on page 29
is specified directly or
indirectly.
CALL identifier-2, identifier-3, “Passing data” on page 411
identifier-4, identifier-5;
literal-2, literal-3
COPY . . operand-1, operand-2 COPY statement (Enterprise COBOL
.REPLACING Language Reference)
DISPLAY identifier-1 Converted to EBCDIC only “Displaying values on a screen or in a
if the CONSOLE option is file (DISPLAY)” on page 30
specified directly or
indirectly.
INITIALIZE REPLACING If you specify REPLACING “Examples: initializing data items” on
NATIONAL, identifier-2 and page 26
literal-1 must be of class
national, and vice versa.
INSPECT Identifiers and literals other If any of these is of class “Tallying and replacing data items
than identifier-3 (the national, all must be. (INSPECT)” on page 95
TALLYING identifier)

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 103

Table 15. COBOL statements and national data (continued)
COBOL
statement Can be national Comment For more information
INVOKE method-name as identifier-2 “Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on
or literal-1; identifier-3 or page 506
literal-2 in the BY VALUE
phrase
MERGE Merge keys The COLLATING SEQUENCE “Setting sort or merge criteria” on
phrase does not apply. page 189
MOVE Both the sender and If the sender is a national “Assigning values to elementary or
receiver data item, the receiver must group data items (MOVE)” on page 27
be also.
Format-2 Both the key data item and A search argument can be “Doing a binary search (SEARCH
(binary) SEARCH the search argument an alphanumeric or ALL)” on page 72
national item when the
corresponding key is a
national item. If a search
argument is a national
item, the corresponding key
must be a national data
item.
SORT Sort keys The COLLATING SEQUENCE “Setting sort or merge criteria” on
phrase does not apply. page 189
STRING Any identifiers and literals If any of these is of class “Joining data items (STRING)” on
other than identifier-4 (the national, all must be. page 87
POINTER identifier)
UNSTRING Delimiters (identifier-2, If any of these is of class “Splitting data items (UNSTRING)” on
identifier-3), data receiving national, all must be. page 89
fields (identifier-4), delimiter
receiving fields) identifier-5;
literal-3, literal-4

The use of national data affects these intrinsic functions:

Table 16. Intrinsic functions and national data
Argument type can
Intrinsic function be national? Function type For more information
LENGTH Yes Integer “Finding the length of data items” on page
101
LOWER-CASE, Yes National “Converting to uppercase or lowercase
UPPER-CASE (UPPER-CASE, LOWER-CASE)” on page 97
MAX, MIN Yes National “Finding the largest or smallest data item”
on page 99
ORD-MAX, ORD-MIN Yes Integer “Finding the largest or smallest data item”
on page 99
REVERSE Yes National “Converting to reverse order (REVERSE)”
on page 97

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

104 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106
“Converting national data” on page 107
“Processing UTF-8 data” on page 109
“Processing Chinese GB 18030 data” on page 110
“Comparing national data items” on page 111
“Processing alphanumeric data items that contain DBCS data” on page 112
Appendix C, “Converting double-byte character set (DBCS) data,” on page 619

RELATED REFERENCES
“CODEPAGE” on page 274
“NSYMBOL” on page 291

Unicode and encoding of language characters

Enterprise COBOL provides basic run-time support for Unicode, which can handle
| tens of thousands of characters covering all commonly used characters and
| symbols in the world compared to the up to 256 characters that ASCII and
EBCDIC support.

Each character set is a defined set of characters, but is not associated with a coded
representation. A coded character set (also referred to here as a code page) is a set of
unambiguous rules that relate the characters of the set to their coded
representation. Each code page has a name and is like a table that sets up the
symbols for representing a character set; each symbol is a unique bit pattern, or
code point. (Each IBM code page also has a coded character set identifier (CCSID),
which is a value from 1 to 65,536.)

There are several encoding schemes in Unicode, called Unicode Transformation

Format (UTF), such as UTF-8, UTF-16, and UTF-32. Enterprise COBOL uses UTF-16
(CCSID 1200) in big-endian format as the representation for the national data type.

UTF-8 represents ASCII invariant characters a-z, A-Z, 0-9, and certain special
characters such as ’ @ , . + - = / * ( ) identically as in ASCII. UTF-16 represents
such characters as X’00nn’ where X’nn’ is the representation of the character in
ASCII.

For example, the string ’ABC’ in UTF-16 would be NX’004100420043’. In UTF-8 it

would be X’414243’.

One or more encoding units are used to represent a character in a coded character
set. For UTF-16, an encoding unit takes 2 bytes of storage. Any character defined
in any EBCDIC, ASCII, or EUC code page is represented in one UTF-16 encoding
unit when the character is converted to the national data representation.

| Cross-platform considerations: Enterprise COBOL does not support UTF-16 with

| byte order marks or UTF-16 in little-endian format (UTF-16LE) in national data
| items. If you are porting UTF-16 data or UTF-16LE data from another platform,
| you must convert that data to UTF-16 big-endian format.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 7, “Processing character data in an international environment,” on page
103

Chapter 7. Processing character data in an international environment 105

Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL
In Enterprise COBOL, you can specify Unicode data by means of:
v National data items
v National literals
v Figurative constants as national characters

These declarations affect the amount of storage needed.

National data items

Define data items with USAGE NATIONAL to hold Unicode strings. Code a PICTURE
clause that consists only of one or more PICTURE symbols N.

If you specify a PICTURE clause but do not specify a USAGE clause for data items
that consist only of one or more PICTURE symbols N, you can use the compiler
option NSYMBOL(NATIONAL) to ensure that the items are treated as national data
items (instead of as DBCS items).

National literals
To specify national literals, use the prefix character N and compile with the option
NSYMBOL(NATIONAL). For example, you can use either of these notations:
N“character-data”
N’character-data’

When you use NSYMBOL(DBCS), the literal prefix character N specifies a DBCS literal,
not a national literal.

To specify a national literal as a hexadecimal value, use the prefix character NX. For
example, you can use either of these notations:
NX“hexadecimal-digits”
NX’hexadecimal-digits’

Each of the following MOVE statements sets the data item X to the Unicode value
AB:
01 X pic NN usage national.
. . .
Move NX“00410042” to X
Move N“AB” to X
Move “AB” to X

Do not use alphanumeric hexadecimal literals in contexts that call for a national
literal, because such usage is easily misunderstood. For example, the statement:
Move X“C1C2C3C4” to X

also results in moving Unicode AB (not the bit pattern C1C2C3C4) to X.

National characters as figurative constants

You can use the figurative constant ALL literal for national literals. It represents all
or part of the string that is generated by successive concatenations of the encoding
units that make up the literal.

When you use the figurative constant QUOTE, SPACE, or ZERO in a context that
requires national characters, the figurative constant represents a national character
value. However, you cannot use the figurative constants HIGH-VALUE and LOW-VALUE

106 Programming Guide

 in a context that requires national characters, such as a MOVE statement, an implicit
MOVE, or a relation condition with national operands.

You cannot use national literals in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph.

Storage of national data

Use this table to compare alphanumeric (DISPLAY), DBCS (DISPLAY-1), and Unicode
(NATIONAL) encoding and to plan your storage usage:
Table 17. Encoding and size of alphanumeric and national data
Characteristic DISPLAY DISPLAY-1 NATIONAL
Character encoding unit 1 byte 2 bytes 2 bytes
1
Code page EBCDIC EBCDIC DBCS UTF-16BE
Encoding units per character 1 1 1 or 22
Bytes per character 1 byte 2 bytes 2 or 4 bytes

1. Use the CODEPAGE compiler option to specify the code page for the EBCDIC code page
applicable to alphanumeric or DBCS data. National literals in your source program are
converted to UTF-16 for use at run time.
2. Most characters are represented in UTF-16 using one encoding unit. In particular, the
following characters are represented using a single UTF-16 encoding unit per character:
v COBOL characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9, space, + -*/= $,;.“()><:’
| v All characters that are converted from an EBCDIC, ASCII, or EUC code page

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Unicode and encoding of language characters” on page 105

RELATED TASKS
“Converting national data”
“Comparing national data items” on page 111
“Processing UTF-8 data” on page 109

RELATED REFERENCES
“CODEPAGE” on page 274
“NSYMBOL” on page 291

Converting national data

You can convert alphanumeric, DBCS, and integer data items to national strings by
using the MOVE statement. (Such implicit conversions also take place in other
COBOL statements, such as a comparison of an alphanumeric data item with a
national data item.) You can also convert to and from national (Unicode) strings by
using the intrinsic functions NATIONAL-OF and DISPLAY-OF, respectively. Using the
intrinsic functions allows you to specify a code page for the conversion that is
different from the code page in effect with the CODEPAGE compiler option.

Converting alphanumeric and integer to national data (MOVE)

You can use the MOVE statement to convert alphanumeric, DBCS, and integer items
to national. When you move an alphanumeric item to a national item, it is
converted to the representation of the national data receiver (UTF-16 Unicode).
When you move an alphanumeric-edited item, numeric integer, or numeric-edited
item to a national item, it is treated as if it were first moved to an alphanumeric
data item of the size not requiring padding or truncation.

Chapter 7. Processing character data in an international environment 107

 If the number of characters of the converted data is less than the size of the
national data item that you specify, the data is padded with default Unicode
UTF-16 space characters (NX’0020’). If the number of characters of the converted
data is more than the size of the national item, the trailing characters are truncated.
You need to ensure that such truncation does not occur within a character.

Converting alphanumeric to national data (NATIONAL-OF)

Use the NATIONAL-OF intrinsic function to convert an alphabetic, alphanumeric, or
DBCS item to a character string represented in Unicode (UTF-16). Specify the
source code page as an argument, if the source is encoded in a different code page
than is in effect with the CODEPAGE compiler option.

Converting national to alphanumeric data (DISPLAY-OF)

Use the DISPLAY-OF intrinsic function to convert a national item to a character
string represented in the code page that you specify. If you specify an EBCDIC or
ASCII code page that combines SBCS and DBCS characters, the returned string
might contain a mixture of SBCS and DBCS characters. The DBCS substrings are
delimited by shift-in and shift-out characters if the code page in effect for the
function is an EBCDIC code page.

Overriding the default code page

In some cases, you might need to convert data to or from a code page that differs
from the CCSID specified as the CODEPAGE option value. To do this, convert the
item by using a conversion function in which you specify the code page for the
item explicitly.

If you specify a code page as an argument to DISPLAY-OF and it differs from the
code page that is in effect with the CODEPAGE compiler option, do not use the
DISPLAY-OF function result in any operations that involve implicit conversion (such
as an assignment to, or comparison with, a national data item). Such operations
assume the EBCDIC code page that is specified in the CODEPAGE compiler option.

Conversion exceptions
Implicit or explicit conversion between national and alphanumeric data could fail
and generate a severity-3 Language Environment condition. Failures could occur if
any of the follow occur:
v Unicode Conversion Services was not installed on your system.
v The code page that you specified (implicitly or explicitly) is not a valid code
page.
v The combination of the CCSID that you specified explicitly or implicitly (such as
by using the CODEPAGE compiler option) and the UTF-16 Unicode CCSID (1200)
was not configured on your system as a valid conversion pair for the Unicode
Conversion Services on the system.

A character that does not have a counterpart in the target CCSID does not result in
a conversion exception. Such a character is converted to a substitution character of
the target code page.

“Example: converting national data” on page 109

RELATED TASKS
Customizing Unicode support for COBOL (Enterprise COBOL Customization Guide)

108 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“CODEPAGE” on page 274

Example: converting national data

The following example shows the use of the NATIONAL-OF and DISPLAY-OF intrinsic
functions and the MOVE statement for converting to and from Unicode strings. It
also demonstrates the need for explicit conversions when you operate on strings
encoded in multiple code pages in the same program.
CBL CODEPAGE(00037)
* . . .
01 Data-in-Unicode pic N(100) usage national.
01 Data-in-Greek pic X(100).
01 other-data-in-US-English pic X(12) value “PRICE in $ =”.
* . . .
Read Greek-file into Data-in-Greek
Move function National-of(Data-in-Greek, 00875)
to Data-in-Unicode
* . . . process Data-in-Unicode here . . .
Move function Display-of(Data-in-Unicode, 00875)
to Data-in-Greek
Write Greek-record from Data-in-Greek

The above example works correctly: Data-in-Greek is converted as data

represented in CCSID 00875 (Greek) explicitly. However, the following statement
would result in an incorrect conversion (unless all the characters in the item
happen to be among those with a common representation in the Greek and the
English code pages):
Move Data-in-Greek to Data-in-Unicode

Data-in-Greek is converted to Unicode by this MOVE statement based on the CCSID

00037 (U.S. English) to UTF-16 conversion. This conversion would not produce the
expected results because Data-in-Greek is actually encoded in CCSID 00875.

If you can correctly set the CODEPAGE compiler option to CCSID 00875 (that is, the
rest of your program also handles EBCDIC data in Greek), you can code the same
example correctly as follows:
CBL CODEPAGE(00037)
* . . .
01 Data-in-Unicode pic N(100) usage national.
01 Data-in-Greek pic X(100).
* . . .
Read Greek-file into Data-in-Greek
* . . . process Data-in-Greek here ...
* . . . or do the following (if need to process data in Unicode)
Move Data-in-Greek to Data-in-Unicode
* . . . process Data-in-Unicode
Move function Display-of(Data-in-Unicode) to Data-in-Greek
Write Greek-record from Data-in-Greek

Processing UTF-8 data

When you need to process UTF-8 data, first convert the data to UTF-16 Unicode in
a national data item. After processing the national data, convert it back to UTF-8
for output. For the conversions, use the intrinsic functions NATIONAL-OF and
DISPLAY-OF. Use code page 1208 for UTF-8 data.

You need to do two steps to convert ASCII or EBCDIC data to UTF-8:

Chapter 7. Processing character data in an international environment 109

 1. Use the function NATIONAL-OF to convert the ASCII or EBCDIC string to
national (UTF-16).
2. Use the function DISPLAY-OF to convert the national string (UTF-16) to UTF-8.

The following example illustrates these steps, converting Greek EBCDIC data to
UTF-8:

RELATED TASKS
“Converting national data” on page 107

Processing Chinese GB 18030 data

Enterprise COBOL does not have any explicit support for GB 18030, but does
support processing GB 18030 characters in the following ways:
v You can use DBCS data to process GB 18030 characters that are represented in
CCSID 1388.
v You can use Unicode data to define and process GB 18030 characters that are
represented in CCSID 01200 (GB 18030 characters that do not require UTF-16
surrogates).
v You can process data in any code page (including CCSID 1388) by converting it
to Unicode, processing the data as Unicode, then converting it back to the
original code page representation.
When you need to process Chinese GB 18030 data that requires conversion, first
convert the input data to UTF-16 Unicode in a national data item. After
processing the national data, convert it back to Chinese GB 18030 for output. For
the conversions, use the intrinsic functions NATIONAL-OF and DISPLAY-OF, and
specify code page 1388 as the second argument of each.
The following example illustrates these conversions:

GB 18030 characters are encoded through the existing Chinese EBCDIC code page,
CCSID 1388, which has been expanded to include the GB 18030 characters that do
not require UTF-16 surrogate values. Surrogate values in UTF-16 are those characters
that require two 2-byte encoding units (4 bytes) for each character.

RELATED TASKS
“Converting national data” on page 107

110 Programming Guide

Comparing national data items
You can compare national data items explicitly or implicitly with other national
data items in relation conditions. You can code conditional expressions that use
national data items in the following statements:
v EVALUATE
v IF
v INSPECT
v PERFORM
v SEARCH
v STRING
v UNSTRING

You can compare national data items explicitly or implicitly with certain
nonnational items in relation conditions in the following statements:
v EVALUATE
v IF
v PERFORM
v SEARCH

All comparisons that involve a national operand are national comparisons. The
operands must follow the rules for valid comparisons. The PROGRAM COLLATING
SEQUENCE does not affect comparisons that involve national operands.

Comparing national operands

When you compare two national operands of the same length, they are determined
to be equal if all pairs of the corresponding characters are equal. Otherwise,
comparison of the binary values of the first pair of unequal characters determines
the operand with the larger binary value.

When you compare operands of unequal lengths, the shorter operand is treated as
if it were padded on the right with default Unicode UTF-16 space characters
(NX’0020’) to the length of the longer operand.

Comparing national and numeric operands

You can compare national literals or national data items to integer literals or
numeric data items of USAGE DISPLAY. The numeric operand is treated as if it were
moved to an elementary alphanumeric item, and an alphanumeric comparison is
done.

Comparing national and alphabetic or alphanumeric operands

You can compare national literals or data items to alphabetic or alphanumeric data
items. The alphabetic or alphanumeric operand is treated as if it were moved to an
elementary national item, and a national comparison is done.

Comparing national and group operands

You can compare a national literal or data item to a group. The national operand is
treated as if it were moved to a group item of the same size as the group operand,
and the two groups are compared.

Chapter 7. Processing character data in an international environment 111

 RELATED TASKS
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106
“Coding a choice of actions” on page 75
“Tallying and replacing data items (INSPECT)” on page 95
“Coding a loop” on page 84
“Doing a serial search (SEARCH)” on page 71
“Joining data items (STRING)” on page 87
“Splitting data items (UNSTRING)” on page 89

RELATED REFERENCES
Relation condition (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Comparison of numeric and alphanumeric operands (Enterprise COBOL Language
Reference)

Processing alphanumeric data items that contain DBCS data

If you use byte-oriented alphanumeric operations (for example, STRING, UNSTRING,
or reference modification) on an alphanumeric data item that contains DBCS
characters, results are unpredictable. You should instead do these steps:
1. Convert the item to Unicode in a national data item by using a MOVE statement
or the NATIONAL-OF function.
2. Process the national item as needed.
3. Convert the result back to alphanumeric by using the DISPLAY-OF function.

RELATED TASKS
“Joining data items (STRING)” on page 87
“Splitting data items (UNSTRING)” on page 89
“Referring to substrings of data items” on page 93
“Converting national data” on page 107

112 Programming Guide

Chapter 8. Processing files
Reading and writing data is an essential part of every program. Your program
retrieves information, processes it as you request, and then produces the results.

The source of the information and the target for the results can be one or more of
the following:
v Another program
v Direct-access storage device
v Magnetic tape
v Printer
v Terminal
v Card reader or punch

The information as it exists on an external device is in a physical record or block, a

collection of information that is handled as a unit by the system during input or
output operations.

Your COBOL program does not directly handle physical records. It processes
logical records. A logical record can correspond to a complete physical record, part
of a physical record, or to parts or all of one or more physical records. Your
COBOL program handles logical records exactly as you have defined them.

In COBOL, a collection of logical records is a file, a sequence of pieces of

information that your program can process.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“File organization and input-output devices”

RELATED TASKS
“Choosing file organization and access mode” on page 115
“Allocating files” on page 117
“Checking for input or output errors” on page 118

File organization and input-output devices

Depending on the input-output devices, your file organization can be sequential,
line sequential, indexed, or relative. Decide on the file types and devices to be used
when you design your program.

You have the following choices of file organization:

Sequential file organization
The chronological order in which records are entered when a file is created
establishes the arrangement of the records. Each record except the first has
a unique predecessor record, and each record except the last has a unique
successor record. Once established, these relationships do not change.
The access (record transmission) mode allowed for sequential files is
sequential only.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 113

 Line-sequential file organization
Line-sequential files are sequential files that reside on the hierarchical file
system (HFS) and that contain only characters as data. Each record ends
with a new-line character.
The only access (record transmission) mode allowed for line-sequential files
is sequential.
Indexed file organization
Each record in the file contains a special field whose contents form the
record key. The position of the key is the same in each record. The index
component of the file establishes the logical arrangement of the file, an
ordering by record key. The actual physical arrangement of the records in
the file is not significant to your COBOL program.
An indexed file can also use alternate indexes in addition to the record key.
These keys let you access the file using a different logical ordering of the
records.
The access (record transmission) modes allowed for indexed files are
sequential, random, or dynamic. When you read or write indexed files
sequentially, the sequence is that of the key values.
Relative file organization
Records in the file are identified by their location relative to the beginning
of the file. The first record in the file has a relative record number of 1, the
tenth record has a relative record number of 10, and so on.
The access (record transmission) modes allowed for relative files are
sequential, random, or dynamic. When relative files are read or written
sequentially, the sequence is that of the relative record number.

With IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS, requests to the operating system for the
storage and retrieval of records from input-output devices are handled by the two
access methods QSAM and VSAM, and the UNIX file system.

The device type upon which you elect to store your data could affect the choices of
file organization available to you. Direct-access storage devices provide greater
flexibility in the file organization options. Sequential-only devices limit
organization options but have other characteristics, such as the portability of tapes,
that might be useful.
Sequential-only devices
Terminals, printers, card readers, and punches are called unit-record devices
because they process one line at a time. Therefore, you must also process
records one at a time sequentially in your program when it reads from or
writes to unit-record devices.
On tape, records are ordered sequentially, so your program must process
them sequentially. Use QSAM physical sequential files when processing
tape files. The records on tape can be fixed length or variable length. The
rate of data transfer is faster than it is for cards.
Direct-access storage devices
Direct-access storage devices hold many records. The record arrangement
of files stored on these devices determines the ways that your program can
process the data. When using direct-access devices, you have greater
flexibility within your program, because your can use several types of file
organization:
v Sequential (VSAM or QSAM)

114 Programming Guide

 v Line sequential (UNIX)
v Indexed (VSAM)
v Relative (VSAM)

RELATED TASKS
“Allocating files” on page 117
Chapter 9, “Processing QSAM files,” on page 119
Chapter 10, “Processing VSAM files,” on page 147
Chapter 11, “Processing line-sequential files,” on page 175
“Choosing file organization and access mode”

Choosing file organization and access mode

Consider the following guidelines when determining which file organization and
access mode to use in your application:
v If your application accesses records (fixed-length or variable-length records) only
sequentially and does not insert records between existing ones, a QSAM or
VSAM sequential file is the simplest type.
v If you are developing an application for UNIX that sequentially accesses records
that contain only printable characters and certain control characters,
line-sequential files work the best.
v If your application requires both sequential and random access (fixed-length or
variable-length records), a VSAM indexed file is the most flexible type.
v If your application randomly inserts and deletes records, a relative file works
well.

If a large percentage of a file is referenced or updated in your application,

sequential processing is faster than random or dynamic access. If a small
percentage of records is processed during each run of your application, use
random or dynamic access.

The following table shows the possible file organizations, access modes, and record
formats for COBOL files.
Table 18. File organization, access mode, and record format
Sequential Random Dynamic Fixed Variable
File organization access access access length length
QSAM (physical X X X
sequential)
Line sequential X X1 X
VSAM sequential (ESDS) X X X
VSAM indexed (KSDS) X X X X X
VSAM relative (RRDS) X X X X X

1. The data itself is in variable format but can be read into and written from COBOL
fixed-length records.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Format for coding input and output” on page 116
“Allowable control characters” on page 176

Chapter 8. Processing files 115

 Format for coding input and output
The following code shows the general format of input-output coding. Explanations
of the user-supplied information follow the code.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
. . .
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT filename ASSIGN TO assignment-name (1) (2)
ORGANIZATION IS org ACCESS MODE IS access (3) (4)
FILE STATUS IS file-status (5)
. . .
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD filename
01 recordname (6)
nn . . . fieldlength & type (7) (8)
nn . . . fieldlength & type
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
01 file-status PICTURE 99.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
OPEN iomode filename (9)
. . .
READ filename
. . .
WRITE recordname
. . .
CLOSE filename
. . .
STOP RUN.

The user-supplied information in the code above is as follows:

(1) filename
Any legal COBOL name. You must use the same file name on the SELECT
and the FD statements, and on the READ, OPEN, and CLOSE statements. In
addition, the file name is required if you use the START or DELETE
statements. This name is not necessarily the actual name of the data set as
known to the system. Each file requires its own SELECT, FD, and
input-output statements.
(2) assignment-name
Any name you choose, provided that it follows COBOL and system
naming rules. The name can be 1-30 characters long if it is a user-defined
word, or 1-160 characters long if it is a literal. You code the name part of
the assignment-name on a DD statement, in an ALLOCATE command (TSO) or
as an environment variable (for example, in an export command) (UNIX).
(3) org The organization can be SEQUENTIAL, LINE SEQUENTIAL, INDEXED, or
RELATIVE. This clause is optional for QSAM files.
(4) access
The access mode can be SEQUENTIAL, RANDOM, or DYNAMIC. For sequential file
processing, including line-sequential, you can omit this clause.
(5) file-status
The two-character COBOL FILE STATUS key.
(6) recordname
The name of the record used in the WRITE and REWRITE statements.

116 Programming Guide

 (7) fieldlength
The logical length of the field.
(8) type
The record format of the file. If you break the record entry beyond the
level-01 description, each element should map accurately against the fields
in the record.
(9) iomode
The INPUT or OUTPUT mode. If you are only reading from a file, code INPUT.
If you are only writing to it, code OUTPUT or EXTEND. If you are both reading
and writing, code I-O, except for organization LINE SEQUENTIAL.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 9, “Processing QSAM files,” on page 119
Chapter 10, “Processing VSAM files,” on page 147
Chapter 11, “Processing line-sequential files,” on page 175

Allocating files
For any type of file (sequential, line sequential, indexed, or relative) in your z/OS
or UNIX applications, you can define the external name with either a ddname or
an environment variable name. The external name is the name in the
assignment-name of the ASSIGN clause.

If the file is in the HFS, you can use either a DD definition or an environment
variable to define the file by specifying its path name with the PATH keyword.

The environment variable name must be uppercase. The allowable attributes for its
value depend on the organization of the file being defined.

Because you can define the external name in either of two ways, the COBOL run
time goes through the following steps to find the definition of the file:
1. If the ddname is explicitly allocated, it is used. The definition can be from a DD
statement in JCL, an ALLOCATE command from TSO/E, or a user-initiated
dynamic allocation.
2. If the ddname is not explicitly allocated and an environment variable of the
same name is set, the value of the environment variable is used.
The file is dynamically allocated using the attributes specified by the
environment variable. At a minimum, you must specify either the PATH() or
DSN() option. All options and attributes must be in uppercase, except for the
path-name suboption of the PATH option, which is case sensitive. You cannot
specify a temporary data set name in the DSN() option.
File status code 98 results from any of the following:
v The contents (including a value of null or all blanks) of the environment
variable are not valid.
v The dynamic allocation of the file fails.
v The dynamic deallocation of the file fails.
The COBOL run time checks the contents of the environment variable at each
OPEN statement. If a file with the same external name was dynamically allocated
by a previous OPEN statement and the contents of the environment variable
have changed since that OPEN, the run time dynamically deallocates the
previous allocation and reallocates the file using the options currently set in the
environment variable. If the contents of the environment variable have not
changed, the run time uses the current allocation.

Chapter 8. Processing files 117

 3. If neither a ddname nor an environment variable is defined, the following
occurs:
v If the allocation is for a QSAM file and the CBLQDA run-time option is in
effect, CBLQDA dynamic allocation processing takes place for those eligible
files. This type of “implicit” dynamic allocation persists for the life of the run
unit and cannot be reallocated.
v Otherwise the allocation fails.

The COBOL run time deallocates all dynamic allocations at run unit termination,
except “implicit” CBLQDA allocations.

RELATED TASKS
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
“Defining and allocating QSAM files” on page 134
“Dynamically creating QSAM files with CBLQDA” on page 130
“Allocating VSAM files” on page 169

Checking for input or output errors

After each input or output statement is performed, the FILE STATUS key is updated
with a value that indicates the success or failure of the operation. Using a FILE
STATUS clause, test the FILE STATUS key after each input or output statement, and
call an error-handling procedure if a nonzero file status code is returned.

With VSAM files, you can use a second data-name in the FILE STATUS clause to get
additional VSAM return code information.

Another way of handling errors in input and output operations is to code ERROR
(synonymous with EXCEPTION) declaratives, as explained in the references below.

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in input and output operations” on page 203
“Coding ERROR declaratives” on page 207
“Using file status keys” on page 208

118 Programming Guide

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files
Queued sequential access method (QSAM) files are unkeyed files in which the
records are placed one after another, according to entry order. Your program can
process these files only sequentially, retrieving (with the READ statement) records in
the same order as they are in the file. Each record is placed after the preceding
record.

To process QSAM files in your program, use COBOL language statements that:
v Identify and describe the QSAM files in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and the DATA
DIVISION.
v Process the records in these files in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.

After you have created a record, you cannot change its length or its position in the
file, and you cannot delete it. You can, however, update QSAM files on
direct-access storage devices (using REWRITE), though not in the HFS.

QSAM files can be on tape, direct-access storage devices (DASDs), unit-record

devices, and terminals. QSAM processing is best for tables and intermediate
storage.

You can also access byte-stream files in the HFS using QSAM. These files are
binary byte-oriented sequential files with no record structure. The record
definitions that you code in your COBOL program and the length of the variables
that you read into and write from determine the amount of data transferred.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Labels for QSAM files” on page 141
Using access methods (z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets)

RELATED TASKS
“Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL”
“Coding input and output statements for QSAM files” on page 129
“Handling errors in QSAM files” on page 133
“Working with QSAM files” on page 133
“Processing QSAM ASCII files on tape” on page 144
“Processing ASCII file labels” on page 145

Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL

Use the FILE-CONTROL entry to:
v Define the files in your COBOL program as QSAM files.
v Associate the files with the external file-names (ddnames or environment
variable names). (An external file-name is the name by which a file is known to
the operating system.)

In the following example, COMMUTER-FILE-MST is your program’s name for the file;
COMMUTR is the external name.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 119

 FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT COMMUTER-FILE-MST
ASSIGN TO S-COMMUTR
ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL.

Your ASSIGN clause name can include an S- before the external name (ddname or
environment variable name) to document that the file is a QSAM file.

Both the ORGANIZATION and ACCESS MODE clauses are optional.

RELATED TASKS
“Establishing record formats”
“Setting block sizes” on page 127

Establishing record formats

In the FD entry in the DATA DIVISION, code the record format and whether the
records are blocked. In the associated record description entry or entries, define the
record-name and record length.

You can code a record format of F, V, S, or U in the RECORDING MODE clause. COBOL
determines the record format from the RECORD clause or from the record
descriptions associated with your FD entry for the file. If you want the records to
be blocked, code the BLOCK CONTAINS clause in your FD entry.

The following example shows how the FD entry might look for a file with
fixed-length records:
FILE SECTION.
FD COMMUTER-FILE-MST
RECORDING MODE IS F
BLOCK CONTAINS 0 RECORDS
RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS.
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-MST.
05 COMMUTER-NUMBER PIC X(16).
05 COMMUTER-DESCRIPTION PIC X(64).

A recording mode of S is not supported for files in the HFS. The above example is
appropriate for such a file.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records”

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting fixed-length format” on page 121
“Requesting variable-length format” on page 122
“Requesting spanned format” on page 124
“Requesting undefined format” on page 126
“Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL” on page 119

Logical records
The term logical record is used in a slightly different way in the COBOL language
and in z/OS QSAM. For format-V and format-S files, the QSAM logical record
includes a 4-byte prefix in front of the user data portion of the record that is not
included in the definition of a COBOL logical record. For format-F and format-U
files, and for HFS byte-stream files, the definitions of QSAM logical record and
COBOL logical record are identical.

120 Programming Guide

In this information, QSAM logical record refers to the QSAM definition, and logical
record refers to the COBOL definition.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-F records”
“Layout of format-V records” on page 123
“Layout of format-S records” on page 125
“Layout of format-U records” on page 126

Requesting fixed-length format

Fixed-length records are in format F. Use RECORDING MODE F to explicitly request
this format.

You can omit the RECORDING MODE clause. The compiler determines the recording
mode to be F if the length of the largest level-01 record associated with the file is
not greater than the block size coded in the BLOCK CONTAINS clause, and you take
one of the following actions:
v Use the RECORD CONTAINS integer clause (RECORD clause format 1).
When you use this clause, the file is always fixed format with record length
integer, even if there are multiple level-01 record description entries with
different lengths associated with the file.
v Omit the RECORD CONTAINS integer clause, but code the same fixed size and no
OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause for all level-01 record description entries associated
with the file. This fixed size is the record length.

In an unblocked format-F file, the logical record is the same as the block.

In a blocked format-F file, the number of logical records in a block (the blocking
factor) is constant for every block in the file, except the last block, which might be
shorter. Files in the HFS are never blocked.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records” on page 120

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting variable-length format” on page 122
“Requesting spanned format” on page 124
“Requesting undefined format” on page 126
“Establishing record formats” on page 120

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-F records”

Layout of format-F records: The layout of format-F QSAM records is shown

below.

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 121

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records” on page 120

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting fixed-length format” on page 121
Fixed-length record formats (z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets)

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-V records” on page 123
“Layout of format-S records” on page 125
“Layout of format-U records” on page 126

Requesting variable-length format

Variable-length records can be in format V or format D. Format-D records are
variable-length records on ASCII tape files. Format-D records are processed in the
same way as format-V records. Use RECORDING MODE V for both.

You can omit the RECORDING MODE clause. The compiler determines the recording
mode to be V if the largest level-01 record associated with the file is not greater
than the block size set in the BLOCK CONTAINS clause, and you take one of the
following actions:
v Use the RECORD IS VARYING clause (RECORD clause format 3).
If you provide values for integer-1 and integer-2 (RECORD IS VARYING FROM
integer-1 TO integer-2), the maximum record length is the value coded for
integer-2, regardless of the lengths coded in the level-01 record description
entries associated with the file.
If you omit integer-1 and integer-2, the maximum record length is determined to
be the size of the largest level-01 record description entry associated with the
file.
v Use the RECORD CONTAINS integer-1 TO integer-2 clause (RECORD clause format 2).
Make integer-1 and integer-2 match the minimum length and the maximum
length of the level-01 record description entries associated with the file. The
maximum record length is the integer-2 value.
v Omit the RECORD clause, but code multiple level-01 records (associated with the
file) that are of different sizes or contain an OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause.
The maximum record length is determined to be the size of the largest level-01
record description entry associated with the file.

When you specify a READ INTO statement for a format-V file, the record size read
for that file is used in the MOVE statement generated by the compiler. Consequently,
you might not get the result you expect if the record just read does not correspond
to the level-01 record description. All other rules of the MOVE statement apply. For
example, when you specify a MOVE statement for a format-V record read in by the
READ statement, the size of the record moved corresponds to its level-01 record
description.

When you specify a READ statement for a format-V file followed by a MOVE of the
level-01 record, the actual record length is not used. The program will attempt to
move the number of bytes described by the level-01 record description. If this
number exceeds the actual record length and extends outside the area addressable
by the program, results are unpredictable. If the number of bytes described by the
level-01 record description is shorter than the physical record read, truncation of
bytes beyond the 01-level description occurs. To find the actual length of a
variable-length record, specify data-name-1 in format 3 of the RECORD clause of the
File Definition (FD).
122 Programming Guide
RELATED TASKS
“Requesting fixed-length format” on page 121
“Requesting spanned format” on page 124
“Requesting undefined format” on page 126
“Establishing record formats” on page 120

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-V records”
Moving from the VS COBOL II run time (Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time
Migration Guide)

Layout of format-V records: Format-V QSAM records have control fields (shown
below) preceding the data. The QSAM logical record length is determined by
adding 4 bytes (for the control fields) to the record length defined in your
program, but you must not include these 4 bytes in the description of the record
and record length.

CC The first 4 bytes of each block contain control information.

LL Represents 2 bytes designating the length of the block (including the
’CC’ field).
BB Represents 2 bytes reserved for system use.
cc The first 4 bytes of each logical record contain control information.
ll Represents 2 bytes designating the logical record length (including the
’cc’ field).
bb Represents 2 bytes reserved for system use.

The block length is determined as follows:

v Unblocked format-V records: CC + cc + the data portion
v Blocked format-V records: CC + the cc of each record + the data portion of each
record

The operating system provides the control bytes when the file is written; the
control byte fields do not appear in your description of the logical record in the
DATA DIVISION of your program. COBOL allocates input and output buffers large
enough to accommodate the control bytes. These control fields in the buffer are not
available for you to use in your program. When variable-length records are written
on unit record devices, control bytes are neither printed nor punched. They appear,
however, on other external storage devices, as well as in buffer areas of storage. If
you move V-mode records from an input buffer to a WORKING-STORAGE area, they’ll
be moved without the control bytes.

Files in the HFS are never blocked.

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 123

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records” on page 120

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting variable-length format” on page 122

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-F records” on page 121
“Layout of format-S records” on page 125
“Layout of format-U records” on page 126

Requesting spanned format

Spanned records are in format S. A spanned record is a QSAM logical record that
can be contained in one or more physical blocks. You can code RECORDING MODE S
for spanned records in QSAM files assigned to magnetic tape or to direct access
devices. Do not request spanned records for files in the HFS.

You can omit the RECORDING MODE clause. The compiler determines the recording
mode to be S if the maximum record length plus 4 is greater than the block size set
in the BLOCK CONTAINS clause.

For files with format S in your program, the compiler determines the maximum
record length with the same rules used for format V. The length is based on your
usage of the RECORD clause.

When creating files containing format-S records, and a record is larger than the
remaining space in a block, COBOL writes a segment of the record to fill the block.
The rest of the record is stored in the next block or blocks, depending on its length.
COBOL supports QSAM spanned records up to 32,760 bytes long.

When retrieving files with format-S records, your program can retrieve only
complete records.

Benefits of format-S files: You can efficiently use external storage and still
organize your files with logical record lengths by defining files with format-S
records:
v You can set block lengths to efficiently use track capacities on direct access
devices.
v You are not required to adjust the logical record lengths to device-dependent
physical block lengths. One logical record can span two or more physical blocks.
v You have greater flexibility when you want to transfer logical records between
direct access storage types.

You will, however, have additional overhead in processing format-S files.

Format-S files and READ INTO: By specifying a READ INTO statement for a
format-S file, the record size just read for that file is used in the MOVE statement
generated by the compiler. Consequently, you might not get the result you expect
if the record just read does not correspond to the level-01 record description. All
other rules of the MOVE statement apply.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records” on page 120
“Spanned blocked and unblocked files” on page 125

124 Programming Guide

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting fixed-length format” on page 121
“Requesting variable-length format” on page 122
“Requesting undefined format” on page 126
“Establishing record formats” on page 120

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-S records”

Spanned blocked and unblocked files: A spanned blocked QSAM file is made
up of blocks, each containing one or more logical records or segments of logical
records. The logical records can be either fixed or variable in length and their size
can be smaller than, equal to, or larger than the physical block size. There are no
required relationships between logical records and physical block sizes.

A spanned unblocked file is made up of physical blocks, each containing one

logical record or one segment of a logical record. The logical records can be either
fixed or variable in length. When the physical block contains one logical record,
the block length is determined by the logical record size. When a logical record has
to be segmented, the system always writes the largest physical block possible. The
system segments the logical record when the entire logical record cannot fit on a
track.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records” on page 120

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting spanned format” on page 124

Layout of format-S records: Spanned records are preceded by control fields, as

shown below.

Each block is preceded by a block descriptor field. There is only one block
descriptor field at the beginning of each physical block.

Each segment of a record in a block, even if the segment is the entire record, is
preceded by a segment descriptor field. There is one segment descriptor field for
each record segment in the block. The segment descriptor field also indicates
whether the segment is the first, the last, or an intermediate segment.

You do not describe these fields in the DATA DIVISION of your COBOL program,
and the fields are not available for you to use in your program.

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting spanned format” on page 124

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-F records” on page 121
“Layout of format-V records” on page 123
“Layout of format-U records” on page 126

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 125

 Requesting undefined format
Format-U records have undefined or unspecified characteristics. With format U,
you can process blocks that do not meet format-F or format-V specifications.

When you use format-U files, each block of storage is one logical record. A read of
a format-U file returns the entire block as a record, and a write to a format-U file
writes a record out as a block.

The compiler determines the recording mode to be U only if you code RECORDING
MODE U.

It is recommended that you not use format U to update or extend a file that was
written with a different record format. If you use format U to update a file that
was written with a different format, the RECFM in the data set label could be
changed or the data set could contain records written in different formats.

The record length is determined in your program based on how you use the
RECORD clause:
v If you use the RECORD CONTAINS integer clause (RECORD clause format 1), the record
length is the integer value, regardless of the lengths of the level-01 record
description entries associated with the file.
v If you use the RECORD IS VARYING clause (RECORD clause format 3), the record
length is determined based on whether you code integer-1 and integer-2.
If you code integer-1 and integer-2 (RECORD IS VARYING FROM integer-1 TO
integer-2), the maximum record length is the integer-2 value, regardless of the
lengths of the level-01 record description entries associated with the file.
If you omit integer-1 and integer-2, the maximum record length is determined to
be the size of the largest level-01 record description entry associated with the
file.
v If you use the RECORD CONTAINS integer-1 TO integer-2 clause (RECORD clause
format 2), with integer-1 and integer-2 matching the minimum length and the
maximum length of the level-01 record description entries associated with the
file, the maximum record length is the integer-2 value.
v If you omit the RECORD clause, the maximum record length is determined to be
the size of the largest level-01 record description entry associated with the file.

Format-U files and READ INTO: When you specify a READ INTO statement for a
format-U file, the size of the record just read for that file is used in the MOVE
statement generated by the compiler. Consequently, you might not get the result
you expect if the record just read does not correspond to the level-01 record
description. All other rules of the MOVE statement apply.

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting fixed-length format” on page 121
“Requesting variable-length format” on page 122
“Requesting spanned format” on page 124
“Establishing record formats” on page 120

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-U records”

Layout of format-U records: Each block of external storage is handled as a logical

record. There are no record-length or block-length fields.

126 Programming Guide

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Logical records” on page 120

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting undefined format” on page 126

RELATED REFERENCES
“Layout of format-F records” on page 121
“Layout of format-V records” on page 123
“Layout of format-S records” on page 125

Setting block sizes

In COBOL, you establish the size of a physical record with the BLOCK CONTAINS
clause. If you omit this clause, the compiler assumes that the records are not
blocked. Blocking QSAM files on tape and disk can enhance processing speed and
minimize storage requirements. You can block UNIX system services files
(including those in the HFS), PDSE members, and spooled data sets, but doing so
has no effect on how the system stores the data.

If you set the block size explicitly in the BLOCK CONTAINS clause, it must not be
greater than the maximum block size for the device. The block size set for a
format-F file must be an integral multiple of the record length.

If your program uses QSAM files on tape, use a physical block size of at least 12 to
18 bytes. Otherwise, the block will be skipped over when a parity check occurs
while doing one of the following:
v Reading a block of records of fewer than 12 bytes
v Writing a block of records of fewer than 18 bytes

Generally larger blocks give you better performance. Blocks of only a few kilobytes
are particularly inefficient; you should choose a block size of at least tens of
kilobytes. If you specify record blocking and omit the block size, the system will
pick a block size that is optimal for device utilization and for data transfer speed.

Letting z/OS determine block size

We recommend that to maximize performance, you not explicitly set the block size
for a blocked file in your COBOL source program. For new blocked data sets, it is
simpler to allow z/OS to supply a system-determined block size. To use this
feature, follow these guidelines:
v Code BLOCK CONTAINS 0 in your source program.
v Do not code RECORD CONTAINS 0 in your source program.
v Do not code a BLKSIZE value in the JCL DD statement.

Setting block size explicitly

If you prefer to set a block size explicitly, your program will be most flexible if you
follow these guidelines:
v Code BLOCK CONTAINS 0 in your source program.
v Code a BLKSIZE value in the ddname definition (the JCL DD statement).

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 127

 For extended-format data sets on z/OS DFSMS adds a 32-byte block suffix to the
physical record. If you specify a block size explicitly (using JCL or ISPF), do not
include the size of this block suffix in the block size. This block suffix is not
available for you to use in your program. DFSMS allocates the space used to read
in the block suffix. However, when you calculate how many blocks of a
extended-format data set will fit on a track of a direct access device, you need to
include the size of the block suffix in the block size.

If you specify a block size larger than 32760 directly on your BLOCK CONTAINS
clause or indirectly with the use of BLOCK CONTAINS n RECORDS, and you do not
meet both the following conditions, the OPEN of the data set fails with file status
code 90:
v You use OS/390 V2R10.0 DFSMS or later.
v You define the data set to be tape.

For existing blocked data sets, it is simplest to:

v Code BLOCK CONTAINS 0 in your source program.
v Code no BLKSIZE value in the ddname definition.

When you omit the BLKSIZE from the ddname definition, the block size is
automatically obtained by the system from the data set label.

Taking advantage of LBI

You can improve the performance of tape data sets by using OS/390 V2R10.0
DFSMS or later, which provides the large block interface (LBI) for large block sizes.
When it is available, the COBOL run time automatically uses this facility for those
tape files for which you use system-determined block size. LBI is also used for
those files for which you explicitly define a block size in JCL or a BLOCK CONTAINS
clause. Use of the LBI allows block sizes to exceed 32760 if the tape device
supports it.

The LBI is not used in all cases. An attempt to use a block size greater than 32760
in the following cases is diagnosed at compile time or results in a failure at OPEN:
v Spanned records
v OPEN I-O

Using a block size that exceeds 32760 might result in your not being able to read
the tape on another system. A tape that you create with a block size greater than
32760 can be read only on an MVS system that uses OS/390 V2R10.0 DFSMS or
later and has a tape device that supports block sizes greater than 32760. If you
specify a block size that is too large for the file, the device, or the operating system
level, a run-time message is issued.

To limit a system-determined block size to 32760, do not specify BLKSIZE anywhere,

and set one of the following to 32760. The block-size limit is the first nonzero value
supplied in the following order of precedence:
1. Specify the BLKSZLIM keyword on your DD statement for the data set.
2. Have your systems programmer set BLKSZLIM for the data class using the
BLKSZLIM keyword.
3. Have your systems programmer set a block-size limit for the system in the
DEVSUPxx member of SYS1.PARMLIB using the keyword TAPEBLKSZLIM.

128 Programming Guide

 If no BLKSIZE or BLKSZLIM value is available from any source, the system limits
BLKSIZE to 32760. You can then enable block sizes larger than 32760 in one of two
ways:
v Specify a BLKSZLIM value greater than 32760 in the DD statement for the file and
use BLOCK CONTAINS 0 in your COBOL source.
v Specify a value greater than 32760 for the BLKSIZE in the DD statement or in the
BLOCK CONTAINS clause in your COBOL source.

BLKSZLIM is device-independent.

Block size and the DCB RECFM subparameter

Under z/OS, you can code the S or T option in the DCB RECFM subparameter:
v Use the S (standard) option in the DCB RECFM subparameter for a format-F record
with only standard blocks (ones that have no truncated blocks or unfilled tracks
in the file, except for the last block of the file). S is also supported for records on
tape. It is ignored if the records are not on DASD or tape.
Using this standard block option might improve input-output performance,
especially for direct access devices.
v The T (track overflow) option for QSAM files is no longer useful.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL” on page 119
z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets

RELATED REFERENCES
BLOCK CONTAINS clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Coding input and output statements for QSAM files

Code the following input and output statements to process a QSAM file or a
byte-stream file in the HFS using QSAM:
OPEN Makes the file available to your program.
You can open all QSAM files as INPUT, OUTPUT, or EXTEND (depending on
device capabilities).
You can also open QSAM files on direct access storage devices as I-O. You
cannot open HFS files as I-O; you will receive a file status of 37 if you
attempt to do so.
READ Reads a record from the file.
With sequential processing, your program reads one record after another in
the same order in which they were entered when the file was created.
WRITE Creates a record in the file.
Your program writes new records to the end of the file.
REWRITE
Updates a record. You cannot update a file in the HFS using REWRITE.
CLOSE Releases the connection between the file and your program.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening QSAM files” on page 130
“Adding records to QSAM files” on page 131

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 129

 “Updating QSAM files” on page 131
“Writing QSAM files to a printer or spooled data set” on page 131
“Closing QSAM files” on page 132

RELATED REFERENCES
OPEN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
READ statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
WRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
REWRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
CLOSE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Status key (Common processing facilities) (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Opening QSAM files

Before your program can use any READ, WRITE, or REWRITE statements to process
records in a file, it must first open the file with an OPEN statement.

An OPEN statement works if both of the following are true:

v The file is available or has been dynamically allocated.
v The fixed file attributes coded in the ddname definition or the data set label for a
file match the attributes coded for that file in the SELECT and FD statements of
your COBOL program.
Mismatches in the file organization attributes, code set, maximum record size, or
record type (fixed or variable) result in a file status code 39, and the OPEN
statement fails. Mismatches in maximum record size and record type are not
considered errors when opening files in the HFS.
For fixed-length QSAM files, when you code RECORD CONTAINS 0 in the FD, the
record size attributes are not in conflict. The record size is taken from the DD
statement or the data set label, and the OPEN statement is successful.

Code CLOSE WITH LOCK so that the file cannot be opened again while the program
is running.

Use the REVERSED option of the OPEN statement to process tape files in reverse order.
Execution of the OPEN statement will then position the file at its end. Subsequent
READ statements read the data records in reverse order, starting with the last record.
The REVERSED option is supported only for files with fixed-length records.

RELATED TASKS
“Dynamically creating QSAM files with CBLQDA”

RELATED REFERENCES
OPEN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Dynamically creating QSAM files with CBLQDA

A file is considered to be available on z/OS when it has been identified to the
operating system using a DD statement, an export command (an environment
variable), or a TSO ALLOCATE command. (For availability, a DD statement with a
misspelled ddname is equivalent to a missing DD statement; an environment
variable with a value that is not valid is equivalent to an unset variable.)

Sometimes a QSAM file is unavailable on the operating system, but the COBOL
language defines that the file be created. The file is implicitly created for you if
you use the run-time option CBLQDA and one of the following circumstances exists:
v The file is being opened for OUTPUT, regardless of the OPTIONAL phrase.

130 Programming Guide

 v An OPTIONAL file is being opened as EXTEND or I-O.
Optional files are files that are not necessarily present each time the program is
run. You can define files opened in INPUT, I-O, or EXTEND mode as optional by
using the SELECT OPTIONAL phrase in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph.

The file is allocated with the system default attributes established at your
installation and the attributes coded in the SELECT and FD statements in your
program.

Do not confuse this implicit allocation mechanism with the dynamic allocation of
files through the use of environment variables. That explicit dynamic allocation
requires a valid environment variable to be set. This CBLQDA support is used only
when the QSAM file is unavailable as defined above, which includes no valid
environment variable being set.

Under z/OS, files created using the CBLQDA option are temporary data sets and do
not exist after the program has run.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening QSAM files” on page 130

Adding records to QSAM files

To add to a QSAM file, open the file as EXTEND and use the WRITE statement to add
records immediately after the last record in the file.

To add records to a file opened as I-O, you must first close the file and open it as
EXTEND.

RELATED REFERENCES
READ statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
WRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Updating QSAM files

You can update QSAM files that reside on direct access storage devices only. You
cannot update files in the HFS.

Replace an existing record with another record of the same length by doing these
steps:
1. Open the file as I-O.
2. Use REWRITE to update an existing record in the file. (The last file processing
statement before REWRITE must have been a successful READ statement.)

You cannot open as I-O an extended format data set that you allocate in the
compressed format.

RELATED REFERENCES
REWRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Writing QSAM files to a printer or spooled data set

COBOL provides language statements to control the size of a printed page and
control the vertical positioning of records.

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 131

 Controlling the page size
Use the LINAGE clause of the FD entry to control the size of your printed page: the
number of lines in the top and bottom margins and in the footing area of the page.
When you use the LINAGE clause, COBOL handles the file as if you had also
requested the ADV compiler option.

If you use the LINAGE clause in combination with WRITE BEFORE/AFTER ADVANCING
nn LINES, be careful about the values you set. With the ADVANCING nn LINES clause,
COBOL first calculates the sum of LINAGE-COUNTER plus nn. Subsequent actions
depend on the size of nn. The END-OF-PAGE imperative statement is performed after
the LINAGE-COUNTER is increased. Consequently, the LINAGE-COUNTER could be
pointing to the next logical page instead of to the current footing area when the
END-OF-PAGE statement is performed.

AT END-OF-PAGE or NOT AT END-OF-PAGE imperative statements are performed only

if the write operation completes successfully. If the write operation is unsuccessful,
control is passed to the end of the WRITE statement, omitting all conditional
phrases.

Controlling the vertical positioning of records

Use the WRITE ADVANCING statement to control the vertical positioning of each
record you write on a printed page.

. . . BEFORE ADVANCING prints the record before the page is advanced.

. . . AFTER ADVANCING prints the record after the page is advanced.

Specify the number of lines the page is advanced with an integer (or an identifier
with a mnemonic-name) following ADVANCING. If you omit the ADVANCING option from
your WRITE statement, you get the equivalent of:
AFTER ADVANCING 1 LINE

RELATED REFERENCES
WRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Closing QSAM files

Use the CLOSE statement to disconnect your program from the QSAM file. If you
try to close a file that is already closed, you will get a logic error.

If you do not close a QSAM file, the file is automatically closed for you under the
following conditions, except for files defined in any OS/VS COBOL programs in
the run unit:
v When the run unit ends normally, the run time closes all open files that are
defined in any COBOL programs in the run unit.
v If the run unit ends abnormally and you have set the TRAP(ON) run-time option,
the run time closes all open files that are defined in any COBOL programs in the
run unit.
v When Language Environment condition handling is completed and the
application resumes in a routine other than where the condition occurred, the
run time closes all open files that are defined in any COBOL programs in the
run unit that might be called again and reentered.
You can change the location where the program resumes running (after a
condition is handled) by moving the resume cursor with the Language
Environment CEEMRCR callable service or by using HLL language constructs
such as a C longjmp.

132 Programming Guide

 v When you use CANCEL for a COBOL subprogram, the run time closes any open
nonexternal files that are defined in that program.
v When a COBOL subprogram with the INITIAL attribute returns control, the run
time closes any open nonexternal files that are defined in that program.
v When a thread of a multithreaded application ends, both external and
nonexternal files that you opened from within that same thread are closed.

File status key data items that you define in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION are set
when these implicit CLOSE operations are performed, but your EXCEPTION/ERROR
and LABEL declaratives are not invoked.

If you open a QSAM file in a multithreaded application, you must close it from the
same thread of execution from which the file was opened. Attempting to close the
file from a different thread results in a close failure with file-status condition 90.

RELATED REFERENCES
CLOSE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Handling errors in QSAM files

When an input-statement or output-statement operation fails, COBOL does not
take corrective action for you. You choose whether or not your program will
continue running after a less-than-severe input or output error occurs.

COBOL provides these ways for you to intercept and handle certain QSAM input
and output errors:
v End of file phrase (AT END)
v EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative
v FILE STATUS clause
v INVALID KEY phrase

If you do not code a FILE STATUS key or a declarative, serious QSAM processing
errors will cause a message to be issued and a Language Environment condition to
be signaled, which will cause an abend if you specify the run-time option
ABTERMENC(ABEND).

If you use the FILE STATUS clause or the EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative, code
EROPT=ACC in the DCB of the DD statement for that file. Otherwise, your COBOL
program will not be able to continue processing after some error conditions.

If you use the FILE STATUS clause, be sure to check the key and take appropriate
action based on its value. If you do not check the key, your program might
continue, but the results will probably not be what you expected.

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in input and output operations” on page 203

Working with QSAM files

This section describes:
v “Defining and allocating QSAM files” on page 134
v “Retrieving QSAM files” on page 136
v “Ensuring file attributes match your program” on page 137

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 133

 v “Using striped extended-format QSAM data sets” on page 139

RELATED REFERENCES
“Allocation of buffers for QSAM files” on page 140

Defining and allocating QSAM files

You can define a QSAM file or a byte-stream file in the HFS using either a DD
statement or an environment variable. When you use an environment variable, the
name must be in uppercase. Allocation of these files follows the general rules for
the allocation of COBOL files. When you use an environment variable to define a
QSAM file, specify the MVS data set as follows:

DSN(dataset-name) or DSN(dataset-name(member-name)). dataset-name must be fully

qualified and cannot be a temporary data set (that is, it must not start with &).

You can optionally specify the following attributes in any order following the DSN:
v A disposition value, one of: NEW, OLD, SHR, or MOD
v TRACKS or CYL
v SPACE(nnn,mmm)
v VOL(volume-serial)
v UNIT(type)
v KEEP, DELETE, CATALOG, or UNCATALOG
v STORCLAS(storage-class)
v MGMTCLAS(management-class)
v DATACLAS(data-class)

You can use either an environment variable or a DD definition to define a file in the
HFS. To do this, define one of the following with a name that matches the external
name on your ASSIGN clause:
v A DD allocation that uses PATH=’absolute-path-name’ and FILEDATA=BINARY
v An environment variable with a value PATH(pathname), where pathname is an
absolute path name (starting with /).

For compatibility with releases of COBOL before COBOL for OS/390 & VM
Version 2 Release 2, you can also specify FILEDATA=TEXT when using a DD allocation
for HFS files, but this use is not recommended. To process text files in the HFS, use
LINE SEQUENTIAL organization. If you do use QSAM to process text files in the HFS,
you cannot use environment variables to define the files.

When you define a QSAM file, use the specified parameters to do the following:
Table 19. QSAM file allocation
What you want to do DD parameter to use EV keyword to use
Name the file DSNAME (data set name) DSN
Select the type and quantity of UNIT UNIT for type only
input-output devices to be
allocated for the file.
Give instructions for the volume in VOLUME, or let the system VOL
which the file will reside and for choose an output volume.
volume mounting.

134 Programming Guide

Table 19. QSAM file allocation (continued)
What you want to do DD parameter to use EV keyword to use
Allocate the type and amount of SPACE SPACE for the amount of
space the file needs. (For direct space (primary and
access storage devices only.) secondary only); TRACKS
or CYL for the type of
space
Specify the type (and some of the LABEL n/a
contents of) the label associated
with the file.
Indicate whether you want to DISP NEW, OLD, SHR, MOD plus
catalog, pass, or keep the file after KEEP, DELETE, CATALOG, or
the job step is completed. UNCATALOG
Complete any data control block DCB subparameters n/a
information that you want to add.

Some of the information about the QSAM file must always be coded in the
FILE-CONTROL entry, the FD entry, and other COBOL clauses. Other information
must be coded in the DD statement or environment variable for output files. For
input files, the system can obtain information from the file label (for standard label
files). If DCB information is provided in the DD statement for input files, it overrides
information on the data set label. For example, the amount of space allocated for a
new direct-access device file can be set in the DD statement by the SPACE parameter.

You cannot express certain characteristics of QSAM files in the COBOL language,
but you can code them in the DD statement for the file using the DCB parameter. Use
the subparameters of the DCB parameter to provide information that the system
needs for completing the data set definition, including the following:
v Block size (BLKSIZE=), if BLOCK CONTAINS 0 RECORDS was coded at compile time
(which is recommended)
v Options to be executed if an error occurs in reading or writing a record
v TRACK OVERFLOW or standard blocks
v Mode of operation for a card reader or punch

DCB attributes coded for a DD DUMMY do not override those coded in the FD entry of
your COBOL program.

RELATED TASKS
“Setting block sizes” on page 127
“Defining QSAM files and records in COBOL” on page 119
“Allocating files” on page 117

RELATED REFERENCES
“Parameters for creating QSAM files”
MVS JCL Reference

Parameters for creating QSAM files

The following DD statement parameters are frequently used to create QSAM files.

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 135

 dataset-name
DSNAME=
dataset-name(member-name)
DSN= &&name
&&name(member-name)

UNIT= ( name[,unitcount] )
VOLUME= ( [PRIVATE] [,RETAIN] [,vol-sequence-num] [,volume-count] ...
VOL=
... ,SER=(volume-serial[,volume-serial]...)
(
,REF= dsname
*.ddname
*.stepname.ddname
*.stepname.procstep.ddname

SPACE= ( TRK ,(primary-quantity[,secondary-quantity][,directory-quantity]))

CYL
average-record-length

LABEL= ( [Data-set-sequence-number,] NL ,EXPDT= yyddd (

SL yyyy/ddd
SUL ,RETPD=xxxx

DISP= ( NEW ,DELETE ,DELETE )

MOD ,KEEP ,KEEP
,PASS ,CATLG
,CATLG

DCB= ( subparameter-list )

RELATED TASKS
“Defining and allocating QSAM files” on page 134

Retrieving QSAM files

You retrieve QSAM files, cataloged or not, by using job control statements or
environment variables.
Cataloged files
All data set information, such as volume and space, is stored in the catalog
and file label. All you have to code are the data set name and a
disposition. When you use a DD statement, this is the DSNAME parameter and
the DISP parameter. When you use an environment variable, this is the DSN
parameter and one of the parameters OLD, SHR, or MOD.
Noncataloged files
Some information is stored in the file label, but you must code the unit
and volume information as well as the dsname and disposition.

If you are using JCL, and you created the file in the current job step or in a
previous job step in the current job, you can refer to the previous DD statement for
most of the data set information. You do, however, need to code DSNAME and DISP.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Parameters for retrieving QSAM files”

Parameters for retrieving QSAM files

The following DD statement parameters are used to retrieve previously created files.

136 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
“Retrieving QSAM files” on page 136

Ensuring file attributes match your program

When the fixed file attributes coded in the DD statement or the data set label for a
file and the attributes coded for that file in the SELECT and FD statements of your
COBOL program are not consistent, an OPEN statement in your program might not
work. Mismatches in the attributes for file organization, record format (fixed or
variable), record length, or the code set result in a file status code 39, and the OPEN
statement fails. An exception exists for files in the HFS: mismatches in record
format and record length do not cause an error.

To prevent common file status 39 problems, follow the guidelines listed below for
processing files that are existing, new, or dynamically created by COBOL.

Remember that information in the JCL or environment variable overrides

information in the data set label.

Processing existing files

When your program processes an existing file, code the description of the file in
your COBOL program to be consistent with the file attributes of the data set. Use
these guidelines to define the maximum record length.
Table 20. Maximum record length of QSAM files
For this format Specify this
V or S Exactly 4 bytes smaller than the length attribute of the data set
F Same as the length attribute of the data set
U Same as the length attribute of the data set

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 137

 Defining variable-length (format-V) records
The easiest way to define variable-length records in your program is to use RECORD
IS VARYING FROM integer-1 TO integer-2 in the FD entry and set an appropriate value
for integer-2. For example, assume that you have determined the length attribute of
the data set to be 104 (LRECL=104). Remembering that the maximum record length
is determined from the RECORD IS VARYING clause (in which values are set) and not
from the level-01 record descriptions, you could define a format-V file in your
program with this code:
FILE SECTION.
FD COMMUTER-FILE-MST
RECORDING MODE IS V
RECORD IS VARYING FROM 4 TO 100 CHARACTERS.
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-A PIC X(4).
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-B PIC X(75).

Defining format-U records

Assume that the existing file in the previous example was format-U instead of
format-V. If the 104 bytes are all user data, you could define the file in your
program with this code:
FILE SECTION.
FD COMMUTER-FILE-MST
RECORDING MODE IS U
RECORD IS VARYING FROM 4 TO 104 CHARACTERS.
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-A PIC X(4).
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-B PIC X(75).

Defining fixed-length records

To define fixed-length records in your program, use either the RECORD CONTAINS
integer clause, or omit this clause and code all level-01 record descriptions to be the
same fixed size. In either case, use a value that equals the value of the length
attribute of the data set. When you intend to use the same program to process
different files at run time and the files have differing fixed-length record lengths,
the recommended way to avoid record-length conflicts is to code RECORD CONTAINS
0.

If the existing file is an ASCII data set (DCB=(OPTCD=Q)), you must use the CODE-SET
clause in the program’s FD entry for the file.

Processing new files

When your COBOL program will write records to a new file that is made available
before the program is run, ensure that the file attributes you code in the DD
statement, the environment variable, or the allocation do not conflict with the
attributes you have coded in your program. Usually, you need to code only a
minimum of parameters when predefining your files.

When you do need to explicitly set a length attribute for the data set (for example,
you are using an ISPF allocation panel or if your DD statement is for a batch job in
which the program uses RECORD CONTAINS 0):
v For format-V and format-S files, set a length attribute that is 4 bytes larger than
that defined in the program.
v For format-F and format-U files, set a length attribute that is the same as that
defined in the program.
v If you open your file as OUTPUT and write it to a printer, the compiler might add
1 byte to the record length to account for the carriage control character,
depending on the ADV compiler option and the COBOL language used in your
program. In such a case, take the added byte into account when coding the
LRECL.

138 Programming Guide

 For example, suppose your program contains the following code for a file with
variable-length records:
FILE SECTION.
FD COMMUTER-FILE-MST
RECORDING MODE IS V
RECORD CONTAINS 10 TO 50 CHARACTERS.
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-A PIC X(10).
01 COMMUTER-RECORD-B PIC X(50).

The LRECL in your DD statement or allocation should be 54.

Processing files dynamically created by COBOL

When you have not made a file available with a DD statement or a TSO ALLOCATE
command and your COBOL program defines that the file be created, Enterprise
COBOL dynamically allocates the file. When the file is opened, the file attributes
coded in your program are used. You do not have to worry about file attribute
conflicts.

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting fixed-length format” on page 121
“Requesting variable-length format” on page 122
“Requesting undefined format” on page 126
“Dynamically creating QSAM files with CBLQDA” on page 130

Using striped extended-format QSAM data sets

A striped extended-format QSAM data set is an extended-format QSAM data set
that is spread over multiple volumes, allowing parallel data access.

Striped extended-format QSAM data sets can benefit an application with these
characteristics:
v The application processes files that contain large volumes of data.
v The time for the input and output operations to the files significantly affects
overall performance.

For you to gain the maximum benefit from using QSAM striped data sets, DFSMS
needs to be able to allocate the required number of buffers above the 16-MB line.

When you develop applications that contain files allocated to QSAM striped data
sets, follow these guidelines:
v Avoid using a QSAM striped data set for a file that cannot have buffers
allocated above the 16-MB line.
v Omit the RESERVE clause in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph entry for the file.
Omitting the RESERVE clause allows DFSMS to determine the optimum number
of buffers for the data set.
v Compile your program with the DATA(31) and RENT compiler options, and make
the load module AMODE 31.
v Specify the ALL31(ON) run-time option if the file is an EXTERNAL file with
format-F, format-V, or format-U records.

Notice that all striped data sets are extended format data sets, but not all extended
format data sets are striped.

RELATED TASKS
z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets (performance considerations)

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 139

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Allocation of buffers for QSAM files”

Allocation of buffers for QSAM files

DFSMS automatically allocates buffers for storing input and output for QSAM files
above or below the 16-MB line as appropriate for the file being used. Most QSAM
files have buffers allocated above the 16-MB line. Exceptions are:
v Programs running in AMODE 24.
v Programs compiled with the DATA(24) and RENT options.
v Programs compiled with the NORENT and RMODE(24) options.
v Programs compiled with the NORENT and RMODE(AUTO) options.
v EXTERNAL files, when the ALL31(OFF) run-time option is being specified. To
specify the ALL31(ON) run-time option, all programs in the run unit must be
capable of running in 31-bit addressing mode.
v Files allocated to the TSO terminal.
v A file with format-S (spanned) records, if the file is any of the following:
– An EXTERNAL file (even if the ALL31(ON) option is specified)
– A file specified in a SAME RECORD AREA clause of the I-O-CONTROL paragraph
– A blocked file that is opened I-O and updated using the REWRITE statement

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
“Using striped extended-format QSAM data sets” on page 139

Accessing HFS files using QSAM

You can process byte-stream files in the hierarchical file system (HFS) as
ORGANIZATION SEQUENTIAL files using QSAM. To do this, specify as the
assignment-name on the ASSIGN clause one of the following:
ddname
A DD allocation that identifies the file with the keywords PATH= and
FILEDATA=BINARY
Environment variable name
An environment variable with the run-time value of the HFS path for the
file

Observe the following restrictions:

v Spanned record format is not supported.
v OPEN I-O and REWRITE are not supported. If you attempt one of these operations,
you will get the following file status conditions:
– 37 from OPEN I-O
– 47 from REWRITE (because you could not have successfully opened the file as
I-O)

Usage notes
v File status 39 (fixed file attribute conflict) is not enforced for either of the
following:
– Record-length conflict
– Record-type conflict (fixed versus variable)

140 Programming Guide

 v A READ returns the number of bytes equal to that of the maximum logical record
size for the file except for the last record, which might be shorter.
For example, suppose your file definition has 01 record descriptions of 3, 5, and
10 bytes long, and you write the following three records: ’abc’, ’defgh’, and
’ijklmnopqr’, in that order. Your first READ of this file returns ’abcdefghij’, your
second READ returns ’klmnopqr ’, and your third READ results in the AT END
condition.

For compatibility with releases of IBM COBOL before COBOL for OS/390 & VM
Version 2 Release 2, you can also specify FILEDATA=TEXT when using a DD allocation
for HFS files, but this use is not recommended. To process text files in the HFS, use
the LINE SEQUENTIAL organization. If you use QSAM to process text files in the
HFS, you cannot use environment variables to define the files.

RELATED TASKS
“Allocating files” on page 117
“Defining and allocating QSAM files” on page 134
Accessing HFS files via BSAM and QSAM (z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets)

Labels for QSAM files

You can use labels to identify magnetic tape and direct access volumes and data
sets. The operating system uses label processing routines to identify and verify
labels and locate volumes and data sets.

There are two kinds of labels: standard and nonstandard. IBM Enterprise COBOL
for z/OS does not support nonstandard user labels. In addition, standard user
labels contain user-specified information about the associated data set.

Standard labels consist of volume labels and groups of data set labels. Volume
labels precede or follow data on the volume, and identify and describe the volume.
The data set labels precede or follow each data set on the volume, and identify and
describe the data set.
v The data set labels that precede the data set are called header labels.
v The data set labels that follow the data set are called trailer labels.
They are similar to the header labels, except that they also contain a count of
blocks in the data set.
v The data set label groups can optionally include standard user labels.
v The volume label groups can optionally include standard user labels.

RELATED TASKS
“Using trailer and header labels”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Format of standard labels” on page 143

Using trailer and header labels

You can create, examine, or update user labels when the beginning or end of a
data set or volume (reel) is reached. End-of-volume or beginning-of-volume exits
are allowed. You can also create or examine intermediate trailers and headers.

You can create, examine, or update up to eight header labels and eight trailer
labels on each volume of the data set. (QSAM EXTEND works in a manner identical
to OUTPUT except that the beginning-of-file label is not processed.) Labels reside on

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 141

 the initial volume of a multivolume data set. This volume must be mounted as
CLOSE if trailer labels are to be created, examined, or updated. Trailer labels for files
opened as INPUT or I-O are processed when a CLOSE statement is performed for the
file that has reached an AT END condition.

If you code a header or trailer with the wrong position number, the result is
unpredictable. (Data management might force the label to the correct relative
position.)

When you use standard label processing, code the label type of the standard and
user labels (SUL) on the DD statement that describes the data set.

Getting a user-label track

If you use a LABEL subparameter of SUL for direct access volumes, a separate
user-label track will be allocated when the data set is created. This additional track
is allocated at initial allocation and for sequential data sets at end-of-volume
(volume switch). The user-label track (one per volume of a sequential data set) will
contain both user header and user trailer labels. If a LABEL name is referenced
outside the user LABEL declarative, results are unpredictable.

Handling user labels

The USE AFTER LABEL declarative provides procedures for handling user labels on
supported files. The AFTER option indicates processing of standard user labels.

List the labels as data-names in the LABEL RECORDS clause in the FD entry for the file.
Table 21. Handling of QSAM user labels
When the file is
opened as: And: Result:
INPUT USE . . . LABEL declarative is The label is read and control is
coded for the OPEN option or for passed to the LABEL declarative.
the file.
OUTPUT USE . . . LABEL declarative is A buffer area for the label is
coded for the OPEN option or for provided and control is passed to
the file. the LABEL declarative.
INPUT or I-O CLOSE statement is performed Control is passed to the LABEL
for the file that has reached the declarative for processing trailer
AT END condition. labels.

You can specify a special exit by using the statement GO TO MORE-LABELS. When
this statement results in an exit from a label DECLARATIVE SECTION, the system does
one of the following:
v Writes the current beginning or ending label and then reenters the USE section at
its beginning to create more labels. After creating the last label, the system exits
by performing the last statement of the section.
v Reads an additional beginning or ending label, and then reenters the USE section
at its beginning to check more labels. When processing user labels, the system
reenters the section only if there is another user label to check. Hence, a program
path that flows through the last statement in the section is not needed.

If a GO TO MORE-LABELS statement is not performed for a user label, the

DECLARATIVE SECTION is not reentered to check or create any immediately
succeeding user labels.

142 Programming Guide

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Labels for QSAM files” on page 141

Format of standard labels

Standard labels are 80-character records that are recorded in EBCDIC or ASCII. The
first four characters are always used to identify the labels. The figure below shows
these identifiers for tape.
Table 22. Identifiers for standard tape labels
Identifier Description
VOL1 Volume label
HDR1 or HDR2 Data set header labels
EOV1 or EOV2 Data set trailer labels (end-of-volume)
EOF1 or EOF2 Data set trailer labels (end-of-data-set)
UHL1 to UHL8 User header labels
UTL1 to UTL8 User trailer labels

The format of the label for a direct-access volume is the almost the same as the
format of the label group for a tape volume label group. The difference is that a
data set label of the initial DASTO volume label consists of the data set control
block (DSCB). The DSCB appears in the volume table of contents (VTOC) and
contains the equivalent of the tape data set header and trailer, in addition to
control information such as space allocation.

Standard user labels

User labels are optional within the standard label groups.

The format used for user header labels (UHL1-8) and user trailer labels (UTL1-8)
consists of a label 80 characters in length recorded in either:
v EBCDIC on DASD or on IBM standard labeled tapes
v ASCII or ISO/ANSI labeled tapes

The first 3 bytes consist of the characters that identify the label as either:
v UHL for a user header label (at the beginning of a data set)
v UTL for a user trailer label (at the end-of-volume or end-of-data set)

The next byte contains the relative position of this label within a set of labels of the
same type. One through eight labels are permitted.

The remaining 76 bytes consist of user-specified information.

Standard user labels are not supported for QSAM striped data sets.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Labels for QSAM files” on page 141

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 143

Processing QSAM ASCII files on tape
If your program processes an QSAM ASCII file, do the following:
1. Request the ASCII alphabet.
2. Define the record formats.
3. Define the ddname (with JCL).

In addition, if your program processes numeric data items from ASCII files, use the
separately signed numeric data type (SIGN IS LEADING SEPARATE).

The CODEPAGE compiler option has no effect on the code page used for conversions
between ASCII and EBCDIC for ASCII tape support. See the z/OS DFSMS
documentation for information about how CCSIDs used for the ASCII tape support
are selected and what the default CCSIDs are.

Requesting the ASCII alphabet

In the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph, code STANDARD-1 for ASCII:
ALPHABET-NAME IS STANDARD-1

In the FD statement for the file, code:

CODE-SET IS ALPHABET-NAME

Defining the record formats

Process QSAM ASCII tape files with any of these record formats:
v Fixed length (format F)
v Undefined (format U)
v Variable length (format V)

If you are using variable-length records, you cannot explicitly code format D;
instead, code RECORDING MODE V. The format information is internally converted to
D mode. D-mode records have a 4-byte record descriptor for each record.

Defining the ddname

Under z/OS, processing ASCII files requires special JCL coding. Code these
subparameters of the DCB parameter in the DD statement:
BUFOFF=[L|n]
L A 4-byte block prefix that contains the block length (including the
block prefix).
n The length of the block prefix:
v For input, from 0 through 99
v For output, either 0 or 4

Use this value if you coded BLOCK CONTAINS 0.

BLKSIZE=n
n The size of the block, including the length of the block prefix.

LABEL=[AL|AUL|NL]

144 Programming Guide

 AL American National Standard (ANS) labels.
AUL ANS and user labels.
NL No labels.

OPTCD=Q
Q This value is required for ASCII files and is the default if the file is
created using Enterprise COBOL.

RELATED TASKS
“Processing ASCII file labels”
Converting Character Data (z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets)

Processing ASCII file labels

Standard label processing for ASCII files is the same as standard label processing
for EBCDIC files. The system translates ASCII code into EBCDIC before processing.

All ANS user labels are optional. ASCII files can have user header labels (UHLn)
and user trailer labels (UTLn). There is no limit to the number of user labels at the
beginning and the end of a file; you can write as many labels as you need. All user
labels must be 80 bytes in length.

To create or verify user labels (user label exit), code a USE AFTER STANDARD LABEL
procedure. You cannot use USE BEFORE STANDARD LABEL procedures.

ASCII files on tape can have:

v ANS labels
v ANS and user labels
v No labels

Any labels on an ASCII tape must be in ASCII code only. Tapes containing a
combination of ASCII and EBCDIC cannot be read.

RELATED TASKS
“Processing QSAM ASCII files on tape” on page 144

Chapter 9. Processing QSAM files 145

146 Programming Guide
 Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files
Virtual storage access method (VSAM) is an access method for files on
direct-access storage devices. With VSAM you can:
v Load a file
v Retrieve records from a file
v Update a file
v Add, replace, and delete records in a file

VSAM processing has these advantages over QSAM:

v Protection of data against unauthorized access
v Compatibility across systems
v Independence of devices (no need to be concerned with block size and other
control information)
v Simpler JCL (information needed by the system is provided in integrated
catalogs)
v Ability to use indexed file organization or relative file organization

The lists below show how VSAM terms differ from COBOL terms and other terms
that you might be familiar with.

VSAM term COBOL term Similar non-VSAM term

Data set File Data set
Entry-sequenced data set (ESDS) Sequential file QSAM data set
Key-sequenced data set (KSDS) Indexed file ISAM data set
Relative-record data set (RRDS) Relative file BDAM data set
| Control interval Block
Control interval size (CISZ) Block size
Buffers (BUFNI/BUFND) BUFNO
Access method control block (ACB) Data control block (DCB)
Cluster (CL) Data set
Cluster definition Data set allocation
AMP parameter of JCL DD statement DCB parameter of JCL DD statement
Record size Record length

The term file in this VSAM information refers to either a COBOL file or a VSAM
data set.

If you have complex requirements or frequently use VSAM, review the VSAM
publications for your operating system.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“VSAM files” on page 148

RELATED TASKS
“Defining VSAM file organization and records” on page 149
“Coding input and output statements for VSAM files” on page 155
“Protecting VSAM files with a password” on page 164
“Handling errors in VSAM files” on page 164

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 147

 “Working with VSAM data sets under z/OS and UNIX” on page 165
“Improving VSAM performance” on page 171

RELATED REFERENCES
z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets
z/OS DFSMS Macro Instructions for Data Sets
z/OS DFSMS: Access Method Services for Catalogs

VSAM files
The physical organization of VSAM data sets differs considerably from those used
by other access methods. VSAM data sets are held in control intervals (CI) and
control areas (CA). The size of these is normally determined by the access method,
and the way in which they are used is not visible to you.

You can use three types of file organization with VSAM.

VSAM sequential file organization
(Also referred to as VSAM ESDS (entry-sequenced data set) organization.)
In VSAM sequential file organization, the records are stored in the order in
which they were entered. VSAM entry-sequenced data sets are equivalent
to QSAM sequential files. The order of the records is fixed.
VSAM indexed file organization
(Also referred to as VSAM KSDS (key-sequenced data set) organization.) In
a VSAM indexed file (KSDS), the records are ordered according to the
collating sequence of an embedded prime key field, which you define. The
prime key consists of one or more consecutive characters in the records.
The prime key uniquely identifies the record and determines the sequence
in which it is accessed with respect to other records. A prime key for a
record might be, for example, an employee number or an invoice number.
VSAM relative file organization
(Also referred to as VSAM fixed-length or variable-length RRDS
(relative-record data set) organization.) A VSAM relative-record data set
(RRDS) contains records ordered by their relative key. The relative key is
the relative record number that represents the location of the record
relative to where the file begins. The relative record number identifies the
fixed- or variable-length record.
In a VSAM fixed-length RRDS, records are placed in a series of
fixed-length slots in storage. Each slot is associated with a relative record
number. For example, in a fixed-length RRDS containing 10 slots, the first
slot has a relative record number of 1, and the tenth slot has a relative
record number of 10.
In a VSAM variable-length RRDS, the records are ordered according to
their relative record number. Records are stored and retrieved according to
the relative record number that you set.
Throughout this documentation, the term VSAM relative-record data set (or
RRDS) is used to mean both relative-record data sets with fixed-length
records and with variable-length records, unless they need to be
differentiated.

The following table compares the different types of VSAM data sets in terms of
several characteristics.

148 Programming Guide

Table 23. Comparison of VSAM data set types
Entry-sequenced data set Key-sequenced data set Relative-record data set
Characteristic (ESDS) (KSDS) (RRDS)
Order of records Order in which they are Collating sequence by key Order of relative record
written field number
Access Sequential By key through an index By relative record number,
which is handled like a key
Alternate indexes Can have one or more Can have one or more Cannot have alternate indexes
alternate indexes, although alternate indexes
not supported in COBOL
Relative byte RBA cannot change. RBA can change. RRN cannot change.
address (RBA) and
relative record
number (RRN) of a
record
Space for adding Uses space at the end of the Uses distributed free space For fixed-length RRDS, uses
records data set for inserting records and empty slots in the data set
changing their lengths in
place For variable-length RRDS, uses
distributed free space and
changes the lengths of added
records in place
Space from deleting You cannot delete a record, Space from a deleted or Space from a deleted record
records but you can reuse its space shortened record is can be reused.
for a record of the same automatically reclaimed in a
length. control interval.
Spanned records Can have spanned records Can have spanned records Cannot have spanned records
Reuse as work file Can be reused unless it has Can be reused unless it has Can be reused
an alternate index, is an alternate index, is
associated with key ranges, or associated with key ranges, or
exceeds 123 extents per exceeds 123 extents per
volume volume

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying sequential organization for VSAM files” on page 150
“Specifying indexed organization for VSAM files” on page 150
“Specifying relative organization for VSAM files” on page 151
“Defining VSAM files” on page 166

Defining VSAM file organization and records

Use the FILE-CONTROL entry in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to define the VSAM file
organization and access modes for the files in your COBOL program.

In the FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION, code a file description (FD) entry for the
file. In the associated record description entry or entries, define the record-name and
record length. Code the logical size of the records with the RECORD clause.

Important: You can process VSAM data sets in Enterprise COBOL programs only
after you define them with access method services.

The following table summarizes VSAM file organization, access modes, and record
formats (fixed or variable length).

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 149

 Table 24. VSAM file organization, access mode, and record format
Sequential Random Dynamic Fixed Variable
File organization access access access length length
VSAM sequential Yes No No Yes Yes
(ESDS)
VSAM indexed Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
(KSDS)
VSAM relative Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
(RRDS)

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying sequential organization for VSAM files”
“Specifying indexed organization for VSAM files”
“Specifying relative organization for VSAM files” on page 151
“Using file status keys” on page 208
“Using VSAM return codes (VSAM files only)” on page 209
“Defining VSAM files” on page 166
“Specifying access modes for VSAM files” on page 153

Specifying sequential organization for VSAM files

Identify VSAM ESDS files in your COBOL program with the ORGANIZATION IS
SEQUENTIAL clause.

You can access (read or write) records in sequential files only sequentially.

After you place a record in the file, you cannot shorten, lengthen, or delete it.
However, you can update (REWRITE) a record if the length does not change. New
records are added at the end of the file.

The following example shows typical FILE-CONTROL entries for a VSAM sequential
file (ESDS):
SELECT S-FILE
ASSIGN TO SEQUENTIAL-AS-FILE
ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL
ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL
FILE STATUS IS FSTAT-CODE VSAM-CODE.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“VSAM files” on page 148

Specifying indexed organization for VSAM files

Identify VSAM KSDS in your COBOL program with the ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
clause.

Code a prime key for the record by using the clause:

RECORD KEY IS data-name

Here data-name is the name of the key field as you defined it in the record
description entry in the DATA DIVISION. The collation of index record keys is based
on the binary value of the key, regardless of the class or the category of the key.

150 Programming Guide

 The following example shows the statements for a VSAM indexed file (KSDS) that
is accessed dynamically. In addition to the primary key, COMMUTER-NO, there is an
alternate key, LOCATION-NO:
SELECT I-FILE
ASSIGN TO INDEXED-FILE
ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
ACCESS IS DYNAMIC
RECORD KEY IS IFILE-RECORD-KEY
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS IFILE-ALTREC-KEY
FILE STATUS IS FSTAT-CODE VSAM-CODE.

Alternate keys
In addition to the primary key, you can also code one or more alternate keys to use
for retrieving records. Using alternate keys, you can access the indexed file to read
records in some sequence other than the prime key sequence. For example, you
could access the file through employee department rather than through employee
number. Alternate keys need not be unique. More than one record will be accessed,
given a department number as a key. This is permitted if alternate keys are coded
to allow duplicates.

You define the alternate key in your COBOL program with the ALTERNATE RECORD
KEY clause:
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS data-name

Here data-name is the name of the key field as you defined it in the record
description entry in the DATA DIVISION. The collation of alternate keys is based on
the binary value of the key, regardless of the class or the category of the key.

Alternate index
To use an alternate index, you need to define a data set (using access method
services) called the alternate index (AIX). The AIX contains one record for each
value of a given alternate key; the records are in sequential order by alternate key
value. Each record contains the corresponding primary keys of all records in the
associated indexed files that contain the alternate key value.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“VSAM files” on page 148

RELATED TASKS
“Creating alternate indexes” on page 167

Specifying relative organization for VSAM files

Identify VSAM RRDS files in your COBOL program with the ORGANIZATION IS
RELATIVE clause.

Use the RELATIVE KEY IS clause to associate each logical record with its relative
record number.

The following example shows a relative-record data set (RRDS) that is accessed
randomly by the value in the relative key ITEM-NO:
SELECT R-FILE
ASSIGN TO RELATIVE-FILE
ORGANIZATION IS RELATIVE
ACCESS IS RANDOM
RELATIVE KEY IS RFILE-RELATIVE-KEY
FILE STATUS IS FSTAT-CODE VSAM-CODE.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 151

 You can use a randomizing routine to associate a key value in each record with the
relative record number for that record. Although there are many techniques to
convert a record key to a relative record number, the most commonly used
randomizing algorithm is the division/remainder technique. With this technique,
you divide the key by a value equal to the number of slots in the data set to
produce a quotient and remainder. When you add one to the remainder, the result
will be a valid relative record number.

Alternate indexes are not supported for VSAM RRDS.

Fixed-length and variable-length RRDS

In an RRDS with fixed-length records, each record occupies one slot, and you store
and retrieve records according to the relative record number of that slot. When you
load the file, you have the option of skipping over slots and leaving them empty.

When you load an RRDS with variable-length records, you can skip over relative
record numbers. Unlike fixed-length RRDS, a variable-length RRDS does not have
slots. Instead, the free space that you define allows for more efficient record
insertions.

VSAM variable-length RRDS is supported on OS/390 and z/OS.

Simulating variable-length RRDS

Use VSAM variable-length RRDS when possible. But if you cannot use the VSAM
support, Enterprise COBOL provides another way for you to have relative-record
data sets with variable-length records. This support, called COBOL simulated
variable-length RRDS, is provided by the SIMVRD|NOSIMVRD run-time option. When
you use the SIMVRD option, Enterprise COBOL simulates variable-length RRDS
using a VSAM KSDS.

The coding that you use in your COBOL program to identify and describe VSAM
variable-length RRDS and COBOL simulated variable-length RRDS is similar. How
you use the SIMVRD run-time option and whether you define the VSAM file as a
RRDS or KSDS differs, however.

To use a variable-length RRDS, do the following steps, depending on whether you

want to simulate an RRDS:
Table 25. Steps for using variable-length RRDS
Step VSAM variable-length RRDS COBOL simulated variable-length RRDS
1 Define the file in your COBOL Same
program with the
ORGANIZATION IS RELATIVE
clause.
2 Use FD statements in your Same, but you must also code RECORD IS
COBOL program to describe VARYING on the FD statements of every COBOL
the records with program that accesses the data set.
variable-length sizes.
3 Use the NOSIMVRD run-time Use the SIMVRD run-time option.
option.

152 Programming Guide

 Table 25. Steps for using variable-length RRDS (continued)
Step VSAM variable-length RRDS COBOL simulated variable-length RRDS
4 Define the VSAM file through Define the VSAM file through access method
access method services as an services as follows:
RRDS. DEFINE CLUSTER INDEXED
KEYS(4,0)
RECORDSIZE(avg,m)
where:
avg Is the average size of the COBOL
records; strictly less than m.
m Is greater than or equal to the
maximum size COBOL record + 4.

In step 2 for simulated variable-length RRDS, coding other language elements that
imply a variable-length record format does not give you COBOL simulated
variable-length RRDS. For example, these clauses alone do not give you correct file
access:
v Multiple FD records of different lengths
v OCCURS . . . DEPENDING ON in the record definitions
v RECORD CONTAINS integer-1 TO integer-2 CHARACTERS

When you define the cluster in step 4 for simulated variable-length RRDS, observe
these restrictions:
v Do not define an alternate index.
v Do not specify a KEYRANGE.
v Do not specify SPANNED.

Also, use the REUSE parameter when you open for output a file that contains
records.

Errors: When you work with simulated variable-length relative data sets and true
VSAM RRDS data sets, you get an OPEN file status 39 if your COBOL file definition
and the VSAM data set attributes do not match.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“VSAM files” on page 148

RELATED TASKS
“Defining VSAM files” on page 166

Specifying access modes for VSAM files

You can access records in VSAM sequential files only sequentially. You can access
records in VSAM indexed and relative files in three ways: sequentially, randomly,
or dynamically.

For sequential access, code ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL in the FILE-CONTROL entry.

Records in indexed files are then accessed in the order of the key field selected
(either primary or alternate). Records in relative files are accessed in the order of
the relative record numbers.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 153

 For random access, code ACCESS IS RANDOM in the FILE-CONTROL entry. Records in
indexed files are then accessed according to the value you place in a key field.
Records in relative files are accessed according to the value you place in the
relative key.

For dynamic access, code ACCESS IS DYNAMIC in the FILE-CONTROL entry. Dynamic
access is a mixed sequential-random access in the same program. Using dynamic
access, you can write one program to perform both sequential and random
processing, accessing some records in sequential order and others by their keys.

“Example: using dynamic access with VSAM files”

RELATED TASKS
“Reading records from a VSAM file” on page 160

Example: using dynamic access with VSAM files

Suppose that you have an indexed file of employee records and the employee’s
hourly wage forms the record key. Your program is processing those employees
who earn between $10.00 and $12.00 per hour and those who earn $20.00 per hour
and above.

Using dynamic access of VSAM files, the program would do as follows:

1. Retrieve the first record randomly (with a random-retrieval READ) based on the
key of 1000.
2. Read sequentially (using READ NEXT) until the salary field exceeds 1200.
3. Retrieve the next record randomly, this time based on a key of 2000.
4. Read sequentially until the end of the file.

RELATED TASKS
“Reading records from a VSAM file” on page 160

Defining record lengths for VSAM files

VSAM records can be fixed or variable in length. COBOL determines the record
format from the RECORD clause and the record descriptions associated with your FD
entry for the file.

Because the concept of blocking has no meaning for VSAM files, you can omit the
BLOCK CONTAINS clause. The clause is syntax-checked, but it has no effect on how
the program runs.

Defining fixed-length records

To define the records to be fixed length, use one of the following coding options:
Table 26. Definition of VSAM fixed-length records
Clause
RECORD clause format Record length Comments
Code RECORD CONTAINS 1 Fixed in size with a The lengths of the
integer. length of integer-2 level-01 record
description entries
associated with the file
do not matter.

154 Programming Guide

 Table 26. Definition of VSAM fixed-length records (continued)
Clause
RECORD clause format Record length Comments
Omit the RECORD clause, The fixed size that you
but code all level-01 coded
records (associated with
the file) as the same size
and none with an OCCURS
DEPENDING ON clause.

Defining variable-length records

To define the records to be variable-length, use one of the following coding
options:
Table 27. Definition of VSAM variable-length records
Clause
RECORD clause format Maximum record length Comments
Code RECORD IS VARYING 3 integer-2 value The lengths of the
FROM integer-1 TO integer-2. level-01 record
description entries
associated with the file
do not matter.
Code RECORD IS VARYING. 3 Size of the largest level-01 The compiler determines
record description entry the maximum record
associated with the file length.
Code RECORD CONTAINS 2 integer-2 value The minimum record
integer-1 TO integer-2. length is the integer-1
value.
Omit the RECORD clause, Size of the largest level-01 The compiler determines
but code multiple level-01 record description entry the maximum record
records (associated with associated with the file length.
the file) that are of
different sizes or that
contain an OCCURS
DEPENDING ON clause.

When you specify a READ INTO statement for a format-V file, the record size read
for that file is used in the MOVE statement generated by the compiler. Consequently,
you might not get the result you expect if the record read in does not correspond
to the level-01 record description. All other rules of the MOVE statement apply. For
example, when you specify a MOVE statement for a format-V record read in by the
READ statement, the size of the record corresponds to its level-01 record description.

RELATED TASKS
Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide

Coding input and output statements for VSAM files

Use these COBOL statements for processing VSAM files:
OPEN To connect the VSAM data set to your COBOL program for processing.
WRITE To add records to a file or load a file.
START To establish the current location in the cluster for a READ NEXT statement.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 155

 START does not retrieve a record; it only sets the current record pointer.
READ and READ NEXT
To retrieve records from a file.
REWRITE
To update records.
DELETE To logically remove records from indexed and relative files only.
CLOSE To disconnect the VSAM data set from your program.

All of the following factors determine which input and output statements you can
use for a given VSAM data set:
v Access mode (sequential, random, or dynamic)
v File organization (ESDS, KSDS, or RRDS)
v Mode of OPEN statement (INPUT, OUTPUT, I-O, or EXTEND)

The following table shows the possible combinations with sequential files (ESDS).
The X indicates that you can use the statement with the open mode at the top of
the column.
Table 28. I/O statements for VSAM sequential files
COBOL OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN
Access mode statement INPUT OUTPUT I-O EXTEND
Sequential OPEN X X X X
WRITE X X
START
READ X X
REWRITE X
DELETE
CLOSE X X X X

The following table shows the possible combinations you can use with indexed
(KSDS) files and relative (RRDS) files. The X indicates that you can use the
statement with the open mode at the top of the column.
Table 29. I/O statements for VSAM relative and indexed files
COBOL OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN
Access mode statement INPUT OUTPUT I-O EXTEND
Sequential OPEN X X X X
WRITE X X
START X X
READ X X
REWRITE X
DELETE X
CLOSE X X X X

156 Programming Guide

 Table 29. I/O statements for VSAM relative and indexed files (continued)
COBOL OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN
Access mode statement INPUT OUTPUT I-O EXTEND
Random OPEN X X X
WRITE X X
START
READ X X
REWRITE X
DELETE X
CLOSE X X X
Dynamic OPEN X X X
WRITE X X
START X X
READ X X
REWRITE X
DELETE X
CLOSE X X X

The fields you code in the FILE STATUS clause are updated by VSAM after each
input-output statement to indicate the success or failure of the operation.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“File position indicator”

RELATED TASKS
“Opening a file (ESDS, KSDS, or RRDS)” on page 158
“Reading records from a VSAM file” on page 160
“Updating records in a VSAM file” on page 161
“Adding records to a VSAM file” on page 162
“Replacing records in a VSAM file” on page 162
“Deleting records from a VSAM file” on page 163
“Closing VSAM files” on page 163

RELATED REFERENCES
Status key (Common processing facilities) (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

File position indicator

The file position indicator marks the next record to be accessed for sequential
COBOL requests. You do not set the file position indicator anywhere in your
program; it is set by successful OPEN, START, READ, and READ NEXT statements.
Subsequent READ or READ NEXT requests use the established file position indicator
location and update it.

The file position indicator is not used or affected by the output statements WRITE,
REWRITE, or DELETE. The file position indicator has no meaning for random
processing.

RELATED TASKS
“Reading records from a VSAM file” on page 160

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 157

 Opening a file (ESDS, KSDS, or RRDS)
Before you can use any WRITE, START, READ, REWRITE, or DELETE statements to
process records in a file, you must first open the file with an OPEN statement. File
availability and creation affect OPEN processing, optional files, and file status codes
05 and 35.

For example, if you OPEN EXTEND, OPEN I-O, or OPEN INPUT a file that is neither
optional nor available, you get file status 35 and the OPEN statement fails. If the file
is OPTIONAL, the OPEN EXTEND, OPEN I-O, or OPEN INPUT creates the file and returns
file status 05.

An OPEN operation works successfully only when you set fixed file attributes in the
DD statement or data set label for a file and specify consistent attributes for that file
in the SELECT and FD statements of your COBOL program. Mismatches in the
following items result in a file status code 39, and the OPEN statement fails:
v Attributes for file organization (sequential, relative, or indexed)
v Prime record key
v Alternate record keys
v Maximum record size
v Record type (fixed or variable)

How you code the OPEN statement in your COBOL program for a VSAM file
depends on whether the file is empty (a file that has never contained records) or
loaded. For either type of file, your program should check the file status key after
each OPEN statement.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening an empty file”
“Opening a loaded file (a file with records)” on page 160

RELATED REFERENCES
“Statements to load records into a VSAM file” on page 159

Opening an empty file

To open a file that has never contained records (an empty file), use the following
statements depending on the type of file:
v OPEN OUTPUT for ESDS files.
v OPEN OUTPUT or OPEN EXTEND for KSDS and RRDS files. (Either coding has the
same effect.) If you have coded the file for random or dynamic access and the
file is optional, you can use OPEN I-O.

Optional files are files that are not necessarily present each time the program is
run. You can define files opened in INPUT, I-O, or OUTPUT mode as optional by
defining them with the SELECT OPTIONAL phrase in the FILE-CONTROL section of
your program.

Initially loading records sequentially into a file: Initially loading a file means
writing records into the file for the first time. This is not the same as writing
records into a file from which all previous records have been deleted.

To initially load a VSAM file:

1. Open the file.
2. Use sequential processing (ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL) because it is faster.

158 Programming Guide

3. Use WRITE to add a record to the file.

Using OPEN OUTPUT to load a VSAM file significantly improves the performance of
your program. Using OPEN I-O or OPEN EXTEND has a negative impact on the
performance of your program.

When you load VSAM indexed files sequentially, you optimize both loading
performance and subsequent processing performance, because sequential
processing maintains user-defined free space. Future insertions will be more
efficient.

With ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL, you must write the records in ascending RECORD KEY
order.

When you load VSAM relative files sequentially, the records are placed in the file
in the ascending order of relative record numbers.

Initially loading a file randomly or dynamically: You can use random or

dynamic processing to load a file, but they are not as efficient as sequential
processing. Because VSAM does not support random or dynamic processing,
COBOL has to perform some extra processing to enable you to use ACCESS IS
RANDOM or ACCESS IS DYNAMIC with OPEN OUTPUT or OPEN I-O. These steps prepare
the file for use and give it the status of a loaded file, having been used at least
once.

In addition to extra overhead for preparing files for use, random processing does
not consider any user-defined free space. As a result, any future insertions might
be inefficient. Sequential processing maintains user-defined free space.

Loading a VSAM data set with access method services: You can load or update
a VSAM data set with the access method services REPRO command. Use REPRO
whenever possible.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening a loaded file (a file with records)” on page 160

RELATED REFERENCES
“Statements to load records into a VSAM file”
REPRO (z/OS DFSMS: Access Method Services for Catalogs)

Statements to load records into a VSAM file

Table 30. Statements to load records into a VSAM file
Division ESDS KSDS RRDS
ENVIRONMENT SELECT SELECT SELECT
DIVISION ASSIGN ASSIGN ASSIGN
FILE STATUS ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED ORGANIZATION IS
PASSWORD RECORD KEY RELATIVE
ACCESS MODE ALTERNATE RECORD KEY RELATIVE KEY
FILE STATUS FILE STATUS
PASSWORD PASSWORD
ACCESS MODE ACCESS MODE
DATA FD entry FD entry FD entry
DIVISION

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 159

 Table 30. Statements to load records into a VSAM file (continued)
Division ESDS KSDS RRDS
PROCEDURE OPEN OUTPUT OPEN OUTPUT OPEN OUTPUT
DIVISION OPEN EXTEND OPEN EXTEND OPEN EXTEND
WRITE WRITE WRITE
CLOSE CLOSE CLOSE

RELATED TASKS
“Opening an empty file” on page 158
“Updating records in a VSAM file” on page 161

Opening a loaded file (a file with records)

To open a file that already contains records, use OPEN INPUT, OPEN I-O, or OPEN
EXTEND.

If you open a VSAM entry-sequenced or relative-record file as EXTEND, the added

records are placed after the last existing records in the file.

If you open a VSAM key-sequenced file as EXTEND, each record you add must have
a record key higher than the highest record in the file.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening an empty file” on page 158
“Working with VSAM data sets under z/OS and UNIX” on page 165

RELATED REFERENCES
“Statements to load records into a VSAM file” on page 159
z/OS DFSMS: Access Method Services for Catalogs

Reading records from a VSAM file

Use the READ statement to retrieve (READ) records from a file. To read a record, you
must have opened the file INPUT or I-O. Your program should check the file status
key after each READ.

You can retrieve records in VSAM sequential files only in the sequence in which
they were written.

You can retrieve records in VSAM indexed and relative record files in any of the
following ways:
Sequentially
According to the ascending order of the key you are using, the RECORD KEY
or the ALTERNATE RECORD KEY, beginning at the current position of the file
position indicator for indexed files, or according to ascending relative
record locations for relative files
Randomly
In any order, depending on how you set the RECORD KEY or ALTERNATE
RECORD KEY or the RELATIVE KEY before your READ request
Dynamically
Mixed sequential and random

With dynamic access, you can switch between reading a specific record directly
and reading records sequentially, by using READ NEXT for sequential retrieval and
READ for random retrieval (by key).

160 Programming Guide

 When you want to read sequentially, beginning at a specific record, use START
before the READ NEXT statement to set the file position indicator to point to a
particular record. When you code START followed by READ NEXT, the next record is
read and the file position indicator is reset to the next record. You can move the
file position indicator randomly by using START, but all reading is done
sequentially from that point.
START file-name KEY IS EQUAL TO ALTERNATE-RECORD-KEY

When a direct READ is performed for a VSAM indexed file, based on an alternate
index for which duplicates exist, only the first record in the data set (base cluster)
with that alternate key value is retrieved. You need a series of READ NEXT
statements to retrieve each of the data set records with the same alternate key. A
file status code of 02 is returned if there are more records with the same alternate
key value to be read; a code of 00 is returned when the last record with that key
value has been read.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“File position indicator” on page 157

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying access modes for VSAM files” on page 153

Updating records in a VSAM file

To update a VSAM file, use the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and DATA DIVISION
statements to load records into a VSAM file and the following PROCEDURE DIVISION
statements to update VSAM files.
Table 31. Statements to update records in a VSAM file
Access
method ESDS KSDS RRDS
ACCESS IS OPEN EXTEND OPEN EXTEND OPEN EXTEND
SEQUENTIAL WRITE WRITE WRITE
CLOSE CLOSE CLOSE
or or or
OPEN I-O OPEN I-O OPEN I-O
READ READ READ
REWRITE REWRITE REWRITE
CLOSE DELETE DELETE
CLOSE CLOSE
ACCESS IS Not applicable OPEN I-O OPEN I-O
RANDOM READ READ
WRITE WRITE
REWRITE REWRITE
DELETE DELETE
CLOSE CLOSE
ACCESS IS Not applicable OPEN I-O OPEN I-O
DYNAMIC READ NEXT READ NEXT
(sequential WRITE WRITE
processing) REWRITE REWRITE
START START
DELETE DELETE
CLOSE CLOSE

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 161

 Table 31. Statements to update records in a VSAM file (continued)
Access
method ESDS KSDS RRDS
ACCESS IS Not applicable OPEN I-O OPEN I-O
DYNAMIC READ READ
(random WRITE WRITE
processing) REWRITE REWRITE
DELETE DELETE
CLOSE CLOSE

RELATED REFERENCES
“Statements to load records into a VSAM file” on page 159

Adding records to a VSAM file

Use the COBOL WRITE statement to add a record to a file without replacing any
existing records. The record to be added must not be larger than the maximum
record size that you set when you defined the file. Your program should check the
file status key after each WRITE statement.

Adding records sequentially

Use ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL and code the WRITE statement to add records
sequentially to the end of a VSAM file that has been opened with either OUTPUT or
EXTEND.

Sequential files are always written sequentially.

For indexed files, you must write new records in ascending key sequence. If you
open the file EXTEND, the record keys of the records to be added must be higher
than the highest primary record key on the file when you opened the file.

For relative files, the records must be in sequence. If you include a RELATIVE KEY
data item in the SELECT clause, the relative record number of the record to be
written is placed in that data item.

Adding records randomly or dynamically

When you write records to an indexed data set and ACCESS IS RANDOM or ACCESS IS
DYNAMIC, you can write the records in any order.

Replacing records in a VSAM file

To replace records in a VSAM file, use REWRITE on a file that you have opened for
I-O. If you try to use REWRITE on a file that is not opened I-O, the record is not
rewritten and the status key is set to 49. Your program should check the file status
key after each REWRITE statement.
v For sequential files, the length of the record you rewrite must be the same as the
length of the original record.
v For indexed files, you can change the length of the record you rewrite.
v For variable-length relative files, you can change the length of the record you
rewrite.

To replace records randomly or dynamically, your program need not read the
record to be rewritten. Instead, to position the record that you want to update, do
as follows:

162 Programming Guide

 v For indexed files, move the record key to the RECORD KEY data item and then
issue the REWRITE.
v For relative files, move the relative record number to the RELATIVE KEY data item
and then issue the REWRITE.

Deleting records from a VSAM file

Open the file I-O and use the DELETE statement to remove an existing record from
an indexed or relative file. You cannot use DELETE on a sequential file.

When you use ACCESS IS SEQUENTIAL or the file contains spanned records, your
program must first read the record to be deleted. The DELETE then removes the
record that was read. If the DELETE is not preceded by a successful READ, the
deletion is not done and the status key value is set to 92.

When you use ACCESS IS RANDOM or ACCESS IS DYNAMIC, your program need not
first read the record to be deleted. To delete a record, move the key of the record to
be deleted to the RECORD KEY data item and then issue the DELETE. Your program
should check the file status key after each DELETE statement.

Closing VSAM files

Use the CLOSE statement to disconnect your program from the VSAM file. If you
try to close a file that is already closed, you will get a logic error. Check the file
status key after each CLOSE statement.

If you do not close a VSAM file, the file is automatically closed for you under the
following conditions, except for files defined in any OS/VS COBOL programs in
the run unit:
v When the run unit ends normally, all open files defined in any COBOL
programs in the run unit are closed.
v When the run unit ends abnormally, if the TRAP(ON) run-time option has been
set, all open files defined in any COBOL programs in the run unit are closed.
v When Language Environment condition handling is completed and the
application resumes in a routine other than where the condition occurred, open
files defined in any COBOL programs in the run unit that might be called again
and reentered are closed.
You can change the location where a program resumes after a condition is
handled. To make this change, you can, for example, move the resume cursor
with the CEEMRCR callable service or use HLL language constructs such as a C
longjmp statement.
v When you issue CANCEL for a COBOL subprogram, any open nonexternal files
defined in that program are closed.
v When a COBOL subprogram with the INITIAL attribute returns control, any
open nonexternal files defined in that program are closed.
v When a thread of a multithreaded application ends, both external and
nonexternal files that were opened from within that same thread are closed.

File status key data items that you define in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION are set
when these implicit CLOSE operations are performed, but your EXCEPTION/ERROR
and LABEL declaratives are not invoked.

If you open a VSAM file in a multithreaded application, you must close it from the
same thread of execution. Attempting to close the file from a different thread
results in a close failure with file-status condition 90.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 163

Handling errors in VSAM files
When an input statement or output statement operation fails, COBOL does not
perform corrective action for you.

All OPEN and CLOSE errors with a VSAM file, whether logical errors in your
program or input/output errors on the external storage media, return control to
your COBOL program, even when you have coded no DECLARATIVE and no FILE
STATUS clause.

If any other input or output statement operation fails, you choose whether your
program will continue running after a less-than-severe input/output error occurs.

COBOL provides these ways for you to intercept and handle certain VSAM input
and output errors:
v End-of-file phrase (AT END)
v EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative
v FILE STATUS clause (file status key and VSAM return code)
v INVALID KEY phrase

You should define a status key for each VSAM file that you define in your
program. Check the status key value after every input or output request, especially
OPEN and CLOSE.

If you do not code a FILE STATUS key or a declarative, serious VSAM processing
errors will cause a message to be issued and a Language Environment condition to
be signaled, which will cause an abend if you specify the run-time option
ABTERMENC(ABEND).

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in input and output operations” on page 203
“Using VSAM return codes (VSAM files only)” on page 209

RELATED REFERENCES
VSAM macro return and reason codes (z/OS DFSMS Macro Instructions for Data
Sets)

Protecting VSAM files with a password

Although the preferred security mechanism on a z/OS system is RACF, Enterprise
COBOL also supports using explicit passwords on VSAM files to prevent
unauthorized access and update.

To use explicit passwords, code the PASSWORD clause in the SELECT statement of
your program. Use this clause only if the catalog entry for the files includes a read
or an update password.
v If the catalog entry includes a read password, you cannot open and access the
file in a COBOL program unless you use the password clause in the
FILE-CONTROL paragraph and describe it in the DATA DIVISION. The data-name
referred to must contain a valid password when the file is opened.
v If the catalog entry includes an update password, you can open and access it,
but not update it, unless you code the password clause in the FILE-CONTROL
paragraph and describe it in the DATA DIVISION.

164 Programming Guide

 v If the catalog entry includes both a read password and an update password,
specify the update password to both read and update the file in your program.

If your program only retrieves records and does not update them, you need only
the read password. If your program loads files or updates them, you need to
specify the update password that was cataloged.

For indexed files, the PASSWORD data item for the RECORD KEY must contain the valid
password before the file can be successfully opened.

If you password-protect a VSAM indexed file, you must also password-protect

every alternate index in order to be fully password-protected. Where you place the
PASSWORD clause becomes important because each alternate index has its own
password. The PASSWORD clause must directly follow the key clause to which it
applies.

“Example: password protection for a VSAM indexed file”

Example: password protection for a VSAM indexed file

The following example shows the COBOL code used for a VSAM indexed file with
password protection.
. . .
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT LIBFILE
ASSIGN TO PAYMAST
ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
RECORD KEY IS EMPL-NUM
PASSWORD IS BASE-PASS
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS EMPL-PHONE
PASSWORD IS PATH1-PASS
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 BASE-PASS PIC X(8) VALUE “25BSREAD”.
01 PATH1-PASS PIC X(8) VALUE “25ATREAD”.

Working with VSAM data sets under z/OS and UNIX

There are some special considerations for VSAM files under z/OS and UNIX in
terms of coding access method services (IDCAMS) commands, environment
variables, and JCL.

A VSAM file is available if all of the following are true:

v You define it using access method services.
v You define it for your program by providing a DD statement, an environment
variable, or an ALLOCATE command for it.
v It has previously contained a record.

A VSAM file is unavailable if it has never contained a record, even if you have
defined it.

You always get a return code of zero on completion of the OPEN statement for a
VSAM sequential file.

Use the access method services REPRO command to empty a file. Deleting records in
this manner resets the high-use relative byte address (RBA) of the file to zero. The
file is effectively empty and appears to COBOL as if it never contained a record.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 165

 RELATED TASKS
“Defining files to the operating system” on page 10
“Defining VSAM files”
“Creating alternate indexes” on page 167
“Allocating VSAM files” on page 169
“Sharing VSAM files through RLS” on page 170

Defining VSAM files

You can process VSAM entry-sequenced, key-sequenced, and relative-record data
sets in Enterprise COBOL only after you define them through access method
services (IDCAMS).

A VSAM cluster is a logical definition for a VSAM data set and has one or two
components:
v The data component of a VSAM cluster contains the data records.
v The index component of a VSAM key-sequenced cluster consists of the index
records.

Use the access method services DEFINE CLUSTER command to define your VSAM
data sets (clusters). This process includes creating an entry in an integrated catalog
without any data transfer.

Define the following information about the cluster:

v Name of the entry
v Name of the catalog to contain this definition and its password (can use default
name.
v Organization (sequential, indexed, or relative)
v Device and volumes that the data set will occupy
v Space required for the data set
v Record size and control interval sizes (CISIZE)
v Passwords (if any) required for future access

Depending on what kind of data set is in the cluster, also define the following
information for each cluster:
v For VSAM indexed data sets (KSDS), specify length and position of the prime
key in the records.
v For VSAM fixed-length relative-record data sets (RRDS), specify the record size
as greater than or equal to the maximum size COBOL record:
DEFINE CLUSTER NUMBERED
RECORDSIZE(n,n)
When you define a data set in this way, all records will be padded to the fixed
slot size n. If you use the RECORD IS VARYING ON data-name form of the RECORD
clause, a WRITE or REWRITE will use the length specified in the DEPENDING ON
data-name as the length of the record to be transferred by VSAM. This data is
then padded to the fixed slot size. READ statements always return the fixed slot
size in the DEPENDING ON data-name.
v For VSAM variable-length relative-record data sets (RRDS), specify the average
size COBOL record expected and the maximum size COBOL record expected:
DEFINE CLUSTER NUMBERED
RECORDSIZE(avg,m)
The average size COBOL record expected must be less than the maximum size
COBOL record expected.

166 Programming Guide

 v For COBOL simulated variable-length relative-record data sets, specify the
average size of the COBOL records and a size that is greater than or equal to the
maximum size COBOL record plus 4:
DEFINE CLUSTER INDEXED
KEYS(4,0)
RECORDSIZE(avg,m)
The average size COBOL record expected must be less than the maximum size
COBOL record expected.

RELATED TASKS
“Creating alternate indexes”
“Allocating VSAM files” on page 169
“Specifying relative organization for VSAM files” on page 151

RELATED REFERENCES
z/OS DFSMS: Access Method Services for Catalogs

Creating alternate indexes

An alternate index provides access to the records in a data set using more than one
key. It accesses records in the same way as the prime index key of an indexed data
set (KSDS).

When planning to use an alternate index, you must know:

v The type of data set (base cluster) with which the index will be associated
v Whether the keys will be unique or not unique
v Whether the index is to be password protected
v Some of the performance aspects of using alternate indexes

Because an alternate index is, in practice, a VSAM data set that contains pointers to
the keys of a VSAM data set, you must define the alternate index and the alternate
index path (the entity that establishes the relationship between the alternate index
and the prime index). After you define an alternate index, make a catalog entry to
establish the relationship (or path) between the alternate index and its base cluster.
This path allows you to access the records of the base cluster through the alternate
keys.

To use an alternate index, you need to follow these steps:

1. Define the alternate index by using the DEFINE ALTERNATEINDEX command. In it,
define the following:
v Name of the alternate index
v Name of its related VSAM indexed data set
v Location in the record of any alternate indexes and whether they are unique
or not
v Whether or not alternate indexes are to be updated when the data set is
changed
v Name of the catalog to contain this definition and its password (can use
default name)
In your COBOL program the alternate index is identified solely by the
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY clause of the FILE CONTROL paragraph. The ALTERNATE
RECORD KEY definitions must match the definitions that you have made in the
catalog entry. Any password entries that you have cataloged should be coded
directly after the ALTERNATE RECORD KEY phrase.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 167

 2. Relate the alternate index to the base cluster (the data set to which the alternate
index gives you access) by using the DEFINE PATH command. In it, define the
following:
v Name of the path
v Alternate index to which the path is related
v Name of the catalog that contains the alternate index
The base cluster and alternate index are described by entries in the same
catalog.
3. Load the VSAM indexed data set.
4. Build the alternate index by using (typically) the BLDINDEX command. Identify
the input file as the indexed data set (base cluster) and the output file as the
alternate index or its path. This command BLDINDEX reads all the records in
your VSAM indexed data set (or base cluster) and extracts the data needed to
build the alternate index.
Alternatively, you can use the run-time option AIXBLD to build the alternate
index at run time. However, this option might adversely affect run-time
performance.

“Example: entries for alternate indexes”

RELATED REFERENCES
AIXBLD (COBOL only) (Language Environment Programming Reference)

Example: entries for alternate indexes

The following example maps the relationships between the COBOL FILE-CONTROL
entry and the DD statements or environment variables for a VSAM indexed file
with two alternate indexes.

Using JCL:
//MASTERA DD DSNAME=clustername,DISP=OLD (1)
//MASTERA1 DD DSNAME=path1,DISP=OLD (2)
//MASTERA2 DD DSNAME=path2,DISP=OLD (3)

Using environment variables:

export MASTERA=DSN(clustername),OLD (1)
export MASTERA=DSN(path1),OLD (2)
export MASTERA=DSN(path2),OLD (3)
. . .
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT MASTER-FILE ASSIGN TO MASTERA (4)
RECORD KEY IS EM-NAME
PASSWORD IS PW-BASE (5)
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS EM-PHONE (6)
PASSWORD IS PW-PATH1
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS EM-CITY (7)
PASSWORD IS PW-PATH2.
(1) The base cluster name is clustername.
(2) The name of the first alternate index path is path1.
(3) The name of the second alternate index path is path2.
(4) The ddname or environment variable name for the base cluster is specified
with the ASSIGN clause.
(5) Passwords immediately follow their indexes.
(6) The key EM-PHONE relates to the first alternate index.

168 Programming Guide

 (7) The key EM-CITY relates to the second alternate index.

RELATED TASKS
“Creating alternate indexes” on page 167

Allocating VSAM files

You must predefine and catalog all VSAM data sets through the access method
services DEFINE command. Most of the information about a VSAM data set is in the
catalog. You need to specify only minimal DD or environment variable information
for a VSAM file. When you use an environment variable, the name must be in
uppercase. Usually the input and data buffers are the only variables that you are
concerned about.

Allocation of VSAM files (indexed, relative, and sequential) follows the general
rules for the allocation of COBOL files. If you use an environment variable to
allocate a VSAM file, you must specify these options in the order shown, but no
others:
v DSN(dsname), where dsname is the name of the base cluster
v OLD or SHR

The basic DD statement that you need for your VSAM files is:
//ddname DD DSN=dsname,DISP=SHR,AMP=AMORG

The corresponding export command is:

export evname=“DSN(dsname),SHR”

In either case, dsname must be the same as the name used in the access method
services DEFINE CLUSTER or DEFINE PATH command. DISP must be OLD or SHR
because the data set is already cataloged. If you specify MOD when using JCL, the
data set is treated as OLD.

AMP is a VSAM JCL parameter used to supplement the information that the
program supplies about the data set. AMP takes effect when your program opens
the VSAM file. Any information that you set through the AMP parameter takes
precedence over the information that is in the catalog or that the program supplies.

The AMP parameter is not required except under the following circumstances:
v You use a dummy VSAM data set. For example,
//ddname DD DUMMY,AMP=AMORG
v You request additional index or data buffers. For example,
//ddname DD DSN=VSAM.dsname,DISP=SHR,
// AMP=(’BUFNI=4,BUFND=8’)

You cannot specify AMP if you allocate your VSAM data set with an environment
variable.

For a VSAM base cluster, specify the same system-name (ddname or environment
variable name) that you specify in the ASSIGN clause of the SELECT statement in
your COBOL program.

When you use alternate indexes in your COBOL program, you must specify not
only a system-name (using a DD statement or environment variable) for the base
cluster, but also one for each alternate index path. No language mechanism exists
to explicitly declare system-names for alternate index paths within the program.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 169

 Therefore, you must adhere to the following guidelines for forming the
system-name (ddname or environment variable name) for each alternate index
path:
v Concatenate the base cluster name with an integer.
v Begin with 1 for the path associated with the first alternate record defined for
the file in your program (ALTERNATE RECORD KEY clause of the SELECT statement).
v Increment by 1 for the path associated with each successive alternate record
definition for that file.

For example, if the system-name of a base cluster is ABCD, the system name for the
first alternate index path defined for the file in your program is ABCD1, the
system-name for the second alternate index path is ABCD2, and so on.

If the length of the base cluster system-name and sequence number exceeds eight
characters, the base cluster portion of the system-name is truncated on the right to
reduce the concatenated result to eight characters. For example, if the system-name
of a base cluster is ABCDEFGH, the system name of the first alternate index path is
ABCDEFG1, the tenth is ABCDEF10, and so on.

RELATED TASKS
“Allocating files” on page 117

RELATED REFERENCES
MVS JCL Reference

Sharing VSAM files through RLS

By using the VSAM JCL parameter RLS, you can specify the use of record level
sharing with VSAM. Use RLS=CR when consistent read protocols are required, and
RLS=NRI when no read integrity protocols are required. Specifying the RLS
parameter is the only way to request the RLS mode when running COBOL
programs.

You cannot specify RLS if you allocate your VSAM data set with an environment
variable.

Preventing update problems with VSAM files in RLS mode

When a VSAM data set is opened in RLS mode for I-O (updates), the first READ
| causes an exclusive lock of the record regardless of the value of RLS=CR or RLS=NRI
| that you specify. If the COBOL file is defined as ACCESS RANDOM, VSAM releases the
| exclusive lock on the record after a WRITE or REWRITE statement is issued or a READ
| statement is issued for another record. When a WRITE or REWRITE is done, VSAM
| writes the record immediately.

| However, if the COBOL file is defined as ACCESS DYNAMIC, VSAM does not release
| the exclusive lock on the record after a WRITE or REWRITE statement nor after a READ
| statement unless the I-O statement causes VSAM to move to another control
| interval (CI). As a result, if a WRITE or REWRITE was done, VSAM does not write the
| record until processing is moved to another CI and the lock is released. When
| using ACCESS DYNAMIC, one way to cause the record to be written immediately, to
| release the exclusive lock immediately, or both, is to define the VSAM data set to
| allow only one record per CI.

Specifying RLS=CR locks a record and prevents an update to it until another READ is
requested for another record. While a lock on the record being read is in effect,
other users can request a READ for the same record, but they cannot update the

170 Programming Guide

 record until the read lock is released. When you specify RLS=NRI, no lock will be in
effect when a READ for input is issued and another user might update the record.

The locking rules for RLS=CR can cause the application to wait for availability of a
record lock, and this wait might slow down the READ for input.

You might need to modify your application logic to use the RLS=CR capability. Do
not use the RLS JCL parameter for batch jobs that update nonrecoverable spheres
until you are sure that the application functions correctly in a multiple updater
environment.

When you open a VSAM data set in RLS mode for INPUT or I-O processing, it is a
good idea to issue an OPEN or START immediately before a READ. If there is a delay
between the OPEN or START and the actual READ, another user might add records
before the record on which the application is positioned after the OPEN or START.
The COBOL run time points explicitly to the beginning of the VSAM data set at
the time when OPEN was requested, but another user might add records that would
alter the true beginning of the VSAM data set if the READ is delayed.

Restrictions when using RLS

The following restrictions apply to RLS mode:
v The VSAM cluster attributes KEYRANGE and IMBED are not supported when you
open a VSAM file in RLS mode.
v The VSAM cluster attribute REPLICATE is not recommended with RLS mode
because the benefits are negated by the system-wide buffer pool and potentially
large CF cache structure in the storage hierarchy.
v The AIXBLD run-time option is not supported when you open a VSAM file in RLS
mode, because VSAM does not allow an empty path to be opened. If you need
the AIXBLD run-time option to build the alternate index data set, open the VSAM
data set in non-RLS mode.
v Temporary data sets are not allowed in RLS mode.
v The SIMVRD run-time option is not supported for VSAM files opened in RLS
mode.

Handling errors in VSAM files in RLS mode

If your application accesses a VSAM data set in RLS mode, be sure to check the file
status and VSAM feedback codes after each request.

If your application encounters “SMSVSAM server not available” while processing

input or output, explicitly close the VSAM file before you try to open it again.
VSAM generates return code 16 for failures like “SMSVSAM server not available,”
and there is no feedback code. You can have your COBOL programs check the first
two bytes of the second file status area for a VSAM return code 16.

The COBOL run time generates message IGZ0205W and automatically closes the
file if the error occurs during OPEN processing.

All other RLS mode errors return a VSAM return code of 4, 8, or 12.

Improving VSAM performance

Most likely, your system programmer is responsible for tuning the performance of
COBOL and VSAM. As an application programmer, you can control the aspects of
VSAM listed in this table.

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 171

 Table 32. Methods for improving VSAM performance
Aspect of VSAM What you can do Rationale and comments
Invoking access Build your alternate indexes in
methods service advance, using IDCAMS.
Buffering For sequential access, request more The default is one index (BUFNI)
data buffers; for random access, and two data buffers (BUFND).
request more index buffers. Specify
both BUFND and BUFNI when ACCESS
IS DYNAMIC.

Avoid coding additional buffers

unless your application will run
interactively; and then code buffers
only when response-time problems
arise that might be caused by
delays in input and output.
Loading records, Use the access methods service The REPRO command can update an
using access REPRO command when: indexed data set as fast or faster
methods services v The target indexed data set than any COBOL program under
already contains records. these conditions.
v The input sequential data set
contains records to be updated
or inserted into the indexed data
set.

If you use a COBOL program to

load the file, use OPEN OUTPUT and
ACCESS SEQUENTIAL.
File access modes For best performance, access Dynamic access is less efficient
records sequentially. than sequential access, but more
efficient than random access.
Random access results in increased
EXCPs because VSAM must access
the index for each request.
Key design Design the key in the records so This method compresses the key
that the high-order portion is best.
relatively constant and the
low-order portion changes often.
Multiple Avoid using multiple alternate Updates must be applied through
alternate indexes indexes. the primary paths and are reflected
through multiple alternate paths,
perhaps slowing performance,
Relative file Use VSAM fixed-length relative Although not as space efficient,
organization data sets rather than VSAM VSAM fixed-length relative data
variable-length relative data sets. sets are more run-time efficient
than VSAM variable-length relative
data sets, which have performance
characteristics comparable to
COBOL simulated relative data
sets.

172 Programming Guide

Table 32. Methods for improving VSAM performance (continued)
Aspect of VSAM What you can do Rationale and comments
Control interval Provide your system programmer VSAM calculates CISZ to best fit
sizes (CISZ) with information about the data the direct-access storage device
access and future growth of your (DASD) usage algorithm, which
VSAM data sets. From this might not, however, be efficient for
information, your system your application.
programmer can determine the
An average CISZ of 4K is suitable
best control interval size (CISZ) and
FREESPACE size (FSPC). for most applications. A smaller
CISZ means faster retrieval for
Choose proper values for CISZ and random processing at the expense
FSPC to minimize control area (CA) of inserts (that is, more CISZ splits
splits. You can diagnose the and therefore more space in the
current number of CA splits by data set). A larger CISZ results in
issuing the LISTCAT ALL command the transfer of more data across the
on the cluster, and then compress channel for each READ. This is more
(using EXPORT or IMPORT or REPRO) efficient for sequential processing,
the cluster to omit all CA splits similar to a large OS BLKSIZE.
periodically.
Many control area (CA) splits are
unfavorable for VSAM
performance. The FREESPACE
value can affect CA splits,
depending on how the file is used.

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying access modes for VSAM files” on page 153
Deciding how big a virtual resource pool to provide (z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets)
Selecting the optimal percentage of free space (z/OS DFSMS: Using Data Sets)

RELATED REFERENCES
z/OS DFSMS: Access Method Services for Catalogs

Chapter 10. Processing VSAM files 173

174 Programming Guide
Chapter 11. Processing line-sequential files
Line-sequential files are files that reside in the hierarchical file system (HFS) and
that contain only printable characters and certain control characters as data. Each
record ends with an EBCDIC new-line character (X’15’), which is not included in
the length of the record. Because these are sequential files, records are placed one
after another according to entry order. Your program can process these files only
sequentially, retrieving (with the READ statement) records in the same order as they
are in the file. A new record is placed after the preceding record.

To process line-sequential files in your program, use COBOL language statements

that:
v Identify and describe the files in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and the DATA
DIVISION
v Process the records in the files in the PROCEDURE DIVISION

After you have created a record, you cannot change its length or its position in the
file, and you cannot delete it.

RELATED CONCEPTS
UNIX System Services User’s Guide

RELATED TASKS
“Defining line-sequential files and records in COBOL”
“Describing the structure of a line-sequential file” on page 176
“Coding input-output statements for line-sequential files” on page 177
“Handling errors in line-sequential files” on page 180
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177

RELATED REFERENCES
“Allowable control characters” on page 176

Defining line-sequential files and records in COBOL

Use the FILE-CONTROL entry in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to:
v Define the files in your COBOL program as line-sequential files.
v Associate them with the external file-names (ddnames or environment variable
names). An external file-name is the name by which a file is known to the
operating system.

In the following example, COMMUTER-FILE is the name that your program uses for
the file; COMMUTR is the external name.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT COMMUTER-FILE
ASSIGN TO COMMUTR
ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL
ACCESS MODE IS SEQUENTIAL
FILE STATUS IS ECODE.

Your ASSIGN assignment-name clause must not include an organization field (S- or
AS-) before the external name. The ACCESS phrase and the FILE STATUS phrase are
optional.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 175

 RELATED TASKS
“Describing the structure of a line-sequential file”
“Coding input-output statements for line-sequential files” on page 177
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177

RELATED REFERENCES
“Allowable control characters”

Allowable control characters

The control characters shown in the table below are the only characters other than
printable characters that line-sequential files can contain. The hexadecimal values
are in EBCDIC.

Hexadecimal value Control character

X’05’ Horizontal tab
X’0B’ Vertical tab
X’0C’ Form feed
X’0D’ Carriage return
X’0E’ DBCS shift-out
X’0F’ DBCS shift-in
X’15’ New-line
X’16’ Backspace
X’2F’ Alarm

The new-line character is treated as a record delimiter. The other control characters
are treated as data and are part of the record.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining line-sequential files and records in COBOL” on page 175

Describing the structure of a line-sequential file

In the FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION, code a file description (FD) entry for the
file. In the associated record description entry or entries, define the record-name and
record length.

Code the logical size of the records with the RECORD clause. Line-sequential files are
stream files. Because of their character-oriented nature, the physical records are of
variable length.

The following examples show how the FD entry might look for a line-sequential
file:

With fixed-length records:

FILE SECTION.
FD COMMUTER-FILE
RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS.
01 COMMUTER-RECORD.
05 COMMUTER-NUMBER PIC X(16).
05 COMMUTER-DESCRIPTION PIC X(64).

With variable-length records:

FILE SECTION.
FD COMMUTER-FILE
RECORD VARYING FROM 16 TO 80 CHARACTERS.

176 Programming Guide

 01 COMMUTER-RECORD.
05 COMMUTER-NUMBER PIC X(16).
05 COMMUTER-DESCRIPTION PIC X(64).

If you code the same fixed size and no OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause for any level-01
record description entries associated with the file, that fixed size is the logical
record length. However, because blanks at the end of a record are not written to
the file, the physical records might be of varying lengths.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining line-sequential files and records in COBOL” on page 175
“Coding input-output statements for line-sequential files”
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files”

RELATED REFERENCES
Data Division—file description entries (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Defining and allocating line-sequential files

You can define a line-sequential file in the HFS using either a DD statement or an
environment variable. Allocation of these files follows the general rules for
allocating COBOL files.

To define a line-sequential file, define one of the following with a name that
matches the external name on your ASSIGN clause:
v A DD allocation:
– A DD statement that specifies PATH=’absolute-path-name’
– A TSO allocation that specifies PATH(’absolute-path-name’)
You can optionally also specify these options:
– PATHOPTS
– PATHMODE
– PATHDISP
v An environment variable with a value of PATH(absolute-path-name). No other
values can be specified.
For example, to have your COBOL program use HFS file
/u/myfiles/commuterfile for a COBOL file with an assignment-name of COMMUTR,
you would use the following command:
export COMMUTR=“PATH(/u/myfiles/commuterfile)”

RELATED TASKS
“Allocating files” on page 117
“Defining line-sequential files and records in COBOL” on page 175

RELATED REFERENCES
MVS JCL Reference

Coding input-output statements for line-sequential files

Code the following input and output statements to process a line-sequential file:
OPEN To make the file available to your program.
You can open a line-sequential file as INPUT, OUTPUT, or EXTEND. You cannot
open a line-sequential file as I-O.

Chapter 11. Processing line-sequential files 177

 READ To read a record from the file.
With sequential processing, your program reads one record after another in
the same order in which they were entered when the file was created.
WRITE To create a record in the file.
Your program writes new records to the end of the file.
CLOSE To release the connection between the file and your program.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining line-sequential files and records in COBOL” on page 175
“Describing the structure of a line-sequential file” on page 176
“Opening line-sequential files”
“Reading records from line-sequential files”
“Adding records to line-sequential files” on page 179
“Closing line-sequential files” on page 179
“Handling errors in line-sequential files” on page 180

RELATED REFERENCES
OPEN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
READ statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
WRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
CLOSE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Opening line-sequential files

Before your program can use any READ or WRITE statements to process records in a
file, it must first open the file with an OPEN statement.

An OPEN statement works if the file is available or has been dynamically allocated.

Code CLOSE WITH LOCK so that the file cannot be opened again while the program
is running.

RELATED TASKS
“Reading records from line-sequential files”
“Adding records to line-sequential files” on page 179
“Closing line-sequential files” on page 179
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177

RELATED REFERENCES
OPEN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
CLOSE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Reading records from line-sequential files

To read from a line-sequential file, open the file and use the READ statement.

With sequential processing, your program reads one record after another in the
same order in which the records were entered when the file was created.

Characters in the file record are read one at a time into the record area until one of
the following conditions occurs:
v The record delimiter (the EBCDIC new-line character) is encountered.
The delimiter is discarded and the remainder of the record area is filled with
spaces. (Record area is longer than the file record.)

178 Programming Guide

 v The entire record area is filled with characters.
If the next unread character is the record delimiter, it is discarded. The next READ
reads from the first character of the next record. (Record area is the same length
as the file record.)
Otherwise the next unread character is the first character to be read by the next
READ. (Record area is shorter than the file record.)

RELATED TASKS
“Opening line-sequential files” on page 178
“Adding records to line-sequential files”
“Closing line-sequential files”
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177

RELATED REFERENCES
OPEN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
WRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Adding records to line-sequential files

To add to a line-sequential file, open the file as EXTEND and use the WRITE statement
to add records immediately after the last record in the file.

Blanks at the end of the record area are removed and the record delimiter is
added. The characters in the record area from the first character up to and
including the added record delimiter are written to the file as one record.

Records written to line-sequential files must contain only USAGE DISPLAY and
DISPLAY-1 items. External decimal data items must be unsigned or declared with
the SEPARATE CHARACTER phrase if signed.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening line-sequential files” on page 178
“Reading records from line-sequential files” on page 178
“Closing line-sequential files”
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177

RELATED REFERENCES
OPEN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
WRITE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Closing line-sequential files

Use the CLOSE statement to disconnect your program from a line-sequential file. If
you try to close a file that is already closed, you will get a logic error.

If you do not close a line-sequential file, the file is automatically closed for you
under the following conditions:
v When the run unit ends normally.
v When the run unit ends abnormally, if the TRAP(ON) run-time option is set.
v When Language Environment condition handling is completed and the
application resumes in a routine other than where the condition occurred, open
files defined in any COBOL programs in the run unit that might be called again
and reentered are closed.

Chapter 11. Processing line-sequential files 179

 You can change the location where the program resumes (after a condition is
handled) by moving the resume cursor with the Language Environment
CEEMRCR callable service or using HLL language constructs such as a C
longjmp call.

File status codes are set when these implicit CLOSE operations are performed, but
EXCEPTION/ERROR declaratives are not invoked.

RELATED TASKS
“Opening line-sequential files” on page 178
“Reading records from line-sequential files” on page 178
“Adding records to line-sequential files” on page 179
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177

RELATED REFERENCES
CLOSE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Handling errors in line-sequential files

When an input or output statement operation fails, COBOL does not take
corrective action for you. You choose whether or not your program will continue
running after an input or output error occurs.

COBOL provides these techniques for intercepting and handling certain

line-sequential input and output errors:
v End of file phrase (AT END)
v EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative
v FILE STATUS clause

If you do not use one of these techniques, an error in processing input or output
raises a Language Environment condition.

If you use the FILE STATUS clause, be sure to check the key and take appropriate
action based on its value. If you do not check the key, it is possible that your
program could continue; but the results will probably not be what you expected.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding input-output statements for line-sequential files” on page 177
“Handling errors in input and output operations” on page 203

180 Programming Guide

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files
You can arrange records in a particular sequence by using the SORT or MERGE
statements:
SORT statement
Accepts input (from a file or an internal procedure) that is not in sequence,
and produces output (to a file or an internal procedure) in a requested
sequence. You can add, delete, or change records before or after they are
sorted.
MERGE statement
Compares records from two or more sequenced files and combines them in
order. You can add, delete, or change records after they are merged.

You can mix SORT and MERGE statements in the same COBOL program. A program
can contain any number of sort and merge operations. They can be the same
operation performed many times or different operations. However, one operation
must finish before another begins.

With Enterprise COBOL, your IBM licensed program for sorting and merging must
be DFSORT or an equivalent. Where DFSORT is mentioned, you can use any
equivalent sort or merge product.

COBOL programs that contain SORT or MERGE statements can reside above or below
the 16-MB line.

The general procedure for sorting or merging is as follows:

1. Describe the sort or merge file to be used for sorting or merging.
2. Describe the input to be sorted or merged. If you want to process the records
before you sort them, code an input procedure.
3. Describe the output from sorting or merging. If you want to process the records
after you sort or merge them, code an output procedure.
4. Request the sort or merge.
5. Determine whether the sort or merge operation was successful.

Restrictions:
v You cannot run a COBOL program that contains SORT or MERGE statements under
UNIX. This restriction includes BPXBATCH.
v You cannot use SORT or MERGE statements in programs compiled with the THREAD
option. This includes programs that use object-oriented syntax and
multithreaded applications, both of which require the THREAD option.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Sort and merge process” on page 182

RELATED TASKS
“Describing the sort or merge file” on page 182
“Describing the input to sorting or merging” on page 183
“Describing the output from sorting or merging” on page 185
“Requesting the sort or merge” on page 188
“Determining whether the sort or merge was successful” on page 192

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 181

 “Improving sort performance with FASTSRT” on page 193
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195
DFSORT Application Programming Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
“CICS SORT application restrictions” on page 199
SORT statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
MERGE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Sort and merge process

During the sorting of a file, all of its records are ordered according to the contents
of one or more fields (keys) in each record. If there are multiple keys, the records
are first sorted according to the content of the first (or primary) key, then according
to the content of the second key, and so on. You can sort the records in either
ascending or descending order of each key.

To sort a file, use the COBOL SORT statement.

During the merging of two or more files (which must already be sorted), the
records are combined and ordered according to the contents of one or more keys in
each record. As with sorting, the records are first ordered according to the content
of the primary key, then according to the content of the second key, and so on. You
can order the records in either ascending or descending order of each key.

Use MERGE . . . USING to name the files that you want to combine into one
sequenced file. The merge operation compares keys in the records of the input
files, and passes the sequenced records one by one to the RETURN statement of an
output procedure or to the file that you name in the GIVING phrase.

RELATED REFERENCES
SORT statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
MERGE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Describing the sort or merge file

Describe the sort file to be used for sorting or merging:
1. Write one or more SELECT clauses in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to name a sort file. For example:
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT Sort-Work-1 ASSIGN TO SortFile.
Sort-Work-1 is the name of the file in your program. Use this name to refer to
the file.
2. Describe the sort file in an SD entry in the FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION.
Every SD entry must contain a record description. For example:
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
SD Sort-Work-1
RECORD CONTAINS 100 CHARACTERS.
01 SORT-WORK-1-AREA.
05 SORT-KEY-1 PIC X(10).
05 SORT-KEY-2 PIC X(10).
05 FILLER PIC X(80).

182 Programming Guide

 You need SELECT clauses and SD entries for sorting or merging even if you are
sorting or merging data items from WORKING-STORAGE or LOCAL-STORAGE only.

The file described in an SD entry is the working file used for a sort or merge
operation. You cannot perform any input or output operations on this file. You do
not need to provide a ddname definition for the file.

RELATED REFERENCES
“FILE SECTION entries” on page 14

Describing the input to sorting or merging

Describe the input file or files for sorting or merging by following this procedure:
1. Write one or more SELECT statements in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to name the input files. For example:
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT Input-File ASSIGN TO InFile.
Input-File is the name of the file in your program. Use this name to refer to the
file.
2. Describe the input file (or files when merging) in an FD entry in the FILE
SECTION of the DATA DIVISION. For example:
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD Input-File
LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
BLOCK CONTAINS 0 CHARACTERS
RECORDING MODE IS F
RECORD CONTAINS 100 CHARACTERS.
01 Input-Record PIC X(100).

RELATED TASKS
“Coding the input procedure” on page 184
“Requesting the sort or merge” on page 188

RELATED REFERENCES
“FILE SECTION entries” on page 14

Example: describing sort and input files for SORT

The following example shows the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and DATA DIVISION entries
needed to describe sort files and an input file.
ID Division.
Program-ID. SmplSort.
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
*
* Assign name for a working file is
* treated as documentation.
*
Select Sort-Work-1 Assign To SortFile.
Select Sort-Work-2 Assign To SortFile.
Select Input-File Assign To InFile.
. . .
Data Division.
File Section.
SD Sort-Work-1

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 183

 Record Contains 100 Characters.
01 Sort-Work-1-Area.
05 Sort-Key-1 Pic X(10).
05 Sort-Key-2 Pic X(10).
05 Filler Pic X(80).
SD Sort-Work-2
Record Contains 30 Characters.
01 Sort-Work-2-Area.
05 Sort-Key Pic X(5).
05 Filler Pic X(25).
FD Input-File
Label Records Are Standard
Block Contains 0 Characters
Recording Mode is F
Record Contains 100 Characters.
01 Input-Record Pic X(100).
. . .
Working-Storage Section.
01 EOS-Sw Pic X.
01 Filler.
05 Table-Entry Occurs 100 Times
Indexed By X1 Pic X(30).
. . .

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting the sort or merge” on page 188

Coding the input procedure

If you want to process the records in an input file before they are released to the
sort program, use the INPUT PROCEDURE phrase of the SORT statement. You can use
an input procedure to do the following:
v Release data items to the sort file from WORKING-STORAGE or LOCAL-STORAGE.
v Release records that have already been read in elsewhere in the program.
v Read records from an input file, select or process them, and release them to the
sort file.

Each input procedure must be contained in either paragraphs or sections. For

example, to release records from a table in WORKING-STORAGE or LOCAL-STORAGE to
the sort file SORT-WORK-2, you could code as follows:
SORT SORT-WORK-2
ON ASCENDING KEY SORT-KEY
INPUT PROCEDURE 600-SORT3-INPUT-PROC
. . .
600-SORT3-INPUT-PROC SECTION.
PERFORM WITH TEST AFTER
VARYING X1 FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL X1 = 100
RELEASE SORT-WORK-2-AREA FROM TABLE-ENTRY (X1)
END-PERFORM.

To transfer records to the sort program, all input procedures must contain at least
one RELEASE or RELEASE FROM statement. To release A from X, for example, you can
code:
MOVE X TO A.
RELEASE A.

Alternatively, you can code:

RELEASE A FROM X.

The following table compares the RELEASE and RELEASE FROM statements.

184 Programming Guide

 RELEASE RELEASE FROM

MOVE EXT-RECORD PERFORM RELEASE-SORT-RECORD

TO SORT-EXT-RECORD . . .
PERFORM RELEASE-SORT-RECORD RELEASE-SORT-RECORD.
. . . RELEASE SORT-RECORD
RELEASE-SORT-RECORD. FROM SORT-EXT-RECORD
RELEASE SORT-RECORD

RELATED REFERENCES
“Restrictions on input and output procedures” on page 187
RELEASE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Describing the output from sorting or merging

If the output from sorting or merging is a file, describe the file by following this
procedure:
1. Write a SELECT statement in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION to name the output file. For example:
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT Output-File ASSIGN TO OutFile.
Output-File is the name of the file in your program. Use this name to refer to
the file.
2. Describe the output file (or files when merging) in an FD entry in the FILE
SECTION of the DATA DIVISION. For example:
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD Output-File
LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
BLOCK CONTAINS 0 CHARACTERS
RECORDING MODE IS F
RECORD CONTAINS 100 CHARACTERS.
01 Output-Record PIC X(100).

RELATED TASKS
“Coding the output procedure”
“Requesting the sort or merge” on page 188

RELATED REFERENCES
“FILE SECTION entries” on page 14

Coding the output procedure

If you want to select, edit, or otherwise change sorted records before writing them
from the sort work file into another file, use the OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrase of the
SORT statement.

Each output procedure must be contained in either a section or a paragraph. An

output procedure must include both of the following elements:
v At least one RETURN or RETURN INTO statement
v Any statements necessary to process the records that are made available, one at
a time, by the RETURN statement

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 185

 The RETURN statement makes each sorted record available to the output procedure.
(The RETURN statement for a sort file is similar to a READ statement for an input file.)

You can use the AT END and END-RETURN phrases with the RETURN statement. The
imperative statements on the AT END phrase are performed after all the records
have been returned from the sort file. The END-RETURN explicit scope terminator
delimits the scope of the RETURN statement.

If you use the RETURN INTO statement instead of RETURN, the records will be
returned to WORKING-STORAGE, LOCAL-STORAGE, or to an output area.

Coding considerations when using DFSORT

When a RETURN statement does not encounter an AT END condition before a COBOL
program finishes running, the SORT statement could end abnormally with DFSORT
message IEC025A. To avoid this situation, do these steps:
1. Code the RETURN statement with the AT END phrase.
2. Ensure that the RETURN statement is executed until the AT END condition is
encountered.

The AT END condition occurs after the last record is returned to the program from
the sort work file and a subsequent RETURN statement is executed.

“Example: coding the output procedure when using DFSORT”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Restrictions on input and output procedures” on page 187
RETURN statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: coding the output procedure when using DFSORT

The following example shows a coding technique that ensures that the RETURN
statement encounters the AT END condition before the program finishes running.
The RETURN statement, coded with the AT END phrase, is executed until the AT END
condition occurs.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
SD OUR-FILE.
01 OUR-SORT-REC.
03 SORT-KEY PIC X(10).
03 FILLER PIC X(70).
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 WS-SORT-REC PIC X(80).
01 END-OF-SORT-FILE-INDICATOR PIC X VALUE ’N’.
88 NO-MORE-SORT-RECORDS VALUE ’Y’.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
A-CONTROL SECTION.
SORT OUR-FILE ON ASCENDING KEY SORT-KEY
INPUT PROCEDURE IS B-INPUT
OUTPUT PROCEDURE IS C-OUTPUT.
. . .
B-INPUT SECTION.
MOVE . . .. . .. TO WS-SORT-REC.
RELEASE OUR-SORT-REC FROM WS-SORT-REC.
. . .
C-OUTPUT SECTION.
DISPLAY ’STARTING READS OF SORTED RECORDS: ’.

186 Programming Guide

 RETURN OUR-FILE
AT END
SET NO-MORE-SORT-RECORDS TO TRUE.
PERFORM WITH TEST BEFORE UNTIL NO-MORE-SORT-RECORDS
IF SORT-RETURN = 0 THEN
DISPLAY ’OUR-SORT-REC = ’ OUR-SORT-REC
RETURN OUR-FILE
AT END
SET NO-MORE-SORT-RECORDS TO TRUE
END-IF
END-PERFORM.

Restrictions on input and output procedures

The following restrictions apply to each input or output procedure called by SORT
and to each output procedure called by MERGE:
v The procedure must not contain any SORT or MERGE statements.
v You can use ALTER, GO TO, and PERFORM statements in the procedure to refer to
procedure names outside the input or output procedure. However, control must
return to the input or output procedure after a GO TO or PERFORM statement.
v The remainder of the PROCEDURE DIVISION must not contain any transfers of
control to points inside the input or output procedure (with the exception of the
return of control from a declarative section).
v In an input or output procedure, you can call a program that follows standard
linkage conventions. However, the called program cannot issue a SORT or MERGE
statement.
v During a SORT or MERGE operation, the SD data item is used. You must not use it
in the output procedure before the first RETURN executes. If you move data into
this record area before the first RETURN statement, the first record to be returned
will be overwritten.
v Language Environment condition handling does not allow user-written
condition handlers to be established in an input or output procedure.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding the input procedure” on page 184
“Coding the output procedure” on page 185
Planning to link-edit and run (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Defining sort and merge data sets

To use DFSORT under z/OS, code DD statements in the run-time JCL to describe
the necessary data sets:
Sort or merge work
Define a minimum of three data sets: SORTWK01, SORTWK02, SORTWK03, . . .,
SORTWKnn (where nn is 99 or less). These data sets cannot be in the HFS.
SYSOUT Define for sort diagnostic messages, unless you change the data set name.
(Change the name using either the MSGDDN keyword of the OPTION control
statement in the SORT-CONTROL data set, or using the SORT-MESSAGE special
register.)
SORTCKPT
Define if the sort or merge is to take checkpoints.
Input and output
Define input and output data sets, if any.

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 187

 SORTLIB (DFSORT library)
Define the library containing the sort modules, for example,
SYS1.SORTLIB.

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195
“Using checkpoint/restart with DFSORT” on page 198

Sorting variable-length records

Your sort work file will be variable length only if you define it to be variable
length, even if the input file to the sort contains variable-length records.

The compiler will determine that the sort work file is variable length if you code
one of the following in its SD entry:
v A RECORD IS VARYING clause
v Two or more record descriptions that define records with different sizes, or
records that contain an OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause

You cannot code RECORDING MODE V for the sort work file because the SD entry does
not allow the RECORDING MODE clause.

To improve sort performance on variable-length files, specify the most frequently

occurring record length of the input file (the modal length) on the SMS= control
card or in the SORT-MODE-SIZE special register.

RELATED TASKS
“Changing DFSORT defaults with control statements” on page 197
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195

Requesting the sort or merge

To read records directly from an input file (files for MERGE) without any preliminary
processing, use SORT . . . USING or MERGE . . . USING and the name of the input
file (files) that you have declared in a SELECT statement. The compiler generates an
input procedure to open the input file (files), read the records, release the records
to the sort or merge program, and close the input file (files). The input file or files
must not be open when the SORT or MERGE statement begins execution.

To transfer sorted or merged records from the sort or merge program directly to
another file without any further processing, use SORT . . . GIVING or MERGE . . .
GIVING and the name of the output file that you have declared in a SELECT
statement. The compiler generates an output procedure to open the output file,
return the records, write the records, and close the file. The output file must not be
open when the SORT or MERGE statement begins execution. For example:
SORT Sort-Work-1
ON ASCENDING KEY Sort-Key-1
USING Input-File
GIVING Output-File.

The USING or GIVING files in a SORT or MERGE statement can be sequential files
residing in the HFS.

“Example: describing sort and input files for SORT” on page 183

188 Programming Guide

 If you want an input procedure to be performed on the sort records before they are
sorted, use SORT . . . INPUT PROCEDURE. If you want an output procedure to be
performed on the sorted records, use SORT . . . OUTPUT PROCEDURE. For example:
SORT Sort-Work-1
ON ASCENDING KEY Sort-Key-1
INPUT PROCEDURE EditInputRecords
OUTPUT PROCEDURE FormatData.

“Example: sorting with input and output procedures” on page 190

Restriction: You cannot use an input procedure with the MERGE statement. The
source of input to the merge operation must be a collection of already sorted files.
However, if you want an output procedure to be performed on the merged
records, use MERGE . . . OUTPUT PROCEDURE. For example:
MERGE Merge-Work
ON ASCENDING KEY Merge-Key
USING Input-File-1 Input-File-2 Input-File-3
OUTPUT PROCEDURE ProcessOutput.

You must define Merge-Work in an SD statement in the FILE SECTION of the DATA
DIVISION, and the input files in FD statements in the FILE SECTION.

Setting sort or merge criteria

To set sort or merge criteria, do these steps:
1. In the record description of the files to be sorted or merged, define the key or
keys on which the operation is to be performed.
There is no maximum number of keys, but the keys must be located in the first
4092 bytes of the record description.
The total length of the keys cannot exceed 4092 bytes unless the EQUALS
keyword is coded in the DFSORT OPTION control statement, in which case the
total length of the keys must not exceed 4088 bytes.
Restriction: A key cannot be variably located.
2. In the SORT or MERGE statement, specify the key fields to be used for sequencing.
You can code keys as ascending or descending. When you code more than one
key, some can be ascending, and some descending.
The leftmost key is the primary key. The next key is the secondary key, and so
on.

You can specify national data items as keys for sorting and merging. The binary
collating sequence is applied to such keys. If you specify a national data item as a
sort or merge key, any COLLATING SEQUENCE phrase in the SORT or MERGE statement
does not apply to that key.

You can mix SORT and MERGE statements in the same COBOL program. A program
can perform any number of sort or merge operations. However, one operation
must end before another can begin.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Appendix B, “Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON,” on page 613 (variably located
items)

RELATED TASKS
“Defining sort and merge data sets” on page 187

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 189

 RELATED REFERENCES
SORT control statement (DFSORT Application Programming Guide)
SORT statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
MERGE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: sorting with input and output procedures

The following example shows the use of an input and an output procedure in a
SORT statement. The example also shows how you can define primary key
SORT-GRID-LOCATION and secondary key SORT-SHIFT in the DATA DIVISION before
using them in the SORT statement.
DATA DIVISION.
. . .
SD SORT-FILE
RECORD CONTAINS 115 CHARACTERS
DATA RECORD SORT-RECORD.
01 SORT-RECORD.
05 SORT-KEY.
10 SORT-SHIFT PIC X(1).
10 SORT-GRID-LOCATION PIC X(2).
10 SORT-REPORT PIC X(3).
05 SORT-EXT-RECORD.
10 SORT-EXT-EMPLOYEE-NUM PIC X(6).
10 SORT-EXT-NAME PIC X(30).
10 FILLER PIC X(73).
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 TAB1.
05 TAB-ENTRY OCCURS 10 TIMES
INDEXED BY TAB-INDX.
10 WS-SHIFT PIC X(1).
10 WS-GRID-LOCATION PIC X(2).
10 WS-REPORT PIC X(3).
10 WS-EXT-EMPLOYEE-NUM PIC X(6).
10 WS-EXT-NAME PIC X(30).
10 FILLER PIC X(73).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
SORT SORT-FILE
ON ASCENDING KEY SORT-GRID-LOCATION SORT-SHIFT
INPUT PROCEDURE 600-SORT3-INPUT
OUTPUT PROCEDURE 700-SORT3-OUTPUT.
. . .
600-SORT3-INPUT.
PERFORM VARYING TAB-INDX FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL TAB-INDX > 10
RELEASE SORT-RECORD FROM TAB-ENTRY(TAB-INDX)
END-PERFORM.
. . .
700-SORT3-OUTPUT.
PERFORM VARYING TAB-INDX FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL TAB-INDX > 10
RETURN SORT-FILE INTO TAB-ENTRY(TAB-INDX)
AT END DISPLAY ’Out Of Records In SORT File’
END-RETURN
END-PERFORM.

RELATED TASKS
“Requesting the sort or merge” on page 188

Choosing alternate collating sequences

You can sort or merge records on the EBCDIC or ASCII collating sequence, or on
another collating sequence. The default collating sequence is EBCDIC unless you
code the PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE clause in the OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph. To

190 Programming Guide

 override the sequence named in the PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE clause, use the
COLLATING SEQUENCE phrase of the SORT or MERGE statement. You can use different
collating sequences for each SORT or MERGE statement in your program.

When you sort or merge an ASCII file, you have to request the ASCII collating
sequence. To do so, code the COLLATING SEQUENCE phrase of the SORT or MERGE
statement, where you define the alphabet-name as STANDARD-1 in the SPECIAL-NAMES
paragraph.

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying the collating sequence” on page 8

RELATED REFERENCES
SORT statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Classes and categories of data (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Sorting on windowed date fields

You can specify windowed date fields as sort keys if your version of DFSORT
supports the Y2PAST option. If so, DFSORT can sort or merge on the windowed
date sequence.

To sort on a windowed date field, use the DATE FORMAT clause to define a
windowed date field; then use the field as the sort key. DFSORT will use the same
century window as that used by the compilation unit. Specify the century window
with the YEARWINDOW compiler option.

DFSORT supports year-last windowed date fields, although the compiler itself
does not provide automatic windowing for year-last windowed date fields in
statements other than MERGE or SORT.

RELATED TASKS
“Sorting and merging by date” on page 567

RELATED REFERENCES
“YEARWINDOW” on page 315
DATE FORMAT clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
OPTION control statement (Y2PAST option) (DFSORT Application Programming
Guide)

Preserving the original sequence of records with equal keys

You can preserve the order of identical collating records from input to output in
one of these ways:
v Install DFSORT with the EQUALS option as the default.
v Provide, at run time, an OPTION card with the EQUALS keyword in the IGZSRTCD
data set.
v Use the WITH DUPLICATES IN ORDER phrase in the SORT statement. Doing so adds
the EQUALS keyword to the OPTION card in the IGZSRTCD data set.
Do not use the NOEQUALS keyword on the OPTION card and use the DUPLICATES
phrase, or the run unit will end.

RELATED REFERENCES
OPTION control statement (DFSORT Application Programming Guide)

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 191

Determining whether the sort or merge was successful
The DFSORT program returns one of the following completion codes after a sort or
merge has finished:
0 Successful completion of the sort or merge
16 Unsuccessful completion of the sort or merge

The completion code is stored in the SORT-RETURN special register. The contents of
this register change after each SORT or MERGE statement is performed.

You should test for successful completion after each SORT or MERGE statement. For
example:
SORT SORT-WORK-2
ON ASCENDING KEY SORT-KEY
INPUT PROCEDURE IS 600-SORT3-INPUT-PROC
OUTPUT PROCEDURE IS 700-SORT3-OUTPUT-PROC.
IF SORT-RETURN NOT=0
DISPLAY “SORT ENDED ABNORMALLY. SORT-RETURN = ” SORT-RETURN.
. . .
600-SORT3-INPUT-PROC SECTION.
. . .
700-SORT3-OUTPUT-PROC SECTION.
. . .

If you do not reference SORT-RETURN anywhere in your program, the COBOL run
time tests the return code. If the return code is 16, COBOL issues a run-time
diagnostic message.

If you test SORT-RETURN for one or more (but not necessarily all) SORT or MERGE
statements, the COBOL run time does not check the return code.

By default, DFSORT diagnostic messages are sent to the SYSOUT data set. If you
want to change this default, use the MSGDDN parameter of the DFSORT OPTION
control card or use the SORT-MESSAGE special register.

RELATED TASKS
“Checking for sort errors with NOFASTSRT” on page 195
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195

RELATED REFERENCES
DFSORT messages and return codes (DFSORT Application Programming Guide)

Stopping a sort or merge operation prematurely

To stop a sort or merge operation, use the SORT-RETURN special register. Move the
integer 16 into the register in either of the following ways:
v Use MOVE in an input or output procedure.
Sort or merge processing will be stopped immediately after the next RELEASE or
RETURN statement is performed.
v Reset the register in a declarative section entered during processing of a USING or
GIVING file.
Sort or merge processing will be stopped immediately after the next implicit
RELEASE or RETURN is performed, which will occur after a record has been read
from or written to the USING or GIVING file.

192 Programming Guide

 Control then returns to the statement following the SORT or MERGE statement.

Improving sort performance with FASTSRT

Using the FASTSRT compiler option improves the performance of most sort
operations. With FASTSRT, the DFSORT product (instead of Enterprise COBOL)
performs the I/O on the input and output files you name in the following
statements:
SORT . . . USING
SORT . . . GIVING

The compiler issues informational messages to point out statements in which

FASTSRT can improve performance.

Usage notes
v You cannot use the DFSORT options SORTIN or SORTOUT if you use FASTSRT. The
FASTSRT compiler option does not apply to line-sequential files you use as USING
or GIVING files.
v If you specify file status and use FASTSRT, file status is ignored during the sort.

RELATED REFERENCES
“FASTSRT” on page 284
“FASTSRT requirements for JCL”
“FASTSRT requirements for sort input and output files”

FASTSRT requirements for JCL

In the run-time JCL, you must assign the sort work files (SORTWKnn) to a
direct-access device, not to tape data sets.

For the input and output files, the DCB parameter of the DD statement in the JCL
must match the FD description.

FASTSRT requirements for sort input and output files

If you specify FASTSRT but your code does not meet FASTSRT requirements, the
compiler issues a message and the COBOL run time performs the I/O instead.
Your program will not experience the performance improvements otherwise
possible.

To use FASTSRT, you must describe and process the input files to the sort, and the
output files from the sort, in these ways:
v You can mention only one input file in the USING phrase. You can mention only
one output file in the GIVING phrase.
v You cannot use an input procedure on an input file, nor an output procedure on
an output file.
Instead of using input or output procedures, you might be able to use DFSORT
control statements:
– INREC
| – OUTFILE
– OUTREC
– INCLUDE
– OMIT
– STOPAFT

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 193

 – SKIPREC
– SUM
Many DFSORT functions perform the same operations that are common in input
or output procedures. Code the appropriate DFSORT control statements instead,
and place them either in the IGZSRTCD data set or the SORTCNTL data set.
v Do not code the LINAGE clause for the output FD entry.
v Do not code any INPUT declarative (for input files), OUTPUT declarative (for
output files), or file-specific declaratives (for either input or output files) to
apply to any FDs used in the sort.
v Do not use a variable relative file as the input or output file.
v Do not use a line-sequential file as the input or output file.
v For either an input or an output file, the record descriptions of the SD and FD
entry must define the same format (fixed or variable), and the largest records of
the SD and FD entry must define the same record length.

Note that if you code a RELATIVE KEY clause for an output file, it will not be set by
the sort.

Performance tip: If you block your input and output records, the sort performance
could be significantly improved.

QSAM requirements
v QSAM files must have a record format of fixed, variable, or spanned.
v A QSAM input file can be empty.
v To use the same QSAM file for both input and output, you must describe the file
using two different DD statements. For example, in the FILE-CONTROL SECTION
you might code the following:
SELECT FILE-IN ASSIGN INPUTF.
SELECT FILE-OUT ASSIGN OUTPUTF.
In the DATA DIVISION, you would have an FD entry for both FILE-IN and
FILE-OUT, where FILE-IN and FILE-OUT are identical except for their names.
In the PROCEDURE DIVISION, your SORT statement could look like this:
SORT file-name
ASCENDING KEY data-name-1
USING FILE-IN GIVING FILE-OUT
Then in your JCL, you would code:
//INPUTF DD DSN=INOUT,DISP=SHR
//OUTPUTF DD DSN=INOUT,DISP=SHR
where data set INOUT has been cataloged.
On the other hand, if you code the same file name in the USING and GIVING
phrases, or assign the input and output files the same ddname, then the file can
be accepted for FASTSRT either for input or output, but not both. If no other
conditions disqualify the file from being eligible for FASTSRT on input, then the
file will be accepted for FASTSRT on input, but not on output. If the file was
found to be ineligible for FASTSRT on input, it might be eligible for FASTSRT on
output.

A QSAM file that qualifies for FASTSRT can be accessed by the COBOL program
while the SORT statement is being performed. For example, if the file is used for
FASTSRT on input, you can access it in an output procedure; if it is used for FASTSRT
on output, you can access it in an input procedure.

194 Programming Guide

 VSAM requirements
v A VSAM input file must not be empty.
v VSAM files cannot be password-protected.
v You cannot name the same VSAM file in both the USING and GIVING phrases.
v A VSAM file that qualifies for FASTSRT cannot be accessed by the COBOL
program until the SORT statement processing is completed. For example, if the
file qualifies for FASTSRT on input, you cannot access it in an output procedure
and vice versa. (If you do so, OPEN will fail.)

RELATED TASKS
DFSORT Application Programming Guide

Checking for sort errors with NOFASTSRT

When you compile with the NOFASTSRT option, the sort process does not check for
errors in open, close, or input or output operations for files that you reference in
the USING or GIVING phrase of the SORT statement. Therefore, you might need to
check whether the SORT statement completed successfully.

The code required depends on whether you code a FILE STATUS clause or an ERROR
declarative for the files referenced in the USING and GIVING phrases, as shown in
the table below.
Table 33. Methods for checking for sort errors with NOFASTSRT
FILE STATUS ERROR
clause? declarative? Then do:
No No No special coding. Any failure during the sort process
causes the program to end abnormally.
Yes No Test the SORT-RETURN special register after the SORT
statement, and test the file status key. (Not recommended
if you want complete file status checking, because the file
status code is set but COBOL cannot check it.)
Maybe Yes In the ERROR declarative, set the SORT-RETURN special
register to 16 to stop the sort process and indicate that it
was not successful. Test the SORT-RETURN special register
after the SORT statement.

RELATED TASKS
“Determining whether the sort or merge was successful” on page 192
“Using file status keys” on page 208
“Coding ERROR declaratives” on page 207
“Stopping a sort or merge operation prematurely” on page 192

Controlling sort behavior

You can control several aspects of sort behavior by the following means:
v Inserting values in special registers before the sort
v Using compiler options
v Using control statement keywords

You can also verify sort behavior by examining the contents of special registers
after the sort.

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 195

 The table below lists those aspects of sort behavior that you can affect using
special registers or compiler options, and the equivalent sort control statement
keywords if any.
Table 34. Methods for controlling sort behavior
Or this control statement
Use this special register or (and keyword if
To set or test compiler option applicable)
Amount of main storage to be SORT-CORE-SIZE special register OPTION (keyword RESINV)
reserved
Amount of main storage to be SORT-CORE-SIZE special register OPTION (keywords
used MAINSIZE or MAINSIZE=MAX)
Modal length of records in a SORT-MODE-SIZE special register SMS=nnnnn
file with variable-length
records
Name of sort control statement SORT-CONTROL special register None
data set (default IGZSRTCD)
Name of sort message file SORT-MESSAGE special register OPTION (keyword MSGDDN)
(default SYSOUT)
Number of sort records SORT-FILE-SIZE special register OPTION (keyword FILSZ)
Sort completion code SORT-RETURN special register None
Century window for sorting or YEARWINDOW compiler option OPTION (keyword Y2PAST)
merging on date fields
Format of windowed date (Derived from PICTURE, USAGE, SORT (keyword
fields used as sort or merge and DATE FORMAT clauses) FORMAT=Y2x)
keys

Sort special registers

SORT-CONTROL is an eight-character COBOL special register that contains the
ddname of the sort control statement file. If you do not want to use the default
ddname IGZSRTCD, assign to SORT-CONTROL the ddname of the data set that
contains your sort control statements.

The SORT-CORE-SIZE, SORT-FILE-SIZE, SORT-MESSAGE, and SORT-MODE-SIZE special

registers are used in the SORT interface if you assign them nondefault values. At
run time, however, any parameters on control statements in the sort control
statement data set override corresponding settings in the special registers, and a
message to that effect is issued.

You can use the SORT-RETURN special register to determine whether the sort or
merge was successful and to stop a sort or merge operation prematurely.

A compiler warning message (W-level) is issued for each sort special register that
you set in a program.

RELATED TASKS
“Determining whether the sort or merge was successful” on page 192
“Stopping a sort or merge operation prematurely” on page 192
“Changing DFSORT defaults with control statements” on page 197
“Allocating space for sort files” on page 198
Using DFSORT program control statements (DFSORT Application Programming
Guide)

196 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Default characteristics of the IGZSRTCD data set”

Changing DFSORT defaults with control statements

If you want to change DFSORT system defaults to improve sort performance, pass
information to DFSORT through control statements in the run-time data set
IGZSRTCD.

The control statements that you can include in the IGZSRTCD data set (in the
order listed) are:
1. SMS=nnnnn, where nnnnn is the length in bytes of the most frequently occurring
record size. (Use only if the SD file is variable length.)
2. OPTION (except keywords SORTIN or SORTOUT).
3. Other DFSORT control statements (except SORT, MERGE, RECORD, or END).

Code control statements between columns 2 and 71. You can continue a control
statement record by ending the line with a comma and starting the next line with a
new keyword. No labels or comments are allowed on a record, and a record itself
cannot be a DFSORT comment statement.

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195
Using DFSORT program control statements (DFSORT Application Programming
Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“Default characteristics of the IGZSRTCD data set”

Default characteristics of the IGZSRTCD data set

v LRECL=80.
v BLKSIZE=400.
v ddname is IGZSRTCD. (You can use a different ddname by coding it in the
SORT-CONTROL special register.)

The IGZSRTCD data set is optional. If you defined a ddname for the SORT-CONTROL
data set and you receive the message IGZ0027W, an OPEN failure occurred that
you should investigate.

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195

Allocating storage for sort or merge operations

Certain parameters set during the installation of DFSORT determine the amount of
storage it uses. In general, the more storage DFSORT has available, the faster the
sort or merge operations in your program will be.

DFSORT installation should not allocate all the free space in the region for its
COBOL operation, however. When your program is running, storage must be
available for the following:
v COBOL programs that are dynamically called from an input or output procedure
v Language Environment run-time library modules
v Data management modules that can be loaded into the region for use by an
input or output procedure

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 197

 v Any storage obtained by these modules

For a specific sort or merge operation, you can override the DFSORT storage
values set at installation. To do so, code the MAINSIZE and RESINV keywords on the
OPTION control statement in the sort control statement data set, or use the
SORT-CORE-SIZE special register.

Be careful not to override the storage allocation to the extent that all the free space
in the region is used for sort operations in your COBOL program.

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195
DFSORT Installation and Customization

RELATED REFERENCES
OPTION control statement (DFSORT Application Programming Guide)

Allocating space for sort files

If you use NOFASTSRT or an input procedure, DFSORT does not know the size of
the file that you are sorting. This can lead to an out-of-space condition when you
are sorting large files or to overallocation of resources when you are sorting small
files. If this occurs, you can use the SORT-FILE-SIZE special register to help
DFSORT determine the amount of resource (for example, workspace or hiperspace)
needed for the sort. Set SORT-FILE-SIZE to a reasonable estimate of the number of
input records. This value is passed to DFSORT as its FILSZ=En value.

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling sort behavior” on page 195
“Coding the input procedure” on page 184
DFSORT Application Programming Guide

Using checkpoint/restart with DFSORT

You cannot use checkpoints taken while DFSORT is running under z/OS to restart,
unless the checkpoints are taken by DFSORT. Checkpoints taken by your COBOL
program while SORT or MERGE statements execute are invalid; the restarts are
detected and canceled.

To take a checkpoint during a sort or merge operation, follow these steps:

1. Add a DD statement for SORTCKPT in the JCL.
2. Code the RERUN clause in the I-O-CONTROL paragraph:
RERUN ON assignment-name
3. Code the CKPT (or CHKPT) keyword on an OPTION control statement in the sort
control statement data set (default ddname IGZSRTCD).

RELATED CONCEPTS
Chapter 32, “Interrupts and checkpoint/restart,” on page 545

RELATED TASKS
“Changing DFSORT defaults with control statements” on page 197
“Setting checkpoints” on page 545

198 Programming Guide

Sorting under CICS
There is no IBM sort product that is supported under CICS. However, you can use
the SORT statement with a sort program you write that runs under CICS to sort
small amounts of data.

You must have both an input and an output procedure for the SORT statement. In
the input procedure, use the RELEASE statement to transfer records from the
COBOL program to the sort program before the sort is performed. In the output
procedure, use the RETURN statement to transfer records from the sort program to
the COBOL program after the sort is performed.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding the input procedure” on page 184
“Coding the output procedure” on page 185

RELATED REFERENCES
“CICS SORT application restrictions”

CICS SORT application restrictions

The following restrictions apply to COBOL applications that run under CICS and
use the SORT statement:
v SORT statements that include the USING or GIVING phrase are not supported.
v Sort control data sets are not supported. Data in the SORT-CONTROL special
register is ignored.
v Using the following CICS commands in the input or output procedures can
cause unpredictable results:
– CICS LINK
– CICS XCTL
– CICS RETURN
– CICS HANDLE
– CICS IGNORE
– CICS PUSH
– CICS POP
v You can use CICS commands other than those in the preceding list provided you
use the NOHANDLE or RESP option. Unpredictable results can occur if you do not
use NOHANDLE or RESP.

Chapter 12. Sorting and merging files 199

200 Programming Guide
Chapter 13. Handling errors
Anticipate possible coding or system problems by putting code into your program
to handle them. Such code is like built-in distress flares or lifeboats. With this code,
output data and files should not be corrupted, and the user will know when there
is a problem.

Your error-handling code can take actions such as handling the situation, issuing a
message, or halting the program. In any event, coding a warning message is a
good idea.

You might create error-detection routines for data-entry errors or for errors as your
installation defines them.

COBOL contains special elements to help you anticipate and correct error
conditions:
v User-requested dumps
v ON OVERFLOW in STRING and UNSTRING operations
v ON SIZE ERROR in arithmetic operations
v Technique handling for input or output errors
v ON EXCEPTION or ON OVERFLOW in CALL statements
v User-written routines for handling errors

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in joining and splitting strings” on page 202
“Handling errors in arithmetic operations” on page 203
“Handling errors in input and output operations” on page 203
“Handling errors when calling programs” on page 213
“Writing routines for handling errors” on page 213

Requesting dumps
You can obtain a formatted dump of the run-time environment by calling the
Language Environment service CEE3DMP. To obtain a system dump, you can
request an abend without cleanup by calling the Language Environment service
CEE3ABD with a cleanup value of zero.

Creating a formatted dump

You can cause a dump of the Language Environment run-time environment and
the member language libraries at any prespecified point in your program. Simply
code a call to the Language Environment callable service CEE3DMP. For example:
77 Title-1 Pic x(80) Display.
77 Options Pic x(255) Display.
01 Feedback-code Pic x(12) Display.
. . .
Call “CEE3DMP” Using Title-1, Options, Feedback-code

To have symbolic variables included in the formatted dump produced by

Language Environment, you must compile with the SYM suboption of the TEST
compiler option and use the VARIABLES subparameter of CEE3DMP.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 201

 You can also request, through run-time options, that a dump be produced for error
conditions of your choosing.

Creating a system dump

You can cause a system dump at any prespecified point in your program. Simply
request an abend without cleanup by calling the Language Environment service
CEE3ABD with a cleanup value of zero.

This callable service stops the run unit immediately, and a system dump is
requested when the abend is issued.

RELATED REFERENCES
Language Environment Debugging Guide
CEE3DMP—generate dump (Language Environment Programming Reference)

Handling errors in joining and splitting strings

During the joining or splitting of strings, the pointer used by STRING or UNSTRING
might fall outside the range of the receiving field. A potential overflow condition
exists, but COBOL does not let the overflow happen. Instead, the STRING or
UNSTRING operation is not completed, the receiving field remains unchanged, and
control passes to the next sequential statement. You do not have an ON OVERFLOW
clause on the STRING or UNSTRING statement, and you are not notified of the
incomplete operation.

Consider the following statement:

String Item-1 space Item-2 delimited by Item-3
into Item-4
with pointer String-ptr
on overflow
Display “A string overflow occurred”
End-String

These are the data values before and after the statement is performed:

Data item PICTURE Value before Value after

Item-1 X(5) AAAAA AAAAA
Item-2 X(5) EEEAA EEEAA
Item-3 X(2) EA EA
1
Item-4 X(8) bbbbbbbb bbbbbbbb1
String-ptr 9(2) 0 0
1. The symbol b represents a blank space.

Because String-ptr has a value of zero that falls short of the receiving field, an
overflow condition occurs and the STRING operation is not completed. (The same
result would occur if String-ptr were greater than nine.) If ON OVERFLOW had not
been specified, you would not be notified that the contents of Item-4 remain
unchanged.

202 Programming Guide

Handling errors in arithmetic operations
The results of arithmetic operations might be larger than the fixed-point field that
is to hold them, or you might have tried dividing by zero. In either case, the ON
SIZE ERROR clause after the ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, or COMPUTE statement
can handle the situation.

For ON SIZE ERROR to work correctly for fixed-point overflow and decimal
overflow, you must specify the TRAP(ON) run-time option.

The imperative statement of the ON SIZE ERROR clause will be performed and the
result field will not change in these cases:
v Fixed-point overflow
v Division by zero
v Zero raised to the zero power
v Zero raised to a negative number
v Negative number raised to a fractional power

Floating-point exponent overflow occurs when the value of a floating-point

computation cannot be represented in the zSeries floating-point operand format.
This type of overflow does not cause SIZE ERROR; an abend occurs instead. You
could code a user-written condition handler to intercept the abend and provide
your own error recovery logic.

“Example: checking for division by zero”

Example: checking for division by zero

Code your ON SIZE ERROR imperative statement so that it issues an informative
message. For example:
DIVIDE-TOTAL-COST.
DIVIDE TOTAL-COST BY NUMBER-PURCHASED
GIVING ANSWER
ON SIZE ERROR
DISPLAY “ERROR IN DIVIDE-TOTAL-COST PARAGRAPH”
DISPLAY “SPENT ” TOTAL-COST, “ FOR ” NUMBER-PURCHASED
PERFORM FINISH
END-DIVIDE
. . .
FINISH.
STOP RUN.

In this example, if division by zero occurs, the program writes a message

identifying the trouble and halts program execution.

Handling errors in input and output operations

When an input or output operation fails, COBOL does not automatically take
corrective action. You choose whether your program will continue running after a
less-than-severe input or output error occurs.

You can use any of the following techniques for intercepting and handling certain
input or output errors:
v End-of-file condition (AT END)
v ERROR declarative
v File status key

Chapter 13. Handling errors 203

 v File system return code
v INVALID KEY phrase
v Imperative-statement phrases on your READ or WRITE statement
v ERROR declaratives
v FILE STATUS clauses

For VSAM files, if you specify a FILE STATUS clause, you can also test the VSAM
return code to direct your program to error-handling logic.

If you choose to have your program continue (by incorporating error-handling

code into your design), you must code the appropriate error-recovery procedure.
You might code, for example, a procedure to check the value of the file status key.

If you do not handle an input or output error in any of these ways, a severity-3
Language Environment condition is signaled, which causes the run unit to end if
the condition is not handled.

The following figures show the flow of logic after the indicated errors:
v VSAM input or output error
v QSAM and line-sequential input or output error

The following figure shows the flow of logic after a VSAM input or output error:

204 Programming Guide

The following figure shows the flow of logic after an input or output error with
QSAM or line-sequential files. The error can be from a READ statement, a WRITE
statement, or a CLOSE statement with a REEL/UNIT clause (QSAM only).

Chapter 13. Handling errors 205

 Set status key
(if present)

Applicable*
Yes Execute
imperative
imperative
phrase?
statement

No

Associated Execute
Yes
ERROR ERROR
declarative? declarative

No

File-status
Yes Test file**
clause
status key
specified ?

No

Terminate the run Return to COBOL***

unit with a message at the end of I/O
statement

*Possible phrases for QSAM are AT END, AT END-OF-PAGE, and INVALID KEY; for line
sequential, AT END.

**You need to write the code to test the file status key.

***Execution of your COBOL program continues after the input or output

statement that caused the error.

RELATED TASKS
“Using the end-of-file condition (AT END)”
“Coding ERROR declaratives” on page 207
“Using file status keys” on page 208
“Handling errors in QSAM files” on page 133
“Using VSAM return codes (VSAM files only)” on page 209
“Coding INVALID KEY phrases” on page 212

RELATED REFERENCES
Status key (Common processing facilities) (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Using the end-of-file condition (AT END)

You code the AT END phrase of the READ statement to handle errors or normal
conditions, according to your program design. If you code an AT END phrase, on
end-of-file the phrase is performed. If you do not code an AT END phrase, the
associated ERROR declarative is performed.

206 Programming Guide

 In many designs, reading sequentially to the end of a file is done intentionally, and
the AT END condition is expected. For example, suppose you are processing a file
containing transactions in order to update a master file:
PERFORM UNTIL TRANSACTION-EOF = “TRUE”
READ UPDATE-TRANSACTION-FILE INTO WS-TRANSACTION-RECORD
AT END
DISPLAY “END OF TRANSACTION UPDATE FILE REACHED”
MOVE “TRUE” TO TRANSACTION-EOF
END READ
. . .
END-PERFORM

Any NOT AT END phrase you code is performed only if the READ statement
completes successfully. If the READ operation fails because of a condition other than
end-of-file, neither the AT END nor the NOT AT END phrase is performed. Instead,
control passes to the end of the READ statement after performing any associated
declarative procedure.

You might choose to code neither an AT END phrase nor an EXCEPTION declarative
procedure, but a status key clause for the file. In that case, control passes to the
next sequential instruction after the input or output statement that detected the
end-of-file conditions. Here presumably you have some code to take appropriate
action.

RELATED REFERENCES
AT END phrases (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Coding ERROR declaratives

You can code one or more ERROR declarative procedures in your COBOL program
that will be given control if an input or output error occurs. You can have:
v A single, common procedure for the entire program
v Procedures for each file open mode (whether INPUT, OUTPUT, I-O, or EXTEND)
v Individual procedures for each particular file

Place each such procedure in the declaratives section of your PROCEDURE DIVISION.

In your procedure, you can choose to try corrective action, retry the operation,
continue, or end execution. You can use the ERROR declaratives procedure in
combination with the file status key if you want a further analysis of the error.

If you continue processing a blocked file, you might lose the remaining records in
a block after the record that caused the error.

Write an ERROR declarative procedure if you want the system to return control to
your program after an error occurs. If you do not write an ERROR declarative
procedure, your job could be canceled or abnormally terminated after an error
occurs.

Multithreading: Take care to avoid deadlocks when coding I/O declaratives in

your multithreaded applications. When an I/O operation results in a transfer of
control to an I/O declarative, the automatic serialization lock associated with the
file is held during the execution of the statements within the declarative. Thus if
you code I/O operations within your declaratives, your logic might result in a
deadlock as illustrated by this sample:

Chapter 13. Handling errors 207

 Declaratives.
D1 section.
Use after standard error procedure on F1
. . .
Read F2.
. . .
D2 section.
Use after standard error procedure on F2
. . .
Read F1.
. . .
End declaratives.
. . .
Rewrite R1.
Rewrite R2.

When this program is running on two threads, the following sequence of events
might occur:
1. Thread 1: Rewrite R1 acquires lock on F1 and encounters I/O error.
2. Thread 1: Enter declarative D1, holding lock on F1.
3. Thread 2: Rewrite R2 acquires lock on F2 and encounters I/O error.
4. Thread 2: Enter declarative D2.
5. Thread 1: Read F2 from declarative D1; wait on F2 lock held by thread 2.
6. Thread 2: Read F1 from declarative D2; wait on F1 lock held by thread 1.
7. Deadlock.

RELATED REFERENCES
EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Using file status keys

After each input or output statement is performed on a file, the system updates
values in the two digits of the file status key. In general, a zero in the first digit
indicates a successful operation, and a zero in both digits means there is nothing
abnormal. Establish a file status key by using the FILE STATUS clause in the
FILE-CONTROL paragraph and data definitions in the DATA DIVISION.
FILE STATUS IS data-name-1

The data item data-name-1 specifies the two-character COBOL file status key that
should be defined in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. This data-name cannot be
variably located.

Your program can check the COBOL file status key to discover whether an error
has been made and, if so, what type of error it is. For example, suppose a FILE
STATUS clause is coded like this:
FILE STATUS IS FS-CODE

FS-CODE is used by COBOL to hold status information like this:

208 Programming Guide

 Follow these rules for each file:
v Define a different file status key for each file.
You can then determine the cause of a file input or output exception, such as an
application logic error or a disk error.
v Check the file status key after every input or output request.
If it contains a value other than 0, your program can issue an error message or
can act based on the value.
You do not have to reset the file status key code, because it is set after each
input or output attempt.

For VSAM files, in addition to the file status key, you can code a second identifier
in the FILE STATUS clause to get more detailed information about VSAM input or
output requests.

You can use the file status key alone or in conjunction with the INVALID KEY
option, or to supplement the EXCEPTION or ERROR declarative. Using the file status
key in this way gives you precise information about the results of each input or
output operation.

“Example: file status key”

RELATED REFERENCES
File status key (Common processing facilities) (Enterprise COBOL Language
Reference)

Example: file status key

This COBOL code performs a simple check on the file status key after opening a
file.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. SIMCHK.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT MASTERFILE ASSIGN TO AS-MASTERA
FILE STATUS IS MASTER-CHECK-KEY
. . .
DATA DIVISION.
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 MASTER-CHECK-KEY PIC X(2).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
OPEN INPUT MASTERFILE
IF MASTER-CHECK-KEY NOT = “00”
DISPLAY “Nonzero file status returned from OPEN ” MASTER-CHECK-KEY
. . .

Using VSAM return codes (VSAM files only)

Often the two-character FILE STATUS code is too general to pinpoint the disposition
of a request. You can get more detailed information about VSAM input or output
requests by coding a second status area:
FILE STATUS IS data-name-1 data-name-8

Chapter 13. Handling errors 209

 The data item data-name-1 specifies the two-character COBOL file status key. The
data item data-name-8 specifies a 6-byte data item that contains the VSAM return
code when the COBOL file status key is not 0.

You can define the second status area, data-name-8, in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
as in VSAM-CODE here:
01 RETURN-STATUS.
05 FS-CODE PIC X(2).
05 VSAM-CODE.
10 VSAM-R15-RETURN PIC S9(4) Usage Comp-5.
10 VSAM-FUNCTION PIC S9(4) Usage Comp-5.
10 VSAM-FEEDBACK PIC S9(4) Usage Comp-5.

Enterprise COBOL uses data-name-8 to pass information supplied by VSAM. In the

following example, FS-CODE corresponds to data-name-1 and VSAM-CODE corresponds
to data-name-8:

“Example: checking VSAM status codes”

RELATED REFERENCES
VSAM macro return and reason codes (z/OS DFSMS Macro Instructions for Data
Sets)

Example: checking VSAM status codes

This COBOL code does the following:
v Reads an indexed file (starting at the fifth record)
v Checks the file status key after each input or output request
v Displays the VSAM codes when the file status key is not zero

This example also illustrates how output from this program might look if the file
being processed contains six records.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
PROGRAM-ID. EXAMPLE.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT VSAMFILE ASSIGN TO VSAMFILE
ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
ACCESS DYNAMIC
RECORD KEY IS VSAMFILE-KEY
FILE STATUS IS FS-CODE VSAM-CODE.
DATA DIVISION.

210 Programming Guide

FILE SECTION.
FD VSAMFILE
RECORD 30.
01 VSAMFILE-REC.
10 VSAMFILE-KEY PIC X(6).
10 FILLER PIC X(24).
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 RETURN-STATUS.
05 FS-CODE PIC XX.
05 VSAM-CODE.
10 VSAM-RETURN-CODE PIC S9(2) Usage Binary.
10 VSAM-COMPONENT-CODE PIC S9(1) Usage Binary.
10 VSAM-REASON-CODE PIC S9(3) Usage Binary.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
OPEN INPUT VSAMFILE.
DISPLAY “OPEN INPUT VSAMFILE FS-CODE: ” FS-CODE.

IF FS-CODE NOT = “00”

PERFORM VSAM-CODE-DISPLAY
STOP RUN
END-IF.

MOVE “000005” TO VSAMFILE-KEY.

START VSAMFILE KEY IS EQUAL TO VSAMFILE-KEY.
DISPLAY “START VSAMFILE KEY=” VSAMFILE-KEY
“ FS-CODE: ” FS-CODE.
IF FS-CODE NOT = “00”
PERFORM VSAM-CODE-DISPLAY
END-IF.

IF FS-CODE = “00”
PERFORM READ-NEXT UNTIL FS-CODE NOT = “00”
END-IF.

CLOSE VSAMFILE.
STOP RUN.

READ-NEXT.
READ VSAMFILE NEXT.
DISPLAY “READ NEXT VSAMFILE FS-CODE: ” FS-CODE.
IF FS-CODE NOT = “00”
PERFORM VSAM-CODE-DISPLAY
END-IF.
DISPLAY VSAMFILE-REC.

VSAM-CODE-DISPLAY.
DISPLAY “VSAM-CODE ==>”
“ RETURN: ” VSAM-RETURN-CODE,
“ COMPONENT: ” VSAM-COMPONENT-CODE,
“ REASON: ” VSAM-REASON-CODE.

Below is a sample of the output from the example program that checks VSAM
code information:
OPEN INPUT VSAMFILE FS-CODE: 00
START VSAMFILE KEY=000005 FS-CODE: 00
READ NEXT VSAMFILE FS-CODE: 00
000005 THIS IS RECORD NUMBER 5
READ NEXT VSAMFILE FS-CODE: 00
000006 THIS IS RECORD NUMBER 6
READ NEXT VSAMFILE FS-CODE: 10
VSAM-CODE ==> RETURN: 08 COMPONENT: 2 REASON: 004

Chapter 13. Handling errors 211

 Coding INVALID KEY phrases
You can include INVALID KEY phrases on READ, START, WRITE, REWRITE, and DELETE
requests for VSAM indexed and relative files. The INVALID KEY phrase is given
control if an input or output error occurs because of a faulty index key.

Use the FILE STATUS clause with INVALID KEY to evaluate the status key and
determine the specific INVALID KEY condition.

You can also include INVALID KEY on WRITE requests for QSAM files, but the
INVALID KEY phrase has limited meaning here. It is used only if you try to write to
a disk that is full.

INVALID KEY and ERROR declaratives

INVALID KEY phrases differ from ERROR declaratives in these ways:
v INVALID KEY phrases operate for only limited types of errors, whereas the ERROR
declarative encompasses all forms.
v INVALID KEY phrases are coded directly onto the input or output verb, whereas
ERROR declaratives are coded separately.
v INVALID KEY phrases are specific for a single input or output operation, whereas
ERROR declaratives are more general.

If you code INVALID KEY in a statement that causes an INVALID KEY condition,
control is transferred to the INVALID KEY imperative statement. Here, any ERROR
declaratives you have coded are not performed.

NOT INVALID KEY

A NOT INVALID KEY phrase that you code is performed only if the statement
completes successfully. If the operation fails because of a condition other than
INVALID KEY, neither the INVALID KEY nor the NOT INVALID KEY phrase is
performed. Instead control passes to the end of the statement after the program
performs any associated ERROR declaratives.

“Example: FILE STATUS and INVALID KEY”

Example: FILE STATUS and INVALID KEY

Assume you have a file containing master customer records and need to update
some of these records with information in a transaction update file. The program
reads each transaction record, finds the corresponding record in the master file,
and makes the necessary updates. The records in both files contain a field for a
customer number, and each record in the master file has a unique customer
number.

The FILE-CONTROL entry for the master file of customer records includes statements
defining indexed organization, random access, MASTER-CUSTOMER-NUMBER as the
prime record key, and CUSTOMER-FILE-STATUS as the file status key. The following
example shows how you can use FILE STATUS with the INVALID KEY to more
specifically determine why an input or output statement failed.
.
. (read the update transaction record)
.
MOVE “TRUE” TO TRANSACTION-MATCH
MOVE UPDATE-CUSTOMER-NUMBER TO MASTER-CUSTOMER-NUMBER
READ MASTER-CUSTOMER-FILE INTO WS-CUSTOMER-RECORD
INVALID KEY

212 Programming Guide

 DISPLAY “MASTER CUSTOMER RECORD NOT FOUND”
DISPLAY “FILE STATUS CODE IS: ” CUSTOMER-FILE-STATUS
MOVE “FALSE” TO TRANSACTION-MATCH
END-READ

Handling errors when calling programs

When a program dynamically calls a separately compiled program, the called
program might be unavailable to the system. For example, the system could run
out of storage or it could be unable to locate the load module. If you do not have
an ON EXCEPTION or ON OVERFLOW phrase on the CALL statement, your application
might abend.

Use the ON EXCEPTION phrase to perform a series of statements and to perform your
own error handling. For example:
MOVE “REPORTA” TO REPORT-PROG
CALL REPORT-PROG
ON EXCEPTION
DISPLAY “Program REPORTA not available, using REPORTB.’
MOVE ”REPORTB“ TO REPORT-PROG
CALL REPORT-PROG
END-CALL
END-CALL

If program REPORTA is unavailable, control will continue with the ON EXCEPTION

phrase.

The ON EXCEPTION phrase applies only to the availability of the called program. If
an error occurs while the called program is running, the ON EXCEPTION phrase will
not be performed.

RELATED TASKS
Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide

Writing routines for handling errors

You can handle most error conditions that might occur while your program is
running by using the ON EXCEPTION phrase, the ON SIZE ERROR phrase, or other
language constructs. But if an extraordinary condition like a machine check occurs,
normally your application will not regain control; it will be abnormally terminated.

However, Enterprise COBOL and Language Environment provide a way for a

user-written program to gain control when such conditions occur. Using Language
Environment condition handling, you can write your own error-handling programs
in COBOL. They can report, analyze, or even fix up and allow your program to
resume running.

To have Language Environment pass control to your user-written error program,

you must first identify and register its entry point to Language Environment.
PROCEDURE-POINTER data items allow you to pass the entry address of procedure
entry points to Language Environment services.

RELATED TASKS
“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407

Chapter 13. Handling errors 213

214 Programming Guide
Part 2. Compiling and debugging your program
Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS . . . . . 217 Chapter 15. Compiling under UNIX . . . . . 249
Compiling with JCL . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Setting environment variables under UNIX . . . 249
Using a cataloged procedure . . . . . . . 218 Specifying compiler options under UNIX . . . . 250
Compile procedure (IGYWC) . . . . . . 219 Compiling and linking with the cob2 command 251
Compile and link-edit procedure (IGYWCL) 220 Defining input and output . . . . . . . . 251
Compile, link-edit, and run procedure Creating a DLL . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
(IGYWCLG) . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Example: using cob2 to compile under UNIX 252
Compile, load, and run procedure (IGYWCG) 222 cob2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Compile, prelink, and link-edit procedure cob2 input and output files . . . . . . . . 254
(IGYWCPL) . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Compiling using scripts . . . . . . . . . . 255
Compile, prelink, link-edit, and run
procedure (IGYWCPLG) . . . . . . . . 224 Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and running OO
Prelink and link-edit procedure (IGYWPL) 226 applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Compile, prelink, load, and run procedure Compiling, linking, and running OO applications
(IGYWCPG) . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 under UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Writing JCL to compile programs . . . . . . 228 Compiling OO applications under UNIX . . . 257
Example: user-written JCL for compiling . . 229 Preparing OO applications under UNIX . . . 258
Compiling under TSO . . . . . . . . . . 229 Example: compiling and linking a COBOL class
Example: ALLOCATE and CALL for compiling definition under UNIX . . . . . . . . . 259
under TSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Running OO applications under UNIX . . . . 259
Example: CLIST for compiling under TSO . . . 230 Running OO applications that start with a
Starting the compiler from an assembler program 231 main method . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Defining compiler input and output . . . . . . 232 Running OO applications that start with a
Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS . . 233 COBOL program . . . . . . . . . . 260
Logical record length and block size . . . . 234 Compiling, linking, and running OO applications
Defining the source code data set (SYSIN) . . . 235 using JCL or TSO/E . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Specifying source libraries (SYSLIB) . . . . . 235 Compiling OO applications using JCL or TSO/E 261
Defining the output data set (SYSPRINT) . . . 236 Preparing and running OO applications using
Directing compiler messages to your terminal JCL or TSO/E . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
(SYSTERM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Example: compiling, linking, and running an
Creating object code (SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH) 236 OO application using JCL . . . . . . . . 263
Creating an associated data file (SYSADATA) 237 JCL for program TSTHELLO . . . . . . 264
Defining the output Java data set (SYSJAVA) 237 Definition of class HelloJ . . . . . . . 265
Defining the debug data set (SYSDEBUG) . . . 237 Environment variable settings file, ENV . . 265
Specifying compiler options under z/OS . . . . 238
Specifying compiler options with the PROCESS Chapter 17. Compiler options . . . . . . . 267
(CBL) statement . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Option settings for COBOL 85 Standard
Example: specifying compiler options using JCL 239 conformance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Example: specifying compiler options under Conflicting compiler options . . . . . . . . 269
TSO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 ADATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Compiler options and compiler output under ADV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
z/OS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 ARITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Compiling multiple programs (batch compilation) 241 AWO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Example: batch compilation . . . . . . . 242 BUFSIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Specifying compiler options in a batch CICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 CODEPAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Example: precedence of options in a batch COMPILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 CURRENCY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Example: LANGUAGE option in a batch DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 DATEPROC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Correcting errors in your source program . . . . 245 DBCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Generating a list of compiler error messages . . 246 DECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Messages and listings for compiler-detected DIAGTRUNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 DLL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Format of compiler error messages . . . . . 246 DUMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Severity codes for compiler error messages . . 247 DYNAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 215

EXIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Checking for valid ranges . . . . . . . . 327
EXPORTALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Selecting the level of error to be diagnosed . . 328
FASTSRT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Example: embedded messages . . . . . . 328
FLAG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Finding program entity definitions and
FLAGSTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 references . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
INTDATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Listing data items . . . . . . . . . . . 330
LANGUAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Getting listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
LIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Example: short listing . . . . . . . . . 332
LINECOUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Example: SOURCE and NUMBER output . . . 335
LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Example: MAP output . . . . . . . . 336
MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290 Example: embedded map summary . . . . . 337
NAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Terms used in MAP output . . . . . . . . 338
NSYMBOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Symbols used in LIST and MAP output . . . 338
NUMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292 Example: nested program map . . . . . . 340
NUMPROC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Reading LIST output . . . . . . . . . . 340
OBJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 Example: program initialization code . . . 341
OFFSET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 Signature information bytes: compiler
OPTIMIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 options . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
OUTDD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 Signature information bytes: DATA
PGMNAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 DIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
PGMNAME(COMPAT) . . . . . . . . . 297 Signature information bytes:
PGMNAME(LONGUPPER). . . . . . . . 298 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION . . . . . . 346
PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) . . . . . . . 298 Signature information bytes: PROCEDURE
QUOTE/APOST . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 DIVISION verbs . . . . . . . . . . 346
RENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Signature information bytes: more
RMODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 PROCEDURE DIVISION items . . . . . 348
SEQUENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Example: assembler code generated from
SIZE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 source code . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Example: TGT memory map . . . . . . 350
SPACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Example: DSA memory map . . . . . . 351
SQL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Example: location and size of
SSRANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304 WORKING-STORAGE . . . . . . . . 352
TERMINAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 Example: XREF output - data-name
TEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 cross-references . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
THREAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Example: XREF output - program-name
TRUNC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 cross-references . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
TRUNC example 1 . . . . . . . . . . 312 Example: embedded cross-reference . . . . . 353
TRUNC example 2 . . . . . . . . . . 312 Example: OFFSET compiler output . . . . . 354
VBREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 Example: VBREF compiler output . . . . . 355
WORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 Preparing to use the debugger . . . . . . . . 355
XREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
YEARWINDOW . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
ZWB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

Chapter 18. Compiler-directing statements . . 317

Chapter 19. Debugging . . . . . . . . . 321

Debugging with source language . . . . . . . 322
Tracing program logic . . . . . . . . . 322
Finding and handling input-output errors . . . 323
Validating data . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Finding uninitialized data . . . . . . . . 323
Generating information about procedures . . . 324
Debugging lines . . . . . . . . . . 324
Debugging statements . . . . . . . . 324
Example: USE FOR DEBUGGING . . . . 324
Debugging using compiler options . . . . . . 325
Finding coding errors . . . . . . . . . 326
Checking syntax only. . . . . . . . . 326
Compiling conditionally . . . . . . . . 326
Finding line sequence problems . . . . . . 327

216 Programming Guide

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS
You can compile Enterprise COBOL programs under z/OS using job control
language (JCL), TSO commands, CLISTs, or ISPF panels:
v For compiling with JCL, IBM provides a set of cataloged procedures, which can
reduce the amount of JCL coding that you need to write. If the cataloged
procedures do not meet your needs, you can write your own JCL. Using JCL,
you can compile a single program or compile several programs as part of a
batch job.
v When compiling under TSO, you can use TSO commands, CLISTs, or ISPF
panels.

You can also compile in a z/OS UNIX shell by using the cob2 command.

You might instead want to start the Enterprise COBOL compiler from an assembler
program, for example, if your shop has developed a tool or interface that calls the
Enterprise COBOL compiler.

As part of the compilation step, you need to define the data sets needed for the
compilation and specify any compiler options necessary for your program and the
desired output.

The compiler translates your COBOL program into language that the computer can
process (object code). The compiler also lists errors in your source statements and
provides supplementary information to help you debug and tune your program.
Use compiler-directing statements and compiler options to control your
compilation.

After compiling your program, you need to review the results of the compilation
and correct any compiler-detected errors.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with JCL”
“Compiling under TSO” on page 229
Chapter 15, “Compiling under UNIX,” on page 249
“Starting the compiler from an assembler program” on page 231
“Defining compiler input and output” on page 232
“Specifying compiler options under z/OS” on page 238
“Compiling multiple programs (batch compilation)” on page 241
“Correcting errors in your source program” on page 245

RELATED REFERENCES
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317
“Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS” on page 233
“Compiler options and compiler output under z/OS” on page 239

Compiling with JCL

You need to include the following information in the JCL for compilation:
v Job description
v Statement to run the compiler

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 217

 v Definitions for the data sets needed (including the directory paths if using HFS
files)

The simplest way to compile your program under z/OS is to code JCL that uses a
cataloged procedure. A cataloged procedure is a set of job control statements placed
in a partitioned data set called the procedure library (SYS1.PROCLIB).

The following JCL shows the general format for a cataloged procedure.
//jobname JOB parameters
//stepname EXEC [PROC=]procname[,{PARM=|PARM.stepname=}’options’]
//SYSIN DD data set parameters
. . . (source program to be compiled)
/*
//

Additional considerations apply when you use cataloged procedures to compile

object-oriented programs.

“Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL application” on page 428

RELATED TASKS
“Using a cataloged procedure”
“Writing JCL to compile programs” on page 228
“Specifying compiler options under z/OS” on page 238
“Specifying compiler options in a batch compilation” on page 242
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426

RELATED REFERENCES
“Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS” on page 233

Using a cataloged procedure

Specify a cataloged procedure in an EXEC statement in your JCL.

The following JCL calls the IBM-supplied cataloged procedure (IGYWC) for
compiling an Enterprise COBOL program and defining the required data sets:
//JOB1 JOB1
//STEPA EXEC PROC=IGYWC
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
000100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
* (the source code)
...
/*

You can omit /* after the source code. If your source code is stored in a data set,
replace SYSIN DD * with appropriate parameters that describe the data set.

You can use these procedures with any of the job schedulers that are part of z/OS.
When a scheduler encounters parameters that it does not require, the scheduler
either ignores them or substitutes alternative parameters.

If the compiler options are not explicitly supplied with the procedure, default
options established at the installation apply. You can override these default options
by using an EXEC statement that includes the desired options.

You can specify data sets to be in the hierarchical file system by overriding the
corresponding DD statement. However, the compiler utility files (SYSUTx) and copy
libraries (SYSLIB) you specify must be MVS data sets.

218 Programming Guide

Additional details on invoking cataloged procedures, overriding and adding to
EXEC statements, and overriding and adding to DD statements are in the Language
Environment information.

RELATED TASKS
Language Environment Programming Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
“Compile procedure (IGYWC)”
“Compile and link-edit procedure (IGYWCL)” on page 220
“Compile, link-edit, and run procedure (IGYWCLG)” on page 221
“Compile, load, and run procedure (IGYWCG)” on page 222
“Compile, prelink, and link-edit procedure (IGYWCPL)” on page 223
“Compile, prelink, link-edit, and run procedure (IGYWCPLG)” on page 224
“Prelink and link-edit procedure (IGYWPL)” on page 226
“Compile, prelink, load, and run procedure (IGYWCPG)” on page 226
z/OS DFSMS: Program Management

Compile procedure (IGYWC)

The IGYWC procedure is a single-step procedure for compiling a program. It
produces an object module. The compile steps in all other cataloged procedures
that invoke the compiler are similar.

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream:
//COBOL.SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

The following statements make up the IGYWC cataloged procedure.

//IGYWC PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200
//*
//* COMPILE A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLKSIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (2)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 219

 (1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.
(2) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.

“Example: JCL for compiling using HFS”

Example: JCL for compiling using HFS: The following job uses procedure
IGYWC to compile a COBOL program demo.cbl that is located in the hierarchical
file system (HFS). It writes the generated compiler listing demo.lst, object file
demo.o, and SYSADATA file demo.adt to the HFS.
//HFSDEMO JOB ,
// TIME=(1),MSGLEVEL=(1,1),MSGCLASS=H,CLASS=A,REGION=50M,
// NOTIFY=&SYSUID,USER=&SYSUID
//COMPILE EXEC IGYWC,
// PARM.COBOL=’LIST,MAP,RENT,FLAG(I,I),XREF,ADATA’
//SYSPRINT DD PATH=’/u/userid/cobol/demo.lst’, (1)
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC), (2)
// PATHMODE=SIRWXU, (3)
// FILEDATA=TEXT (4)
//SYSLIN DD PATH=’/u/userid/cobol/demo.o’,
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC),
// PATHMODE=SIRWXU
//SYSADATA DD PATH=’/u/userid/cobol/demo.adt’,
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC),
// PATHMODE=SIRWXU
//SYSIN DD PATH=’/u/userid/cobol/demo.cbl’,
// PATHOPTS=ORDONLY,
// FILEDATA=TEXT,
// RECFM=F
(1) PATH specifies the path name for an HFS file.
(2) PATHOPTS indicates the access for the file (such as read or read-write) and
sets the status for the file (such as append, create, or truncate).
(3) PATHMODE indicates the permissions, or file access attributes, to be set when
a file is created.
(4) FILEDATA specifies whether the data is to be treated as text or binary.

You can use a mixture of HFS (PATH=’hfs-directory-path’) and MVS data sets
(DSN=traditional-data-set-name) on the compilation DD statements shown in this
example as overrides. However, the compiler utility files (DD statements SYSUTx)
and COPY libraries (DD statements SYSLIB) must be MVS data sets.

RELATED REFERENCES
UNIX System Services Command Reference
MVS JCL Reference
“Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS” on page 233

Compile and link-edit procedure (IGYWCL)

The IGYWCL procedure is a two-step procedure to compile and link-edit a
program. The COBOL job step produces an object module that is input to the
linkage editor or binder. Other object modules can be added.

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream.
//COBOL.SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:

220 Programming Guide

//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

The following statements make up the IGYWCL cataloged procedure.

//IGYWCL PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’,
// PGMLIB=’&&GOSET’,GOPGM=GO
//*
//* COMPILE AND LINK EDIT A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLOCK SIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//* PGMLIB &&GOSET DATA SET NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//* GOPGM GO MEMBER NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (2)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),REGION=1024K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (3)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
// DD DDNAME=SYSIN
//SYSLMOD DD DSNAME=&PGMLIB(&GOPGM),
// SPACE=(TRK,(10,10,1)),
// UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(MOD,PASS)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(10,10))

(1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.

(2) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.
(3) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Compile, link-edit, and run procedure (IGYWCLG)

The IGYWCLG procedure is a three-step procedure to compile, link-edit, and run a
program.

The COBOL job step produces an object module that is input to the linkage editor
or binder. Other object modules can be added. If the COBOL program refers to any
data sets, DD statements that define these data sets must also be supplied.

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream.
//COBOL.SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 221

 //COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

The following shows the statements that make up the IGYWCLG cataloged
procedure.
//IGYWCLG PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’,GOPGM=GO
//*
//* COMPILE, LINK EDIT AND RUN A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLKSIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//* GOPGM GO MEMBER NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (2)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),REGION=1024K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (3)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
// DD DDNAME=SYSIN
//SYSLMOD DD DSNAME=&&GOSET(&GOPGM),SPACE=(TRK,(10,10,1)),
// UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(MOD,PASS)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(10,10))
//GO EXEC PGM=*.LKED.SYSLMOD,COND=((8,LT,COBOL),(4,LT,LKED)),
// REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//CEEDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*

(1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.

(2) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.
(3) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Compile, load, and run procedure (IGYWCG)

The IGYWCG procedure is a two-step procedure to compile, load, and run a
program. The COBOL job step produces an object module that is input to the
loader. If the COBOL program refers to any data sets, the DD statements that define
these data sets must also be supplied.

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream.
//COBOL.SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

222 Programming Guide

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

The following shows the statements that make up the IGYWCG cataloged
procedure.
//IGYWCG PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’
//*
//* COMPILE, LOAD AND RUN A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLKSIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA, (2)
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (3)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//GO EXEC PGM=LOADER,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),REGION=2048K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (4)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSLOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//CEEDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*

(1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.

(2) SYSLIN can reside in the HFS.
(3) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.
(4) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Compile, prelink, and link-edit procedure (IGYWCPL)

The IGYWCPL procedure is a three-step procedure for compiling, prelinking, and
link-editing a program.

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream.
SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 223

 The following shows the statements that make up the IGYWCPL cataloged
procedure.
//IGYWCPL PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’,PLANG=EDCPMSGE,
// PGMLIB=’&&GOSET’,GOPGM=GO
//*
//* COMPILE, PRELINK AND LINK EDIT A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLOCK SIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//* PLANG EDCPMSGE PRELINKER MESSAGES MODULE
//* PGMLIB &&GOSET DATA SET NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//* GOPGM GO MEMBER NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (2)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//PLKED EXEC PGM=EDCPRLK,PARM=’’,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),
// REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,
// DISP=SHR
//SYSMSGS DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEEMSGP(&PLANG),
// DISP=SHR
//SYSLIB DD DUMMY
//SYSIN DD DSN=&&LOADSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//SYSMOD DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(NEW,PASS),
// SPACE=(32000,(100,50)),
// DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=3200)
//SYSDEFSD DD DUMMY
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//*
//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),REGION=1024K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (3)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
// DD DDNAME=SYSIN
//SYSLMOD DD DSNAME=&PGMLIB(&GOPGM),
// SPACE=(TRK,(10,10,1)),
// UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(MOD,PASS)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(10,10))

(1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.

(2) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.
(3) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Compile, prelink, link-edit, and run procedure (IGYWCPLG)

The IGYWCPLG procedure is a four-step procedure for compiling, prelinking,
link-editing, and running a program.

224 Programming Guide

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream.
SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

The following shows the statements that make up the IGYWCPLG cataloged
procedure.
//IGYWCPLG PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200,
// PLANG=EDCPMSGE,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’,GOPGM=GO
//*
//* COMPILE, PRELINK, LINK EDIT, AND RUN A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLKSIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* PLANG EDCPMSGE PRELINKER MESSAGES MODULE
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//* GOPGM GO MEMBER NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (2)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//PLKED EXEC PGM=EDCPRLK,PARM=’’,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),
// REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,
// DISP=SHR
//SYSMSGS DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEEMSGP(&PLANG),
// DISP=SHR
//SYSLIB DD DUMMY
//SYSIN DD DSN=&&LOADSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//SYSMOD DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(NEW,PASS),
// SPACE=(32000,(100,50)),
// DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=3200)
//SYSDEFSD DD DUMMY
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//*
//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),REGION=1024K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (3)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
// DD DDNAME=SYSIN
//SYSLMOD DD DSNAME=&&GOSET(&GOPGM),SPACE=(TRK,(10,10,1)),
// UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(MOD,PASS)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(10,10))

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 225

 //GO EXEC PGM=*.LKED.SYSLMOD,COND=((8,LT,COBOL),(4,LT,LKED)),
// REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//CEEDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*

(1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.

(2) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.
(3) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Prelink and link-edit procedure (IGYWPL)

The IGYWPL procedure is a two-step procedure for prelinking and link-editing a
program.

The following statements make up the IGYWPL cataloged procedure.

//IGYWPL PROC PLANG=EDCPMSGE,SYSLBLK=3200,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’,
// PGMLIB=’&&GOSET’,GOPGM=GO
//*
//* PRELINK AND LINK EDIT A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* PLANG EDCPMSGE PRELINK MESSAGES MEMBER NAME
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLKSIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//* PGMLIB &&GOSET DATA SET NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//* GOPGM GO MEMBER NAME FOR LOAD MODULE
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //PLKED.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//PLKED EXEC PGM=EDCPRLK,PARM=’’,
// REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSMSGS DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEEMSGP(&PLANG),
// DISP=SHR
//SYSLIB DD DUMMY
//SYSMOD DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(NEW,PASS),
// SPACE=(32000,(100,50)),
// DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSDEFSD DD DUMMY
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//*
//LKED EXEC PGM=HEWL,COND=(4,LT,PLKED),REGION=1024K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (2)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=*.PLKED.SYSMOD,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
// DD DDNAME=SYSIN
//SYSLMOD DD DSNAME=&PGMLIB(&GOPGM),SPACE=(TRK,(10,10,1)),
// UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(MOD,PASS)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(TRK,(10,10))
//SYSIN DD DUMMY

(1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.

(2) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Compile, prelink, load, and run procedure (IGYWCPG)

The IGYWCPG procedure is a four-step procedure for compiling, prelinking,
loading, and running a program.

226 Programming Guide

You must supply the following DD statement, indicating the location of the source
program, in the input stream.
//COBOL.SYSIN DD * (or appropriate parameters)

If you use copybooks in the program that you are compiling, you must also supply
a DD statement for SYSLIB or other libraries that you specify in COPY statements. For
example:
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=DEPT88.BOBS.COBLIB

The following statements make up the IGYWCPG cataloged procedure.

//IGYWCPG PROC LNGPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’,SYSLBLK=3200,
// PLANG=EDCPMSGE,
// LIBPRFX=’CEE’
//*
//* COMPILE, PRELINK, LOAD, AND RUN A COBOL PROGRAM
//*
//* PARAMETER DEFAULT VALUE USAGE
//* LNGPRFX IGY.V3R3M0 PREFIX FOR LANGUAGE DATA SET NAMES
//* SYSLBLK 3200 BLKSIZE FOR OBJECT DATA SET
//* PLANG EDCPMSGE PRELINKER MESSAGES MODULE
//* LIBPRFX CEE PREFIX FOR LIBRARY DATA SET NAMES
//*
//* CALLER MUST SUPPLY //COBOL.SYSIN DD . . .
//*
//COBOL EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LNGPRFX..SIGYCOMP, (1)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&LOADSET,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3)),
// DCB=(BLKSIZE=&SYSLBLK)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1)) (2)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//PLKED EXEC PGM=EDCPRLK,PARM=’’,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),
// REGION=2048K
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,
// DISP=SHR
//SYSMSGS DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEEMSGP(&PLANG),
// DISP=SHR
//SYSLIB DD DUMMY
//SYSIN DD DSN=&&LOADSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//SYSMOD DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(NEW,PASS), (3)
// SPACE=(32000,(100,50)),
// DCB=(RECFM=FB,LRECL=80,BLKSIZE=3200)
//SYSDEFSD DD DUMMY
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//*
//GO EXEC PGM=LOADER,COND=(8,LT,COBOL),REGION=2048K
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED, (4)
// DISP=SHR
//SYSLOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&PLKSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,
// DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//CEEDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUDUMP DD SYSOUT=*

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 227

 (1) STEPLIB can be installation-dependent.
(2) SYSUT5 is needed only if the LIB option is used.
(3) SYSMOD can reside in the HFS.
(4) SYSLIB can be installation-dependent.

Writing JCL to compile programs

If the cataloged procedures do not give you the z/OS programming flexibility you
need for more complex programs, write your own job control statements. The
following JCL shows the general format used to compile a program:
//jobname JOB acctno,name,MSGCLASS=1 (1)
//stepname EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,PARM=(options) (2)
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYCOMP,DISP=SHR (3)
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms) (4)
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=A (5)
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=MYPROG,UNIT=SYSDA, (6)
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(subparms)
//SYSIN DD DSNAME=dsname,UNIT=device, (7)
VOLUME=(subparms),DISP=SHR
(1) The JOB statement indicates the beginning of a job.
(2) The EXEC statement specifies that the Enterprise COBOL compiler
(IGYCRCTL) is to be invoked.
(3) This DD statement defines the data set where the Enterprise COBOL
compiler resides.
(4) The SYSUT DD statements define the utility data sets that the compiler will
use to process the source program. All SYSUT files must be on
direct-access storage devices.
(5) The SYSPRINT DD statement defines the data set that receives output from
options such as LIST and MAP. SYSOUT=A is the standard designation for data
sets whose destination is the system output device.
(6) The SYSLIN DD statement defines the data set that receives output from the
OBJECT option (the object module).
(7) The SYSIN DD statement defines the data set to be used as input to the job
step (source code).

You can use a mixture of HFS (PATH=’hfs-directory-path’) and MVS data sets
(DSN=traditional-data-set-name) on the compilation DD statements for the following
data sets:
v Sources files
v Object files
v Listings
v ADATA files
v Debug files
v Executable modules

However, the compiler utility files (DD statements SYSUTx) and COPY libraries (DD
statement SYSLIB) must be MVS data sets.

228 Programming Guide

 “Example: user-written JCL for compiling”
“Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL application” on page 428

RELATED REFERENCES
MVS JCL Reference

Example: user-written JCL for compiling

This example shows a few possibilities for adapting the basic JCL.
//JOB1 JOB (1)
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,PARM=’OBJECT’ (2)
//STEPLIB DD DSNAME=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYCOMP,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=A
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=MYPROG,UNIT=SYSDA,
// DISP=(MOD,PASS),SPACE=(TRK,(3,3))
//SYSIN DD * (3)
000100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
. . .
/* (4)
(1) JOB1 is the name of the job.
(2) STEP1 is the name of the single job step in the job. The EXEC statement also
specifies that the generated object code be placed on disk or tape to be
used later as input to the link step.
(3) The asterisk indicates that the input data set follows in the input stream.
(4) The delimiter statement /* separates data from subsequent control
statements in the input stream.

Compiling under TSO

Under TSO, you can use TSO commands, command lists (CLISTs), REXX execs, or
ISPF to compile your program using traditional MVS data sets. You can use TSO
commands or REXX execs to compile your program using HFS files. With each
method, you need to allocate the data sets and request the compilation.
1. Use the ALLOCATE command to allocate data sets.
For any compilation, allocate the work data sets (SYSUTn), and the SYSIN and
SYSPRINT data sets. If you specify certain compiler options, allocate the
following data sets:
v If you specified the OBJECT compiler option, allocate the SYSLIN data set to
produce an object module.
v If you specified the TERMINAL option, allocate the SYSTERM data set to get
compiler messages at your terminal.
v If you specified the LIB option and if you have used COPY or REPLACE
statements in your Enterprise COBOL program, allocate the SYSLIB data set.
This must be a traditional MVS data set, not an HFS path.
v If you specified the LIB option in your program, allocate SYSUT5. This utility
data set must be a traditional MVS data set, not an HFS path.
You can allocate data sets in any order. However, you must allocate all needed
data sets before you start to compile.

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 229

 2. Use the CALL command at the READY prompt to request compilation:
CALL ’IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYCOMP(IGYCRCTL)’

You can specify the ALLOCATE and CALL commands on the TSO command line, or, if
you are not using HFS files, include them in a CLIST.

You can allocate HFS files for all the compiler data sets except the SYSUTx utility
data sets and the SYSLIB libraries. Your ALLOCATE statements have the following
form:
Allocate File(SYSIN) Path(’/u/myu/myap/std/prog2.cbl’)
Pathopts(ORDONLY) Filedata(TEXT)

“Example: ALLOCATE and CALL for compiling under TSO”

“Example: CLIST for compiling under TSO”

Example: ALLOCATE and CALL for compiling under TSO

The following example shows how to specify ALLOCATE and CALL commands when
you are compiling under TSO.
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT1) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT2) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT3) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT4) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT5) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT6) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSUT7) CYLINDERS SPACE(1 1)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSPRINT) SYSOUT
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSTERM) DATASET(*)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSLIN) DATASET(PROG2.OBJ) NEW TRACKS SPACE(3,3)
READY
ALLOCATE FILE(SYSIN) DATASET(PROG2.COBOL) SHR
READY
CALL ’IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYCOMP(IGYCRCTL)’ ’LIST,NOCOMPILE(S),OBJECT,FLAG(E,E),TERMINAL’
.
(COBOL listings and messages)
.
READY
FREE FILE(SYSUT1,SYSUT2,SYSUT3,SYSUT4,SYSUT5,SYSUT6,SYSUT7,SYSPRINT,SYSTERM,+
SYSIN,SYSLIN)
READY

Example: CLIST for compiling under TSO

In the following sample CLIST for compiling under TSO, the FREE commands are
not required. However, good programming practice dictates that you free your files
before you allocate them.
PROC 1 MEM
CONTROL LIST
FREE (SYSUT1)
FREE (SYSUT2)
FREE (SYSUT3)
FREE (SYSUT4)

230 Programming Guide

 FREE (SYSUT5)
FREE (SYSUT6)
FREE (SYSUT7)
FREE (SYSPRINT)
FREE (SYSIN)
FREE (SYSLIN)
ALLOC F(SYSPRINT) SYSOUT
ALLOC F(SYSIN) DA(COBOL.SOURCE(&MEM)) SHR REUSE
ALLOC F(SYSLIN) DA(COBOL.OBJECT(&MEM)) OLD REUSE
ALLOC F(SYSUT1) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
ALLOC F(SYSUT2) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
ALLOC F(SYSUT3) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
ALLOC F(SYSUT4) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
ALLOC F(SYSUT5) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
ALLOC F(SYSUT6) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
ALLOC F(SYSUT7) NEW SPACE(5,5) TRACKS UNIT(SYSDA)
CALL ’IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYCOMP(IGYCRCTL)’

Starting the compiler from an assembler program

An assembler program can start the Enterprise COBOL compiler by using the
ATTACH or the LINK macro instruction by dynamic invocation. Using dynamic
invocation, you must supply the following information to the Enterprise COBOL
compiler:
v Options to be specified for the compilation
v ddnames of the data sets to be used during processing by the Enterprise COBOL
compiler

For example:
symbol {LINK|ATTACH} EP=IGYCRCTL,PARAM=(optionlist[,ddnamelist]),VL=1

where:
EP Specifies the symbolic name of the Enterprise COBOL compiler. The
control program (from the library directory entry) determines the entry
point at which the program should begin running.
PARAM Specifies, as a sublist, address parameters to be passed from the assembler
program to the Enterprise COBOL compiler. The first fullword in the
address parameter list contains the address of the COBOL optionlist. The
second fullword contains the address of the ddnamelist.
The third and fourth fullwords contain the addresses of null parameters, or
zero.
optionlist
Specifies the address of a variable-length list containing the COBOL
options specified for compilation. This address must be written although
no list is provided.
The optionlist must begin on a halfword boundary. The 2 high-order bytes
contain a count of the number of bytes in the remainder of the list. If no
options are specified, the count must be zero. The optionlist is free form,
with each field separated from the next by a comma. No blanks or zeros
should appear in the list. The compiler recognizes only the first 100
characters in the list.
ddnamelist
Specifies the address of a variable-length list containing alternative
ddnames for the data sets used during COBOL compiler processing. If
standard ddnames are used, the ddnamelist can be omitted.

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 231

 The ddnamelist must begin on a halfword boundary. The 2 high-order bytes
contain a count of the number of bytes in the remainder of the list. Each
name of less than 8 bytes must be left justified and padded with blanks. If
an alternate ddname is omitted from the list, the standard name will be
assumed. If the name is omitted within the list, the 8-byte entry must
contain binary zeros. You can omit names from the end by shortening the
list.
All SYSUTn data sets specified must be on direct-access storage devices
and have physical sequential organization. They must not reside in the
HFS.
The following table shows the sequence of the 8-byte entries in the
ddnamelist.

ddname 8-byte entry Name for which substituted

1 SYSLIN
2 Not applicable
3 Not applicable
4 SYSLIB
5 SYSIN
6 SYSPRINT
7 SYSPUNCH
8 SYSUT1
9 SYSUT2
10 SYSUT3
11 SYSUT4
12 SYSTERM
13 SYSUT5
14 SYSUT6
15 SYSUT7
16 SYSADATA
17 SYSJAVA
18 SYSDEBUG

VL Specifies that the sign bit is to be set to 1 in the last fullword of the
address parameter list.

When the Enterprise COBOL compiler completes processing, it puts a return code
in register 15.

Defining compiler input and output

You need to define several kinds of data sets that the compiler uses to do its work.
The compiler takes input data sets and libraries and produces various types of
output, including object code, listings, and messages. The compiler also uses utility
data sets during compilation.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining the source code data set (SYSIN)” on page 235
“Specifying source libraries (SYSLIB)” on page 235
“Defining the output data set (SYSPRINT)” on page 236
“Directing compiler messages to your terminal (SYSTERM)” on page 236
“Creating object code (SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH)” on page 236
“Creating an associated data file (SYSADATA)” on page 237
“Defining the debug data set (SYSDEBUG)” on page 237

232 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS”

Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS

The following table lists the function, device requirements, and allowable device
classes for each data set that the compiler uses.
Table 35. Compiler data sets
Allowable
Device device Reside
Type ddname Function Required? requirements classes in HFS?
Input SYSIN1 Reads source Yes Card reader; Any Yes
program intermediate
storage
SYSLIB or Reads user source If program has COPY or BASIS Direct access SYSDA No
other copy libraries (PDSs) statements (LIB is required)
libraries1
Utility SYSUT1, Work data set used Yes Direct access SYSDA No
SYSUT2, by compiler during
SYSUT3, compilation
SYSUT4,
SYSUT62
SYSUT52 Work data set used If program has COPY, Direct access SYSDA No
by compiler during REPLACE, or BASIS statements
compilation (LIB is required)
SYSUT72 Work data set used Yes Direct access SYSDA No
by compiler to create
listing

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 233

Table 35. Compiler data sets (continued)
Allowable
Device device Reside
Type ddname Function Required? requirements classes in HFS?
Output SYSPRINT1 Writes storage map, Yes Printer; SYSSQ, SYSDA, Yes
listings, and intermediate standard
messages storage output class
A
SYSTERM Writes progress and If TERM is in effect Output Yes
diagnostic messages device; TSO
terminal
SYSPUNCH Creates object code If DECK is in effect Card punch; SYSSQ, SYSDA Yes
direct access
SYSLIN Creates object If OBJECT is in effect Direct access SYSSQ, SYSDA Yes
module data set as
output from compiler
and input to linkage
editor or binder
SYSADATA Writes associated If ADATA or EVENTS is in effect Output Yes
data file records device
SYSJAVA Creates generated If compiling a class (Must be an Yes
Java source file for a definition HFS file)
class definition
SYSUDUMP, Writes dump If DUMP is in effect (should be Direct access SYSDA Yes
SYSABEND, or rarely used)
SYSMDUMP
SYSDEBUG Writes symbolic If TEST(. . .,SYM,SEPARATE) Direct access SYSDA Yes
debug information is in effect
tables to a data set
separate from the
object module

1. You can use the EXIT option to provide user exits from these data sets.
2. These data sets must be single volume.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Logical record length and block size”
“EXIT” on page 283

Logical record length and block size

For compiler data sets other than the work data sets (SYSUTn) and HFS files, you
can set the block size using the BLKSIZE subparameter of the DCB parameter. The
value must be permissible for the device on which the data set resides. The values
you set depend on whether the data sets are fixed length or variable length.

For fixed-length records (RECFM=F or RECFM=FB), LRECL is the logical record length,
and BLKSIZE equals LRECL multiplied by n where n is equal to the blocking factor.
The following table shows the defined values for the fixed-length data sets. In
general, you should not change these values, but you can change the value for:
v SYSDEBUG: You can specify any LRECL in the listed range, with 1024
recommended.
v SYSPRINT, SYSDEBUG: You can specify BLKSIZE=0, which results in a
system-determined block size.

234 Programming Guide

 Table 36. Block size of fixed-length compiler data sets
Data set RECFM LRECL (bytes) BLKSIZE1
SYSIN F or FB 80 80 x n
SYSLIN F or FB 80 80 x n
SYSPUNCH F or FB 80 80 x n
SYSLIB or other copy libraries F or FB 80 80 x n
2
SYSPRINT F or FB 133 133 x n
SYSTERM F or FB 80 80 x n
2
SYSDEBUG F or FB 80 to 1024 LRECL x n

1. n = blocking factor
2. If you specify BLKSIZE=0, the system will determine the block size.

For variable-length records (RECFM=V), LRECL is the logical record length, and
BLKSIZE equals LRECL plus 4.
Table 37. Block size of variable-length compiler data sets
LRECL BLKSIZE (bytes)
Data set RECFM (bytes) minimum acceptable value
SYSADATA VB 1020 1024

Defining the source code data set (SYSIN)

Define the data set that contains your source code with the SYSIN DD statement, as
in:
//SYSIN DD DSNAME=dsname,UNIT=SYSSQ,
// VOLUME=(subparms),DISP=SHR

You can place your source code or BASIS statement directly in the input stream. If
you do, use this SYSIN DD statement:
//SYSIN DD *

When you use the DD * convention, the source code or BASIS statement must
follow the statement. If another job step follows the compilation, the EXEC
statement for that step follows the /* statement or the last source statement.

Specifying source libraries (SYSLIB)

Add the SYSLIB DD statements if your program contains COPY or BASIS statements.
These DD statements define the libraries (partitioned data sets) that contain the data
requested by COPY statements (in the source code) or by a BASIS statement in the
input stream.
//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=copylibname,DISP=SHR

Concatenate multiple DD statements if you have multiple copy or basis libraries.

//SYSLIB DD DSNAME=PROJECT.USERLIB,DISP=SHR
// DD DSNAME=SYSTEM.COPYX,DISP=SHR

Libraries are on direct-access storage devices. They cannot be in the hierarchical

file system when you compile using JCL or under TSO.

You do not need the SYSLIB DD statement if the NOLIB option is in effect.

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 235

 Defining the output data set (SYSPRINT)
You can use SYSPRINT to produce a listing, as in:
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=A

You can direct the output to a SYSOUT data set, a printer, a direct-access storage
device, or a magnetic-tape device. The listing includes the results of the default or
requested options of the PARM parameter (that is, diagnostic messages, the object
code listing).

Specify the following for the data set that you define:
v The name of a sequential data set, the name of a PDS or PDSE member, or an
HFS path.
v A data set LRECL of 133.
v A data set RECFM of F or B.
v A block size, using the BLKSIZE subparameter of the DCB parameter, or let the
system set the system-determined default block size.

Directing compiler messages to your terminal (SYSTERM)

If you are compiling under TSO, you can define the SYSTERM data set to send
compiler messages to your terminal, as in:
ALLOC F(SYSTERM) DA(*)

You can define SYSTERM in various ways, including as a SYSOUT data set, a data
set on disk, a file in the HFS, or to another print class.

Creating object code (SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH)

When using the OBJECT compiler option, you can store the object code on disk as a
traditional MVS data set or an HFS file or on tape. The compiler uses the file that
you define in the SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH DD statement to store the object code.
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=dsname,UNIT=SYSDA,
// SPACE=(subparms),DISP=(MOD,PASS)

Use the DISP parameter of the SYSLIN DD statement to indicate whether the object
code data set is to be:
v Passed to the linkage editor or binder
v Cataloged
v Kept
v Added to an existing cataloged library

In the example above, the data is created and passed to another job step, the
linkage editor or binder job step.

Your installation might use the DECK option and the SYSPUNCH DD statement.
//SYSPUNCH DD SYSOUT=B

B is the standard output class for punch data sets.

You do not need the SYSLIN DD statement if the NOOBJECT option is in effect. You do
not need the SYSPUNCH DD statement if the NODECK option is in effect.

236 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“OBJECT” on page 294
“DECK” on page 279

Creating an associated data file (SYSADATA)

Define a SYSADATA data set if you use either the ADATA compiler option or the
EVENTS compiler option.
//SYSADATA DD DSNAME=dsname,UNIT=SYSDA

The file defined in the SYSADATA DD statement will be a sequential file containing
specific record types that have information about the program collected during
compilation. The file can be a traditional MVS data set or an HFS file.

RELATED REFERENCES
“ADATA” on page 270

Defining the output Java data set (SYSJAVA)

Add the SYSJAVA DD statement if you are compiling OO programs. The generated
Java source file is written to the SYSJAVA ddname.
//SYSJAVA DD PATH=’/u/userid/java/Classname.java’,
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC),
// PATHMODE=SIRWXU,
// FILEDATA=TEXT

The file must be an HFS file.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling OO applications using JCL or TSO/E” on page 261

Defining the debug data set (SYSDEBUG)

When you compile from JCL or from TSO and specify the
TEST(. . .,SYM,SEPARATE) compiler option, the symbolic debug information tables
are written to the data set that you specify on the SYSDEBUG DD statement, as in:
//SYSDEBUG DD DSNAME=dsname,UNIT=SYSDA

Specify the following for the data set that you define:
v The name of a sequential data set, the name of a PDS or PDSE member, or an
HFS path.
v A data set LRECL greater than or equal to 80 and less than or equal to 1024. The
default LRECL for SYSDEBUG is 1024.
v A data set RECFM of F or FB.
v A block size, using the BLKSIZE subparameter of the DCB parameter, or let the
system set the system-determined default block size.

The data set name that you provide on SYSDEBUG is used by Language Environment
dump services. You cannot change the name of the data set at run time. If you
want to have a name for this data set that follows the naming conventions for your
production data sets, use that name when you compile your program. You can
direct Debug Tool to a renamed data set.

RELATED REFERENCES
“TEST” on page 306

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 237

Specifying compiler options under z/OS
The compiler is installed and set up with default compiler options. While installing
the compiler, the system programmers for a site can fix compiler option settings to,
for example, ensure better performance or maintain certain standards. You cannot
override any compiler options that your site has set as fixed. For options that are
not fixed, you can override the default settings by specifying compiler options in
either of these ways:
v Code them on the PROCESS or CBL statement in your COBOL source.
v Include them when you start the compiler, either on the PARM parameter on the
EXEC statement in your JCL or on the command line under TSO.

The compiler recognizes the options in the following order of precedence from
highest to lowest:
1. Installation defaults that are fixed by your site
2. Values of the BUFSIZE, LIB, OUTDD, SIZE, and SQL compiler options in effect for
the first program in a batch
3. Options specified on PROCESS (or CBL) statements, preceding the IDENTIFICATION
DIVISION
4. Options specified on the compiler invocation (JCL PARM parameter or the TSO
CALL command)
5. Installation defaults that are not fixed

This order of precedence also determines which options are in effect when
conflicting or mutually exclusive options are specified.

Most of the options come in pairs; you select one or the other. For example, the
option pair for a cross-reference listing is XREF|NOXREF. If you want a
cross-reference listing, specify XREF. If you do not want one, specify NOXREF.

Some options have subparameters. For example, if you want 44 lines per page on
your listings, specify LINECOUNT(44).

“Example: specifying compiler options using JCL” on page 239

“Example: specifying compiler options under TSO” on page 239

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying compiler options with the PROCESS (CBL) statement”
“Specifying compiler options in a batch compilation” on page 242

RELATED REFERENCES
“Compiler options and compiler output under z/OS” on page 239
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269
Chapter 17, “Compiler options,” on page 267

Specifying compiler options with the PROCESS (CBL)

statement
You can code compiler options on the PROCESS statement in your COBOL source
programs.

238 Programming Guide

 CBL/PROCESS statement syntax

CBL

PROCESS options-list

Place the PROCESS statement before the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION header and before
any comment lines or compiler-directing statements.

You can start PROCESS in columns 1 through 66. A sequence field is allowed in
columns 1 through 6. When used with a sequence field, PROCESS can start in
columns 8 through 66. If used, the sequence field must contain six characters, and
the first character must be numeric.

You can use CBL as a synonym for PROCESS. CBL can start in columns 1 through 70.
When used with a sequence field, CBL can start in columns 8 through 70.

Use one or more blanks to separate PROCESS from the first option in options-list.
Separate options with a comma or a blank. Do not insert spaces between
individual options and their suboptions.

You can use more than one PROCESS statement. If multiple PROCESS statements are
used, they must follow one another with no intervening statement of any other
type. You cannot continue options across multiple PROCESS statements.

Your programming organization can inhibit the use of PROCESS statements with the
default options module of the COBOL compiler. When PROCESS statements are
found in a COBOL program where not allowed by the organization, the COBOL
compiler generates error diagnostics.

Example: specifying compiler options using JCL

The following example shows how to specify compiler options under z/OS using
JCL:
. . .
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,
// PARM=’LIST,NOCOMPILE(S),OBJECT,FLAG(E,E)’

Example: specifying compiler options under TSO

The following example shows how to specify compiler options under TSO:
. . .

READY

CALL ’SYS1.LINKLIB(IGYCRCTL)’ ’LIST,NOCOMPILE(S),OBJECT,FLAG(E,E)’

Compiler options and compiler output under z/OS

When the compiler finishes processing your source program, it will have produced
one or more of the following, depending on the compiler options you selected:
Table 38. Types of compiler output under z/OS
Compiler option Compiler output Type of output
ADATA or EVENTS Information about the program being compiled Associated data file

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 239

Table 38. Types of compiler output under z/OS (continued)
Compiler option Compiler output Type of output
DLL Object module that is enabled for DLL support Object
DUMP System dump, if compilation ended with abnormal Listing
termination (requires SYSUDUMP, SYSABEND, or SYSMDUMP
DD statement); should be used rarely
EXPORTALL Exported symbols for a DLL Object
FLAG List of errors that the compiler found in your program Listing
LIST Listing of object code in machine and assembler Listing
language
MAP Map of the data items in your program Listing
NUMBER User-supplied line numbers shown in listing Listing
OBJECT or DECK with COMPILE Your object code Object
OFFSET Map of the relative addresses in your object code Listing
OPTIMIZE Optimized object code if OBJECT in effect Object
RENT Reentrant object code if OBJECT in effect Object
SOURCE Listing of your source program Listing
SQL SQL statements and host variable information for DB2 Database request module
bind process
SSRANGE Extra code for checking references within tables In object
TERMINAL Progress and diagnostic messages sent to terminal Terminal
TEST( hook location Compiled-in hooks for Debug Tool Extra code in object
suboption)
TEST(SYM,NOSEP) Information tables for Debug Tool and for formatted Object
dumps
TEST(SYM,SEP) Information tables for Debug Tool and for formatted Debug information side file
dumps
VBREF Cross-reference listing of verbs in your source program Listing
XREF Sorted cross-reference listing of names of procedures, Listing
programs, and data

Listing output from compilation will be in the data set defined by SYSPRINT; object
output will be in SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH. Progress and diagnostic messages can be
directed to the SYSTERM data set as well as included in the SYSPRINT data set.
Associated data file records will be in the data set defined by SYSADATA. The
database request module (DBRM) will be the data set defined in DBRMLIB. The
debug information side file will be the data set defined in SYSDEBUG.

Save the listings you produced during compilation. You can use them during the
testing of your work if you need to debug or tune.

After compilation, your next step will be to fix any errors that the compiler found
in your program.

If no errors are detected, you can go to the next step in the process: link-editing, or
binding, your program. (If you used compiler options to suppress object code
generation, you must recompile to obtain object code.)

240 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors” on page 246
Chapter 17, “Compiler options,” on page 267

RELATED TASKS
Preparing to link-edit and run under Language Environment (Language
Environment Programming Guide)

Compiling multiple programs (batch compilation)

You can compile a sequence of separate COBOL programs with a single invocation
of the compiler. You can link the object program produced from this compilation
into one load module or separate load modules, controlled by the NAME compiler
option.

When you compile several programs as part of a batch job, you need to:
v Determine whether you want to create one or more load modules.
v Terminate each program in the sequence.
v Specify compiler options, with an awareness of the effect of compiler options
specified in programs within the batch job.

To create separate load modules, precede each set of modules with the NAME option.
When the compiler encounters a NAME compiler option, the first program in the
sequence and all subsequent programs are link-edited into a single load module,
until the next NAME compiler option is encountered. Then, each successive program
that is compiled with the NAME option is included in a separate load module.

Use the END PROGRAM marker to terminate each program in the sequence (except the
last program in the batch for which the END PROGRAM marker is optional).
Alternatively, you can precede each program in the sequence with a CBL or PROCESS
statement.

If you omit the END PROGRAM marker from a program (other than the last program
in a sequence of separate programs), the next program in the sequence will be
nested in the preceding program. An error can occur in either of the following
situations:
v A PROCESS statement is in a program that is now nested.
v A CBL statement is not coded entirely in the sequence number area (columns 1
through 6).
If a CBL statement is coded entirely in the sequence number area (columns 1
through 6), no error message is issued for the CBL statement because it is
considered a label for the source statement line.

“Example: batch compilation” on page 242

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying compiler options in a batch compilation” on page 242

RELATED REFERENCES
“NAME” on page 291

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 241

 Example: batch compilation
The following example shows a batch compilation for three programs (PROG1,
PROG2, and PROG3) creating two load modules, using one invocation of the IGYWCL
cataloged procedure:
v PROG1 and PROG2 are link-edited together to form one load module with a name
of PROG2. The entry point of this load module defaults to the first program in the
load module, PROG1.
v PROG3 is link-edited by itself into a load module with the name PROG3. Because it
is the only program in the load module, the entry point is also PROG3.
//jobname JOB acctno,name,MSGLEVEL=1
//stepname EXEC IGYWCL
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
010100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
010200 PROGRAM-ID PROG1.
. . .
019000 END PROGRAM PROG1.
020100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
020200 PROGRAM-ID PROG2.
. . .
029000 END PROGRAM PROG2.
CBL NAME
030100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
030200 PROGRAM-ID PROG3.
. . .
039000 END PROGRAM PROG3.
/*
//LKED.SYSLMOD DD DSN=&&GOSET (1)
/*
//P2 EXEC PGM=PROG2
//STEPLIB DD DSN=&&GOSET,DISP=(SHR,PASS) (2)
. . . (3)
/*
//P3 EXEC PGM=PROG3
//STEPLIB DD DSN=&&GOSET,DISP=(SHR,PASS) (2)
. . . (3)
/*
//
(1) The data set name for the LKED step SYSLMOD is changed to the temporary
name &&GOSET, without any member name.
(2) The temporary data set &&GOSET is used as the STEPLIB for steps P2 and P3
to run the compiled programs. If the Language Environment library does
not reside in shared storage, you must also add the library data set as a DD
statement for STEPLIB.
(3) Other DD statements and input that are required to run PROG1 and PROG2
must be added.
(4) Other DD statements and input that are required to run PROG3 must be
added.

RELATED REFERENCES
IBM-supplied cataloged procedures (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Specifying compiler options in a batch compilation

You can specify compiler options for each program in the batch sequence in either
of the usual ways:
v CBL or PROCESS statements preceding a program
v Invocation of the compiler

242 Programming Guide

 If a CBL or PROCESS statement is specified in the current program, the compiler
resolves the CBL or PROCESS statements together with the options in effect before
the first program. If the current program does not contain CBL or PROCESS
statements, the compiler uses the settings of options in effect for the previous
program.

You should be aware of the effect of certain compiler options on the precedence of
compiler option settings for each program in the sequence:
1. Installation defaults that are fixed at your site
2. Values of the BUFSIZE, LIB, OUTDD, SIZE, and SQL compiler options in effect for
the first program in the batch
3. Options on CBL or PROCESS statements, if any, for the current program
4. Options specified on the compiler invocation (JCL PARM or TSO CALL)
5. Installation defaults that are not fixed

If any program in the sequence requires the BUF, LIB, OUTDD, SIZE, or SQL option,
that option must be in effect for the first program in the batch sequence. (When
processing BASIS, COPY, or REPLACE statements, the compiler handles all programs
in the batch as a single input file.)

If you specify the LIB option for the batch, you cannot change the NUMBER and
SEQUENCE options during the batch compilation. The compiler treats all programs in
the batch as a single input file during NUMBER and SEQUENCE processing under the
LIB option; therefore, the sequence numbers of the entire input file must be in
ascending order.

If the compiler diagnoses the LANGUAGE option on the CBL or PROCESS statement as
an error, the language selection reverts to what was in effect before the compiler
encountered the first CBL or PROCESS statement. The language in effect during a
batch compilation conforms to the rules of processing CBL or PROCESS statements in
that environment.

“Example: precedence of options in a batch compilation”

“Example: LANGUAGE option in a batch compilation” on page 244

Example: precedence of options in a batch compilation

The following listing shows the compiler options precedence for batch compilation.
PP 5655-G53 IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3.3.0 Date 02/27/2004. . .

INVOCATION PARAMETERS:
NOTERM

PROCESS(CBL) statements:
CBL CURRENCY,FLAG(I,I)

Options in effect: All options are installation defaults unless otherwise noted:
NOADATA
ADV
QUOTE
NOAWO
BUFSIZE(4096)
CURRENCY Process option PROGRAM 1
.
.
FLAG(I,I) Process option PROGRAM 1
.
.

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 243

 NOTERM INVOCATION option
.
.
End of compilation for program 1
.
.
PP 5655-G53 IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3.3.0 Date 02/27/2004. . .
PROCESS(CBL) statements:
CBL APOST
Options in effect:
NOADATA
ADV
APOST Process option PROGRAM 2
NOAWO
BUFSIZE(4096)
NOCURRENCY Installation default option for PROGRAM 2
.
.
FLAG(I) Installation default option
.
.
NOTERM INVOCATION option remains in effect
.
.
End of compilation for program 2

Example: LANGUAGE option in a batch compilation

The following example shows the behavior of the LANGUAGE compiler option in a
batch environment. The default installation option is ENGLISH (abbreviated EN), and
the invocation option is XX, a nonexistent language.
Source Language

CBL LANG(JP),FLAG(I,I),APOST,SIZE(MAX) EN (1)

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. JP (2)
PROGRAM-ID. COMPILE1. “
. . . ”
END PROGRAM COMPILE1. “
CBL LANGUAGE(YY) EN (3)
CBL SIZE(2048K),LANGUAGE(JP),LANG(!!) ” (4)
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. JP
PROGRAM-ID. COMPILE2. “
. . . ”
END PROGRAM COMPILE2. “
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. ”
PROGRAM-ID. COMPILE3. “
. . . ”
END PROGRAM COMPILE3. “
CBL LANGUAGE(JP),LANGUAGE(YY) EN (5)
. . . ”
(1) The installation default is EN. The invocation option was XX.
(2) After the CBL statement is scanned, JP is the language in effect.
(3) CBL resets the language to EN. YY is ignored because it is superseded by JP.
(4) !! is not alphanumeric and is discarded.
(5) CBL resets the language to EN. YY supersedes JP but is nonexistent.

For the program COMPILE1, the default language English (EN) is in effect when
the compiler scans the invocation options. A diagnostic message is issued in
mixed-case English because XX is a nonexistent language identifier. The default EN
remains in effect when the compiler scans the CBL statement. The unrecognized
option APOST in the CBL statement is diagnosed in mixed-case English because the

244 Programming Guide

 CBL statement has not completed processing and EN was the last valid language
option. After the compiler processes the CBL options, the language in effect
becomes Japanese (JP).

In the program COMPILE2, the compiler diagnoses CBL statement errors in

mixed-case English because English is the language in effect before the first
program is used. If more than one LANGUAGE option is specified, only the last valid
language specified is used. In this example, the last valid language is Japanese (JP).
Therefore Japanese becomes the language in effect when the compiler finishes
processing the CBL options. If you want diagnostics in Japanese for the options in
the CBL and PROCESS statements, the language in effect before COMPILE1 must be
Japanese.

The program COMPILE3 has no CBL statement. It inherits the language in effect,
Japanese (JP), from the previous compilation.

After compiling COMPILE3, the compiler resets the language in effect to English
(EN) because of the CBL statement. The language option in the CBL statement
resolves the last-specified two-character alphanumeric language identifier, YY.
Because YY is nonexistent, the language in effect remains English.

Correcting errors in your source program

Messages about source code errors indicate where the error happened (LINEID),
and the text of the message tells you what the problem is. With this information,
you can correct the source program and recompile.

Although you should try to correct errors, it is not necessary to fix all of them. A
warning-level or informational-level message can be left in a program without
much risk, and you might decide that the recoding and compilation needed to
remove the error are not worth the effort. Severe-level and error-level errors,
however, indicate probable program failure and should be corrected.

Unrecoverable-level errors are in a class by themselves. In contrast with the four

lower levels of errors, a U-level error might not result from a mistake in your
source program. It could come from a flaw in the compiler itself or in the
operating system. In any case, the problem must be resolved, because the compiler
is forced to end early and does not produce complete object code and listing. If the
message is received for a program with many S-level syntax errors, correct those
errors and compile the program again. You can also resolve job set-up cases
yourself (problems such as missing data set definitions or insufficient storage for
compiler processing) by making changes to the compile job. If your compile job
set-up is correct and you have corrected the S-level syntax errors, you need to call
IBM to investigate other U-level errors.

After correcting the errors in your source program, recompile the program. If this
second compilation is successful, go on to the link-editing step. If the compiler still
finds problems, repeat the above procedure until only informational messages are
returned.

RELATED TASKS
“Generating a list of compiler error messages” on page 246

RELATED REFERENCES
“Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors” on page 246

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 245

 Generating a list of compiler error messages
You can generate a complete listing of compiler diagnostic messages, with their
explanations, by compiling a program with a program name of ERRMSG specified in
the PROGRAM-ID paragraph, like this:
Identification Division.
Program-ID. ErrMsg.

You can omit the rest of the program.

Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors

As the compiler processes your source program, it checks for COBOL language
errors that you might have made. For each error found, the compiler issues a
message. These messages are collated in the compiler listing (subject to the FLAG
option).

Each message in the listing gives the following information:

v Nature of the error
v Compiler phase that detected the error
v Severity level of the error

Wherever possible, the message provides specific instructions for correcting the
error.

The messages for errors found during processing of compiler options, CBL and
PROCESS statements, or BASIS, COPY, and REPLACE statements are displayed near the
top of your listing.

The messages for compilation errors found in your program (ordered by line
number) are displayed near the end of the listing for each program.

A summary of all errors found during compilation is displayed near the bottom of
your listing.

RELATED TASKS
“Correcting errors in your source program” on page 245
“Generating a list of compiler error messages”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Format of compiler error messages”
“Severity codes for compiler error messages” on page 247
“FLAG” on page 284

Format of compiler error messages

Each message issued by the compiler has the following form:
nnnnnn IGYppxxxx-l message-text
nnnnnn
The number of the source statement of the last line the compiler was
processing. Source statement numbers are listed on the source printout of
your program. If you specified the NUMBER option at compile time, these are
your original source program numbers. If you specified NONUMBER, the
numbers are those generated by the compiler.
IGY The prefix that identifies this message as coming from the COBOL
compiler.
246 Programming Guide
 pp Two characters that identify which phase or subphase of the compiler
discovered the error. As an application programmer, you can ignore this
information. If you are diagnosing a suspected compiler error, contact IBM
for support.
xxxx A four-digit number that identifies the error message.
l A character that indicates the severity level of the error: I, W, E, S, or U.
message-text
The message text itself which, in the case of an error message, is a short
explanation of the condition that caused the error.

Tip: If you used the FLAG option to suppress messages, there might be additional
errors in your program.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Severity codes for compiler error messages”
“FLAG” on page 284

Severity codes for compiler error messages

Errors the compiler can detect fall into the following five categories of severity:
Table 39. Severity codes for compiler error messages
Level of message Purpose
Informational (I) To inform you. No action is required and the program executes
(return code=0) correctly.
Warning (W) To indicate a possible error. The program probably executes
(return code=4) correctly as written.
Error (E) To indicate a condition that is definitely an error. The compiler
(return code=8) attempted to correct the error, but the results of program execution
might not be what you expect. You should correct the error.
Severe (S) To indicate a condition that is a serious error. The compiler was
(return code=12) unable to correct the error. The program does not execute correctly,
and execution should not be attempted. Object code might not be
created.
Unrecoverable (U) To indicate an error condition of such magnitude that the
(return code=16) compilation was terminated.

Chapter 14. Compiling under z/OS 247

248 Programming Guide
Chapter 15. Compiling under UNIX
You can compile Enterprise COBOL programs under UNIX using the cob2
command. Under UNIX, you can compile any COBOL source program that you
compile under z/OS. The object code generated under UNIX by the COBOL
compiler can run under z/OS.

As part of the compilation step, you need to define the files needed for the
compilation and specify any compiler options necessary for your program and for
the output that you want.

The main job of the compiler is to translate your COBOL program into language
that the computer can process (object code). The compiler also lists errors in your
source statements and provides supplementary information to help you debug and
tune your program. Use compiler-directing statements and compiler options to
control your compilation.

RELATED TASKS
“Setting environment variables under UNIX”
“Specifying compiler options under UNIX” on page 250
“Compiling and linking with the cob2 command” on page 251
“Compiling using scripts” on page 255
“Compiling, linking, and running OO applications under UNIX” on page 257

RELATED REFERENCES
“Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS” on page 233
“Compiler options and compiler output under z/OS” on page 239

Setting environment variables under UNIX

An environment variable is a name that is associated with a string of characters, and
defines some aspect of a program environment that can vary. You use environment
variables to set values that programs, including the compiler, need. Set the
environment variables for the compiler by using the export shell command. For
example, to set the SYSLIB variable, issue the export command from the shell or
from a script file:
export SYSLIB=/u/mystuff/copybooks

The value that you assign to an environment variable can include other
environment variables or the variable itself. The values of these variables apply
only when you compile from the shell where you issue the export command. If
you do not set an environment variable, either a default value is applied or the
variable is not defined. The environment variable names must be uppercase.

The environment variables that you can set for use by the compiler are as follows:
COBOPT
Specify compiler options separated by blanks or commas. Separate
suboptions with commas. Blanks at the beginning or the end of the
variable value are ignored. Delimit the list of options with quotation marks
if it contains blanks or characters significant to the UNIX shell. For
example:
export COBOPT=“TRUNC(OPT) XREF”

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 249

 SYSLIB
Specify paths to directories to be used in searching for COBOL copybooks
when you do not specify an explicit library-name on the COPY statement.
Separate multiple paths with a colon. The paths are evaluated in order,
from the first path to the last in the export command. If you set the
variable with multiple files of the same name, the first located copy of the
file is used.
For COPY statements in which you have not coded an explicit library-name,
the compiler searches for copybooks in this order:
1. In the current directory
2. In the paths you specify with the -I cob2 option
3. In the paths you specify in the SYSLIB environment variable
library-name
Specify the directory path from which to copy when you specify an explicit
library-name on the COPY statement. The environment variable name is
identical to the library-name in your program. You must set an environment
variable for each library; an error will occur otherwise. The environment
variable name library-name must be uppercase.
text-name
Specify the name of the file from which to copy text. The environment
variable name is identical to the text-name in your program. The
environment variable name text-name must be uppercase.

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying compiler options under UNIX”
“Compiling and linking with the cob2 command” on page 251
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384

RELATED REFERENCES
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317
Chapter 17, “Compiler options,” on page 267
COPY statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Specifying compiler options under UNIX

The compiler is installed and set up with default compiler options. While installing
the compiler, the system programmers for a site can fix compiler option settings to,
for example, ensure better performance or maintain certain standards. You cannot
override any compiler options that your site has set as fixed. For options that are
not fixed, you can override the default settings by specifying compiler options in
any of three ways:
1. Code them on the PROCESS or CBL statement in your COBOL source.
2. Specify the -q option of the cob2 command.
3. Set the COBOPT environment variable.

The compiler recognizes the options in the above order of precedence.

The order of precedence also determines which options are in effect when
conflicting or mutually exclusive options are specified. When you compile using
the cob2 command, compiler options are recognized in the following order of
precedence from highest to lowest:
1. Installation defaults fixed as nonoverridable

250 Programming Guide

 2. The values of BUFSIZE, LIB, SQL, OUTDD, and SIZE options in effect for the first
program in a batch compilation
3. The values that you specify on PROCESS or CBL statements within your COBOL
source programs
4. The values that you specify in the cob2 command’s -q option string
5. The values that you specify in the COBOPT environment variable
6. Installation defaults that are not fixed

| Restriction: Do not use the SQL option under UNIX. Neither the separate SQL
| precompiler nor the integrated SQL coprocessor run under UNIX.

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying compiler options with the PROCESS (CBL) statement” on page 238
“Setting environment variables under UNIX” on page 249
“Compiling and linking with the cob2 command”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269
Chapter 17, “Compiler options,” on page 267

Compiling and linking with the cob2 command

Use the cob2 command to compile and link your COBOL programs from the UNIX
shell. You can specify the options and input file names in any order, using spaces
to separate options and names. Any options that you specify apply to all files on
the command line.

To compile multiple files (batch compilation), specify multiple source file names.

When you compile COBOL programs for UNIX, the RENT option is required. The
cob2 command automatically includes the COBOL compiler options RENT and TERM.

The cob2 command invokes the COBOL compiler that is found through the
standard MVS search order. If the COBOL compiler is not installed in the LNKLST,
or if more than one level of IBM COBOL compiler is installed on your system, you
can specify the compiler PDS that you want to use in the STEPLIB environment
variable. For example:
| export STEPLIB=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYCOMP

The cob2 command implicitly uses the UNIX shell command c89 for the link step.
c89 is the shell interface to the linker (the DFSMS program management binder).

Defining input and output

The default location for compiler input and output is the current directory.

Only files with the .cbl extension are passed to the compiler; cob2 passes all other
files to the linker.

The linker causes execution to begin at the first main program.

Listing output that you request from the compilation of a COBOL source program
file.cbl is written to file.lst. Listing output that you request from the linker is
written to stdout.

Chapter 15. Compiling under UNIX 251

 Creating a DLL
To create a DLL, you must specify the cob2 option -bdll. The COBOL compiler
options DLL, EXPORTALL, and RENT are required when you create a DLL and are
included for you when you specify the -bdll cob2 option. For example:
cob2 -o mydll -bdll mysub.cbl

When you specify cob2 -bdll, the link step produces a DLL definition side file.
This file contains IMPORT control statements for each of the names exported by the
DLL. The name of the DLL definition side file is based on the output file name. If
the output name has an extension, that extension is replaced with x to form the
side file name. For example, if the output file name is foo.dll, the side file name is
foo.x.

To use the DLL definition side files later when you create a module that calls the
DLL, specify the side files with any other object files (file.o) that you specify for the
linking. For example:
cob2 -o myappl -qdll myappl.cbl mydll.x

“Example: using cob2 to compile under UNIX”

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Preparing OO applications under UNIX” on page 258
Language Environment Programming Guide
UNIX System Services User’s Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
“cob2” on page 253
“cob2 input and output files” on page 254
“Data sets used by the compiler under z/OS” on page 233
“Compiler options and compiler output under z/OS” on page 239
UNIX System Services Command Reference

Example: using cob2 to compile under UNIX

The following examples illustrate the use of cob2:
v To compile one file called alpha.cbl, enter:
cob2 -c alpha.cbl
The compiled file is named alpha.o.
v To compile two files called alpha.cbl and beta.cbl, enter:
cob2 -c alpha.cbl beta.cbl
The compiled files are named alpha.o and beta.o.
v To link two files, compile them without the -c option. For example, to compile
and link alpha.cbl and beta.cbl and generate gamma, enter:
cob2 alpha.cbl beta.cbl -o gamma
This command creates alpha.o and beta.o, then links alpha.o, beta.o, and the
COBOL libraries. If the link step is successful, it produces an executable program
named gamma.
v To compile alpha.cbl with the LIST and NODATA options, enter:
cob2 -qlist,noadata alpha.cbl

252 Programming Guide

cob2

cob2 command syntax

cob2 filenames

options

Do not capitalize cob2.

The options for cob2 are:

-bxxx Passes the string xxx to the linker as parameters. xxx is a list of linker
options in name=value format, separated by commas. You must spell out
both the name and the value in full. They are case insensitive. Do not use
any spaces between -b and xxx.
If you do not specify a value for an option, a default value of YES is used,
except for the following options, which have the indicated default values:
v LIST=NOIMPORT
v ALIASES=ALL
v COMPAT=CURRENT
v DYNAM=DLL

One special value for xxx is dll, which specifies that the executable
module is to be a DLL. It is not passed to the linker.
-c Compiles programs but does not link them.
-comprc_ok=n
Controls cob2 behavior on the return code from the compiler. If the return
code is less than or equal to n, cob2 continues to the link step or, in the
compile-only case, exits with a zero return code. If the return code
returned by the compiler is greater than n, cob2 exits with the same return
code. When the c89 command is implicitly invoked by cob2 for the link
step, the exit value from the c89 command is used as the return code from
the cob2 command.
The default is -comprc_ok=4.
-e xxx Specifies the name of a program to be used as the entry point of the
module. If you do not specify -e, the default entry point is the first
program (file.cbl) or object file (file.o) that you specify as a file name on the
cob2 command invocation.
-g Prepares the program for debugging. Equivalent to specifying the TEST
option with no suboptions.
-Ixxx Adds a path xxx to the directories to be searched for copybooks for which
you do not specify a library-name.
To specify multiple paths, either use multiple -I options, or use a colon to
separate multiple path names within a single -I option value.
For COPY statements where you have not coded an explicit library-name,
the compiler searches for copybooks in this order:
1. In the current directory

Chapter 15. Compiling under UNIX 253

 2. In the paths you specify with the -I cob2 option
3. In the paths you specify in the SYSLIB environment variable

If you use the COPY statement, you must ensure that the LIB compiler
option is in effect.
-L xxx Specifies the directory paths to be used to search for archive libraries
specified by the -l operand.
-l xxx Specifies the name of an archive library for the linker. The cob2 command
searches for the name libxxx.a in the directories specified in the -L option,
then in the usual search order. (This option is lowercase “el,” not
uppercase “eye.”)
-o xxx Names the object module xxx. If the -o option is not used, the name of the
object module is a.out.
-qxxx Passes xxx to the compiler, where xxx is a list of compiler options
separated by blanks or commas.
Enclose xxx in quotation marks if a parenthesis is part of the option or
suboption, or if you use blanks to separate options. Do not insert spaces
between -q and xxx.
-v Displays the generated commands that are issued by cob2 for the compile
and link steps, including the options being passed, and executes them. This
is sample output:
cob2 -v -o mini -qssrange mini.cbl
compiler: ATTCRCTL PARM=RENT,TERM,SSRANGE /u/userid/cobol/mini.cbl
PP 5655-G53 IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3.3.0 in progress ...
End of compilation 1, program mini, no statements flagged.
linker: /bin/c89 -o mini -e // mini.o
-# Displays compile and link steps, but does not execute them.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling and linking with the cob2 command” on page 251
“Setting environment variables under UNIX” on page 249

cob2 input and output files

You can specify the following files as input file names when you use the cob2
command:
Table 40. Input files to the cob2 command
File name Description Comments
file.cbl COBOL source file to be compiled Will not be linked if you specify the
and linked cob2 option -c
file.a Archive file Produced by the ar command, to be
used during the link-edit phase
file.o Object file to be link-edited Can be produced by the COBOL
compiler, the C/C++ compiler, or the
assembler
file.x DLL definition side file Used during the link-edit phase of an
application that references the dynamic
link library (DLL)

When you use the cob2 command, the following files are created in the current
directory:
254 Programming Guide
 Table 41. Output files from the cob2 command
File name Description Comments
file Executable module or DLL Created by the linker if you specify the
cob2 option -o file
a.out Executable module or DLL Created by the linker if you do not
specify the cob2 option -o
file.adt Associated data (ADATA) file Created by the compiler if you specify
corresponding to input COBOL the compiler option ADATA
source program file.cbl
file.dbg Symbolic information tables for Created by the compiler if you specify
Debug Tool corresponding to input the compiler option
COBOL source program file.cbl TEST(hook,SYM,SEPARATE)
file.lst Listing file corresponding to input Created by the compiler
COBOL source program file.cbl
file.o Object file corresponding to input Created by the compiler
COBOL source program file.cbl
file.x DLL definition side file Created during the cob2 linking phase
when creating a DLL named file.dll
class.java Java class definition (source) Created when you compile a class
definition

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling and linking with the cob2 command” on page 251

RELATED REFERENCES
“ADATA” on page 270
“TEST” on page 306
UNIX System Services Command Reference

Compiling using scripts

To use a shell script to automate your cob2 tasks, use the following syntax to
prevent the shell from passing syntax to cob2 that is not valid:
v Use an equal sign and colon rather than left and right parentheses, respectively,
to specify compiler suboptions. For example, code -qOPT=FULL:,XREF instead of
-qOPT(FULL),XREF.
v Use an underscore rather than a single quotation mark where a compiler option
requires single quotation marks for delimiting a suboption.
v Do not use blanks in the option string.

Chapter 15. Compiling under UNIX 255

256 Programming Guide
Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and running OO applications
It is recommended that you compile, link, and run object-oriented (OO)
applications in a z/OS UNIX environment. However, with certain limitations
discussed in the related tasks, it is possible to compile, link, and run OO COBOL
applications by using standard batch JCL or TSO/E commands.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling, linking, and running OO applications under UNIX”
“Compiling, linking, and running OO applications using JCL or TSO/E” on page
261

Compiling, linking, and running OO applications under UNIX

When you compile, link, and run OO applications in a z/OS UNIX environment:
v Application components reside in the HFS.
v You compile and link them by using UNIX shell commands.
v You run them at a UNIX shell command prompt or with the BPXBATCH utility
from JCL or TSO/E.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling OO applications under UNIX”
“Preparing OO applications under UNIX” on page 258
“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page 259

Compiling OO applications under UNIX

When you compile OO applications in a UNIX shell, use the following commands:
v cob2 to compile COBOL client programs and class definitions
v javac to compile Java class definitions to produce bytecode (extension .class)

To compile COBOL source code that contains OO syntax such as INVOKE statements
or class definitions, or that uses Java services, you must use these compiler
options: RENT, DLL, THREAD, and DBCS. (The RENT and DBCS options are defaults.)

A COBOL source file that contains a class definition must not contain any other
class or program definitions.

When you compile a COBOL class definition, two output files are generated:
v The object file (.o) for the class definition.
v A Java source program (.java) that contains a class definition that corresponds to
the COBOL class definition. Do not edit this generated Java class definition in
any way. If you change the COBOL class definition, you must regenerate both
the object file and the Java class definition by recompiling the updated COBOL
class definition.

If a COBOL client program or class definition includes the JNI.cpy file by using a
COPY statement, specify the include subdirectory of the COBOL install directory
(typically /usr/lpp/cobol/include) in the search order for copybooks. You can do
this by using the -I option of the cob2 command or by setting the SYSLIB
environment variable.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 257

 RELATED TASKS
Chapter 15, “Compiling under UNIX,” on page 249
“Preparing OO applications under UNIX”
“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page 259
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527

RELATED REFERENCES
“cob2” on page 253
“DBCS” on page 279
“DLL” on page 281
“RENT” on page 299
“THREAD” on page 309

Preparing OO applications under UNIX

Use the cob2 command to link OO COBOL applications.

To prepare an OO COBOL client program for execution, link the object file with
the following two DLL side files to create an executable module:
v libjvm.x, which is provided with the IBM Developer Kit for OS/390, Java 2
Technology Edition.
v igzcjava.x, which is provided in the lib subdirectory of the cobol directory in
the HFS. The typical complete path name is /usr/lpp/cobol/lib/igzcjava.x.
This DLL side file is also available as the member IGZCJAVA in the SCEELIB
PDS (part of Language Environment).

To prepare a COBOL class definition for execution, process the following files:
1. Link the object file using the two DLL side files discussed above to create an
executable DLL module.
You must name the resulting DLL module libClassname.so, where Classname is
the external class-name. If the class is part of a package and thus there are
periods in the external class-name, you must change the periods to underscores
in the DLL module name. For example, if class Account is part of the com.acme
package, the external class-name (as defined in the REPOSITORY paragraph entry
for the class) must be com.acme.Account, and the DLL module for the class
must be libcom_acme_Account.so.
2. Compile the generated Java source with the Java compiler to create a class file
(.class).

For a COBOL source file Classname.cbl that contains the class definition for
Classname, you use the following commands to compile and link the components
of the application:
Table 42. Commands for compiling and linking a class definition
Command Input Output
cob2 -c -qdll,thread Classname.cbl Classname.cbl Classname.o
Classname.java
cob2 -bdll -o libClassname.so Classname.o Classname.o libClassname.so
/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin/classic/libjvm.x
/usr/lpp/cobol/lib/igzcjava.x
javac Classname.java Classname.java Classname.class

258 Programming Guide

 After you issue the cob2 and javac commands successfully, you have the
executable components for the program: the executable DLL module
libClassname.so and the class file Classname.class.

All files from these commands are generated in the current working directory.

“Example: compiling and linking a COBOL class definition under UNIX”

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 15, “Compiling under UNIX,” on page 249
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class” on page 490

RELATED REFERENCES
“cob2” on page 253

Example: compiling and linking a COBOL class definition

under UNIX
This chart illustrates the commands that you use and the files that are produced
when you compile and link a COBOL class definition, Manager.cbl, using UNIX
shell commands:

The class file Manager.class and the DLL module libManager.so are the executable
components of the application, and are generated in the current working directory.

Running OO applications under UNIX

It is recommended that you run object-oriented COBOL applications as UNIX
applications. You must do so if an application begins with a Java program or the
main factory method of a COBOL class.

Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and running OO applications 259

 Specify the directory that contains the DLLs for the COBOL classes in the LIBPATH
environment variable. Specify the directory paths for the Java class files that are
associated with the COBOL classes in the CLASSPATH environment variable as
follows:
v For classes that are not part of a package, end the class path with the directory
that contains the .class files.
v For classes that are part of a package, end the class path with the directory that
contains the “root” package (the first package in the full package name).
v For a .jar file that contains .class files, end the class path with the name of the
.jar file.

Separate multiple path entries with colons.

Running OO applications that start with a main method

If the first routine of a mixed COBOL and Java application is the main method of a
Java class or the main factory method of a COBOL class, run the application by
using the java command and by specifying the name of the class that contains the
main method. The java command initializes the Java virtual machine (JVM).

To customize the initialization of the JVM, specify options on the java command as
in the following examples:
Table 43. java command options for customizing the JVM
Purpose Option
To set a system property -Dname=value
To request that the JVM generate verbose messages about -verbose:gc
garbage collection
To request that the JVM generate verbose messages about class -verbose:class
loading
To request that the JVM generate verbose messages about -verbose:jni
native methods and other Java Native Interface activity
To set the initial Java heap size to value bytes -Xmsvalue
To set the maximum Java heap size to value bytes -Xmxvalue

See the output from the java -h command or the related references for details
about the options that the JVM supports.

Running OO applications that start with a COBOL program

If the first routine of a mixed COBOL and Java application is a COBOL program,
run the application by specifying the program name at the command prompt. If a
JVM is not already running in the process of the COBOL program, the COBOL run
time automatically initializes a JVM.

To customize the initialization of the JVM, specify options by setting the

COBJVMINITOPTIONS environment variable. For example:
| export COBJVMINITOPTIONS=“-Xms10000000 -Xmx20000000 -verbose:gc”

| Use blanks to separate options.

Running J2EE COBOL clients: You can use OO syntax in a COBOL program to
implement a Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) client. You can, for
example, invoke methods on enterprise beans that run in the WebSphere for z/OS
or OS/390 environment.

260 Programming Guide

 Before you run a COBOL J2EE client, you must set the Java system property
java.naming.factory.initial to access WebSphere naming services. For example:
export COBJVMINITOPTIONS
=“-Djava.naming.factory.initial=com.ibm.websphere.naming.WsnInitialContextFactory”

“Example: J2EE client written in COBOL” on page 539

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 23, “Running COBOL programs under UNIX,” on page 383
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
Chapter 30, “Writing object-oriented programs,” on page 485
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524

RELATED REFERENCES
JVM options (New IBM Technology featuring Persistent Reusable Java Virtual Machines)
Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) (WebSphere for z/OS: Assembling J2EE
Applications)

Compiling, linking, and running OO applications using JCL or TSO/E

It is recommended that you compile, link, and run applications that use OO syntax
in a z/OS UNIX environment. However, in limited circumstances it is possible to
compile, prepare, and run OO applications by using standard batch JCL or TSO/E
commands. To do so, you must follow the guidelines discussed in the related tasks.

For example, you might follow this approach for applications that consist of a
COBOL main program and subprograms that:
v Access objects that are all implemented in Java
v Access enterprise beans that run in a WebSphere server

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling OO applications using JCL or TSO/E”
“Preparing and running OO applications using JCL or TSO/E” on page 262
“Compiling, linking, and running OO applications under UNIX” on page 257

Compiling OO applications using JCL or TSO/E

If you use batch JCL or TSO/E to compile an OO COBOL program or class
definition, the generated object file is written, as usual, to the data set that you
identify with the SYSLIN or SYSPUNCH ddname. You must use the compiler options
RENT, DLL, THREAD, and DBCS. (RENT and DBCS are defaults.)

If the COBOL program or class definition uses the JNI environment structure to
access JNI callable services, copy the file JNI.cpy from the HFS to a PDS or PDSE
member called JNI, identify that library with a SYSLIB DD statement, and use a
COPY statement of the form COPY JNI in the COBOL source program.

A COBOL source file that contains a class definition must not contain any other
class or program definitions.

When you compile a COBOL class definition, a Java source program that contains
a class definition that corresponds to the COBOL class definition is generated in
addition to the object file. Use the SYSJAVA ddname to write the generated Java
source file to a file in the HFS. For example:

Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and running OO applications 261

 //SYSJAVA DD PATH=’/u/userid/java/Classname.java’,
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC),
// PATHMODE=SIRWXU,
// FILEDATA=TEXT

Do not edit this generated Java class definition in any way. If you change the
COBOL class definition, you must regenerate both the object file and the Java class
definition by recompiling the updated COBOL class definition.

Compile Java class definitions by using the javac command from a UNIX shell
command prompt, or by using the BPXBATCH utility.

“Example: compiling, linking, and running an OO application using JCL” on page

263

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with JCL” on page 217
“Compiling under TSO” on page 229
“Specifying source libraries (SYSLIB)” on page 235
“Defining the output Java data set (SYSJAVA)” on page 237
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527
“Compiling OO applications under UNIX” on page 257
“Preparing OO applications under UNIX” on page 258

RELATED REFERENCES
“DBCS” on page 279
“DLL” on page 281
“RENT” on page 299
“THREAD” on page 309
Appendix F, “JNI.cpy,” on page 649
The BPXBATCH utility (UNIX System Services User’s Guide)

Preparing and running OO applications using JCL or TSO/E

It is recommended that you run OO applications in a z/OS UNIX environment. To
run OO applications from batch JCL or TSO/E, you should therefore use the
BPXBATCH utility.

In limited circumstances, however, you can run an OO application by using

standard batch JCL (EXEC PGM=COBPROG) or the TSO/E CALL command. To do so,
follow these requirements when preparing the application:
v Structure the application to start with a COBOL program, and link the load
module for the COBOL program into a PDSE. (If an application starts with a
Java program or with the main factory method of a COBOL class, you must run
the application under UNIX, and the application components must reside in the
HFS.)
v Ensure that the class files and DLLs associated with the COBOL or Java classes
that are used by the application reside in the HFS. You must name the class files
and DLLs as described in the related task on preparing OO applications under
UNIX.
v Specify INCLUDE control statements for the DLL side files libjvm.x and igzcjava.x
when you bind the object deck for the main program. For example:
INCLUDE ’/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin/classic/libjvm.x’
INCLUDE ’/usr/lpp/cobol/lib/igzcjava.x’
v Create a file that contains the environment variable settings that are required for
Java. For example, a file /u/userid/javaenv might contain these three lines to set

262 Programming Guide

 the PATH, LIBPATH, and CLASSPATH environment variables. (The LIBPATH
| setting is shown below on two lines because of document length limitations, but
| you must specify the setting on one unbroken line that has no internal blanks.):
PATH=/bin:/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin
LIBPATH=/lib:/usr/lib:/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin:
/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin/classic:/u/userid/applications
CLASSPATH=/u/userid/applications
To customize the initialization of the JVM that will be used by the application,
you can set the COBJVMINITOPTIONS environment variable in the same file.
For example, to access enterprise beans that run in a WebSphere server, you
must set the Java system property java.naming.factory.initial. For details, see the
related task on running OO applications under UNIX.

When you run an OO application that starts with a COBOL program by using
standard batch JCL or the TSO/E CALL command, follow these guidelines:
v Use the _CEE_ENVFILE environment variable to indicate the location of the file
that contains the environment variable settings required by Java. Set
_CEE_ENVFILE by using the ENVAR run-time option.
v Specify the POSIX(ON) run-time option.
v Use DD statements to specify files in the HFS for the standard input, output, and
error streams for Java:
– JAVAIN DD for the input from statements such as c=System.in.read();
– JAVAOUT DD for the output from statements such as
System.out.println(string);
– JAVAERR DD for the output from statements such as
System.err.println(string);
v Ensure that the SCEERUN2 and SCEERUN load libraries are available in the
system library search order, for example, by using a STEPLIB DD statement.

“Example: compiling, linking, and running an OO application using JCL”

RELATED TASKS
“Preparing OO applications under UNIX” on page 258
“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page 259
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524
The BPXBATCH utility (UNIX System Services User’s Guide)
Program library definition and search order (Language Environment Programming
Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
_CEE_ENVFILE (C/C++ Programming Guide)
ENVAR (Language Environment Programming Reference)

Example: compiling, linking, and running an OO application

using JCL
This example shows:
v The JCL to compile, link, and run an OO COBOL program, TSTHELLO
v A Java class definition, HelloJ, that contains a method invoked by the COBOL
program
v An HFS file, ENV, that contains the environment variable settings required by
Java

Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and running OO applications 263

 JCL for program TSTHELLO
//TSTHELLO JOB ,
// TIME=(1),MSGLEVEL=(1,1),MSGCLASS=H,CLASS=A,REGION=100M,
// NOTIFY=&SYSUID,USER=&SYSUID
//*
// SET COBPRFX=’IGY.V3R3M0’
// SET LIBPRFX=’CEE’
//*
//COMPILE EXEC PGM=IGYCRCTL,
// PARM=’SIZE(5000K)’
//SYSLIN DD DSNAME=&&OBJECT(TSTHELLO),UNIT=VIO,DISP=(NEW,PASS),
// SPACE=(CYL,(1,1,1))
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//STEPLIB DD DSN=&COBPRFX..SIGYCOMP,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,DISP=SHR
//SYSUT1 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT2 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT3 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT4 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT5 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT6 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSUT7 DD UNIT=VIO,SPACE=(CYL,(1,1))
//SYSIN DD *
cbl dll,thread
Identification division.
Program-id. “TSTHELLO” recursive.
Environment division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class HelloJ is “HelloJ”.
Data Division.
Procedure division.
Display “COBOL program TSTHELLO entered”
Invoke HelloJ “sayHello”
Display “Returned from java sayHello to TSTHELLO”
Goback.
End program “TSTHELLO”.
/*
//LKED EXEC PGM=IEWL,PARM=’RENT,LIST,LET,DYNAM(DLL),CASE(MIXED)’
//SYSLIB DD DSN=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKED,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=&LIBPRFX..SCEELKEX,DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSTERM DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSLMOD DD DSN=&&GOSET(TSTHELLO),DISP=(MOD,PASS),UNIT=VIO,
// SPACE=(CYL,(1,1,1)),DSNTYPE=LIBRARY
//SYSDEFSD DD DUMMY
//OBJMOD DD DSN=&&OBJECT,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//SYSLIN DD *
INCLUDE OBJMOD(TSTHELLO)
INCLUDE ’/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin/classic/libjvm.x’
INCLUDE ’/usr/lpp/cobol/lib/igzcjava.x’
/*
//GO EXEC PGM=TSTHELLO,COND=(4,LT,LKED),
// PARM=’/ENVAR(“_CEE_ENVFILE=/u/userid/ootest/tsthello/ENV”)
// POSIX(ON)’
//STEPLIB DD DSN=*.LKED.SYSLMOD,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN2,DISP=SHR
// DD DSN=&LIBPRFX..SCEERUN,DISP=SHR
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//CEEDUMP DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSUDUMP DD DUMMY
//JAVAOUT DD PATH=’/u/userid/ootest/tsthello/javaout’,
// PATHOPTS=(OWRONLY,OCREAT,OTRUNC),
// PATHMODE=(SIRUSR,SIWUSR,SIRGRP)

264 Programming Guide

 Definition of class HelloJ
class HelloJ {
public static void sayHello() {
System.out.println(“Hello World, from Java!”);
}
}

HelloJ.java is compiled with the javac command. The resulting .class file resides in
the HFS directory u/userid/ootest/tsthello, which is specified in the CLASSPATH
environment variable in the environment variable settings file.

Environment variable settings file, ENV

PATH=/bin:/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin:.
LIBPATH=/lib:/usr/lib:/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin:
/usr/lpp/java/IBM/J1.3/bin/classic:/u/userid/ootest/tsthello
CLASSPATH=/u/userid/ootest/tsthello

| (The LIBPATH setting is shown above on two lines because of document length
| limitations, but you must specify the setting on one unbroken line that has no
| internal blanks.)

The environment variable settings file also resides in directory

u/userid/ootest/tsthello, as specified in the _CEE_ENVFILE environment variable
in the JCL.

Chapter 16. Compiling, linking, and running OO applications 265

266 Programming Guide
Chapter 17. Compiler options
You can direct and control your compilation in two ways:
v By using compiler options
v By using compiler-directing statements (compiler directives)

Compiler options affect the aspects of your program that are listed in the table
below. The linked-to information for each option provides the syntax for specifying
the option and describes the option, its parameters, and its interaction with other
parameters.
Table 44. Compiler options
Aspect of your
program Compiler option Default Abbreviations
Source language “ARITH” on page 271 ARITH(COMPAT) AR(C|E)
“CICS” on page 273 NOCICS None
“CODEPAGE” on page 274 CODEPAGE(01140) CP(ccsid)
“CURRENCY” on page 276 NOCURRENCY CURR|NOCURR
“DBCS” on page 279 DBCS None
“LIB” on page 288 LIB None
“NSYMBOL” on page 291 NSYMBOL(NATIONAL) NS(DBCS|NAT)
“NUMBER” on page 292 NONUMBER NUM|NONUM
“QUOTE/APOST” on page 299 QUOTE Q|APOST
“SEQUENCE” on page 301 SEQUENCE SEQ|NOSEQ
“SQL” on page 303 NOSQL None
“WORD” on page 313 NOWORD WD|NOWD
Date processing “DATEPROC” on page 278 NODATEPROC, or DP|NODP
DATEPROC(FLAG,NOTRIG) if only
DATEPROC is specified
“INTDATE” on page 287 INTDATE(ANSI) None
“YEARWINDOW” on page 315 YEARWINDOW(1900) YW
Maps and listings “LANGUAGE” on page 287 LANGUAGE(ENGLISH) LANG(EN|UE|JA|JP)
“LINECOUNT” on page 289 LINECOUNT(60) LC
“LIST” on page 289 NOLIST None
“MAP” on page 290 NOMAP None
“OFFSET” on page 294 NOOFFSET OFF|NOOFF
“SOURCE” on page 302 SOURCE S|NOS
“SPACE” on page 303 SPACE(1) None
“TERMINAL” on page 305 NOTERMINAL TERM|NOTERM
“VBREF” on page 313 NOVBREF None
“XREF” on page 314 XREF(FULL) X|NOX

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 267

Table 44. Compiler options (continued)
Aspect of your
program Compiler option Default Abbreviations
Object deck “COMPILE” on page 275 NOCOMPILE(S) C|NOC
generation
“DECK” on page 279 NODECK D|NOD
“NAME” on page 291 NONAME, or NAME(NOALIAS) if only None
NAME is specified
“OBJECT” on page 294 OBJECT OBJ|NOOBJ
“PGMNAME” on page 297 PGMNAME(COMPAT) PGMN(CO|LU|LM)
Object code control “ADV” on page 271 ADV None
“AWO” on page 272 NOAWO None
“DLL” on page 281 NODLL None
“EXPORTALL” on page 283 NOEXPORTALL EXP|NOEXP
“FASTSRT” on page 284 NOFASTSRT FSRT|NOFSRT
“NUMPROC” on page 293 NUMPROC(NOPFD) None
“OPTIMIZE” on page 295 NOOPTIMIZE OPT|NOOPT
“OUTDD” on page 296 OUTDD(SYSOUT) OUT
“TRUNC” on page 310 TRUNC(STD) None
“ZWB” on page 316 ZWB None
Virtual storage “BUFSIZE” on page 273 4096 BUF
usage
“SIZE” on page 302 SIZE(MAX) SZ
“DATA” on page 277 DATA(31) None
“DYNAM” on page 282 NODYNAM DYN|NODYN
“RENT” on page 299 RENT None
“RMODE” on page 300 AUTO None
Debugging and “DIAGTRUNC” on page 280 NODIAGTRUNC DTR|NODTR
diagnostics
“DUMP” on page 281 NODUMP DU|NODU
“FLAG” on page 284 FLAG(I,I) F|NOF
“FLAGSTD” on page 285 NOFLAGSTD None
“TEST” on page 306 NOTEST None
“SSRANGE” on page 304 NOSSRANGE SSR|NOSSR
Other “ADATA” on page 270 NOADATA None
“EXIT” on page 283 NOEXIT EX(INX,LIBX,PRTX,
ADX)
“THREAD” on page 309 NOTHREAD None

Installation defaults: The default options that were set up when your compiler
was installed are in effect for your program unless you override them with other
options. (In some installations, certain compiler options are set up as fixed so that
you cannot override them. If you have problems, see your system administrator.)
To find out the default compiler options in effect, run a test compilation without
specifying any options. The output listing lists the default options specified by
your installation.

268 Programming Guide

 Nonoverridable options: In some installations, certain compiler options are set up
so that you cannot override them. If you have problems, see your system
administrator.

Performance considerations: The DYNAM, FASTSRT, NUMPROC, OPTIMIZE, RENT, SSRANGE,

TEST, and TRUNC compiler options can all affect run-time performance.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options”
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317
“Option settings for COBOL 85 Standard conformance”

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 14, “Compiling under z/OS,” on page 217
“Compiling under TSO” on page 229
Chapter 15, “Compiling under UNIX,” on page 249
Chapter 34, “Tuning your program,” on page 579

Option settings for COBOL 85 Standard conformance

The following compiler options are required to conform to the COBOL 85 Standard
specification:

ADV NAME(ALIAS) or NAME(NOALIAS)

NOCICS NUMPROC(NOPFD) or NUMPROC(MIG)
NODATEPROC PGMNAME(COMPAT) or PGMNAME(LONGUPPER)
NODLL QUOTE
DYNAM NOTHREAD
NOEXPORTALL TRUNC(STD)
NOFASTSRT NOWORD
LIB ZWB

The following run-time options are required to conform to the COBOL 85

Standard:
v AIXBLD
v CBLQDA(ON)
v TRAP(ON)

RELATED REFERENCES
Language Environment Programming Reference

Conflicting compiler options

The Enterprise COBOL compiler can encounter conflicting compiler options in two
ways:
v Both the positive and negative form of a compiler option are specified on the
same level in the hierarchy of precedence (such as specifying both DECK and
NODECK in a PROCESS (or CBL) statement).
When conflicting options are specified at the same level in the hierarchy, the
option specified last takes effect.
v Mutually exclusive options are specified at the same level in the hierarchy,
regardless of order.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 269

 When you specify mutually exclusive options, any conflicting options that you
specify are ignored. For example, if you specify both OFFSET and LIST in your
PROCESS statement in any order, OFFSET takes effect and LIST is ignored.
However, options coded at a higher level of precedence override any options
specified at a lower level of precedence. For example, if you code OFFSET in your
JCL statement but LIST in your PROCESS statement, LIST will take effect because
the options coded in the PROCESS statement and any options forced on by an
option coded in the PROCESS statement have higher precedence.

The following table lists mutually exclusive compiler options.

Table 45. Mutually exclusive compiler options
Specified Ignored1 Forced on1
CICS NOLIB LIB
DYNAM NODYNAM
NORENT RENT
DLL DYNAM NODYNAM
NORENT RENT
EXIT DUMP NODUMP
EXPORTALL NODLL DLL
DYNAM NODYNAM
NORENT RENT
NSYMBOL(NATIONAL) NODBCS DBCS
OFFSET LIST NOLIST
SQL NOLIB LIB
TEST NOOBJECT OBJECT
TEST(ALL) OPT(STD) or OPT(FULL) NOOPTIMIZE
TEST(STMT)
TEST(PATH)
TEST(BLOCK)
THREAD NORENT RENT
WORD FLAGSTD NOFLAGSTD

1. Unless in conflict with a fixed installation default option.

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying compiler options under z/OS” on page 238
“Specifying compiler options in a batch compilation” on page 242
“Specifying compiler options under UNIX” on page 250

ADATA

ADATA option syntax

NOADATA




ADATA

Default is: NOADATA

270 Programming Guide

 Abbreviations are: None

Use ADATA when you want the compiler to create a SYSADATA file, which contains
records of additional compilation information. ADATA is required for remote compile
using an IBM Windows COBOL compiler. On z/OS, this file is written to ddname
SYSADATA. The size of this file generally grows with the size of the associated
program.

You cannot specify ADATA in a PROCESS (CBL) statement. You can specify it only in
one of the following ways:
v On invocation of the compiler using an option list
v On the PARM field of JCL
v As a command option
v As an installation default

RELATED REFERENCES
Appendix G, “COBOL SYSADATA file contents,” on page 655

ADV

ADV option syntax

ADV




NOADV

Default is: ADV

Abbreviations are: None

ADV has meaning only if you use WRITE . . . ADVANCING in your source code.

With ADV in effect, the compiler adds 1 byte to the record length to account for the
printer control character.

Use NOADV if you have already adjusted your record length to include 1 byte for the
printer control character.

ARITH

ARITH option syntax

COMPAT


ARITH( EXTEND )


Default is: ARITH(COMPAT)

Abbreviations are: AR(C), AR(E)

Chapter 17. Compiler options 271

 When you specify ARITH(EXTEND):
v The maximum number of digit positions that you can specify in the PICTURE
clause for packed-decimal, zoned-decimal, and numeric-edited data items is
raised from 18 to 31.
v The maximum number of digits that you can specify in a fixed-point numeric
literal is raised from 18 to 31. You can use numeric literals with large precision
anywhere that numeric literals are currently allowed, including:
– Operands of PROCEDURE DIVISION statements
– VALUE clauses (on numeric data items with large-precision PICTURE)
– Condition-name values (on numeric data items with large-precision PICTURE)
v The maximum number of digits that you can specify in the arguments to NUMVAL
and NUMVAL-C is raised from 18 to 31.
v The maximum value of the integer argument to the FACTORIAL function is 29.
v Intermediate results in arithmetic statements use extended mode.

When you specify ARITH(COMPAT):

v The maximum number of digit positions in the PICTURE clause for
packed-decimal, zoned-decimal, and numeric-edited data items is 18.
v The maximum number of digits in a fixed-point numeric literal is 18.
v The maximum number of digits in the arguments to NUMVAL and NUMVAL-C is 18.
v The maximum value of the integer argument to the FACTORIAL function is 28.
v Intermediate results in arithmetic statements use compatibility mode.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Appendix A, “Intermediate results and arithmetic precision,” on page 603

AWO

AWO option syntax

NOAWO




AWO

Default is: NOAWO

Abbreviations are: None

With AWO specified, an implicit APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause is activated for all files in
the program that are eligible for this clause. To be eligible, a file must have
physical sequential organization and blocked variable-length records.

RELATED TASKS
“Optimizing buffer and device space” on page 12

272 Programming Guide

BUFSIZE

BUFSIZE option syntax

nnnnn


BUFSIZE( nnnK )


Default is: 4096

Abbreviations are: BUF

nnnnn specifies a decimal number that must be at least 256.

nnnK specifies a decimal number in 1-KB increments, where 1 KB = 1024 bytes.

Use BUFSIZE to allocate an amount of main storage to the buffer for each compiler
work data set. Usually, a large buffer size improves the performance of the
compiler.

If you use both BUFSIZE and SIZE, the amount allocated to buffers is included in
the amount of main storage available for compilation via the SIZE option.

BUFSIZE cannot exceed the track capacity for the device used, nor can it exceed the
maximum allowed by data management services.

CICS

CICS option syntax

NOCICS




CICS
("CICS-suboption-string")

Default is: NOCICS

Abbreviations are: None

The CICS compiler option enables the integrated CICS translator capability and
allows specification of CICS options. You must specify the CICS option if your
COBOL source program contains EXEC CICS or EXEC DLI statements, and it has not
been processed by the separate CICS translator.

Use the CICS option to compile CICS programs only. Programs compiled with the
CICS option will not run in a non-CICS environment.

Note that the compiler needs access to CICS Transaction Server Version 2 or later.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 273

 If you specify the NOCICS option, any CICS statements found in the source program
are diagnosed and discarded.

Use either quotation marks or single quotation marks to delimit the string of CICS
suboptions.

You can partition a long suboption string into multiple suboption strings on
multiple CBL statements. The CICS suboptions are concatenated in the order of
their appearance. For example:
//STEP1 EXEC IGYWC, . . .
// PARM.COBOL=’CICS(“string1”)’
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
CBL CICS(’string2’)
CBL CICS(“string3”)
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. DRIVER1.
. . .

The compiler passes the following suboption string to the integrated CICS
translator:
“string1 string2 string3”

The concatenated strings are delimited with single spaces as shown. If multiple
instances of the same CICS option are found, the last specification of each option
prevails. The compiler limits the length of the concatenated CICS suboptions string
to 4 KB.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Integrated CICS translator” on page 364

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

CODEPAGE

CODEPAGE option syntax

CODEPAGE(ccsid)


Default is: CODEPAGE(1140)

Abbreviations are: CP(ccsid)

The CODEPAGE option specifies the code page used for encoding:
v The contents of alphanumeric and DBCS data items at run time
v Alphanumeric, national, and DBCS literals in the COBOL source program

The CODEPAGE option also specifies the default code page for parsing alphanumeric
XML documents.

274 Programming Guide

 ccsid must be an integer that represents a valid coded character set identifier
(CCSID) number for an EBCDIC code page.

The default CCSID 1140 is an equivalent of CCSID 37 (EBCDIC Latin-1, USA) but
includes the Euro symbol.

Important: The conversion image that was configured as part of the Unicode
Conversion Services installation must include support for conversions of the
specified CCSID to and from CCSID 1200. For applications that use object-oriented
syntax, conversions from the specified CCSID to CCSID 1208 must also be
included.

RELATED TASKS
Customizing Unicode support for COBOL (Enterprise COBOL Customization Guide)

COMPILE

COMPILE option syntax

S
NOCOMPILE( E )
W




COMPILE
NOCOMPILE

Default is: NOCOMPILE(S)

Abbreviations are: C|NOC

Use the COMPILE option only if you want to force full compilation even in the
presence of serious errors. All diagnostics and object code will be generated. Do
not try to run the object code if the compilation resulted in serious errors: the
results could be unpredictable or an abnormal termination could occur.

Use NOCOMPILE without any suboption to request a syntax check (only diagnostics
produced, no object code).

Use NOCOMPILE with W, E, or S for conditional full compilation. Full compilation

(diagnosis and object code) will stop when the compiler finds an error of the level
you specify (or higher), and only syntax checking will continue.

If you request an unconditional NOCOMPILE, the following options have no effect

because no object code will be produced:
v LIST
v SSRANGE
v OPTIMIZE
v OBJECT
v TEST

RELATED REFERENCES
“Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors” on page 246

Chapter 17. Compiler options 275

CURRENCY

CURRENCY option syntax

NOCURRENCY




CURRENCY(literal)

Default is: NOCURRENCY

Abbreviations are: CURR|NOCURR

The default currency symbol is the dollar sign ($). You can use the CURRENCY option
to provide an alternate default currency symbol to be used for the COBOL
program.

NOCURRENCY specifies that no alternate default currency symbol will be used.

To change the default currency symbol, use the CURRENCY(literal) option, where
literal is a valid COBOL alphanumeric literal (including a hexadecimal literal)
representing a single character that must not be any of the following:
v Digits zero (0) through nine (9)
v Uppercase alphabetic characters A B C D E G N P R S V X Z, or their lowercase
equivalents
v The space
v Special characters * + - / , . ; ( ) “ = ’
v A figurative constant
v A null-terminated literal
v A DBCS literal
v A national literal

If your program processes only one currency type, you can use the CURRENCY
option as an alternative to the CURRENCY SIGN clause for selecting the currency
symbol you will use in the PICTURE clause of your program. If your program
processes more than one currency type, you should use the CURRENCY SIGN clause
with the WITH PICTURE SYMBOL phrase to specify the different currency sign types.

If you use both the CURRENCY option and the CURRENCY SIGN clause in a program,
the CURRENCY option is ignored. Currency symbols specified in the CURRENCY SIGN
clause or clauses can be used in PICTURE clauses.

When the NOCURRENCY option is in effect and you omit the CURRENCY SIGN clause,
the dollar sign ($) is used as the PICTURE symbol for the currency sign.

Delimiter: You can delimit the CURRENCY option literal with either quotation marks
or single quotation marks, regardless of the QUOTE|APOST compiler option setting.

276 Programming Guide

DATA

DATA option syntax

31


DATA( 24 )


Default is: DATA(31)

Abbreviations are: None

Affects the location of storage for dynamic data areas and other dynamic run-time
storage: either above (DATA(31)) or below (DATA(24)) the 16-MB line. For reentrant
programs, the DATA(24|31) compiler option and the HEAP run-time option control
whether storage for dynamic data areas (such as WORKING-STORAGE and FD record
areas) is obtained from below the 16-MB line or from unrestricted storage. (The
DATA option does not affect the location of LOCAL-STORAGE data; the STACK run-time
option controls that location instead, along with the AMODE of the program. It does
affect the location of local WORKING-STORAGE data.)

When you specify the run-time option HEAP(,,BELOW), the DATA(24|31) compiler
option has no effect; the storage for all dynamic data areas is allocated from below
the 16-MB line. However, with HEAP(,,ANYWHERE) as the run-time option, storage
for dynamic data areas is allocated from below the line if you compiled the
program with the DATA(24) compiler option or from unrestricted storage if you
compiled with the DATA(31) compiler option.

Specify the DATA(24) compiler option for programs running in 31-bit addressing
mode that are passing data arguments to programs in 24-bit addressing mode. This
ensures that the data will be addressable by the called program.

External data and QSAM buffers: The DATA option interacts with other compiler
options and run-time options that affect storage and its addressability. See the
related information for details.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
Using run-time options (Language Environment Programming Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“Allocation of buffers for QSAM files” on page 140

Chapter 17. Compiler options 277

DATEPROC

DATEPROC option syntax

NODATEPROC




DATEPROC
FLAG
( NOFLAG )
NOTRIG
, TRIG

Default is: NODATEPROC, or DATEPROC(FLAG,NOTRIG) if only DATEPROC is specified

Abbreviations are: DP|NODP

Use the DATEPROC option to enable the millennium language extensions of the
COBOL compiler.
DATEPROC(FLAG)
With DATEPROC(FLAG), the millennium language extensions are enabled, and
the compiler produces a diagnostic message wherever a language element
uses or is affected by the extensions. The message is usually an
information-level or warning-level message that identifies statements that
involve date-sensitive processing. Additional messages that identify errors
or possible inconsistencies in the date constructs might be generated.
Production of diagnostic messages, and their appearance in or after the
source listing, is subject to the setting of the FLAG compiler option.
DATEPROC(NOFLAG)
With DATEPROC(NOFLAG), the millennium language extensions are in effect,
but the compiler does not produce any related messages unless there are
errors or inconsistencies in the COBOL source.
DATEPROC(TRIG)
With DATEPROC(TRIG), the millennium language extensions are enabled, and
the automatic windowing that the compiler applies to operations on
windowed date fields is sensitive to specific trigger or limit values in the
date fields and in other nondate fields that are stored into or compared
with the windowed date fields. These special values represent invalid dates
that can be tested for or used as upper or lower limits.
Performance: The DATEPROC(TRIG) option results in slower-performing code
for windowed date comparisons.
DATEPROC(NOTRIG)
With DATEPROC(NOTRIG), the millennium language extensions are enabled,
and the automatic windowing that the compiler applies to operations on
windowed dates does not recognize any special trigger values in the
operands. Only the value of the year part of dates is relevant to automatic
windowing.
Performance: The DATEPROC(NOTRIG) option is a performance option that
assumes valid date values in windowed date fields.

278 Programming Guide

 NODATEPROC
NODATEPROC indicates that the extensions are not enabled for this
compilation unit. This affects date-related program constructs as follows:
v The DATE FORMAT clause is syntax-checked, but has no effect on the
execution of the program.
v The DATEVAL and UNDATE intrinsic functions have no effect. That is, the
value returned by the intrinsic function is exactly the same as the value
of the argument.
v The YEARWINDOW intrinsic function returns a value of zero.

Usage note: You can specify the FLAG|NOFLAG and TRIG|NOTRIG suboptions in any
order. If you omit either suboption, it defaults to the current setting.

RELATED REFERENCES
“FLAG” on page 284

DBCS

DBCS option syntax

DBCS




NODBCS

Default is: DBCS

Abbreviations are: None

Using DBCS causes the compiler to recognize X’0E’ (SO) and X’0F’ (SI) as shift codes
for the double-byte portion of an alphanumeric literal.

With DBCS selected, the double-byte portion of the literal is syntax-checked and the
literal remains category alphanumeric.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

DECK

DECK option syntax

NODECK




DECK

Default is: NODECK

Abbreviations are: D|NOD

Chapter 17. Compiler options 279

 Use DECK to produce object code in the form of 80-column card images. If you use
the DECK option, be certain that SYSPUNCH is defined in your JCL for compilation.

DIAGTRUNC

DIAGTRUNC option syntax

NODIAGTRUNC




DIAGTRUNC

Default is: NODIAGTRUNC

Abbreviations are: DTR, NODTR

DIAGTRUNC causes the compiler to issue a severity-4 (Warning) diagnostic message

for MOVE statements with numeric receivers when the receiving data item has fewer
integer positions than the sending data item or literal. In statements with multiple
receivers, the message is issued separately for each receiver that could be
truncated.

The diagnostic message is also issued for implicit moves associated with
statements such as these:
v INITIALIZE
v READ . . . INTO
v RELEASE . . . FROM
v RETURN . . . INTO
v REWRITE . . . FROM
v WRITE . . . FROM

The diagnostic is also issued for moves to numeric receivers from alphanumeric
data-names or literal senders, except when the sending field is reference modified.

There is no diagnostic for COMP-5 receivers, nor for binary receivers when you
specify the TRUNC(BIN) option.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40
“Reference modifiers” on page 94

RELATED REFERENCES
“TRUNC” on page 310

280 Programming Guide

DLL

DLL option syntax

NODLL




DLL

Default is: NODLL

Abbreviations are: None

Use DLL to instruct the compiler to generate an object module that is enabled for
dynamic link library (DLL) support. DLL enablement is required if the program
will be part of a DLL, will reference DLLs, or if the program contains
object-oriented COBOL syntax such as INVOKE statements or class definitions.

Specification of the DLL option requires that the RENT linkage-editor or binder
option also be used.

NODLL instructs the compiler to generate an object module that is not enabled for
DLL usage.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

DUMP

DUMP option syntax

NODUMP




DUMP

Default is: NODUMP

Abbreviations are: DU|NODU

Not for general use: The DUMP option should be used only at the request of an IBM
representative.

Use DUMP to produce a system dump at compile time for an internal compiler error.

The dump, which consists of a listing of the compiler’s registers and a storage
dump, is intended primarily for diagnostic personnel for determining errors in the
compiler.

If you use the DUMP option, include a DD statement at compile time to define
SYSABEND, SYSUDUMP, or SYSMDUMP.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 281

 With DUMP, the compiler will not issue a diagnostic message before abnormal
termination processing. Instead, a user abend will be issued with an IGYppnnnn
message. In general, a message IGYppnnnn corresponds to a compile-time user
abend nnnn. However, both IGYpp5nnn and IGYpp1nnn messages produce a user
abend of 1nnn. You can usually distinguish whether the message is really a 5nnn or
a 1nnn by recompiling with the NODUMP option.

Use NODUMP if you want normal termination processing, including:

v Diagnostic messages produced so far in compilation.
v A description of the error.
v The name of the compiler phase currently executing.
v The line number of the COBOL statement being processed when the error was
found. (If you compiled with OPTIMIZE, the line number might not always be
correct; for some errors, it will be the last line in the program.)
v The contents of the general purpose registers.

Using the DUMP and OPTIMIZE compiler options together could cause the compiler to
produce a system dump instead of the following optimizer message:
“IGYOP3124-W This statement may cause a program exception at
execution time.”

This situation is not a compiler error. Using the NODUMP option will allow the
compiler to issue message IGYOP3124-W and continue processing.

RELATED TASKS
Understanding abend codes (Language Environment Debugging Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

DYNAM

DYNAM option syntax

NODYNAM




DYNAM

Default is: NODYNAM

Abbreviations are: DYN|NODYN

Use DYNAM to cause nonnested, separately compiled programs invoked through the
CALL literal statement to be loaded (for CALL) and deleted (for CANCEL) dynamically
at run time. CALL identifier statements always result in a run-time load of the target
program and are not impacted by this option.

Restriction: The DYNAM compiler option must not be used by programs that are
translated by the CICS translator.

282 Programming Guide

 If your COBOL program calls programs that have been linked as dynamic link
libraries (DLLs), then you must not use the DYNAM option. You must instead
compile the program with the NODYNAM and DLL options.

RELATED TASKS
“Making both static and dynamic calls” on page 401

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

EXIT
For information about the EXIT compiler option, see the first reference below.

RELATED REFERENCES
Appendix E, “EXIT compiler option,” on page 635
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

EXPORTALL

EXPORTALL option syntax

NOEXPORTALL




EXPORTALL

Default is: NOEXPORTALL

Abbreviations are: EXP|NOEXP

Use EXPORTALL to instruct the compiler to automatically export the PROGRAM-ID

name and each alternate entry-point name from each program definition when the
object deck is link-edited to form a DLL.

With these symbols exported from the DLL, the exported program and entry-point
names can be called from programs in the root load module or in other DLL load
modules in the application, as well as from programs that are linked into the same
DLL.

Specification of the EXPORTALL option requires that the RENT linker option also be
used.

NOEXPORTALL instructs the compiler to not export any symbols. In this case the
programs are accessible only from other routines that are link-edited into the same
load module together with this COBOL program definition.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

Chapter 17. Compiler options 283

FASTSRT

FASTSRT option syntax

NOFASTSRT




FASTSRT

Default is: NOFASTSRT

Abbreviations are: FSRT|NOFSRT

FASTSRT allows IBM DFSORT, or its equivalent, to perform the input and output
instead of COBOL.

RELATED TASKS
“Improving sort performance with FASTSRT” on page 193

FLAG

FLAG option syntax

FLAG(x )
,y




NOFLAG

Default is: FLAG(I,I)

Abbreviations are: F|NOF

x and y can be either I, W, E, S, or U.

Use FLAG(x) to produce diagnostic messages for errors of a severity level x or

above at the end of the source listing.

Use FLAG(x,y) to produce diagnostic messages for errors of severity level x or

above at the end of the source listing, with error messages of severity y and above
to be embedded directly in the source listing. The severity coded for y must not be
lower than the severity coded for x. To use FLAG(x,y), you must also specify the
SOURCE compiler option.

Error messages in the source listing are set off by embedding the statement
number in an arrow that points to the message code. The message code is then
followed by the message text. For example:

000413 MOVE CORR WS-DATE TO HEADER-DATE

==000413==> IGYPS2121-S “ WS-DATE ” was not defined as a data-name. . . .

284 Programming Guide

 With FLAG(x,y) selected, messages of severity y and above will be embedded in
the listing following the line that caused the message. (See the related reference
below for information about messages for exceptions.)

Use NOFLAG to suppress error flagging. NOFLAG will not suppress error messages for
compiler options.

Embedded messages
v Specifying embedded level-U messages is accepted, but will not produce any
messages in the source. Embedding a level-U message is not recommended.
v The FLAG option does not affect diagnostic messages produced before the
compiler options are processed.
v Diagnostic messages produced during processing of compiler options, CBL and
PROCESS statements, or BASIS, COPY, and REPLACE statements are never embedded
in the source listing. All such messages appear at the beginning of the compiler
output.
v Messages produced during processing of the *CONTROL (*CBL) statement are not
embedded in the source listing.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors” on page 246

FLAGSTD

FLAGSTD option syntax

NOFLAGSTD




FLAGSTD(x )
yy ,O

Default is: NOFLAGSTD

Abbreviations are: None

x specifies the level or subset of the COBOL 85 Standard to be regarded as

conforming:
M Language elements that are not from the minimum subset are to be flagged
as “nonconforming standard.”
I Language elements that are not from the minimum or the intermediate
subset are to be flagged as “nonconforming standard.”
H The high subset is being used and elements will not be flagged by subset.
And, elements in the IBM extension category will be flagged as
“nonconforming Standard, IBM extension.”

yy specifies, by a single character or combination of any two, the optional modules

to be included in the subset:
D Elements from debug module level 1 are not flagged as “nonconforming
standard.”

Chapter 17. Compiler options 285

 N Elements from segmentation module level 1 are not flagged as
“nonconforming standard.”
S Elements from segmentation module level 2 are not flagged as
“nonconforming standard.”

If S is specified, N is included (N is a subset of S).

O specifies that obsolete language elements are flagged as “obsolete.”

Use FLAGSTD to get informational messages about the COBOL 85 Standard elements
included in your program. You can specify any of the following items for flagging:
v A selected Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) COBOL subset
v Any of the optional modules
v Obsolete language elements
v Any combination of subset and optional modules
v Any combination of subset and obsolete elements
v IBM extensions (these are flagged any time FLAGSTD is specified, and identified
as “nonconforming nonstandard”)

The informational messages appear in the source program listing, and identify:
v The element as “obsolete,” “nonconforming standard,” or “nonconforming
nonstandard” (a language element that is both obsolete and nonconforming is
flagged as obsolete only)
v The clause, statement, or header that contains the element
v The source program line and beginning location of the clause, statement, or
header that contains the element
v The subset or optional module to which the element belongs

FLAGSTD requires the standard set of reserved words.

In the following example, the line number and column where a flagged clause,
statement, or header occurred are shown, as well as the message code and text. At
the bottom is a summary of the total of the flagged items and their type.

LINE.COL CODE FIPS MESSAGE TEXT

IGYDS8211 Comment lines before “IDENTIFICATION DIVISION”:

nonconforming nonstandard, IBM extension to
ANS/ISO 1985.

11.14 IGYDS8111 “GLOBAL clause”: nonconforming standard, ANS/ISO

1985 high subset.

59.12 IGYPS8169 “USE FOR DEBUGGING statement”: obsolete element

in ANS/ISO 1985.

FIPS MESSAGES TOTAL STANDARD NONSTANDARD OBSOLETE

3 1 1 1

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

286 Programming Guide

INTDATE

INTDATE option syntax

ANSI


INTDATE( LILIAN )


Default is: INTDATE(ANSI)

Abbreviations are: None

INTDATE(ANSI) instructs the compiler to use the Standard COBOL 85 starting date
for integer dates used with date intrinsic functions. Day 1 is Jan 1, 1601.

INTDATE(LILIAN) instructs the compiler to use the Language Environment Lilian

starting date for integer dates used with date intrinsic functions. Day 1 is Oct 15,
1582.

With INTDATE(LILIAN), the date intrinsic functions return results compatible with
the Language Environment date callable services.

Usage note: When INTDATE(LILIAN) is in effect, CEECBLDY is not usable since you
have no way to turn an ANSI integer into a meaningful date using either intrinsic
functions or callable services. If you code a CALL literal statement with CEECBLDY
as the target of the call with INTDATE(LILIAN) in effect, the compiler diagnoses this
and converts the call target to CEEDAYS.

LANGUAGE

LANGUAGE option syntax

LANGUAGE(name)


Default is: LANGUAGE(ENGLISH)

Abbreviations are: LANG(EN|UE|JA|JP)

Use the LANGUAGE option to select the language in which compiler output will be
printed. The information that will be printed in the selected language includes
diagnostic messages, source listing page and scale headers, FIPS message headers,
message summary headers, compilation summary, and headers and notations that
result from the selection of certain compiler options (MAP, XREF, VBREF, and
FLAGSTD).

name specifies the language for compiler output messages. Possible values for the
LANGUAGE option are shown in the table.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 287

 Table 46. Values of the LANGUAGE compiler option
Name Abbreviation1 Output language
ENGLISH EN Mixed-case English (the default)
JAPANESE JA, JP Japanese, using the Japanese character set
2
UENGLISH UE Uppercase English

1. If your installation’s system programmer has provided a language other than those
described, you must specify at least the first two characters of this other language’s
name.
2. To specify a language other than UENGLISH, the appropriate language feature must be
installed.

If the LANGUAGE option is changed at compile time (using CBL or PROCESS

statements), some initial text will be printed using the language that was in effect
at the time the compiler was started.

NATLANG: The NATLANG run-time option allows you to control the national language
to be used for the run-time environment, including error messages, month names,
and day-of-the-week names. The LANGUAGE compiler option and the NATLANG
run-time option act independently of each other. You can use them together with
neither taking precedence over the other.

LIB

LIB option syntax

NOLIB




LIB

Default is: NOLIB

Abbreviations are: None

If your program uses COPY, BASIS, or REPLACE statements, the LIB compiler option
must be in effect. In addition, for COPY and BASIS statements, you need to define
the library or libraries from which the compiler can take the copied code. Define
the libraries with DD statements, ALLOCATE commands, or environment variables, as
appropriate for your environment. When using JCL, also include a DD statement to
allocate SYSUT5.

RELATED REFERENCES
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

288 Programming Guide

LINECOUNT

LINECOUNT option syntax

LINECOUNT(nnn)


Default is: LINECOUNT(60)

Abbreviations are: LC

nnn must be an integer between 10 and 255, or 0.

Use LINECOUNT(nnn) to specify the number of lines to be printed on each page of

the compilation listing, or use LINECOUNT(0) to suppress pagination.

If you specify LINECOUNT(0), no page ejects are generated in the compilation listing.

The compiler uses three lines of nnn for titles. For example, if you specify
LINECOUNT(60), 57 lines of source code are printed on each page of the output
listing.

LIST

LIST option syntax

NOLIST




LIST

Default is: NOLIST

Abbreviations are: None

Use the LIST compiler option to produce a listing of the assembler-language

expansion of your source code.

You will also get these in your output listing:

v Global tables
v Literal pools
v Information about WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE
v Size of the program’s WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE and its location in the
object code if the program is compiled with the NORENT option

The output is generated if:

v You specify the COMPILE option (or the NOCOMPILE(x) option is in effect and an
error level x or higher does not occur).
v You do not specify the OFFSET option.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 289

 If you want to limit the assembler listing output, use *CONTROL LIST or NOLIST
statements in your PROCEDURE DIVISION. Your source statements following a
*CONTROL NOLIST are not included in the listing until a *CONTROL LIST statement
switches the output back to normal LIST format.

RELATED TASKS
“Getting listings” on page 331

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269
*CONTROL (*CBL) statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

MAP

MAP option syntax

NOMAP




MAP

Default is: NOMAP

Abbreviations are: None

Use the MAP compiler option to produce a listing of the items defined in the DATA
DIVISION. The output includes the following:
v DATA DIVISION map
v Global tables
v Literal pools
v Nested program structure map, and program attributes
v Size of the program’s WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE and its location in the
object code if the program is compiled with the NORENT option

If you want to limit the MAP output, use *CONTROL MAP or NOMAP statements in the
DATA DIVISION. Source statements following a *CONTROL NOMAP are not included in
the listing until a *CONTROL MAP statement switches the output back to normal MAP
format. For example:
*CONTROL NOMAP *CBL NOMAP
01 A 01 A
02 B 02 B
*CONTROL MAP *CBL MAP

By selecting the MAP option, you can also print an embedded MAP report in the
source code listing. The condensed MAP information is printed to the right of
data-name definitions in the FILE SECTION, LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION, and LINKAGE
SECTION of the DATA DIVISION. When both XREF data and an embedded MAP
summary are on the same line, the embedded summary is printed first.

“Example: MAP output” on page 336

RELATED CONCEPTS
Chapter 19, “Debugging,” on page 321

290 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
“Getting listings” on page 331

RELATED REFERENCES
*CONTROL (*CBL) statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

NAME

NAME option syntax

NONAME




NAME
NOALIAS
( ALIAS )

Default is: NONAME, or NAME(NOALIAS) if only NAME is specified

Abbreviations are: None

Use NAME to generate a link-edit NAME card for each object module. You can also use
NAME to generate names for each load module when doing batch compilations.
When NAME is specified, a NAME card is appended to each object module that is
created. Load module names are formed using the rules for forming module names
from PROGRAM-ID statements.

If you specify NAME(ALIAS) and if your program contains ENTRY statements, a

link-edit ALIAS card is generated for each ENTRY statement.

The NAME or NAME(ALIAS) options cannot be used when compiling programs that
will be prelinked with the Language Environment prelinker.

RELATED REFERENCES
PROGRAM-ID paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

NSYMBOL

NSYMBOL option syntax

NATIONAL


NSYMBOL( DBCS )


Default is: NSYMBOL(NATIONAL)

Abbreviations are: NS(NAT|DBCS)

The NSYMBOL option controls the interpretation of the N symbol used in literals and
PICTURE clauses, indicating whether national or DBCS processing is assumed.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 291

 With NSYMBOL(NATIONAL):
v Data items defined with the PICTURE clause consisting only of the symbol N
without the USAGE clause are treated as if the USAGE NATIONAL clause is specified.
v Literals of the form N“. . .” or N’. . .’ are treated as national literals.

With NSYMBOL(DBCS):
v Data items defined with the PICTURE clause consisting only of the symbol N
without the USAGE clause are treated as if the USAGE DISPLAY-1 clause is specified.
v Literals of the form N“. . .” or N’. . .’ are treated as DBCS literals.

The NSYMBOL(DBCS) option provides compatibility with the previous releases of IBM
COBOL, and the NSYMBOL(NATIONAL) option makes the handling of the above
language elements consistent with the 2002 COBOL standard in this regard.

NSYMBOL(NATIONAL) is recommended for applications that use Unicode data or

object-oriented syntax for Java interoperability.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

NUMBER

NUMBER option syntax

NONUMBER




NUMBER

Default is: NONUMBER

Abbreviations are: NUM|NONUM

Use the NUMBER compiler option if you have line numbers in your source code and
want those numbers to be used in error messages and SOURCE, MAP, LIST, and XREF
listings.

If you request NUMBER, the compiler checks columns 1 through 6 to make sure that
they contain only numbers and that the numbers are in numeric collating
sequence. (In contrast, SEQUENCE checks the characters in these columns according
to EBCDIC collating sequence.) When a line number is found to be out of
sequence, the compiler assigns to it a line number with a value one higher than the
line number of the preceding statement. The compiler flags the new value with
two asterisks and includes in the listing a message indicating an out-of-sequence
error. Sequence-checking continues with the next statement, based on the newly
assigned value of the previous line.

If you use COPY statements and NUMBER is in effect, be sure that your source
program line numbers and the copybook line numbers are coordinated.

If you are doing a batch compilation and LIB and NUMBER are in effect, all programs
in the batch compile will be treated as a single input file. The sequence numbers of
the entire input file must be in ascending order.

292 Programming Guide

 Use NONUMBER if you do not have line numbers in your source code, or if you want
the compiler to ignore the line numbers you do have in your source code. With
NONUMBER in effect, the compiler generates line numbers for your source statements
and uses those numbers as references in listings.

NUMPROC

NUMPROC option syntax

NOPFD


NUMPROC( PFD )

MIG

Default is: NUMPROC(NOPFD)

Abbreviations are: None

Use NUMPROC(NOPFD) if you want the compiler to perform invalid sign processing.
This option is not as efficient as NUMPROC(PFD); object code size will be increased,
and there could be an increase in run-time overhead to validate all signed data.

NUMPROC(PFD) is a performance option that can be used to bypass invalid sign

processing. Use this option only if your program data agrees exactly with the
following IBM system standards:

External decimal, unsigned: High-order 4 bits of the sign byte contain X’F’.

External decimal, signed overpunch: High-order 4 bits of the sign byte contain
X’C’ if the number is positive or 0, and X’D’ if it is not.

External decimal, separate sign: Separate sign contains the character ’+’ if the
number is positive or 0, and ’-’ if it is not.

Internal decimal, unsigned: Low-order 4 bits of the low-order byte contain X’F’.

Internal decimal, signed: Low-order 4 bits of the low-order byte contain X’C’ if the
number is positive or 0, and X’D’ if it is not.

Data produced by COBOL arithmetic statements conforms to the above IBM

system standards. However, using REDEFINES and group moves could change data
so that it no longer conforms. If you use NUMPROC(PFD), use the INITIALIZE
statement to initialize data fields, rather than using group moves.

Using NUMPROC(PFD) can affect class tests for numeric data. You should use
NUMPROC(NOPFD) or NUMPROC(MIG) if a COBOL program calls programs written in
PL/I or FORTRAN.

Sign representation is affected not only by the NUMPROC option, but also by the
installation-time option NUMCLS.

Use NUMPROC(MIG) to aid in migrating OS/VS COBOL programs to Enterprise

COBOL. When NUMPROC(MIG) is in effect, the following processing occurs:

Chapter 17. Compiler options 293

 v Preferred signs are created only on the output of MOVE statements and arithmetic
operations.
v No explicit sign repair is done on input.
v Some implicit sign repair might occur during conversion.
v Numeric comparisons are performed by a decimal comparison, not a logical
comparison.

RELATED TASKS
“Checking for incompatible data (numeric class test)” on page 46

RELATED REFERENCES
“Sign representation and processing” on page 45

OBJECT

OBJECT option syntax

OBJECT




NOOBJECT

Default is: OBJECT

Abbreviations are: OBJ|NOOBJ

Use OBJECT to place the generated object code on disk or tape to be later used as
input for the linkage editor or binder.

If you specify OBJECT, include a SYSLIN DD statement in your JCL for compilation.

The only difference between DECK and OBJECT is in the routing of the data sets:
v DECK output goes to the data set associated with ddname SYSPUNCH.
v OBJECT output goes to the data set associated with ddname SYSLIN.

Use the option that your installation guidelines recommend.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

OFFSET

OFFSET option syntax

NOOFFSET




OFFSET

Default is: NOOFFSET

294 Programming Guide

 Abbreviations are: OFF|NOOFF

Use OFFSET to produce a condensed PROCEDURE DIVISION listing. With OFFSET, the
condensed PROCEDURE DIVISION listing will contain line numbers, statement
references, and the location of the first instruction generated for each statement. In
addition, the following are produced:
v Global tables
v Literal pools
v Size of the program’s working storage, and its location in the object code if the
program is compiled with the NORENT option

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

OPTIMIZE

OPTIMIZE option syntax

NOOPTIMIZE




OPTIMIZE
STD
( FULL )

Default is: NOOPTIMIZE

Abbreviations are: OPT|NOOPT

Use OPTIMIZE to reduce the run time of your object program. Optimization might
also reduce the amount of storage your object program uses. Because OPTIMIZE
increases compile time and can change the order of statements in your program,
you should not use it when debugging.

If OPTIMIZE is specified without any suboptions, OPTIMIZE(STD) will be in effect.

The FULL suboption requests that, in addition to the optimizations performed with
OPT(STD), the compiler discard unreferenced data items from the DATA DIVISION
and suppress generation of code to initialize these data items to the values in their
VALUE clauses. When OPT(FULL) is in effect, all unreferenced 77-level items and
elementary 01-level items are discarded. In addition, 01-level group items are
discarded if none of their subordinate items are referenced. The deleted items are
shown in the listing. If the MAP option is in effect, a BL number of XXXXX in the data
map information indicates that the data item was discarded.

Unused data items: Do not use OPT(FULL) if your programs depend on making use
of unused data items. In the past, this was commonly done in two ways:
v A technique sometimes used in old OS/VS COBOL programs was to place an
unreferenced table after a referenced table and use out-of-range subscripts on the
first table to access the second table. To see if your programs use this technique,
use the SSRANGE compiler option with the CHECK(ON) run-time option. To work
around this problem, use the ability of newer COBOL to code large tables and
use just one table.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 295

 v Place eye-catcher data items in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION to identify the
beginning and end of the program data or to mark a copy of a program for a
library tool that uses the data to identify the version of a program. To solve this
problem, initialize these items with PROCEDURE DIVISION statements rather than
VALUE clauses. With this method, the compiler will consider these items used and
will not delete them.

The OPTIMIZE option is turned off in the case of a severe-level error or higher.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization” on page 586

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

OUTDD

OUTDD option syntax

OUTDD(ddname)


Default is: OUTDD(SYSOUT)

Abbreviations are: OUT

Use OUTDD to specify that you want DISPLAY output that is directed to the system
logical output device to go to a specific ddname. Note that you can specify a file in
the hierarchical file system (HFS) with the ddname named in OUTDD. See the
discussion of the DISPLAY statement for defaults and for behavior when this
ddname is not allocated.

The MSGFILE run-time option allows you to specify the ddname of the file to which
all run-time diagnostics and reports generated by the RPTOPTS and RPTSTG run-time
options are written. The IBM-supplied default is MSGFILE(SYSOUT). If the OUTDD
compiler option and the MSGFILE run-time option both specify the same ddname,
the error message information and DISPLAY output directed to the system logical
output device are routed to the same destination.

RELATED TASKS
“Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY)” on page 30

RELATED REFERENCES
MSGFILE (Language Environment Programming Reference)

296 Programming Guide

PGMNAME

PGMNAME option syntax

COMPAT


PGMNAME( LONGMIXED )

LONGUPPER

Default is: PGMNAME(COMPAT)

Abbreviations are: PGMN(LM|LU|CO)

LONGUPPER can be abbreviated as UPPER, LU, or U. LONGMIXED can be abbreviated as

MIXED, LM, or M.

The PGMNAME option controls the handling of names used in the following contexts:
v Program-names defined in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph
v Program entry point names on the ENTRY statement
v Program-name references in:
– Calls to nested programs
– Static calls to separately compiled programs
– Static SET procedure-pointer TO ENTRY literal statement
– Static SET function-pointer TO ENTRY literal statement
– CANCEL of a nested program

PGMNAME(COMPAT)
With PGMNAME(COMPAT), program-names are handled in a manner compatible with
older versions of COBOL compilers, namely:
v The program-name can be up to 30 characters in length.
v All the characters used in the name must be alphabetic, digits, or the hyphen,
except that if the program-name is entered in the literal format and is in the
outermost program, then the literal can also contain the extension characters @,
#, and $.
v At least one character must be alphabetic.
v The hyphen cannot be used as the first or last character.

External program-names are processed by the compiler as follows:

v They are folded to uppercase.
v They are truncated to eight characters.
v Hyphens are translated to zero (0).
v If the first character is not alphabetic, it is converted as follows:
– 1-9 are translated to A-I.
– Anything else is translated to J.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 297

 PGMNAME(LONGUPPER)
With PGMNAME(LONGUPPER), program-names that are specified in the PROGRAM-ID
paragraph as COBOL user-defined words must follow the normal COBOL rules for
forming a user-defined word:
v The program-name can be up to 30 characters in length.
v All the characters used in the name must be alphabetic, digits, or the hyphen.
v At least one character must be alphabetic.
v The hyphen cannot be used as the first or last character.

When a program is specified as a literal, in either a definition or a reference, then:

v The program-name can be up to 160 characters in length.
v All the characters used in the name must be alphabetic, digits, or the hyphen.
v At least one character must be alphabetic.
v The hyphen cannot be used as the first or last character.

External program-names are processed by the compiler as follows:

v They are folded to uppercase.
v Hyphens are translated to zero (0).
v If the first character is not alphabetic, it is converted as follows:
– 1-9 are translated to A-I.
– Anything else is translated to J.

Nested-program names are folded to uppercase by the compiler but otherwise are
processed as is, without truncation or translation.

PGMNAME(LONGMIXED)
With PGMNAME(LONGMIXED), program-names are processed as is, without truncation,
translation, or folding to uppercase.

With PGMNAME(LONGMIXED), all program-name definitions must be specified using

the literal format of the program-name in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph or ENTRY
statement.

The literal used for a program-name (in any of the contexts listed above as affected
by the PGMNAME option) can contain any character in the range X’41’-X’FE’.

Usage notes
v The following are not affected by the PGMNAME option:
– Class-names and method-names.
– System-names (assignment-names in SELECT . . . ASSIGN, and text-names or
library-names on COPY statements).
– Dynamic calls. Dynamic calls are resolved with the target program-name
truncated to eight characters, folded to uppercase, and translation of
embedded hyphens or a leading digit.
– CANCEL of nonnested programs. Name resolution uses the same mechanism as
for a dynamic call.
v The PGMNAME option does affect nested-program calls and static calls to programs
that are linked together with the caller.
v Dynamic calls are not permitted to COBOL programs compiled with the
PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) or PGMNAME(LONGUPPER) options unless the program-name is

298 Programming Guide

 less than or equal to 8 bytes and all uppercase. In addition, the name of the
program must be identical to the name of the module that contains it.
v When using the extended character set supported by PGMNAME(LONGMIXED), be
sure to use names that conform to the linkage-editor, binder, prelinker, or system
conventions that apply, depending on the mechanism used to resolve the names.
Using characters such as commas or parentheses is not recommended, because
these characters are used in the syntax of linkage-editor and binder control
statements.

QUOTE/APOST

QUOTE/APOST option syntax

QUOTE




APOST

Default is: QUOTE

Abbreviations are: Q|APOST

Use QUOTE if you want the figurative constant [ALL] QUOTE or [ALL] QUOTES to
represent one or more quotation mark (“) characters.

Use APOST if you want the figurative constant [ALL] QUOTE or [ALL] QUOTES to
represent one or more single quotation mark (’) characters.

Delimiters: You can use either quotation marks or single quotation marks as literal
delimiters regardless of whether the APOST or QUOTE option is in effect. The
delimiter character used as the opening delimiter for a literal must be used as the
closing delimiter for that literal.

RENT

RENT option syntax

RENT




NORENT

Default is: RENT

Abbreviations are: None

A program compiled as RENT is generated as a reentrant object program. A program

compiled as NORENT is generated as a nonreentrant object program. Either can be
invoked as a main program or subprogram.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 299

 DATA and RMODE settings: The RENT option interacts with other compiler options that
affect storage and its addressability. When a reentrant program is to be run with
extended addressing, you can use the DATA(24|31) option to control whether
dynamic data areas are allocated in unrestricted storage or in storage obtained
from below 16 MB. Compile programs with RENT or RMODE(ANY) if they will be run
with extended addressing in virtual storage addresses above 16 MB.

RENT also affects the RMODE (residency mode) of your generated object program. All
Enterprise COBOL programs are AMODE ANY.

DATA: The setting of the DATA option does not affect programs compiled with
NORENT.

CICS: You must use RENT for programs to be run under CICS.

UNIX: You must use RENT for programs to be run in the UNIX environment.

DB2: RENT is recommended for DB2 stored procedures, especially programs

designated as main.

Link-edit considerations: If all programs in a load module are compiled with RENT,
it is recommended that the load module be link-edited with the RENT linkage-editor
or binder option. (Use the REUS linkage-editor or binder option instead if the load
module will also contain any non-COBOL programs that are serially reusable.)

If any program in a load module is compiled with NORENT, the load module must
not be link-edited with the RENT or REUS link-edit attributes. The NOREUS
linkage-editor or binder option is needed to ensure that the CANCEL statement will
guarantee a fresh copy of the program on a subsequent CALL.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
Using reentrant code (IBM DB2 Application Programming and SQL Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

RMODE

RMODE option syntax

AUTO


RMODE( 24 )

ANY

Default is: AUTO

Abbreviations are: None

The RMODE option setting influences the RMODE (residency mode) of your generated
object program.

300 Programming Guide

 A program compiled with the RMODE(AUTO) option will have RMODE 24 if NORENT is
specified, and RMODE ANY if RENT is specified. RMODE(AUTO) is compatible with older
compilers such as VS COBOL II, which produced RMODE 24 for programs compiled
with NORENT and RMODE ANY for programs compiled with RENT.

A program compiled with the RMODE(24) option will have RMODE 24 whether NORENT
or RENT is specified.

A program compiled with the RMODE(ANY) option will have RMODE ANY whether
NORENT or RENT is specified.

DATA and RENT: The RMODE option interacts with other compiler options and
run-time options that affect storage and its addressability. See the related concepts
for information about passing data between programs with different modes.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED REFERENCES
“Allocation of buffers for QSAM files” on page 140
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

SEQUENCE

SEQUENCE option syntax

SEQUENCE




NOSEQUENCE

Default is: SEQUENCE

Abbreviations are: SEQ|NOSEQ

When you use SEQUENCE, the compiler examines columns 1 through 6 of your
source statements to check that the statements are arranged in ascending order
according to their EBCDIC collating sequence. The compiler issues a diagnostic
message if any statements are not in ascending sequence (source statements with
blanks in columns 1 through 6 do not participate in this sequence check and do
not result in messages).

If you use COPY statements and SEQUENCE is in effect, be sure that your source
program sequence fields and the copybook sequence fields are coordinated.

If you use NUMBER and SEQUENCE, the sequence is checked according to numeric,
rather than EBCDIC, collating sequence.

If you are doing a batch compilation and LIB and SEQUENCE are in effect, all
programs in the batch compile will be treated as a single input file. The sequence
numbers of the entire input file must be in ascending order.

Use NOSEQUENCE to suppress this checking and the diagnostic messages.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 301

 SIZE

SIZE option syntax

MAX


SIZE( nnnnn )

nnnK

Default is: SIZE(MAX)

Abbreviations are: SZ

Use SIZE to indicate the amount of main storage available for compilation.

nnnnn specifies a decimal number that must be at least 851968.

nnnK specifies a decimal number in 1-KB increments, where 1 KB = 1024 bytes.

The minimum acceptable value is 832K.

MAX requests the largest available block of storage in the user region for use during
compilation.

Do not use SIZE(MAX) if, when you invoke the compiler, you require it to leave a
| specific amount of unused storage available in the user region. For example, if you
| are using the CICS or SQL compiler option, use a value such as SIZE(4000K), which
| should work for most programs. If you compile in 31-bit mode and specify
SIZE(MAX), the compiler uses storage as follows:
v Above the 16-MB line: all the storage in the user region
v Below the 16-MB line: storage for:
– Work file buffers
– Compiler modules that must be loaded below the line

SOURCE

SOURCE option syntax

SOURCE




NOSOURCE

Default is: SOURCE

Abbreviations are: S|NOS

Use SOURCE to get a listing of your source program. This listing will include any
statements embedded by PROCESS or COPY statements.

You must specify SOURCE if you want embedded messages in the source listing.

302 Programming Guide

 Use NOSOURCE to suppress the source code from the compiler output listing.

If you want to limit the SOURCE output, use *CONTROL SOURCE or NOSOURCE
statements in your PROCEDURE DIVISION. Your source statements following a
*CONTROL NOSOURCE are not included in the listing at all, unless a *CONTROL SOURCE
statement switches the output back to normal SOURCE format.

“Example: MAP output” on page 336

RELATED REFERENCES
*CONTROL (*CBL) statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

SPACE

SPACE option syntax

1


SPACE( 2 )

3

Default is: SPACE(1)

Abbreviations are: None

Use SPACE to select single-, double-, or triple-spacing in your source code listing.

SPACE has meaning only when the SOURCE compiler option is in effect.

RELATED REFERENCES
“SOURCE” on page 302

SQL

SQL option syntax

NOSQL




SQL
("DB2-suboption-string")

Default is: NOSQL

Abbreviations are: None

Use the SQL compiler option to enable the DB2 coprocessor capability and to
specify DB2 suboptions. You must specify the SQL option if your COBOL source
program contains SQL statements and it has not been processed by the DB2
precompiler.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 303

 When you use the SQL option, the compiler writes the database request module
(DBRM) to ddname DBRMLIB. Note that the compiler needs access to DB2 Version
7 or later.

If you specify the NOSQL option, any SQL statements found in the source program
are diagnosed and discarded.

Use either quotation marks or single quotation marks to delimit the string of DB2
suboptions.

You can partition a long suboption string into multiple suboption strings on
multiple CBL statements. The DB2 suboptions are concatenated in the order of their
appearance. For example:
//STEP1 EXEC IGYWC, . . .
// PARM.COBOL=’SQL(“string1”)’
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
CBL SQL(“string2”)
CBL SQL(’string3’)
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. DRIVER1.
. . .

The compiler passes the following suboption string to the DB2 coprocessor:
“string1 string2 string3”

The concatenated strings are delimited with single spaces as shown. If multiple
instances of the same DB2 option are found, the last specification of each option
prevails. The compiler limits the length of the concatenated DB2 suboptions string
to 4 KB.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the SQL option” on page 373

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

SSRANGE

SSRANGE option syntax

NOSSRANGE




SSRANGE

Default is: NOSSRANGE

Abbreviations are: SSR|NOSSR

Use SSRANGE to generate code that checks if subscripts (including ALL subscripts) or
indexes try to reference an area outside the region of the table. Each subscript or
index is not individually checked for validity; rather, the effective address is

304 Programming Guide

 checked to ensure that it does not cause a reference outside the region of the table.
Variable-length items will also be checked to ensure that the reference is within
their maximum defined length.

Reference modification expressions will be checked to ensure that:

v The reference modification starting position is greater than or equal to 1.
v The reference modification starting position is not greater than the current length
of the subject data item.
v The reference modification length value (if specified) is greater than or equal to
1.
v The reference modification starting position and length value (if specified) do
not reference an area beyond the end of the subject data item.

If SSRANGE is in effect at compile time, the range-checking code is generated. You

can inhibit range checking by specifying CHECK(OFF) as a run-time option. This
leaves range-checking code dormant in the object code. Optionally, the
range-checking code can be used to aid in resolving any unexpected errors without
recompilation.

If an out-of-range condition is detected, an error message is displayed and the

program is terminated.

Remember: You will get range checking only if you compile your program with
the SSRANGE option and run it with the CHECK(ON) run-time option.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Reference modifiers” on page 94

TERMINAL

TERMINAL option syntax

NOTERMINAL




TERMINAL

Default is: NOTERMINAL

Abbreviations are: TERM|NOTERM

Use TERMINAL to send progress and diagnostic messages to the ddname SYSTERM.

Use NOTERMINAL if you do not want this additional output.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 305

TEST

TEST option syntax

NOTEST




TEST
ALL ,SYM ,NOSEPARATE
( NONE )
BLOCK ,SEPARATE
PATH ,NOSYM
STMT ,NOSEPARATE

Default is: NOTEST

Abbreviations are: SEP for SEPARATE and NOSEP for NOSEPARATE.

Use TEST to produce object code that enables Debug Tool to perform batch and
interactive debugging. The amount of debugging support available depends on
which TEST suboptions you use. The TEST option also allows you to request that
symbolic variables be included in the formatted dump produced by Language
Environment.

Use NOTEST if you do not want to generate object code with debugging information
and do not want the formatted dump to include symbolic variables.

TEST has three suboptions. You can specify any combination of suboptions (one,
two, or all), but you can specify SEPARATE only when SYM is in effect.

If you specify TEST without any suboptions, TEST(ALL,SYM,NOSEP) will be in effect.

Hook location suboptions
NONE No hooks will be generated.
BLOCK Hooks will be generated at all program entry and exit points.
PATH Hooks will be generated at all program entry and exit points and
at all path points. A path point is any location in a program where
the logic flow is not necessarily sequential or can change. Some
examples of path points are IF-THEN-ELSE constructs, PERFORM
loops, ON SIZE ERROR phrases, and CALL statements.
STMT Hooks will be generated at every statement and label, and at all
program entry and exit points. In addition, if the DATEPROC option
is in effect, hooks will be generated at all date-processing
statements.
ALL Hooks will be generated at all statements, all path points, and at
all program entry and exit points (both outermost and in contained
programs). In addition, if the DATEPROC option is in effect, hooks
will be generated at all date-processing statements.

Symbolic information suboptions

306 Programming Guide

 SYM When you specify the SYM suboption, the compiler generates
symbol information tables. These tables are required if you:
v Refer to COBOL identifiers, such as data-names, file-names, and
special registers, in Debug Tool commands such as LIST, MOVE,
SET, IF, PERFORM, and EVALUATE
v Use the automonitor and the playback (saving the application
data value history) features of Debug Tool
v Specify that the Language Environment dump of the program
include a formatted dump of the data items that are declared in
the program
NOSYM The compiler does not generate symbol information tables.

Symbolic information location suboptions

SEPARATE
Specify the SEPARATE suboption to control module size while
retaining debugging capability. Symbolic information is written to
the SYSDEBUG file instead of to the object module. See the
additional information below about controlling module size while
retaining debug capability.
NOSEPARATE
When you do not specify the SEPARATE suboption, the symbolic
information is included in the object module.

Controlling module size while retaining debugging capability: For symbolic

debugging, compile your programs with TEST(SYM). This option causes the
compiler to generate debugging information tables that Debug Tool uses to resolve
data-names, paragraph-names, and the like. This information can take a lot of
storage. You can choose to either compile the information into the object program
or write it to a separate file, the SYSDEBUG file. For smaller load modules, use the
SEPARATE suboption and keep the separate debugging files to use for Debug Tool
sessions. To avoid the management of separate debugging files, you can compile
with the NOSEPARATE suboption, but this option will result in larger load modules.

When you invoke the COBOL compiler from JCL or from TSO and you specify
TEST(. . .,SYM,SEPARATE), the symbolic debug information tables are written to
the data set that is specified in the SYSDEBUG DD statement. The SYSDEBUG DD
statement must specify the name of a sequential data set, the name of a PDS or
PDSE member, or an HFS path. The data set LRECL must be greater than or equal
to 80, and less than or equal to 1024. The default LRECL for SYSDEBUG is 1024. The
data set RECFM can be F or FB. You can set the block size by using the BLKSIZE
subparameter of the DCB parameter, or leave it to the system to set the
system-determined default block size.

When you invoke the COBOL compiler from the UNIX shell and you specify
TEST(. . .,SYM,SEPARATE), the symbolic debug information tables are written to
file.dbg in the current directory, where file is the name of the COBOL source file.

Performance versus debugging capability: You can control the amount of

debugging capability you get and so also the performance, as follows:
v For high performance and some restrictions on debugging, specify OPT and
TEST(NONE,SYM).

Chapter 17. Compiler options 307

 When you use the dynamic debug facility of Debug Tool (SET DYNDEBUG ON), you
can interactively debug your program even if the program has no compiled-in
debug hooks. To use this function, compile with TEST(NONE,SYM). With this
option, you can also compile with OPTIMIZE (either OPTIMIZE(STD) or
OPTIMIZE(FULL)) for a more efficient program, but with some restrictions on
debugging:
– The GOTO Debug Tool command is not supported.
– Except for the DESCRIBE ATTRIBUTES command, Debug Tool commands cannot
refer to any data item that was discarded from your program by the
OPTIMIZE(FULL) option.
– The AT CALL entry-name Debug Tool command is not supported.
v For medium performance and fewer restrictions on debugging, specify NOOPT
and TEST(NONE,SYM).
This combination does not run as fast as optimized code, but it provides
increased debugging capability. All Debug Tool commands are supported except
the AT CALL entry-name command.
v For slow performance but maximum debugging capabilities, specify TEST(ALL).
The TEST(ALL) option causes the compiler to put compiled-in hooks at every
statement, resulting in much slower code, but all Debug Tool commands are
supported.

Language Environment: The TEST option can improve your formatted dumps from
Language Environment in two ways:
v Use the TEST option (with any suboptions) to have line numbers in the dump
that indicate the failing statement, rather than just an offset.
v Use the SYM suboption of TEST to have the values of the program variables listed
in the dump.

With NOTEST, the dump will not have program variables and will not have a line
number for the failing statement.

Enterprise COBOL uses the Language Environment-provided dump services to

produce dumps that are consistent in content and format with those that are
produced by other Language Environment-conforming member languages.
Whether Language Environment produces a dump for unhandled conditions
depends on the setting of the run-time option TERMTHDACT. If you specify
TERMTHDACT(DUMP), a dump is generated when a condition of severity 2 or greater
goes unhandled.

SEPARATE suboption and Language Environment: For programs that are compiled
with the SEPARATE suboption of TEST, Language Environment gets the data set
name for the separate file (which is stored in DD SYSDEBUG by the compiler) from
the object program. You cannot change the name of the data set at run time. Use
the same data set name for SYSDEBUG at compile time that you want Language
Environment to use at run time.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Considerations for setting TERMTHDACT options (Language Environment
Debugging Guide)

RELATED TASKS
“Defining the debug data set (SYSDEBUG)” on page 237
Generating a dump (Language Environment Debugging Guide)
Invoking Debug Tool using the run-time TEST option (Debug Tool User’s Guide)

308 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269
“OPTIMIZE” on page 295
TEST | NOTEST (Language Environment Programming Reference)

THREAD

THREAD option syntax

NOTHREAD




THREAD

Default is: NOTHREAD

Abbreviations are: None

THREAD indicates that the COBOL program is to be enabled for execution in a

Language Environment enclave with multiple POSIX threads or PL/I tasks.

A program that has been compiled with the THREAD option can also be used in a
nonthreaded application. However, when a COBOL program is to be executed in a
threaded application, all the COBOL programs in the Language Environment
enclave must be compiled with the THREAD option.

NOTHREAD indicates that the COBOL program is not to be enabled for execution in
an enclave with multiple POSIX threads or PL/I tasks.

Programs compiled with compilers earlier than Enterprise COBOL are treated as
compiled with NOTHREAD.

When the THREAD option is in effect, the following language elements are not
supported. If encountered, they are diagnosed as errors:
v ALTER statement
v DEBUG-ITEM special register
v GO TO statement without procedure-name
v RERUN
v STOP literal statement
v Segmentation module
v USE FOR DEBUGGING statement
v INITIAL phrase in PROGRAM-ID clause
v Nested programs
v SORT or MERGE statements

Additionally, some language constructs have different semantics than in the

nonthreaded case.

Although threaded applications are subject to a number of programming and

environment restrictions, the use of a program in nonthreaded applications is not
so restricted. For example, a program compiled with the THREAD option can run in

Chapter 17. Compiler options 309

 the CICS and IMS environments, can run AMODE 24, and can call and be called by
other programs that are not enabled for multithreading, as long as the application
does not contain multiple POSIX threads or PL/I tasks at run time.

Programs compiled with the THREAD option are supported in a reusable

environment created by calling the Language Environment preinitialization routine
CEEPIPI. But a reusable environment created by calling IGZERRE or ILBOSTP0 or
by using the RTEREUS run-time option is not supported for programs compiled with
the THREAD option.

Performance: With the THREAD option, you can anticipate some run-time
performance degradation due to the overhead of serialization logic that is
automatically generated.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 27, “Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading,” on page 437

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

TRUNC

TRUNC option syntax

STD


TRUNC( OPT )

BIN

Default is: TRUNC(STD)

Abbreviations are: None

TRUNC has no effect on COMP-5 data items; COMP-5 items are handled as if
TRUNC(BIN) were in effect regardless of the TRUNC suboption specified.
TRUNC(STD)
Use TRUNC(STD) to control the way arithmetic fields are truncated during
MOVE and arithmetic operations. TRUNC(STD) applies only to USAGE BINARY
receiving fields in MOVE statements and arithmetic expressions. When
TRUNC(STD) is in effect, the final result of an arithmetic expression, or the
sending field in the MOVE statement, is truncated to the number of digits in
the PICTURE clause of the BINARY receiving field.
TRUNC(OPT)
TRUNC(OPT) is a performance option. When TRUNC(OPT) is in effect, the
compiler assumes that data conforms to PICTURE specifications in USAGE
BINARY receiving fields in MOVE statements and arithmetic expressions. The
results are manipulated in the most optimal way, either truncating to the
number of digits in the PICTURE clause, or to the size of the binary field in
storage (halfword, fullword, or doubleword).
Tips:
v Use the TRUNC(OPT) option only if you are sure that the data being
moved into the binary areas will not have a value with larger precision

310 Programming Guide

 than that defined by the PICTURE clause for the binary item. Otherwise,
unpredictable results could occur. This truncation is performed in the
most efficient manner possible; therefore, the results will be dependent
on the particular code sequence generated. It is not possible to predict
the truncation without seeing the code sequence generated for a
particular statement.
v There are some cases when programs compiled with the TRUNC(OPT)
option under Enterprise COBOL could give different results than the
same programs compiled under OS/VS COBOL with NOTRUNC. You must
actually lose nonzero high-order digits for this difference to appear. For
statements where loss of high-order digits might cause a difference in
results between Enterprise COBOL and OS/VS COBOL, Enterprise
COBOL will issue a diagnostic message. If you receive this message,
make sure that either the sending items will not contain large numbers
or that the receivers are defined with enough digits in the PICTURE clause
to handle the largest sending data items.
TRUNC(BIN)
The TRUNC(BIN) option applies to all COBOL language that processes USAGE
BINARY data. When TRUNC(BIN) is in effect, all binary items (USAGE COMP,
COMP-4, or BINARY) are handled as native hardware binary items, that is, as
if they were each individually declared USAGE COMP-5:
v BINARY receiving fields are truncated only at halfword, fullword, or
doubleword boundaries.
v BINARY sending fields are handled as halfwords, fullwords, or
doublewords when the receiver is numeric; TRUNC(BIN) has no effect
when the receiver is not numeric.
v The full binary content of fields is significant.
v DISPLAY will convert the entire content of binary fields with no
truncation.

Recommendations: TRUNC(BIN) is the recommended option for programs

that use binary values set by other products. Other products, such as IMS,
DB2, C/C++, FORTRAN, and PL/I, might place values in COBOL binary
data items that do not conform to the PICTURE clause of the data items. You
can use TRUNC(OPT) with CICS programs as long as your data conforms to
the PICTURE clause for your BINARY data items.

| USAGE COMP-5 has the effect of applying TRUNC(BIN) behavior to individual

| data items. Therefore, you can avoid the performance overhead of using
| TRUNC(BIN) for every binary data item by specifying COMP-5 on only some
| of the binary data items, such as those data items that are passed to
| non-COBOL programs or other products and subsystems. The use of
COMP-5 is not affected by the TRUNC suboption in effect.

Large literals in VALUE clauses: When you use the compiler option
TRUNC(BIN), numeric literals specified in VALUE clauses for binary data
items (COMP, COMP-4, or BINARY) can generally contain a value of magnitude
up to the capacity of the native binary representation (2, 4, or 8 bytes)
rather than being limited to the value implied by the number of 9s in the
PICTURE clause.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 311

 TRUNC example 1
01 BIN-VAR PIC 99 USAGE BINARY.
. . .
MOVE 123451 to BIN-VAR

The following table shows values of the data items after the MOVE:

Data item Decimal Hex Display

Sender 123451 00|01|E2|3B 123451
Receiver TRUNC(STD) 51 00|33 51
Receiver TRUNC(OPT) -7621 E2|3B 2J
Receiver TRUNC(BIN) -7621 E2|3B 762J

A halfword of storage is allocated for BIN-VAR. The result of this MOVE statement if
the program is compiled with the TRUNC(STD) option is 51; the field is truncated to
conform to the PICTURE clause.

If you compile the program with TRUNC(BIN), the result of the MOVE statement is
-7621. The reason for the unusual result is that nonzero high-order digits are
truncated. Here, the generated code sequence would merely move the lower
halfword quantity X’E23B’ to the receiver. Because the new truncated value
overflows into the sign bit of the binary halfword, the value becomes a negative
number.

It is better not to compile this MOVE statement with TRUNC(OPT), because 123451 has
greater precision than the PICTURE clause for BIN-VAR. With TRUNC(OPT), the results
are again -7621. This is because the best performance was gained by not doing a
decimal truncation.

TRUNC example 2
01 BIN-VAR PIC 9(6) USAGE BINARY
. . .
MOVE 1234567891 to BIN-VAR

The following table shows values of the data items after the MOVE:

Data item Decimal Hex Display

Sender 1234567891 49|96|02|D3 1234567891
Receiver TRUNC(STD) 567891 00|08|AA|53 567891
Receiver TRUNC(OPT) 567891 53|AA|08|00 567891
Receiver TRUNC(BIN) 1234567891 49|96|02|D3 1234567891

When you specify TRUNC(STD), the sending data is truncated to six integer digits to
conform to the PICTURE clause of the BINARY receiver.

When you specify TRUNC(OPT), the compiler assumes the sending data is not larger
than the PICTURE clause precision of the BINARY receiver. The most efficient code
sequence in this case is truncation as if TRUNC(STD) were in effect.

When you specify TRUNC(BIN), no truncation occurs because all of the sending data
fits into the binary fullword allocated for BIN-VAR.

312 Programming Guide

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

RELATED REFERENCES
VALUE clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

VBREF

VBREF option syntax

NOVBREF




VBREF

Default is: NOVBREF

Abbreviations are: None

Use VBREF to get a cross-reference among all verb types used in the source program
and the line numbers in which they are used. VBREF also produces a summary of
how many times each verb was used in the program.

Use NOVBREF for more efficient compilation.

WORD

WORD option syntax

NOWORD




WORD(xxxx)

Default is: NOWORD

Abbreviations are: WD|NOWD

xxxx specifies the ending characters of the name of the reserved-word table
(IGYCxxxx) to be used in your compilation. IGYC are the first four standard
characters of the name, and xxxx can be one to four characters in length.

Use WORD(xxxx) to specify that an alternate reserved-word table is to be used during

compilation.

Chapter 17. Compiler options 313

 Alternate reserved-word tables provide changes to the IBM-supplied default
reserved-word table. Your systems programmer might have created one or more
alternate reserved-word tables for your site. See your systems programmer for the
names of alternate reserved-word tables.

Enterprise COBOL provides an alternate reserved-word table (IGYCCICS)

specifically for CICS applications. It is set up to flag COBOL words not supported
under CICS with an error message. If you want to use this CICS reserved-word
table during your compilation, specify the compiler option WORD(CICS).

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

RELATED REFERENCES
“Conflicting compiler options” on page 269

XREF

XREF option syntax

XREF
FULL
( SHORT )




NOXREF

Default is: XREF(FULL)

Abbreviations are: X|NOX

You can choose XREF, XREF(FULL), or XREF(SHORT). If you specify XREF without any
suboptions, XREF(FULL) is in effect.

Use XREF to get a sorted cross-reference listing. EBCDIC data-names and

procedure-names are listed in alphanumeric order. DBCS data-names and
procedure-names are listed based on their physical order in the program, and
appear before the EBCDIC data-names and procedure-names unless the DBCSXREF
installation option is selected with a DBCS ordering program. In this case, DBCS
data-names and procedure-names are ordered as specified by the DBCS ordering
program.

Also included is a section listing all the program-names that are referenced in your
program, and the line number where they are defined. External program-names are
identified.

If you use XREF and SOURCE, cross-reference information is printed on the same line
as the original source in the listing. Line number references or other information
appears on the right-hand side of the listing page. On the right of source lines that
reference an intrinsic function, the letters IFN are printed with the line numbers of
the location where the function arguments are defined. Information included in the
embedded references lets you know if an identifier is undefined or defined more
than once (UND or DUP, respectively), if items are implicitly defined (IMP) (such as
special registers or figurative constants), or if a program-name is external (EXT).

314 Programming Guide

 If you use XREF and NOSOURCE, you get only the sorted cross-reference listing.

XREF(SHORT) prints only the explicitly referenced data items in the cross-reference
listing. XREF(SHORT) applies to DBCS data-names and procedure-names as well as
to single-byte names.

NOXREF suppresses this listing.

Usage notes
v Group names used in a MOVE CORRESPONDING statement are in the XREF listing. In
addition, the elementary names in those groups are also listed.
v In the data-name XREF listing, line numbers preceded by the letter M indicate that
the data item is explicitly modified by a statement on that line.
v XREF listings take additional storage.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Chapter 19, “Debugging,” on page 321

RELATED TASKS
“Getting listings” on page 331

RELATED REFERENCES
COBOL compiler options (Language Environment Debugging Guide)

YEARWINDOW

YEARWINDOW option syntax

YEARWINDOW(base-year)


Default is: YEARWINDOW(1900)

Abbreviation is: YW

Use the YEARWINDOW option to specify the first year of the 100-year window (the
century window) to be applied to windowed date field processing by the COBOL
compiler.

base-year represents the first year of the 100-year window, and must be specified as
one of the following:
v An unsigned decimal number between 1900 and 1999.
This specifies the starting year of a fixed window. For example,
YEARWINDOW(1930) indicates a century window of 1930-2029.
v A negative integer from -1 through -99.
This indicates a sliding window, where the first year of the window is calculated
from the current run-time date. The number is subtracted from the current year
to give the starting year of the century window. For example, YEARWINDOW(-80)
indicates that the first year of the century window is 80 years before the current
year at the time the program is run.

Usage notes

Chapter 17. Compiler options 315

 v The YEARWINDOW option has no effect unless the DATEPROC option is also in effect.
v At run time, two conditions must be true:
– The century window must have its beginning year in the 1900s.
– The current year must lie within the century window for the compilation
unit.
For example, if the current year is 2004, the DATEPROC option is in effect, and you
use the YEARWINDOW(1900) option, the program will terminate with an error
message.

ZWB

ZWB option syntax

ZWB




NOZWB

Default is: ZWB

Abbreviations are: None

With ZWB, the compiler removes the sign from a signed external decimal (DISPLAY)
field when comparing this field to an alphanumeric elementary field during
execution.

If the external decimal item is a scaled item (contains the symbol P in its PICTURE
character string), its use in comparisons is not affected by ZWB. Such items always
have their sign removed before the comparison is made to the alphanumeric field.

ZWB affects how the program runs; the same COBOL source program can give
different results, depending on the option setting.

Use NOZWB if you want to test input numeric fields for SPACES.

316 Programming Guide

Chapter 18. Compiler-directing statements
Several statements help you to direct the compilation of your program.
BASIS statement
This extended source program library statement provides a complete
COBOL program as the source for a compilation. For rules of formation
and processing, see the description of text-name for the COPY statement.
*CONTROL (*CBL) statement
This compiler-directing statement selectively suppresses or allows output
to be produced. The names *CONTROL and *CBL are synonymous.
COPY statement

COPY statement syntax

COPY text-name

literal-1 OF library-name
IN literal-2

This library statement places prewritten text into a COBOL program. A

user-defined word can be the same as a text-name or a library-name. The
uniqueness of text-name and library-name is determined after the formation
and conversion rules for a system-dependent name have been applied. If
library-name is omitted, SYSLIB is assumed.

When compiling with JCL:

text-name, library-name, and literal are processed as follows:

v The name (which can be one to 30 characters long) is truncated to eight
characters. Only the first eight characters of text-name and library-name
are used as the identifying name. These eight characters must be unique
within one COBOL library.
v The name is folded to uppercase.
v Hyphens that are not the first or last character are translated to zero (0),
and a warning message is given.
v If the first character is numeric, then the characters (1-9) are translated to
A-I, and a warning message is given. An error message is given if the
first or last character is a hyphen (or if it is a hyphen, @, #, or $ for a
literal).

For example:
COPY INVOICES1Q
COPY “Company-#Employees” IN Personellib

In the IN/OF phrase, library-name is the ddname that identifies the

partitioned data set to be copied from. Use a DD statement such as in the
following example to define library-name:
//COPYLIB DD DSNAME=ABC.COB,VOLUME=SER=111111,
// DISP=SHR,UNIT=3380

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 317

 To specify more than one copy library, use either JCL or a combination of
JCL and the IN/OF phrase. Using just JCL, concatenate data sets on your DD
statement for SYSLIB. Alternatively, define multiple DD statements and
include the IN/OF phrase on your COPY statements.

The maximum block size for the copy library depends on the device on
which your data set resides.

When compiling in the UNIX System Services shell:

When you compile with the cob2 command, copybooks are included from
the HFS. text-name, library-name, and literal are processed as follows:
v User-defined words are folded to uppercase. Literals are not. Because
UNIX is case sensitive, if your file name is lowercase or mixed case, you
must specify it as a literal.
v When text-name is a literal and library-name is omitted, text-name is used
directly: as a file name, a relative path name, or an absolute path name
(if the first character is /). For example:
COPY “MyInc”
COPY “x/MyInc”
COPY “/u/user1/MyInc”
v When text-name is a user-defined word and an environment variable of
that name is defined, the value of the environment variable is used as
the name of the file containing the copybook.
If an environment variable of that name is not defined, the copybook is
searched for as the following names, in the order given:
1. text-name.cpy
2. text-name.CPY
3. text-name.cbl
4. text-name.CBL
5. text-name.cob
6. text-name.COB
7. text-name
v When library-name is a literal, it is treated as the actual path, relative or
absolute, from which to copy file text-name.
v When library-name is a user-defined word, it is treated as an environment
variable. The value of the environment variable is used as the path. If
the environment variable is not set, an error occurs.
v If both library-name and text-name are specified, the compiler forms the
path name for the copybook by concatenating library-name and text-name
with a path separator (/) inserted between the two values. For example,
suppose you have the following setting for COPY MYCOPY OF MYLIB:
export MYCOPY=mystuff/today.cpy
export MYLIB=/u/user1
These settings result in:
/u/user1/mystuff/today.cpy

When library-name is an environment variable that identifies the path from

which copybooks are to be copied, use an export command such as the
following example to define library-name:
export COPYLIB=/u/mystuff/copybooks

318 Programming Guide

 The name of the environment variable must be uppercase. To specify more
than one copy library, set the environment variable to multiple path names
delimited by colon (:).

When library-name is omitted and text-name is not an absolute path name,

the copybook is searched for in this order:
1. In the current directory
2. In the paths specified on the -I cob2 option
3. In the paths specified in the SYSLIB environment variable
DELETE statement
This extended source library statement removes COBOL statements from
the BASIS source program.
EJECT statement
This compiler-directing statement specifies that the next source statement is
to be printed at the top of the next page.
ENTER statement
The compiler handles this statement as a comment.
INSERT statement
This library statement adds COBOL statements to the BASIS source
program.
PROCESS (CBL) statement
This statement, which is placed before the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
header of an outermost program, indicates which compiler options are to
be used during compilation of the program.
REPLACE statement
This statement is used to replace source program text.
SERVICE LABEL statement
This statement is generated by the CICS translator to indicate control flow.
It is not intended for general use.
SKIP1/2/3 statement
These statements indicate lines to be skipped in the source listing.
TITLE statement
This statement specifies that a title (header) should be printed at the top of
each page of the source listing.
USE statement
The USE statement provides declaratives to specify the following:
v Error-handling procedures: EXCEPTION/ERROR
v User label-handling procedures: LABEL
v Debugging lines and sections: DEBUGGING

RELATED TASKS
“Changing the header of a source listing” on page 7
“Eliminating repetitive coding” on page 595
“Specifying compiler options under z/OS” on page 238
“Specifying compiler options under UNIX” on page 250
“Setting environment variables under UNIX” on page 249

Chapter 18. Compiler-directing statements 319

 RELATED REFERENCES
“cob2” on page 253
Enterprise COBOL Language Reference

320 Programming Guide

 Chapter 19. Debugging
You can choose from two approaches to determine the cause of problems in
program behavior of your application: source-language debugging or interactive
debugging.

For source-language debugging, COBOL provides several language elements,

compiler options, and listing outputs that make debugging easier.

If the problem with your program is not easily detected and you do not have a
debugger available, you might need to analyze a storage dump of your program.

For interactive debugging, you can also use Debug Tool, which is available in the
Full Function offering of this compiler.

Debug Tool offers these productivity enhancements:

v Interactive debugging (in full-screen or line mode), or debugging in batch mode
During an interactive full-screen mode session, you can use Debug Tool’s
full-screen services and session panel windows on a 3270 device to debug your
program while it is running.
v COBOL-like commands
For each high-level language supported, commands for coding actions to be
taken at breakpoints are provided in a syntax similar to that programming
language.
v Mixed-language debugging
You can debug an application that contains programs written in a different
language. Debug Tool automatically determines the language of the program or
subprogram being run.
v COBOL-CICS debugging
Debug Tool supports the debugging of CICS applications in both interactive and
batch mode.
v Support for remote debugging
| Workstation users can use the Debug Perspective of WebSphere Studio
| Enterprise Developer for debugging programs that reside on z/OS.

RELATED TASKS
“Debugging with source language” on page 322
“Debugging using compiler options” on page 325
“Getting listings” on page 331
“Preparing to use the debugger” on page 355
Debug Tool User’s Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
Debug Tool Reference and Messages
Formatting and analyzing system dumps (Language Environment Debugging Guide)
Debugging example COBOL programs (Language Environment Debugging Guide)

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 321

Debugging with source language
You can use several COBOL language features to pinpoint the cause of a failure in
your program. If the program is part of a large application already in production
(precluding source updates), write a small test case to simulate the failing part of
the program. Code certain debugging features in the test case to help detect these
problems:
v Errors in program logic
v Input-output errors
v Mismatches of data types
v Uninitialized data
v Problems with procedures

RELATED TASKS
“Tracing program logic”
“Finding and handling input-output errors” on page 323
“Validating data” on page 323
“Finding uninitialized data” on page 323
“Generating information about procedures” on page 324

RELATED REFERENCES
Source language debugging (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Tracing program logic

Trace the logic of your program by adding DISPLAY statements. For example, if you
determine that the problem is in an EVALUATE statement or in a set of nested IF
statements, use DISPLAY statements in each path to see the logic flow. If you
determine that the calculation of a numeric value is causing the problem, use
DISPLAY statements to check the value of some interim results.

If you have used explicit scope terminators to end statements in your program, the
logic of your program is more apparent and therefore easier to trace.

To determine whether a particular routine started and finished, you might insert
code like this into your program:
DISPLAY “ENTER CHECK PROCEDURE”
.
. (checking procedure routine)
.
DISPLAY “FINISHED CHECK PROCEDURE”

After you are sure that the routine works correctly, disable the DISPLAY statements
in one of two ways:
v Put an asterisk in column 7 of each DISPLAY statement line to convert it to a
comment line.
v Put a D in column 7 of each DISPLAY statement to convert it to a comment line.
When you want to reactivate these statements, include a WITH DEBUGGING MODE
clause in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION; the D in column 7 is ignored and the
DISPLAY statements are implemented.

Before you put the program into production, delete or disable the debugging aids
you used and recompile the program. The program will run more efficiently and
use less storage.

322 Programming Guide

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Scope terminators” on page 21

RELATED REFERENCES
DISPLAY statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Finding and handling input-output errors

File status keys can help you determine whether your program errors are due to
input-output errors occurring on the storage media.

To use file status keys in debugging, include a test after each input-output
statement to check for a nonzero value in the status key. If the value is nonzero (as
reported in an error message), you should look at the coding of the input-output
procedures in the program. You can also include procedures to correct the error
based on the value of the status key.

If you have determined that a problem lies in an input-output procedure, include

the USE EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative to help debug the problem. Then, when a file
fails to open, the appropriate EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative is performed. The
appropriate declarative might be a specific one for the file or one provided for the
open attributes INPUT, OUTPUT, I-O, or EXTEND.

Code each USE AFTER STANDARD ERROR statement in a section immediately after the
DECLARATIVE SECTION keyword of the PROCEDURE DIVISION.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding ERROR declaratives” on page 207

RELATED REFERENCES
Status key values and meanings (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Status key (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Validating data
If you suspect that your program is trying to perform arithmetic on nonnumeric
data or is somehow receiving the wrong type of data on an input record, use the
class test to validate the type of data. The class test checks whether data is
alphabetic, alphabetic-lower, alphabetic-upper, DBCS, KANJI, or numeric.

RELATED REFERENCES
Class condition (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Finding uninitialized data

Use INITIALIZE or SET statements to initialize a table or data item when you
suspect that the problem might be caused by residual data left in those fields.

If the problem happens intermittently and not always with the same data, it could
be that a switch is not initialized but generally is set to the right value (0 or 1) by
accident. By including a SET statement to ensure that the switch is initialized, you
can either determine that the uninitialized switch is the problem or remove that as
a possible cause.

RELATED REFERENCES
INITIALIZE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
SET statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Chapter 19. Debugging 323

 Generating information about procedures
Generate information about your program or test case and how it is running with
the USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative. This declarative lets you include statements in
the program and indicate when they should be performed when you run your
program.

For example, to check how many times a procedure is run, you could include a
debugging procedure in the USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative and use a counter to
keep track of the number of times control passes to that procedure. You can use
the counter technique to check items such as these:
v How many times a PERFORM runs and thus whether a particular routine is being
used and whether the control structure is correct
v How many times a loop routine runs and thus whether the loop is executing
and whether the number for the loop is accurate

You can have debugging lines or debugging statements or both in your program.

Debugging lines
Debugging lines are statements that are identified by a D in column 7. To make
debugging lines in your program active, include the WITH DEBUGGING MODE clause
on the SOURCE-COMPUTER line in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. Otherwise debugging
lines are treated as comments.

Debugging statements
Debugging statements are the statements coded in the DECLARATIVES SECTION of the
PROCEDURE DIVISION. Code each USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative in a separate
section. Code the debugging statements as follows:
v Only in a DECLARATIVES SECTION.
v Following the header USE FOR DEBUGGING.
v Only in the outermost program; they are not valid in nested programs.
Debugging statements are also never triggered by procedures contained in
nested programs.

To use debugging statements in your program, you must include the WITH
DEBUGGING MODE clause and use the DEBUG run-time option. However, you cannot
use the USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative in a program that you compile with the
THREAD option.

The WITH DEBUGGING MODE clause and the TEST compiler option (with any suboption
value other than NONE) are mutually exclusive. If both are present, the WITH
DEBUGGING MODE clause takes precedence.

“Example: USE FOR DEBUGGING”

RELATED REFERENCES
Debugging line (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Coding debugging sections (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
DEBUGGING declarative (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: USE FOR DEBUGGING

These program segments show what kind of statements are needed to use a
DISPLAY statement and a USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative to test a program. The

324 Programming Guide

 DISPLAY statement generates information on the terminal or in the output data set.
The USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative is used with a counter to show how many
times a routine runs.
Environment Division.
...
Data Division.
...
Working-Storage Section.
... (other entries your program needs)
01 Trace-Msg PIC X(30) Value “ Trace for Procedure-Name : ”.
01 Total PIC 9(9) Value 1.
...
Procedure Division.
Declaratives.
Debug-Declaratives Section.
Use For Debugging On Some-Routine.
Debug-Declaratives-Paragraph.
Display Trace-Msg, Debug-Name, Total.
End Declaratives.

Main-Program Section.
... (source program statements)
Perform Some-Routine.
... (source program statements)
Stop Run.
Some-Routine.
...(whatever statements you need in this paragraph)
Add 1 To Total.
Some-Routine-End.

In this example the DISPLAY statement in the DECLARATIVES SECTION issues this
message every time the procedure Some-Routine runs:
Trace For Procedure-Name : Some-Routine 22

The number at the end of the message, 22, is the value accumulated in the data
item Total; it shows the number of times Some-Routine has run. The statements in
the debugging declarative are performed before the named procedure runs.

You can also use the DISPLAY statement to trace program execution and show the
flow through the program. You do this by dropping Total from the DISPLAY
statement and changing the USE FOR DEBUGGING declarative in the DECLARATIVES
SECTION to:
USE FOR DEBUGGING ON ALL PROCEDURES.

Now a message is displayed before every nondebugging procedure in the

outermost program is run.

Debugging using compiler options

Use certain compiler options to generate information to help you find errors in
your program such as these:
v Syntax errors such as duplicate data names (NOCOMPILE)
v Missing sections (SEQUENCE)
v Invalid subscript values (SSRANGE)

In addition, you can use certain compiler options to help you find these elements
in your program:
v Error messages and where the errors occurred (FLAG)

Chapter 19. Debugging 325

 v Program entity definitions and references (XREF)
v Items you defined in the DATA DIVISION (MAP)
v Verb references (VBREF)
v Assembler-language expansion (LIST)

You can get a copy of your source (by using the SOURCE compiler option) or a
listing of generated code (by using the LIST compiler option).

There is also a compiler option (TEST) that you need to use to prepare your
program for debugging.

RELATED TASKS
“Selecting the level of error to be diagnosed” on page 328
“Finding coding errors”
“Finding line sequence problems” on page 327
“Checking for valid ranges” on page 327
“Finding program entity definitions and references” on page 329
“Listing data items” on page 330
“Getting listings” on page 331
“Preparing to use the debugger” on page 355

RELATED REFERENCES
“COMPILE” on page 275
“SEQUENCE” on page 301
“SSRANGE” on page 304
“FLAG” on page 284
“XREF” on page 314
“MAP” on page 290
“VBREF” on page 313
“LIST” on page 289
“TEST” on page 306

Finding coding errors

Use the NOCOMPILE compiler option for compiling conditionally or for checking
syntax only. When used with the SOURCE option, NOCOMPILE produces a listing that
will help you find your COBOL coding mistakes such as missing definitions,
improperly defined data items, and duplicate data-names.

If you are compiling in the TSO foreground, you can send the messages to your
screen by defining your data set as the SYSTERM data set and using the TERM
option when you compile your program.

Checking syntax only

Use NOCOMPILE without parameters to have the compiler only syntax-check the
source program and produce no object code. If you also specify the SOURCE option,
the compiler produces a listing after completing the syntax check.

The following compiler options are suppressed when you use NOCOMPILE without
parameters: DECK, OFFSET, LIST, OBJECT, OPTIMIZE, SSRANGE, and TEST.

Compiling conditionally
When you use NOCOMPILE(x), where x is one of the severity levels for errors, your
program is compiled if all the errors are of a lower severity than the x level. The
severity levels (from highest to lowest) that you can use are S (severe), E (error),
and W (warning).

326 Programming Guide

 If an error of x level or higher occurs, the compilation stops and your program is
syntax-checked only. You receive a source listing if you have specified the SOURCE
option.

RELATED REFERENCES
“COMPILE” on page 275

Finding line sequence problems

Use the SEQUENCE compiler option to find statements that are out of sequence.
Breaks in sequence indicate that a section of your source program was moved or
deleted.

When you use SEQUENCE, the compiler checks the source statement numbers you
have supplied to see whether they are in ascending sequence. Two asterisks are
placed beside statement numbers that are out of sequence. Also, the total number
of these statements is printed as the first line of the diagnostics after the source
listing.

RELATED REFERENCES
“SEQUENCE” on page 301

Checking for valid ranges

Use the SSRANGE compiler option to check the following ranges:
v Subscripted or indexed data references
Is the effective address of the desired element within the maximum boundary of
the specified table?
v Variable-length data references (a reference to a data item that contains an
OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause)
Is the actual length positive and within the maximum defined length for the
group data item?
v Reference-modified data references
Are the offset and length positive? Is the sum of the offset and length within the
maximum length for the data item?

When the SSRANGE option is specified, checking is performed at run time when
both of the following are true:
v The COBOL statement containing the indexed, subscripted, variable-length, or
reference-modified data item is performed.
v The CHECK run-time option is ON.

If a check finds that an address is generated outside the address range of the data
item that contains the referenced data, an error message is generated and the
program stops. The error message identifies the table or identifier that was
referenced and the line number where the error occurred. Additional information is
provided depending on the type of reference that caused the error.

If all subscripts, indices, or reference modifiers are literals in a given data reference
and they result in a reference outside the data item, the error is diagnosed at
compile time regardless of the setting of the SSRANGE compiler option.

Performance consideration: SSRANGE can degrade the performance of your

program somewhat because of the extra overhead to check each subscripted or
indexed item.

Chapter 19. Debugging 327

 RELATED REFERENCES
“SSRANGE” on page 304
“Performance-related compiler options” on page 589

Selecting the level of error to be diagnosed

Use the FLAG compiler option to select the level of error to be diagnosed during
compilation and to indicate whether syntax-error messages are embedded in the
listing. Use FLAG(I) or FLAG(I,I) to be notified of all errors in your program.

Specify as the first parameter the lowest severity level of the syntax-error messages
to be issued. Optionally, specify the second parameter as the lowest level of the
syntax-error messages to be embedded in the source listing. This severity level
must be the same or higher than the level for the first parameter. If you specify
both parameters, you must also specify the SOURCE compiler option.
Table 47. Severity levels of compiler messages
Severity level What you get when you specify the corresponding level
U (unrecoverable) U messages only
S (severe) All S and U messages
E (error) All E, S, and U messages
W (warning) All W, E, S, and U messages
I (informational) All messages

When you specify the second parameter, each syntax-error message (except a
U-level message) is embedded in the source listing at the point where the compiler
had enough information to detect the error. All embedded messages (except those
issued by the library compiler phase) directly follow the statement to which they
refer. The number of the statement containing the error is also included with the
message. Embedded messages are repeated with the rest of the diagnostic
messages at the end of the source listing.

When you specify the NOSOURCE compiler option, the syntax-error messages are
included only at the end of the listing. Messages for unrecoverable errors are not
embedded in the source listing, because an error of this severity terminates the
compilation.

“Example: embedded messages”

RELATED TASKS
“Generating a list of compiler error messages” on page 246

RELATED REFERENCES
“FLAG” on page 284
“Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors” on page 246
“Severity codes for compiler error messages” on page 247

Example: embedded messages

The following example shows the embedded messages generated by specifying a
second parameter on the FLAG option. Some messages in the summary apply to
more than one COBOL statement.

328 Programming Guide

 DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 11/24/2003 Time 12:26:53 Page 27
LineID PL SL ----+-*A-1-B--+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7-|--+ Map and Cross Reference
.
.
.
090671** /
090672** *****************************************************************
090673** *** I N I T I A L I Z E P A R A G R A P H **
090674** *** Open files. Accept date, time and format header lines. **
090675** *** Load location-table. **
090676** *****************************************************************
090677** 100-initialize-paragraph.
090678** move spaces to ws-transaction-record IMP 331
090679** move spaces to ws-commuter-record IMP 307
090680** move zeroes to commuter-zipcode IMP 318
090681** move zeroes to commuter-home-phone IMP 319
090682** move zeroes to commuter-work-phone IMP 320
090683** move zeroes to commuter-update-date IMP 324
090684** open input update-transaction-file 204
==090684==> IGYPS2052-S An error was found in the definition of file "LOCATION-FILE". The
reference to this file was discarded.
090685** location-file 193
090686** i-o commuter-file 181
090687** output print-file 217
090688** if commuter-file-status not = "00" and not = "97" 241
090689** 1 display "100-OPEN"
090690** 1 move 100 to comp-code 231
090691** 1 perform 500-vsam-error 91069
090692** 1 perform 900-abnormal-termination 91114
090693** end-if
090694** accept ws-date from date UND
==090694==> IGYPS2121-S "WS-DATE" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
090695** move corr ws-date to header-date UND 455
==090695==> IGYPS2121-S "WS-DATE" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
090696** accept ws-time from time UND
==090696==> IGYPS2121-S "WS-TIME" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
090697** move corr ws-time to header-time UND 449
==090697==> IGYPS2121-S "WS-TIME" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
090698** read location-file 193
==090698==> IGYPS2053-S An error was found in the definition of file "LOCATION-FILE". This
input/output statement was discarded.
090699** at end
090700** 1 set location-eof to true 256
090701** end-read
.
.
.
DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 11/24/2003 Time 12:26:53 Page 76
LineID Message code Message text
IGYSC0090-W 1700 sequence errors were found in this program.
IGYSC3002-I A severe error was found in the program. The "OPTIMIZE" compiler option was cancelled.
160 IGYDS1089-S "ASSIGNN" was invalid. Scanning was resumed at the next area "A" item, level-number, or
the start of the next clause.
193 IGYGR1207-S The "ASSIGN" clause was missing or invalid in the "SELECT" entry for file "LOCATION-FILE".
The file definition was discarded.
269 IGYDS1066-S "REDEFINES" object "WS-DATE" was not the immediately preceding level-1 data item.
The "REDEFINES" clause was discarded.
90602 IGYPS2052-S An error was found in the definition of file "LOCATION-FILE". The reference to this file
was discarded. Same message on line: 90684
90694 IGYPS2121-S "WS-DATE" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
Same message on line: 90695
90696 IGYPS2121-S "WS-TIME" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
Same message on line: 90697
90698 IGYPS2053-S An error was found in the definition of file "LOCATION-FILE". This input/output statement
was discarded. Same message on line: 90709
Messages Total Informational Warning Error Severe Terminating
Printed: 13 1 1 11
* Statistics for COBOL program IGYTCARA:
* Source records = 1735
* Data Division statements = 287
* Procedure Division statements = 471
End of compilation 1, program IGYTCARA, highest severity 12.
Return code 12

Finding program entity definitions and references

Use the XREF(FULL) compiler option to find out where a data-name,
procedure-name, or program-name is defined and referenced. The sorted
cross-reference includes the line number where the entity was defined and the line
numbers of all references to it.

Chapter 19. Debugging 329

 To include only the explicitly referenced data items, use the XREF(SHORT) option.

Use both the XREF (with FULL or SHORT) and the SOURCE options to get a modified
cross-reference printed to the right of the source listing. This embedded
cross-reference gives the line number where the data-name or procedure-name was
defined.

If your program contains DBCS user-defined words, these user-defined words are
listed before the alphabetic list of EBCDIC user-defined words.

If a DBCS ordering program is specified in the DBCSXREF installation option, the

DBCS user-defined words are listed in order according to the specified DBCS
collating sequence. Otherwise, the DBCS user-defined words are listed in physical
order according to their appearance in the source program.

Group names in a MOVE CORRESPONDING statement are listed in the XREF listing. The
cross-reference listing includes the group names and all the elementary names
involved in the move.

“Example: XREF output - data-name cross-references” on page 352

“Example: XREF output - program-name cross-references” on page 353
“Example: embedded cross-reference” on page 353

RELATED TASKS
“Getting listings” on page 331

RELATED REFERENCES
“XREF” on page 314

Listing data items

Use the MAP compiler option to produce a listing of the items you defined in the
DATA DIVISION, plus all items implicitly declared. Use the MAP output to locate the
contents of a data item in a system dump.

In addition, when you use the MAP option, an embedded MAP summary (which
contains condensed data MAP information) is generated to the right of the COBOL
source data declaration. When both XREF data and an embedded MAP summary are
on the same line, the embedded summary is printed first.

You can select or inhibit parts of the MAP listing and embedded MAP summary by
using *CONTROL MAP or *CONTROL NOMAP statements (*CBL MAP or *CBL NOMAP
statements) throughout the source. For example:
*CONTROL NOMAP *CBL NOMAP
01 A 01 A
02 B 02 B
*CONTROL MAP *CBL MAP

“Example: MAP output” on page 336

RELATED TASKS
“Getting listings” on page 331

RELATED REFERENCES
“MAP” on page 290

330 Programming Guide

Getting listings
Get the information that you need for debugging by requesting the appropriate
compiler listing with the use of compiler options.

Attention: The listings produced by the compiler are not a programming interface
and are subject to change.
Table 48. Using compiler options to get listings
Use Listing Contents Compiler option
To check diagnostic Short listing Diagnostic messages about NOSOURCE, NOXREF, NOVBREF,
messages about the the compilation1 (page 332); NOMAP, NOOFFSET, NOLIST
compilation, a list of the list of options in effect for
options in effect for the the program; statistics
program, and statistics about the content of the
about the content of the program
program
To aid in testing and Source listing Copy of your source “SOURCE” on page 302
debugging your program;
to have a record after the
program has been
debugged
To find certain data items Map of DATA DIVISION All DATA DIVISION items “MAP” on page 2902
in a storage dump; to see items and all implicitly declared
the final storage allocation items
after reentrancy or
optimization has been Embedded map summary
accounted for; to see where (in the right margin of the
programs are defined and listing for lines in the DATA
check their attributes DIVISION that contain data
declarations)

Nested program map (if the

program contains nested
programs)
To find where a name is Sorted cross-reference Data-names, “XREF” on page 3142 3

defined, referenced, or listing of names procedure-names, and (page 332)

modified; to determine the program-names; references
context (such as whether a to these names
verb was used in a PERFORM
block) in which a procedure Embedded modified
is referenced cross-reference: provides
the line number where the
data-name or
procedure-name was
defined
To find the failing verb in a PROCEDURE DIVISION code Generated code “LIST” on page 2892 4

program or the address in and assembler code (page 332)

storage of a data item that produced by the compiler3
was moved during the (page 332)
program
To verify you still have a Condensed PROCEDURE Condensed verb listing, “OFFSET” on page 294
valid logic path after you DIVISION listing global tables,
move or add PROCEDURE WORKING-STORAGE
DIVISION sections information, and literals

Chapter 19. Debugging 331

Table 48. Using compiler options to get listings (continued)
Use Listing Contents Compiler option
To find an instance of a Alphabetic listing of verbs Each verb used, number of “VBREF” on page 313
certain verb times each verb was used,
line numbers where each
verb was used

1. To eliminate messages, turn off the options (such as FLAG) that govern the level of compile diagnostic
information.
2. To use your line numbers in the compiled program, use the NUMBER compiler option. The compiler checks the
sequence of your source statement line numbers in columns 1 through 6 as the statements are read in. When it
finds a line number out of sequence, the compiler assigns to it a number with a value one higher than the line
number of the preceding statement. The new value is flagged with two asterisks. A diagnostic message
indicating an out-of-sequence error is included in the compilation listing.
3. The context of the procedure reference is indicated by the characters preceding the line number.
4. You can control the selective listing of generated object code by placing *CONTROL LIST and *CONTROL NOLIST
statements (*CBL LIST and *CBL NOLIST) in your source. Note that the *CONTROL statement is different from the
PROCESS (or CBL) statement.
The output is generated if:
v You specify the COMPILE option (or the NOCOMPILE(x) option is in effect and an error level x or higher does not
occur).
v You do not specify the OFFSET option. OFFSET and LIST are mutually exclusive options with OFFSET taking
precedence.

“Example: short listing”

“Example: SOURCE and NUMBER output” on page 335
“Example: MAP output” on page 336
“Example: embedded map summary” on page 337
“Example: nested program map” on page 340
“Example: XREF output - data-name cross-references” on page 352
“Example: XREF output - program-name cross-references” on page 353
“Example: embedded cross-reference” on page 353
“Example: OFFSET compiler output” on page 354
“Example: VBREF compiler output” on page 355

RELATED TASKS
“Generating a list of compiler error messages” on page 246
“Reading LIST output” on page 340
Debugging COBOL programs (Language Environment Debugging Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“Messages and listings for compiler-detected errors” on page 246

Example: short listing

The note numbers shown in the listing correspond to the numbers shown in the
explanations that follow the listing. For illustrative purposes, some errors that
cause diagnostic messages were deliberately introduced.

332 Programming Guide

PP 5655-G53 IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3.3.0 Date 02/27/2004 Time 13:25:42 Page 1
(Note 1)
Invocation parameters: (Note 2)
C,NODU,FLAG(I),X,MAP,NOLIST,RENT,OPT,SSR,TEST(NONE,SYM),
PROCESS(CBL) statements:
CBL NODECK (Note 3)
CBL NOADV,NODYN,NONAME,NONUMBER,QUOTE,SEQ,DUMP
CBL NOSOURCE, NOXREF, NOVBREF, NOMAP, NOOFFSET, NOLIST IGY00010
Options in effect: (Note 4)
NOADATA
NOADV
QUOTE
ARITH(COMPAT)
NOAWO
BUFSIZE(4096)
NOCICS
CODEPAGE(1140)
COMPILE
NOCURRENCY
DATA(31)
NODATEPROC
DBCS
NODECK
NODIAGTRUNC
NODLL
NODUMP
NODYNAM
NOEXIT
NOEXPORTALL
NOFASTSRT
FLAG(I)
NOFLAGSTD
INTDATE(ANSI)
LANGUAGE(EN)
NOLIB
LINECOUNT(60)
NOLIST
NOMAP
NONAME
NSYMBOL(NATIONAL)
NONUMBER
NUMPROC(NOPFD)
OBJECT
NOOFFSET
OPTIMIZE(STD)
OUTDD(SYSOUT)
PGMNAME(COMPAT)
RENT
RMODE(AUTO)
SEQUENCE
SIZE(MAX)
NOSOURCE
SPACE(1)
NOSQL
SSRANGE
NOTERM
TEST(NONE,SYM,NOSEPARATE)
NOTHREAD
TRUNC(STD)
NOVBREF
NOWORD
NOXREF
YEARWINDOW(1900)
ZWB
DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 02/27/2004 Time 13:25:42 Page 3
(Note 5)

Chapter 19. Debugging 333

 LineID Message code
Message text (Note 6)
IGYDS0139-WDiagnostic messages were issued during processing of compiler options.
These messages are located at the beginning of the listing.
IGYSC0090-W 3 sequence errors were found in this program.
160 IGYDS1089-S "ASSIGNN" was invalid. Scanning was resumed at the next area "A" item,
level-number,or the start of the next clause.
193 IGYGR1207-S The "ASSIGN" clause was missing or invalid in the "SELECT" entry for file
"LOCATION-FILE". The file definition was discarded.
269 IGYDS1066-S "REDEFINES" object "WS-DATE" was not the immediately preceding level-1 data item.
The "REDEFINES" clause was discarded.
901 IGYPS2052-S An error was found in the definition of file "LOCATION-FILE". The reference to
this file was discarded. Same message on line: 983
993 IGYPS2121-S "WS-DATE" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
Same message on line: 994
995 IGYPS2121-S "WS-TIME" was not defined as a data-name. The statement was discarded.
Same message on line: 996
997 IGYPS2053-S An error was found in the definition of file "LOCATION-FILE". This input/output
statement was discarded. Same message on line: 1008
Messages Total Informational Warning Error Severe Terminating (Note 7)
Printed: 14 3 11
* Statistics for COBOL program IGYTCARA: (Note 8)
* Source records = 1735
* Data Division statements = 287
* Procedure Division statements = 471
End of compilation 1, program IGYTCARA, highest severity 12. (Note 9)
Return code 12

(1) COBOL default page header, including compiler-level information from the
LVLINFO installation-time compiler option.
(2) Message about options passed to the compiler at compiler invocation. This
message does not appear if no options were passed.
LIST Produces an assembler-language expansion of the source code.

(3) Options coded in the PROCESS (or CBL) statement.

TEST(NONE,SYM,SEPARATE)
The program was compiled for use with Debug Tool or formatted
dumps.
OFFSET
Produces a condensed listing of the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
MAP Produces a map report of the items in the DATA DIVISION.

(4) Status of options at the start of this compilation.

(5) Customized page header resulting from the COBOL program TITLE
statement.
(6) Program diagnostics. The first message refers you to any library phase
diagnostics. Diagnostics for the library phase are presented at the
beginning of the listing.
(7) Count of diagnostic messages in this program, grouped by severity level.
(8) Program statistics for the program IGYTCARA.
(9) Program statistics for the compilation unit. When you perform a batch
compilation, the return code is the highest message severity level for the
entire compilation.

334 Programming Guide

Example: SOURCE and NUMBER output
In the portion of the listing shown below, the programmer numbered two of the
statements out of sequence. The note numbers shown in the listing correspond to
the numbers shown in the explanations that follow the listing.

DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM (1) IGYTCARA Date 11/24/2003 Time 12:26:53 Page 22
LineID PL SL ----+-*A-1-B--+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7-|--+----8 Cross-Reference (2)
(3) (4) (5)
087000**************************************************************** *
087100*** D O M A I N L O G I C * *
087200*** * *
087300*** Initialization. Read and process update transactions until * *
087400*** EOE. Close files and stop run. * *
087500**************************************************************** *
087600 procedure division.
087700 000-do-main-logic.
087800 display "PROGRAM IGYTCARA - Beginning"
087900 perform 050-create-vsam-master-file. 90633
088150 display "perform 050-create-vsam-master finished".
088151** 088125 perform 100-initialize-paragraph 90677
088200 display "perform 100-initialize-paragraph finished"
088300 read update-transaction-file into ws-transaction-record 204 331
088400 at end
1 088500 set transaction-eof to true 254
088600 end-read
088700 display "READ completed"
088800 perform until transaction-eof 254
1 088900 display "inside perform until loop"
1 089000 perform 200-edit-update-transaction 90733
1 089100 display "After perform 200-edit "
1 089200 if no-errors 365
2 089300 perform 300-update-commuter-record 90842
2 089400 display "After perform 300-update "
1 089650 else
089651** 2 089600 perform 400-print-transaction-errors 90995
2 089700 display "After perform 400-errors "
1 089800 end-if
1 089900 perform 410-re-initialize-fields 91056
1 090000 display "After perform 410-reinitialize"
1 090100 read update-transaction-file into ws-transaction-record 204 331
1 090200 at end
2 090300 set transaction-eof to true 254
1 090400 end-read
1 090500 display "After '2nd READ' "
090600 end-perform

(1) Customized page header resulting from the COBOL program TITLE
statement
(2) Scale line, which labels Area A, Area B, and source code column numbers
(3) Source code line number assigned by the compiler
(4) Program (PL) and statement (SL) nesting level
(5) Columns 1 through 6 of program (the sequence number area)

Chapter 19. Debugging 335

 Example: MAP output
The following example shows output from the MAP option. The numbers used in
the explanation below correspond to the numbers annotating the output.

Data Division Map

(1)
Data Definition Attribute codes (rightmost column) have the following meanings:
D = Object of OCCURS DEPENDING G = GLOBAL S = Spanned file
E = EXTERNAL O = Has OCCURS clause U = Undefined format file
F = Fixed-length file OG= Group has own length definition V = Variable-length file
FB= Fixed-length blocked file R = REDEFINES VB= Variable-length blocked file

(2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)

(8) (9) (10)
Source Hierarchy and Base Hex-Displacement Asmblr Data Data Def
LineID Data Name Locator Blk Structure Definition Data Type Attributes
4 PROGRAM-ID IGYTCARA-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
181 FD COMMUTER-FILE . . . . . . . . VSAM F
183 1 COMMUTER-RECORD . . . . . . . BLF=00000 000 DS 0CL80 Group
184 2 COMMUTER-KEY. . . . . . . . BLF=00000 000 0 000 000 DS 16C Display
185 2 FILLER. . . . . . . . . . . BLF=00000 010 0 000 010 DS 64C Display
187 FD COMMUTER-FILE-MST . . . . . . VSAM F
189 1 COMMUTER-RECORD-MST . . . . . BLF=00001 000 DS 0CL80 Group
190 2 COMMUTER-KEY-MST. . . . . . BLF=00001 000 0 000 000 DS 16C Display
191 2 FILLER. . . . . . . . . . . BLF=00001 010 0 000 010 DS 64C Display
193 FD LOCATION-FILE . . . . . . . . QSAM FB
198 1 LOCATION-RECORD . . . . . . . BLF=00002 000 DS 0CL80 Group
199 2 LOC-CODE. . . . . . . . . . BLF=00002 000 0 000 000 DS 2C Display
200 2 LOC-DESCRIPTION . . . . . . BLF=00002 002 0 000 002 DS 20C Display
201 2 FILLER. . . . . . . . . . . BLF=00002 016 0 000 016 DS 58C Display
204 FD UPDATE-TRANSACTION-FILE . . . QSAM FB
209 1 UPDATE-TRANSACTION-RECORD . . BLF=00003 000 DS 80C Display
217 FD PRINT-FILE. . . . . . . . . . QSAM FB
222 1 PRINT-RECORD. . . . . . . . . BLF=00004 000 DS 121C Display
229 1 WORKING-STORAGE-FOR-IGYCARA . BLW=00000 000 DS 1C Display
231 77 COMP-CODE . . . . . . . . . . BLW=00000 008 DS 2C Binary
232 77 WS-TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . BLW=00000 010 DS 3C Display
235 1 I-F-STATUS-AREA . . . . . . . BLW=00000 018 DS 0CL2 Group
236 2 I-F-FILE-STATUS . . . . . . BLW=00000 018 0 000 000 DS 2C Display
237 88 I-O-SUCCESSFUL. . . . . . .
240 1 STATUS-AREA . . . . . . . . . BLW=00000 020 DS 0CL8 Group
241 2 COMMUTER-FILE-STATUS. . . . BLW=00000 020 0 000 000 DS 2C Display
242 88 I-O-OKAY. . . . . . . . . .
243 2 COMMUTER-VSAM-STATUS. . . . BLW=00000 022 0 000 002 DS 0CL6 Group
244 3 VSAM-R15-RETURN-CODE. . . BLW=00000 022 0 000 002 DS 2C Binary
245 77 UNUSED-DATA-ITEM. . . . . . . BLW=XXXXX 022 DS 10C Display (11)

(1) Explanations of the data definition attribute codes.

(2) Source line number where the data item was defined.
(3) Level definition or number. The compiler generates this number in the
following way:
v First level of any hierarchy is always 01. Increase 1 for each level; any
item you coded as 02 through 49.
v Level numbers 66, 77, and 88, and the indicators FD and SD, are not
changed.
(4) Data-name that is used in the source module in source order.
(5) Base locator used for this data item.
(6) Hexadecimal displacement from the beginning of the base locator value.
(7) Hexadecimal displacement from the beginning of the containing structure.
(8) Pseudoassembler code showing how the data is defined. When a structure
contains variable-length fields, the maximum length of the structure is
shown.
(9) Data type and usage.
(10) Data definition attribute codes. The definitions are explained at the top of
the DATA DIVISION map.

336 Programming Guide

 (11) UNUSED-DATA-ITEM was not referenced in the PROCEDURE DIVISION. Because
OPTIMIZE(FULL) was specified, UNUSED-DATA-ITEM was deleted, resulting in
the base locator being set to XXXXX.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terms used in MAP output” on page 338
“Symbols used in LIST and MAP output” on page 338

Example: embedded map summary

The following example shows an embedded map summary from specifying the MAP
option. The summary appears in the right margin of the listing for lines in the DATA
DIVISION that contain data declarations.

000002 Identification Division.

000003
000004 Program-id. IGYTCARA.
. . .
000177 Data division.
000178 File section.
000179
000180
000181 FD COMMUTER-FILE
000182 record 80 characters. (1) (2) (3) (4)
. . .
000222 01 print-record pic x(121). BLF=00004+000 121C
. . .
000228 Working-storage section.
000229 01 Working-storage-for-IGYCARA pic x. BLW=00000+000 1C
000230
000231 77 comp-code pic S9999 comp. BLW=00000+008 2C
000232 77 ws-type pic x(3) value spaces. BLW=00000+010 3C
000233
000234
000235 01 i-f-status-area. BLW=00000+018 0CL2
000236 05 i-f-file-status pic x(2). BLW=00000+018,0000000 2C
000237 88 i-o-successful value zeroes.
000238
000239
000240 01 status-area. BLW=00000+020 0CL8
000241 05 commuter-file-status pic x(2). BLW=00000+020,0000000 2C
000242 88 i-o-okay value zeroes.
000243 05 commuter-vsam-status. BLW=00000+022,0000002 0CL6
000244 10 vsam-r15-return-code pic 9(2) comp. BLW=00000+022,0000002 2C
000245 10 vsam-function-code pic 9(1) comp. BLW=00000+024,0000004 2C
000246 10 vsam-feedback-code pic 9(3) comp. BLW=00000+026,0000006 2C
000247
000248 77 update-file-status pic xx. BLW=00000+028 2C
000249 77 loccode-file-status pic xx. BLW=00000+030 2C
000250 77 updprint-file-status pic xx. BLW=00000+038 2C
000251
000252 01 flags. BLW=00000+040 0CL3
000253 05 transaction-eof-flag pic x value space. BLW=00000+040,0000000 1C
000254 88 transaction-eof value "Y".
000255 05 location-eof-flag pic x value space. BLW=00000+041,0000001 1C
000256 88 location-eof value "Y".
000257 05 transaction-match-flag pic x. BLW=00000+042,0000002 1C
. . .
000876 procedure division.
000877 000-do-main-logic.
000878 display "PROGRAM IGYTCARA - Beginning"
000879 perform 050-create-vsam-master-file.

(1) Base locator used for this data item

(2) Hexadecimal displacement from the beginning of the base locator value
(3) Hexadecimal displacement from the beginning of the containing structure
(4) Pseudoassembler code showing how the data is defined

Chapter 19. Debugging 337

 Terms used in MAP output
This table describes the terms used in the listings produced by the MAP option.
Table 49. Terms used in MAP output
Term Definition Description
1
GROUP DS 0CLn Fixed-length group data item
ALPHABETIC DS nC Alphabetic data item (PICTURE A)
ALPHA-EDIT DS nC Alphabetic-edited data item
DISPLAY DS nC Alphanumeric data item (PICTURE X)
AN-EDIT DS nC Alphanumeric-edited data item
1
GRP-VARLEN DS 0LCn Variable-length group data item
NUM-EDIT DS nC Numeric-edited data item
DISP-NUM DS nC External decimal data item (USAGE DISPLAY)
2 2 2
BINARY DS 1H , 1F , 2F , 2C, 4C, or Binary data item (USAGE BINARY or USAGE COMPUTATIONAL or
8C USAGE COMPUTATIONAL-5)
COMP-1 DS 4C Single-precision floating-point data item (USAGE
COMPUTATIONAL-1)
COMP-2 DS 8C Double-precision floating-point data item (USAGE
COMPUTATIONAL-2)
PACKED-DEC DS nP Internal decimal data item (USAGE PACKED-DECIMAL or USAGE
COMPUTATIONAL-3)
DBCS DS nC DBCS data item (USAGE DISPLAY-1)
DBCS-EDIT DS nC DBCS edited data item (USAGE DISPLAY-1)
INDX-NAME Index name
INDEX Index data item (USAGE INDEX)
NATIONAL DS nC National data item (USAGE NATIONAL)
OBJECT-REF Object-reference data item (USAGE OBJECT-REFERENCE)
POINTER Pointer data item (USAGE POINTER)
FD File definition
VSAM, QSAM, File processing method
LINESEQ
1-49, 77 Level numbers for data descriptions
66 Level number for RENAMES
88 Level number for condition-names
SD Sort file definition

1. n is the size in bytes for fixed-length groups and the maximum size in bytes for variable-length groups.
2. If the SYNCHRONIZED clause appears, these fields are used.

Symbols used in LIST and MAP output

This table describes the symbols used in the listings produced by the LIST or MAP
option.
Table 50. Symbols used in LIST and MAP output
Symbol Definition
1
APBdisp=n ALL subscript parameter block displacement

338 Programming Guide

Table 50. Symbols used in LIST and MAP output (continued)
Symbol Definition
1
AVN=n Variable name cell for ALTER statement
1
BL=n Base locator for special registers
1
BLA=n Base locator for alphanumeric temporaries4
BLF=n1 Base locator for files
1
BLK=n Base locator for LOCAL-STORAGE
1
BLL=n Base locator for LINKAGE SECTION
1
BLM=n Base locator for factory data
1
BLO=n Base locator for object instance data
1
BLS=n Base locator for sort items
1
BLT=n Base locator for XML-TEXT and XML-NTEXT
1
BLV=n Base locator for variably located data
1
BLW=n Base locator for WORKING-STORAGE
1
BLX=n Base locator for external data
1
CBL=n Base locator for constant global table (CGT)
1
CLLE=@=n Load list entry address in TGT
1
CLO=n Class object cell
1
DOV=n DSA overflow cell
1
EVALUATE=n Evaluate boolean cell
1
FCB=n File control block (FCB) address
2.
GN=n(hhhhh) Generated procedure name and its offset in hexadecimal
1
IDX=n Base locator for index names
1
IDX=n Index cell number
ILS=n1 Index cell for LOCAL-STORAGE table or instance variable
ODOSAVE=n1 ODO save cell number
OPT=nnnn3 Optimizer temporary storage cell
PBL=n1 Base locator for procedure code
PFM=n1 PERFORM n times cells
PGMLIT AT + nnnn3 Displacement for program literal from beginning of literal pool
PSV=n1 Perform save cell number
PVN=n1 Variable name cell for PERFORM statement
1
RBKST=n Register backstore cell
1
SFCB=n Secondary file control block for external file
3
SYSLIT AT + nnnn Displacement for system literal from beginning of system literal pool
TGT FDMP TEST INFO. AREA + FDUMP/TEST information area
nnnn3
TGTFIXD + nnnn3 Offset from beginning of fixed portion of task global table (TGT)
1
TOV=n TGT overflow cell number
TS1=aaaa Temporary storage cell number in subpool 1
TS2=aaaa Temporary storage cell number in subpool 2
TS3=aaaa Temporary storage cell number in subpool 3

Chapter 19. Debugging 339

Table 50. Symbols used in LIST and MAP output (continued)
Symbol Definition
TS4=aaaa Temporary storage cell number in subpool 4
V(routine name) Assembler VCON for external routine
1
VLC=n Variable length name cell number (ODO)
1
VNI=n Variable name initialization
1
WHEN=n Evaluate WHEN cell number

1. n is the number of the entry. For base locators, it can also be XXXXX, indicating a data item that was deleted by
OPTIMIZE(FULL) processing.
2. (hhhhh) is the program offset in hexadecimal.
3. nnnn is the offset in decimal from the beginning of the entry.
4. Alphanumeric temporaries are temporary data values used in processing alphanumeric intrinsic function and
alphanumeric EVALUATE statement subjects.

Example: nested program map

This example shows a map of nested procedures produced by specifying the MAP
compiler option. Numbers in parentheses refer to notes that follow the example.
Nested Program Map
Program Attribute codes (rightmost column) have the following meanings:
C = COMMON
I = INITIAL (1)
U = PROCEDURE DIVISION USING... (5)
Source Nesting Program
LineID Level Program Name from PROGRAM-ID paragraph Attributes
2 0 NESTMAIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U
120 1 (4) SUBPRO1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I,C,U
(2)199 2 NESTED1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I,C,U
253 1 SUBPRO2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U
335 2 NESTED2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C,U
(3)
(1) Explanations of the program attribute codes
(2) Source line number where the program was defined
(3) Depth of program nesting
(4) Program name
(5) Program attribute codes

Reading LIST output

Parts of the LIST compiler output might be useful to you for debugging your
program. You do not need to be able to program in assembler language to
understand the output produced by LIST. The comments that accompany most of
the assembler code provide you with a conceptual understanding of the functions
performed by the code.

The LIST compiler option produces seven pieces of output:

v An assembler listing of the initialization code for the program (program
signature information bytes) from which you can verify program characteristics
such as these:
– Compiler options in effect
– Types of data items present

340 Programming Guide

 – Verbs used in the PROCEDURE DIVISION
v An assembler listing of the source code for the program
From the address in storage of the instruction that was executing when an abend
occurred, you can find the COBOL verb corresponding to that instruction. After
you have found the address of the failing instruction, go to the assembler listing
and find the verb for which that instruction was generated.
v Location of compiler-generated tables in the object module
v Map of the task global table (TGT), including information about the program
global table (PGT) and constant global table (CGT)
Use the TGT to find information about the environment in which your program
is running.
v Information about the location and size of WORKING-STORAGE and control blocks
You can use the WORKING-STORAGE piece of LIST output to find the location of
data items defined in WORKING-STORAGE. (The beginning location of
WORKING-STORAGE is not shown for programs compiled with the RENT option.)
v Map of the dynamic save area (DSA)
The map of the DSA (also known as the stack frame) contains information about
the contents of the storage acquired every time a separately compiled procedure
is entered.
v Information about the location of literals and code for dynamic storage usage

“Example: program initialization code”

“Example: assembler code generated from source code” on page 349
“Example: TGT memory map” on page 350
“Example: DSA memory map” on page 351
“Example: location and size of WORKING-STORAGE” on page 352

RELATED TASKS
Interpret a particular instruction (Principles of Operation)

RELATED REFERENCES
Stack storage overview (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Example: program initialization code

A listing of the program initialization code gives you information about the
characteristics of the COBOL source program. Interpret the program signature
information bytes to verify characteristics of your program.

Chapter 19. Debugging 341

 IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS 3.3.0 IMIN Date 02/27/2004 Time 10:48:16 Page 5
(1) (2) (3) (4)
000000 IMIN DS 0H PROGRAM: IMIN
USING *,15
000000 47F0 F028 B 40(,15) BYPASS CONSTANTS. BRANCH TO @STM
000004 00 DC AL1(0) ZERO NAME LENGTH FOR DUMPS
000005 C3C5C5 DC CL3'CEE' CEE EYE CATCHER (5)
000008 000000E8 DC X'000000E8' STACK FRAME SIZE
00000C 00000014 DC A(@PPA1-IMIN) OFFSET TO PPA1 FROM PRIMARY ENTRY
000010 47F0 F001 B 1(,15) RESERVED
000014 @PPA1 DS 0H PPA1 STARTS HERE
000014 98 DC X'98' OFFSET TO LENGTH OF NAME FROM PPA1
000015 CE DC X'CE' CEL SIGNATURE
000016 AC DC X'AC' CEL FLAGS: '10101100'B
000017 00 DC X'00' MEMBER FLAGS FOR COBOL
000018 000000B6 DC A(@PPA2) ADDRESS OF PPA2
00001C 00000000 DC F'0' OFFSET TO THE BDI (NONE)
000020 00000000 DC F'0' ADDRESS OF ENTRY POINT DESCRIPTORS
000024 0000 DC X'0000' RESERVED
000026 00 DC X'00' DSA FPR 8-15 SAVE AREA OFFSET/16
000027 00 DC X'00' DSA FPR 8-15 SAVE AREA BIT MASK
000028 @STM DS 0H STM STARTS HERE
000028 90EC D00C STM 14,12,12(13) @STM: SAVE CALLER'S REGISTERS
00002C 4110 F038 LA 1,56(,15) GET ADDRESS OF PARMLIST INTO R1
000030 98EF F04C LM 14,15,76(15) LOAD ADDRESSES FROM @BRVAL
000034 07FF BR 15 DO ANY NECESSARY INITIALIZATION
000036 0000 DC AL2'0' AVAILABLE HALF-WORD
000038 @MAINENT DS 0H PRIMARY ENTRY POINT ADDRESS
000038 00000000 DC A(IMIN) @PARMS: 1) PRIMARY ENTRY POINT ADDRESS
00003C 00000000 DC AL4'0' 2) Available
000040 000002C8 DC A(TGT) 3) TGT ADDRESS (6)
000044 000000AE DC A(@EPNAM) 4) ENTRY POINT NAME ADDRESS
000048 00000000 DC A(IMIN) 5) CURRENT ENTRY POINT ADDRESS
00004C 000001A4 DC A(START) @BRVAL: 6) PROCEDURE CODE ADDRESS
000050 00000000 DC V(IGZCBSO) 7) INITIALIZATION ROUTINE
000054 000000CA DC A(@CEEPARM) 8) ADDRESS OF PARM LIST FOR CEEINT
000058 00104001 DC X'00104001' DSA WORD 0 CONSTANT
00005C 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
000060 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
000064 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
000068 F2F0F0F1 DC CL4'2004' @TIMEVRS: YEAR OF COMPILATION (7)
00006C F0F8F2F1 DC CL4'0227’ MONTH/DAY OF COMPILATION (8)
000070 F1F0F4F8 DC CL4'1048' HOURS/MINUTES OF COMPILATION (9)
000074 F1F6 DC CL2'16' SECONDS FOR COMPILATION DATE
000076 F0F3F0F1F0F0 DC CL6'030300' VERSION/RELEASE/MOD LEVEL OF PROD (10)
00007C 0474 DC X'0474' UNSIGNED BINARY CODE PAGE CCSID VALUE (11)
000080 0000 DC AL2'0' AVAILABLE HALF-WORD
000082 0000 DC X'0000' INFO. BYTES 28-29 (12)
000084 076C DC X'076C' SIGNED BINARY YEARWINDOW OPTION VALUE
000086 E0E83D440000 DC X'E0E83D440000' INFO. BYTES 1-6
00008C 000000004009 DC X'000000004009' INFO. BYTES 7-12
000092 000000000800 DC X'000000000800' INFO. BYTES 13-18 (12)
000098 0000000004 DC X'0000000004' INFO. BYTES 19-23
00009D 00 DC X'00' COBOL SIGNATURE LEVEL
00009E 00000007 DC X'00000007' # DATA DIVISION STATEMENTS (13)
0000A2 00000004 DC X'00000004' # PROCEDURE DIVISION STATEMENTS (14)
0000A6 000000 DC X'000000' INFO. BYTES 24-26 (12)
0000A9 00 DC X'00' INFO. BYTE 27
0000AA 40404040 DC C' ' USER LEVEL INFO (LVLINFO) (15)
0000AE 0004 DC X'0004' LENGTH OF PROGRAM NAME
0000B0 @EPNAM DS 0H ENTRY POINT NAME
0000B0 C9D4C9D540404040 DC C'IMIN ' PROGRAM NAME (16)
0000B8 @PPA2 DS 0H PPA2 STARTS HERE
0000B8 05 DC X'05' CEL MEMBER IDENTIFIER
0000B9 00 DC X'00' CEL MEMBER SUB-IDENTIFIER
0000BA 00 DC X'00' CEL MEMBER DEFINED BYTE
0000BB 01 DC X'01' CONTROL LEVEL OF PROLOG
0000BC 00000000 DC V(CEESTART) VCON FOR LOAD MODULE
0000C0 00000000 DC F'0' OFFSET TO THE CDI (NONE)
0000C4 FFFFFFB2 DC A(@TIMEVRS-@PPA2) OFFSET TO TIMESTAMP/VERSION INFO
0000C8 00000000 DC A(IMIN) ADDRESS OF CU PRIMARY ENTRY POINT
0000CC @CEEPARM DS 0H PARM LIST FOR CEEINT
0000CC 00000038 DC A(@MAINENT) POINTER TO PRIMARY ENTRY PT ADDR
0000D0 00000008 DC A(@PARMCEE-@CEEPARM) OFFSET TO PARAMETERS FOR CEEINT
0000D4 @PARMCEE DS 0H PARAMETERS FOR CEEINT
0000D4 00000006 DC F'6' 1) NUMBER OF ENTRIES IN PARM LIST
0000D8 00000038 DC A(@MAINENT) 2) POINTER TO PRIMARY ENTRY PT ADDR
0000DC 00000000 DC V(CEESTART) 3) ADDRESS OF CEESTART
0000E0 00000000 DC V(CEEBETBL) 4) ADDRESS OF CEEBETBL
0000E4 00000005 DC F'5' 5) CEL MEMBER IDENTIFIER
0000E8 00000000 DC F'0' 6) FOR CEL MEMBER USE
0000EC 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
0000F0 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
0000F4 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
0000F8 00000000 DC AL4'0' AVAILABLE WORD
0000FC 0000 DC AL2'0' AVAILABLE HALF-WORD

(1) Offset from the start of the COBOL program.

342 Programming Guide

(2) Hexadecimal representation of assembler instructions.
(3) Pseudoassembler code generated for the COBOL program.
(4) Comments explaining the assembler code.
(5) Eye-catcher indicating that the COBOL compiler is Language
Environment-enabled.
(6) Address of the task global table (TGT), or the address of the dynamic
access block (DAB), if the program is reentrant.
(7) Four-digit year when the program was compiled.
(8) Month and the day when the program was compiled.
(9) Time when the program was compiled.
(10) Version, release, and modification level of the COBOL compiler used to
compile this program (each represented in two digits).
(11) Code page CCSID value (from CODEPAGE compiler option).
(12) Program signature information bytes. These provide information about the
following for this program:
v Compiler options
v DATA DIVISION
v ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
v PROCEDURE DIVISION
(13) Number of statements in the DATA DIVISION.
(14) Number of statements in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
(15) Four-byte user-controlled level information field. The value of this field is
controlled by the LVLINFO.
(16) Program name as used in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION of the program.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Signature information bytes: compiler options”
“Signature information bytes: DATA DIVISION” on page 345
“Signature information bytes: ENVIRONMENT DIVISION” on page 346
“Signature information bytes: PROCEDURE DIVISION verbs” on page 346
“Signature information bytes: more PROCEDURE DIVISION items” on page 348

Signature information bytes: compiler options

This table shows program signature information that is part of the listing of
program initialization code provided when you use the LIST compiler option.

Chapter 19. Debugging 343

 Table 51. Signature information bytes for compiler options
Byte Bit On Off
1 0 ADV NOADV
1 APOST QUOTE
2 DATA(31) DATA(24)
3 DECK NODECK
4 DUMP NODUMP
5 DYNAM NODYNAM
6 FASTSRT NOFASTSRT
7 Reserved
2 0 LIB NOLIB
1 LIST NOLIST
2 MAP NOMAP
3 NUM NONUM
4 OBJ NOOBJ
5 OFFSET NOOFFSET
6 OPTIMIZE NOOPTIMIZE
7 ddname supplied in OUTDD option OUTDD(SYSOUT) is in effect.
will be used
3 0 NUMPROC(PFD) NUMPROC(NOPFD)
1 RENT NORENT
2 Reserved
3 SEQUENCE NOSEQUENCE
4 SIZE(MAX) SIZE(value)
5 SOURCE NOSOURCE
6 SSRANGE NOSSRANGE
7 TERM NOTERM
4 0 TEST NOTEST
1 TRUNC(STD) TRUNC(OPT)
2 WORD option was specified. NOWORD
3 VBREF NOVBREF
4 XREF NOXREF
5 ZWB NOZWB
6 NAME NONAME
5 0 NUMPROC(MIG)
1 NUMCLS(ALT) NUMCLS(PRIM)
2 DBCS NODBCS
3 AWO NOAWO
4 TRUNC(BIN) Not TRUNC(BIN)
6 CURRENCY NOCURRENCY
7 Compilation unit is a class. Compilation unit is a program.

344 Programming Guide

Table 51. Signature information bytes for compiler options (continued)
Byte Bit On Off
26 0 RMODE(ANY) RMODE(24)
1 TEST(STMT) Not TEST(STMT)
2 TEST(PATH) Not TEST(PATH)
3 TEST(BLOCK) Not TEST(BLOCK)
4 OPT(FULL) OPT(STD) or NOOPT
5 INTDATE(LILIAN) INTDATE(ANSI)
6 TEST(SEPARATE) Not TEST(SEPARATE)
27 0 PGMNAME(LONGUPPER) Not PGMNAME(LONGUPPER)
1 PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) Not PGMNAME(LONGMIXED)
2 DLL NODLL
3 EXPORTALL NOEXPORTALL
4 DATEPROC NODATEPROC
5 ARITH(EXTEND) ARITH(COMPAT)
6 THREAD NOTHREAD

Signature information bytes: DATA DIVISION

This table shows program signature information that is part of the listing of
program initialization code provided when you use the LIST compiler option.
Table 52. Signature information bytes for the DATA DIVISION
Byte Bit Item
6 0 QSAM file descriptor
1 VSAM sequential file descriptor
2 VSAM indexed file descriptor
3 VSAM relative file descriptor
4 CODE-SET clause (ASCII files) in file descriptor
5 Spanned records
6 PIC G or PIC N (DBCS data item)
7 OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause in data description entry
7 0 SYNCHRONIZED clause in data description entry
1 JUSTIFIED clause in data description entry
2 USAGE IS POINTER item
3 Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause
4 External floating-point items in the DATA DIVISION
5 Internal floating-point items in the DATA DIVISION
6 Line-sequential file
7 USAGE IS PROCEDURE-POINTER or FUNCTION-POINTER item

RELATED REFERENCES
“LIST” on page 289

Chapter 19. Debugging 345

 Signature information bytes: ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
This table shows program signature information that is part of the listing of
program initialization code provided when you use the LIST compiler option.
Table 53. Signature information bytes for the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
Byte Bit Item
8 0 FILE STATUS clause in FILE-CONTROL paragraph
1 RERUN clause in I-O-CONTROL paragraph of INPUT-OUTPUT
SECTION
2 UPSI switch defined in SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph

Signature information bytes: PROCEDURE DIVISION verbs

This table shows program signature information that is part of the listing of
program initialization code provided when you use the LIST compiler option.
Table 54. Signature information bytes for PROCEDURE DIVISION verbs
Byte Bit Item
9 0 ACCEPT
1 ADD
2 ALTER
3 CALL
4 CANCEL
6 CLOSE
10 0 COMPUTE
2 DELETE
4 DISPLAY
5 DIVIDE
11 1 END-PERFORM
2 ENTER
3 ENTRY
4 EXIT
5 EXEC
6 GO TO
7 IF
12 0 INITIALIZE
1 INVOKE
2 INSPECT
3 MERGE
4 MOVE
5 MULTIPLY
6 OPEN
7 PERFORM

346 Programming Guide

Table 54. Signature information bytes for PROCEDURE DIVISION verbs (continued)
Byte Bit Item
13 0 READ
2 RELEASE
3 RETURN
4 REWRITE
5 SEARCH
7 SET
14 0 SORT
1 START
2 STOP
3 STRING
4 SUBTRACT
7 UNSTRING
15 0 USE
1 WRITE
2 CONTINUE
3 END-ADD
4 END-CALL
5 END-COMPUTE
6 END-DELETE
7 END-DIVIDE
16 0 END-EVALUATE
1 END-IF
2 END-MULTIPLY
3 END-READ
4 END-RETURN
5 END-REWRITE
6 END-SEARCH
7 END-START
17 0 END-STRING
1 END-SUBTRACT
2 END-UNSTRING
3 END-WRITE
4 GOBACK
5 EVALUATE
7 SERVICE
18 0 END-INVOKE
1 END-EXEC
2 XML
3 END-XML

Chapter 19. Debugging 347

 Check return code: A return code greater than 4 from the compiler could mean
that some of the verbs shown as being in the program in information bytes might
have been discarded because of an error.

Signature information bytes: more PROCEDURE DIVISION items

This table shows program signature information that is part of the listing of
program initialization code provided when you use the LIST compiler option.
Table 55. Signature information bytes for more PROCEDURE DIVISION items
Byte Bit Item
21 0 Hexadecimal literal
1 Altered GO TO
2 I-O ERROR declarative
3 LABEL declarative
4 DEBUGGING declarative
5 Program segmentation
6 OPEN . . . EXTEND
7 EXIT PROGRAM
22 0 CALL literal
1 CALL identifier
2 CALL . . . ON OVERFLOW
3 CALL . . . LENGTH OF
4 CALL . . . ADDRESS OF
5 CLOSE . . . REEL/UNIT
6 Exponentiation used
7 Floating-point items used
23 0 COPY
1 BASIS
2 DBCS name in program
3 Shift-out and Shift-in in program
4-7 Highest error severity at entry to ASM2 module IGYBINIT
24 0 DBCS literal
1 REPLACE
2 Reference modification was used.
3 Nested program
4 INITIAL
5 COMMON
6 SELECT . . . OPTIONAL
7 EXTERNAL

348 Programming Guide

Table 55. Signature information bytes for more PROCEDURE DIVISION
items (continued)
Byte Bit Item
25 0 GLOBAL
1 RECORD IS VARYING
2 ACCEPT FROM SYSIPT used in LABEL declarative
3 DISPLAY UPON SYSLST used in LABEL declarative
4 DISPLAY UPON SYSPCH used in LABEL declarative
5 Intrinsic function was used
29 0 Java-based OO syntax in program
1 FUNCTION RANDOM used in program
2 NATIONAL data used in program

RELATED REFERENCES
“LIST” on page 289

Example: assembler code generated from source code

The following example shows a listing of the assembler code that is generated
from source code when you use the LIST compiler option. You can use this listing
to find the COBOL verb corresponding to the instruction that failed.
DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 02/27/2004 Time 10:48:16
000433 MOVE
000435 READ
000436 SET (1)

(2) (3) (5) (6)

000F26 92E8 A00A MVI 10(10),X’E8’ LOCATION-EOF-FLAG
000F2A GN=13 EQU *
000F2A 47F0 B426 BC 15,1062(0,11) GN=75(000EFA)
000F2E GN=74 EQU *
000439 IF
000F2E 95E8 A00A CLI 10(10),X’E8’ LOCATION-EOF-FLAG
000F32 4780 B490 BC 8,1168(0,11) GN=14(000F64)
000440 DISPLAY
000F36 5820 D05C L 2,92(0,13) TGTFIXD+92
000F3A 58F0 202C L 15,44(0,2) V(IGZCDSP )
000F3E 4110 97FF LA 1,2047(0,9) PGMLIT AT +1999
000F42 05EF BALR 14,15
000443 CALL
000F44 4130 A012 LA 3,18(0,10) COMP-CODE
000F48 5030 D21C ST 3,540(0,13) TS2=4
000F4C 9680 D21C OI 540(13),X’80’ TS2=4
000F50 4110 D21C LA 1,540(0,13) TS2=4
000F54 58F0 9000 L 15,0(0,9) V(ILBOABN0)
000F58 05EF BALR 14,15
000F5A 50F0 D078 ST 15,120(0,13) TGTFIXD+120
000F5E BF38 D089 ICM 3,8,137(13) TGTFIXD+137
000F62 0430 SPM 3,0
000F64 (4) GN=14 EQU *
000F64 5820 D154 L 2,340(0,13) VN=3
000F68 07F2 BCR 15,2
(1) Source line number and COBOL verb, paragraph name, or section name
In line 000436, SET is the COBOL verb. An asterisk (*) before a name
indicates that the name is a paragraph name or a section name.

Chapter 19. Debugging 349

 (2) Relative location of the object code instruction in the module, in
hexadecimal notation
(3) Object code instruction, in hexadecimal notation
The first two or four hexadecimal digits are the instruction, and the
remaining digits are the instruction operands. Some instructions have two
operands.
(4) Compiler-generated names (GN) for code sequences
(5) Object code instruction in a form that closely resembles assembler
language
(6) Comments about the object code instruction:
v One or two operands participating in the machine instructions are
displayed on the right. An asterisk immediately follows the data-names
that are defined in more than one structure (in that way made unique by
qualification in the source program).
v The relative location of any generated label appearing as an operand is
displayed in parentheses.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Symbols used in LIST and MAP output” on page 338

Example: TGT memory map

The following example shows LIST output for the task global table (TGT) with
information about the environment in which your program runs.
DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 02/27/2004 Time 10:48:16
*** TGT MEMORY MAP ***
(1) (2)
TGTLOC

000000 RESERVED - 72 BYTES

000048 TGT IDENTIFIER
00004C RESERVED - 4 BYTES
000050 TGT LEVEL INDICATOR
000051 RESERVED - 3 BYTES
000054 32 BIT SWITCH
000058 POINTER TO RUNCOM
00005C POINTER TO COBVEC
000060 POINTER TO PROGRAM DYNAMIC BLOCK TABLE
000064 NUMBER OF FCB’S
000068 WORKING-STORAGE LENGTH
00006C RESERVED - 4 BYTES
000070 ADDRESS OF IGZESMG WORK AREA
000074 ADDRESS OF 1ST GETMAIN BLOCK (SPACE MGR)
000078 RESERVED - 2 BYTES
00007A RESERVED - 2 BYTES
00007C RESERVED - 2 BYTES
00007E MERGE FILE NUMBER
000080 ADDRESS OF CEL COMMON ANCHOR AREA
000084 LENGTH OF TGT
000088 RESERVED - 1 SINGLE BYTE FIELD
000089 PROGRAM MASK USED BY THIS PROGRAM
00008A RESERVED - 2 SINGLE BYTE FIELDS
00008C NUMBER OF SECONDARY FCB CELLS
000090 LENGTH OF THE ALTER VN(VNI) VECTOR
000094 COUNT OF NESTED PROGRAMS IN COMPILE UNIT
000098 DDNAME FOR DISPLAY OUTPUT
0000A0 RESERVED - 8 BYTES
0000A8 POINTER TO COM-REG SPECIAL REGISTER
0000AC RESERVED - 52 BYTES
0000E0 ALTERNATE COLLATING SEQUENCE TABLE PTR.

350 Programming Guide

 0000E4 ADDRESS OF SORT G.N. ADDRESS BLOCK
0000E8 ADDRESS OF PGT
0000EC RESERVED - 4 BYTES
0000F0 POINTER TO 1ST IPCB
0000F4 ADDRESS OF THE CLLE FOR THIS PROGRAM
0000F8 POINTER TO ABEND INFORMATION TABLE
0000FC POINTER TO TEST INFO FIELDS IN THE TGT
000100 ADDRESS OF START OF COBOL PROGRAM
000104 POINTER TO ALTER VNI’S IN CGT
000108 POINTER TO ALTER VN’S IN TGT
00010C POINTER TO FIRST PBL IN THE PGT
000110 POINTER TO FIRST FCB CELL
000114 WORKING-STORAGE ADDRESS
000118 POINTER TO FIRST SECONDARY FCB CELL
00011C POINTER TO STATIC CLASS INFO BLOCK 1
000120 POINTER TO STATIC CLASS INFO BLOCK 2

*** VARIABLE PORTION OF TGT ***

000124 BASE LOCATORS FOR SPECIAL REGISTERS

00012C BASE LOCATORS FOR WORKING-STORAGE (3)
000134 BASE LOCATORS FOR LINKAGE-SECTION
000138 BASE LOCATORS FOR FILES
00014C CLLE ADDR. CELLS FOR CALL LIT. SUB-PGMS.
000170 INDEX CELLS
000194 FCB CELLS
0001A8 INTERNAL PROGRAM CONTROL BLOCKS
(1) Hexadecimal offset of the TGT field from the start of the TGT
(2) Explanation of the contents of the TGT field
(3) TGT fields for the base locators of COBOL data areas

Example: DSA memory map

The following example shows LIST output for the dynamic save area (DSA), which
contains information about the contents of the storage acquired when a separately
compiled procedure is entered.
DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 02/27/2004 Time 10:48:16
*** DSA MEMORY MAP ***
(1) (2)
DSALOC

000000 REGISTER SAVE AREA

00004C STACK NAB (NEXT AVAILABLE BYTE)
000058 ADDRESS OF INLINE-CODE PRIMARY DSA
00005C ADDRESS OF TGT
000060 ADDRESS OF CAA
000084 SWITCHES
000088 CURRENT INT. PROGRAM OR METHOD NUMBER
00008C ADDRESS OF CALL STATEMENT PROGRAM NAME
000090 CALC ROUTINE REGISTER SAVE AREA
0000C4 ADDRESS OF FILE MUTEX USE COUNT CELLS
0000C8 PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING VALUE

*** VARIABLE PORTION OF DSA ***

0000D0 BACKSTORE CELLS FOR SYMBOLIC REGISTERS

000158 BASE LOCATORS FOR ALPHANUMERIC TEMPS
00015C VARIABLE-LENGTH CELLS
000170 ODO SAVE CELLS
00017C VARIABLE NAME (VN) CELLS FOR PERFORM
0001EC PERFORM SAVE CELLS
000320 TEMPORARY STORAGE-1

Chapter 19. Debugging 351

 000330 TEMPORARY STORAGE-2
000500 ALL PARAMETER BLOCK
000564 ALPHANUMERIC TEMPORARY STORAGE
(1) Hexadecimal offset of the dynamic save area (DSA) field from the start of
the DSA
(2) Explanation of the contents of the DSA field

Example: location and size of WORKING-STORAGE

The following example shows LIST output about the WORKING-STORAGE for a RENT
program.
(1) (2)

WRK-STOR WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR 000015B0 BYTES

(1) WORKING-STORAGE identification
(2) Length of WORKING-STORAGE in hexadecimal

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

Example: XREF output - data-name cross-references

The following example shows a sorted cross-reference of data-names, produced by
the XREF compiler option. Numbers in parentheses refer to notes that follow the
example.
An “M” preceding a data-name reference indicates that the
data-name is modified by this reference.

(1) (2) (3)

Defined Cross-reference of data names References

264 ABEND-ITEM1
265 ABEND-ITEM2
347 ADD-CODE . . . . . . . . . . . 1126 1192
381 ADDRESS-ERROR. . . . . . . . . M1156
280 AREA-CODE. . . . . . . . . . . 1266 1291 1354 1375
382 CITY-ERROR . . . . . . . . . . M1159

(4)
Context usage is indicated by the letter preceding a procedure-name
reference. These letters and their meanings are:
A = ALTER (procedure-name)
D = GO TO (procedure-name) DEPENDING ON
E = End of range of (PERFORM) through (procedure-name)
G = GO TO (procedure-name)
P = PERFORM (procedure-name)
T = (ALTER) TO PROCEED TO (procedure-name)
U = USE FOR DEBUGGING (procedure-name)

(5) (6) (7)

Defined Cross-reference of procedures References

877 000-DO-MAIN-LOGIC
943 050-CREATE-STL-MASTER-FILE . . P879
995 100-INITIALIZE-PARAGRAPH . . . P881
1471 1100-PRINT-I-F-HEADINGS. . . . P926
1511 1200-PRINT-I-F-DATA. . . . . . P928
1573 1210-GET-MILES-TIME. . . . . . P1540
1666 1220-STORE-MILES-TIME. . . . . P1541
1682 1230-PRINT-SUB-I-F-DATA. . . . P1562
1706 1240-COMPUTE-SUMMARY . . . . . P1563
1052 200-EDIT-UPDATE-TRANSACTION. . P890

352 Programming Guide

 1154 210-EDIT-THE-REST. . . . . . . P1145
1189 300-UPDATE-COMMUTER-RECORD . . P893
1237 310-FORMAT-COMMUTER-RECORD . . P1194 P1209
1258 320-PRINT-COMMUTER-RECORD. . . P1195 P1206 P1212 P1222
1318 330-PRINT-REPORT . . . . . . . P1208 P1232 P1286 P1310 P1370
1342 400-PRINT-TRANSACTION-ERRORS . P896

Cross-reference of data-names:
(1) Line number where the name was defined.
(2) Data-name.
(3) Line numbers where the name was used. If M precedes the line number, the
data item was explicitly modified at the location.

Cross-reference of procedure references:

(4) Explanations of the context usage codes for procedure references
(5) Line number where the procedure-name is defined
(6) Procedure-name
(7) Line numbers where the procedure is referenced and the context usage
code for the procedure

Example: XREF output - program-name cross-references

The following example shows a sorted cross-reference of program-names,
produced by the XREF compiler option. Numbers in parentheses refer to notes that
follow the example.
(1) (2) (3)
Defined Cross-reference of programs References

EXTERNAL EXTERNAL1. . . . . . . . . . . 25
2 X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
12 X1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 7
20 X11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 16
27 X12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 17
35 X2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 8
(1) Line number where the program name was defined. If the program is
external, the word EXTERNAL is displayed instead of a definition line
number.
(2) Program name.
(3) Line numbers where the program is referenced.

Example: embedded cross-reference

The following example shows a modified cross-reference embedded in the source
listing, produced by the XREF compiler option.

Chapter 19. Debugging 353

 LineID PL SL ----+-*A-1-B--+----2----+----3----+----4----+----5----+----6----+----7-|--+----8 Map and Cross Reference
. . .
000878 procedure division.
000879 000-do-main-logic.
000880 display "PROGRAM IGYTCARA - Beginning".
000881 perform 050-create-vsam-master-file. 932 (1)
000882 perform 100-initialize-paragraph. 984
000883 read update-transaction-file into ws-transaction-record 204 340
000884 at end
000885 1 set transaction-eof to true 254
000886 end-read.
. . .
000984 100-initialize-paragraph.
000985 move spaces to ws-transaction-record IMP 340 (2)
000986 move spaces to ws-commuter-record IMP 316
000987 move zeroes to commuter-zipcode IMP 327
000988 move zeroes to commuter-home-phone IMP 328
000989 move zeroes to commuter-work-phone IMP 329
000990 move zeroes to commuter-update-date IMP 333
000991 open input update-transaction-file 204
000992 location-file 193
000993 i-o commuter-file 181
000994 output print-file 217
. . .
001442 1100-print-i-f-headings.
001443
001444 open output print-file. 217
001445
001446 move function when-compiled to when-comp. IFN 698 (2)
001447 move when-comp (5:2) to compile-month. 698 640
001448 move when-comp (7:2) to compile-day. 698 642
001449 move when-comp (3:2) to compile-year. 698 644
001450
001451 move function current-date (5:2) to current-month. IFN 649
001452 move function current-date (7:2) to current-day. IFN 651
001453 move function current-date (3:2) to current-year. IFN 653
001454
001455 write print-record from i-f-header-line-1 222 635
001456 after new-page. 138
. . .

(1) Line number of the definition of the data-name or procedure-name in the

program
(2) Special definition symbols:
UND The user name is undefined.
DUP The user name is defined more than once.
IMP Implicitly defined name, such as special registers and figurative
constants.
IFN Intrinsic function reference.
EXT External reference.
* The program name is unresolved because the NOCOMPILE option is
in effect.

Example: OFFSET compiler output

The following example shows a listing that has a condensed verb listing, global
tables, WORKING-STORAGE information, and literals. It is output from the OFFSET
compiler option.
DATA VALIDATION AND UPDATE PROGRAM IGYTCARA Date 02/27/2004 Time 10:48:16
. . .
(1) (2) (3)
LINE # HEXLOC VERB LINE # HEXLOC VERB LINE # HEXLOC VERB
000880 0026F0 DISPLAY 000881 002702 PERFORM 000933 002702 OPEN
000934 002722 IF 000935 00272C DISPLAY 000936 002736 PERFORM
001389 002736 DISPLAY 001390 002740 DISPLAY 001391 00274A DISPLAY
001392 002754 DISPLAY 001393 00275E DISPLAY 001394 002768 DISPLAY
001395 002772 DISPLAY 000937 00277C PERFORM 001434 00277C DISPLAY
001435 002786 STOP 000939 0027A2 MOVE 000940 0027AC WRITE
000941 0027D6 IF 000942 0027E0 DISPLAY 000943 0027EA PERFORM
001389 0027EA DISPLAY 001390 0027F4 DISPLAY 001391 0027FE DISPLAY
001392 002808 DISPLAY 001393 002812 DISPLAY 001394 00281C DISPLAY

354 Programming Guide

 001395 002826 DISPLAY 000944 002830 DISPLAY 000945 00283A PERFORM
001403 00283A DISPLAY 001404 002844 DISPLAY 001405 00284E DISPLAY
001406 002858 DISPLAY 001407 002862 CALL 000947 002888 CLOSE
(1) Line number. Your line numbers or compiler-generated line numbers are
listed.
(2) Offset, from the start of the program, of the code generated for this verb
(in hexadecimal notation).
The verbs are listed in the order in which they occur and once for each
time they are used.
(3) Verb used.

RELATED REFERENCES
“OFFSET” on page 294

Example: VBREF compiler output

The following example shows an alphabetic listing of all the verbs in a program
and where each is referenced. The listing is produced by the VBREF compiler
option.

(1) (2) (3)

2 ACCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 101
2 ADD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 130
1 CALL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
5 CLOSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 94 97 152 153
20 COMPUTE. . . . . . . . . . . . 150 164 164 165 166 166 166 166 167 168 168 169 169 170 171 171
171 172 172 173
2 CONTINUE . . . . . . . . . . . 106 107
2 DELETE . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 119
47 DISPLAY. . . . . . . . . . . . 88 90 91 92 92 93 94 94 94 95 96 96 97 99 99 100 100 100 100
103 109 117 117 118 119 138 139 139 139 139 139 139 140 140 140
140 143 148 148 149 149 149 152 152 152 153 162
2 EVALUATE . . . . . . . . . . . 116 155
47 IF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 90 93 94 94 95 96 96 97 99 100 103 105 105 107 107 107 109
110 111 111 112 113 113 113 113 114 114 115 115 116 118 119 124
124 126 127 129 132 133 134 135 136 148 149 152 152
183 MOVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 93 95 98 98 98 98 98 99 100 101 101 102 104 105 105 106 106
107 107 108 108 108 108 108 108 109 110 111 112 113 113 113 114
114 114 115 115 116 116 117 117 117 118 118 118 119 119 120 121
121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 121 122 122 122 122 122 123 123
123 123 123 123 123 124 124 124 125 125 125 125 125 125 125 126
126 126 126 126 127 127 127 127 128 128 129 129 130 130 130 130
131 131 131 131 131 132 132 132 132 132 132 133 133 133 133 133
134 134 134 134 134 135 135 135 135 135 135 136 136 137 137 137
137 137 138 138 138 138 141 141 142 142 144 144 144 144 145 145
145 145 146 149 150 150 150 151 151 155 156 156 157 157 158 158
159 159 160 160 161 161 162 162 162 168 168 168 169 169 170 171
171 172 172 173 173
5 OPEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 95 99 144 148
62 PERFORM. . . . . . . . . . . . 88 88 88 88 89 89 89 91 91 91 91 93 93 94 94 95 95 95 95 96
96 96 97 97 97 100 100 101 102 104 109 109 111 116 116 117 117
117 118 118 118 118 119 119 119 120 120 124 125 127 128 133 134
135 136 136 137 150 151 151 153 153
8 READ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 89 96 101 102 108 149 151
1 REWRITE. . . . . . . . . . . . 118
4 SEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 106 141 142
46 SET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 89 101 103 104 105 106 108 108 136 141 142 149 150 151 152 154
155 156 156 156 156 157 157 157 157 158 158 158 158 159 159 159
159 160 160 160 160 161 161 161 161 162 162 164 164
2 STOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 143
4 STRING . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 126 132 134
33 WRITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 116 129 129 129 129 129 130 130 130 130 145 146 146 146 146 147
147 151 165 165 166 166 167 174 174 174 174 174 174 174 175 175

(1) Number of times the verb is used in the program

(2) Verb
(3) Line numbers where the verb is used

Preparing to use the debugger

Use the TEST option to prepare your executable COBOL program for use with the
debugger.

Chapter 19. Debugging 355

 The Debug Tool debugger is provided with the Full Function feature of the
Enterprise COBOL compiler. To use Debug Tool to step through a run of your
| program, use the TEST compiler option. For remote debugging, the Debug
| Perspective of WebSphere Studio Enterprise Developer provides the client
graphical user interface to the debug information provided by the Debug Tool
engine running under z/OS or UNIX.

You can specify the TEST suboption SEPARATE to have the symbolic information
tables for Debug Tool generated in a data set separate from your object module.
Also, you can enable your COBOL program for debugging using overlay hooks
(production debugging), rather than compiled-in hooks, which have some
performance degradation even when the run-time TEST option is off. To use this
function, compile with TEST(NONE,SYM).

Specify the NOOPTIMIZE option to get the most debugging function.

Specify the OPTIMIZE(STD) or OPTIMIZE(FULL) option for a more efficient program,

but with some restrictions on debugging:
v The GOTO Debug Tool command is not supported.
v Except for the DESCRIBE ATTRIBUTES command, Debug Tool commands cannot
refer to any data item that was discarded from your program by the
OPTIMIZE(FULL) option.

RELATED TASKS
Preparing your program for debugging (Debug Tool User’s Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“TEST” on page 306

356 Programming Guide

Part 3. Targeting COBOL programs for certain environments
Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for Environment variables of interest for COBOL
CICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359 programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS . . 359 Resetting environment variables . . . . . . 385
Coding file input and output . . . . . . . 360 Accessing environment variables . . . . . . 385
Retrieving the system date and time . . . . . 360 Example: accessing environment variables . . . 385
Displaying the contents of data items . . . . 361 Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs . . . . . . . . . 386
Calling to or from COBOL programs . . . . 361 fork(), exec(), and spawn() . . . . . . . . 386
Coding nested programs . . . . . . . . 361 Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Coding a COBOL program to run above the Accessing main program parameters . . . . . 388
16-MB line . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 Example: accessing main program parameters 388
Determining the success of ECI calls. . . . . 362
Compiling with the CICS option . . . . . . . 362
Compiling a sequence of programs . . . . . 363
Separating CICS suboptions . . . . . . . 364
Integrated CICS translator . . . . . . . . 364
Using the separate CICS translator . . . . . . 365
CICS reserved-word table . . . . . . . . . 366
Handling errors by using CICS HANDLE . . . . 367
Example: handling errors by using CICS
HANDLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368

Chapter 21. Programming for a DB2

environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Coding SQL statements . . . . . . . . . . 371
Using SQL INCLUDE with the DB2 coprocessor 371
Using character data . . . . . . . . . . 372
Using binary items . . . . . . . . . . 373
Determining the success of SQL statements . . 373
Compiling with the SQL option . . . . . . . 373
Compiling in batch . . . . . . . . . . 374
Separating DB2 suboptions . . . . . . . . 374
DB2 coprocessor . . . . . . . . . . . 375

Chapter 22. Developing COBOL programs for

IMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Compiling and linking COBOL programs for
running under IMS . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Using object-oriented COBOL and Java under IMS 378
Calling a COBOL method from an IMS Java
application . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Building a mixed COBOL and Java application
that starts with COBOL . . . . . . . . . 379
Writing mixed-language applications . . . . 380
Using the COBOL STOP RUN statement . . . 380
Processing messages and synchronizing
transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Accessing databases . . . . . . . . . 380
Using the application interface block . . . 381

Chapter 23. Running COBOL programs under

UNIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Running in UNIX environments . . . . . . . 383
Setting and accessing environment variables . . . 384
Setting environment variables that affect
execution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 357

358 Programming Guide
 Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for CICS
COBOL programs that are written for CICS can run under CICS Transaction Server.
CICS COBOL application programs that use CICS services must use the CICS
command-level interface.

When you use the CICS compiler option, the Enterprise COBOL compiler handles
both native COBOL and embedded CICS statements in the source program.
Compilers before COBOL for OS/390 & VM Version 2 Release 2 require a separate
translation step to convert EXEC CICS commands to COBOL code. You can still
translate embedded CICS statements separately, but use of the integrated CICS
translator is recommended.

To use the integrated CICS translator, CICS Transaction Server Version 2 is

required.

After you compile and link-edit your program, you need to do some other steps
such as updating CICS tables before you can run the COBOL program under CICS.
However, these CICS topics are beyond the scope of this COBOL information. See
the related references for further information about CICS.

You can determine how run-time errors are handled by setting the CBLPSHPOP
run-time option. See the related tasks for information about CICS HANDLE and
CBLPSHPOP.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Integrated CICS translator” on page 364

RELATED TASKS
“Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS”
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362
“Using the separate CICS translator” on page 365
“Handling errors by using CICS HANDLE” on page 367
Using the CBLPSHPOP run-time option under CICS (Language Environment
Programming Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“CICS” on page 273
CICS Application Programming Guide

Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS

To code your program, you need to know how to code CICS commands in the
PROCEDURE DIVISION. They have the following basic format:
EXEC CICS command name and command options
END-EXEC

Within EXEC commands, use the space as a word separator; do not use a comma or
a semicolon.

| COBOL class definitions and methods (object-oriented COBOL) cannot be run in a

| CICS environment.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 359

 In addition, when you code your programs to run under CICS, do not use the
following code:
v FILE-CONTROL entry in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, unless the FILE-CONTROL entry
is used for a SORT statement
v FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION, unless the FILE SECTION is used for a SORT
statement
v User-specified parameters to the main program
v USE declaratives (except USE FOR DEBUGGING)
v These COBOL language statements:
– ACCEPT format 1: data transfer (you can use format-2 ACCEPT to retrieve the
system date and time)
– CLOSE
– DELETE
– DISPLAY UPON SYSPUNCH
– DISPLAY UPON CONSOLE
– MERGE
– OPEN
– READ
– RERUN
– REWRITE
– START
– STOP literal
– WRITE

If you plan to use the separate CICS translator, you must put any REPLACE
statements that contain EXEC commands after the PROCEDURE DIVISION statement for
the program, or they will not be translated.

Coding file input and output

You must use CICS commands for most input and output processing. Therefore,
do not describe files or code any OPEN, CLOSE, READ, START, REWRITE, WRITE, or
DELETE statements. Instead, use CICS commands to retrieve, update, insert, and
delete data.

Retrieving the system date and time

You cannot use a format-1 ACCEPT statement in a CICS program.

You can use these format-2 ACCEPT statements in the CICS environment to get the
system date:
v ACCEPT identifier-2 FROM DATE
v ACCEPT identifier-2 FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
v ACCEPT identifier-2 FROM DAY
v ACCEPT identifier-2 FROM DAY YYYYDDD
v ACCEPT identifier-2 FROM DAY-OF-WEEK

You can use this format-2 ACCEPT statement in the CICS environment to get the
system time:
v ACCEPT identifier-2 FROM TIME

360 Programming Guide

 The recommended way to retrieve system date and time information is to use the
ACCEPT statement, because it works in all environments (CICS and non-CICS).

Displaying the contents of data items

DISPLAY to the system logical output device (SYSOUT, SYSLIST, SYSLST) is
supported under CICS. The DISPLAY output is written to the Language
Environment message file (transient data queue CESE).

DISPLAY . . . UPON CONSOLE and DISPLAY . . . UPON SYSPUNCH, however, are not
allowed.

Calling to or from COBOL programs

You can make calls to or from VS COBOL II, COBOL for MVS & VM, COBOL for
OS/390 & VM, and Enterprise COBOL programs using the CALL statement.
However, these programs cannot call or be called by OS/VS COBOL programs
with the CALL statement. You must use EXEC CICS LINK instead. If you are calling a
separately compiled COBOL program that was processed with either the separate
CICS translator or the integrated CICS translator, you must pass DFHEIBLK and
DFHCOMMAREA as the first two parameters in the CALL statement.

You can use CALL identifier with the NODYNAM compiler option to dynamically call a
program. Called programs can contain any function supported by CICS for the
language. You must define dynamically called programs in the CICS program
| processing table (PPT) if you are not using CICS autoinstall. Under CICS, COBOL
| programs do not support dynamic calls to subprograms that have the RELOAD=YES
| option coded in their CICS PROGRAM definition. Dynamic calls to programs that are
| defined with RELOAD=YES can cause a storage shortage. Use the RELOAD=NO option
| for programs that are to be dynamically called by COBOL.

Support for interlanguage communication (ILC) with other high-level languages is

available. Where ILC is not supported, you can use CICS LINK, XCTL, and RETURN
instead.

The following table shows the calling relationship between COBOL and assembler
programs. In the table, assembler programs that conform to the interface described
in the Language Environment Programming Guide are called Language
Environment-conforming assembler programs. Those that do not conform to the
interface are non-Language Environment-conforming assembler programs.
Table 56. Calls between COBOL and assembler under CICS
Language Non-Language
Calls between COBOL and Environment-conforming Environment-conforming
assembler programs assembler program assembler program
From an Enterprise COBOL Yes Yes
program to the assembler
program?
From the assembler program Yes, if the assembler program No
to an Enterprise COBOL is not a main program
program?

Coding nested programs

When you compile with the integrated CICS translator, the DFHEIBLK and
DFHCOMMAREA control blocks are generated by the translator with the GLOBAL clause

Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for CICS 361

 in the outermost program. Therefore when you code nested programs, you do not
have to pass these control blocks as arguments on calls to the nested programs.

When you code nested programs and you plan to use the separate CICS translator,
pass DFHEIBLK and DFHCOMMAREA as parameters to the nested programs that contain
EXEC commands or references to the EIB (EXEC interface block). You must pass the
same parameters also to any program that forms part of the control hierarchy
between such a program and its top-level program.

Coding a COBOL program to run above the 16-MB line

Under Enterprise COBOL, these restrictions apply when you code a COBOL
program to run above the 16-MB line:
v If you use IMS/ESA Version 6 (or later) without DBCTL, DL/I CALL statements are
supported only if all the data passed on the call resides below the 16-MB line.
Therefore, you must specify the DATA(24) compiler option. However, if you use
IMS/ESA Version 6 (or later) with DBCTL, you can use the DATA(31) compiler
option instead and pass data that resides above the 16-MB line.
If you use EXEC DLI instead of DL/I CALL statements, you can specify DATA(31)
regardless of the IMS product level.
v If the receiving program is link-edited with AMODE 31, addresses passed must be
31 bits long, or 24 bits long with the leftmost byte set to zeros.
v If the receiving program is link-edited with AMODE 24, addresses passed must be
24 bits long.

Determining the success of ECI calls

Following calls to the external CICS interface (ECI), the content of the RETURN-CODE
special register is set to an unpredictable value. Therefore, even if your COBOL
program terminates normally after successfully using the external CICS interface,
the job step could end with an undefined return code. To ensure that a meaningful
return code is given at termination, set the RETURN-CODE special register before
terminating your program.

To make the job return code reflect the status of the last call to CICS, set the
RETURN-CODE special register based on the response codes from the last call to the
external CICS interface.

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors when calling programs” on page 213
ILC under CICS (Language Environment Writing ILC Applications)

RELATED REFERENCES
CICS External Interfaces Guide

Compiling with the CICS option

Use the CICS compiler option to enable the integrated CICS translator and to
specify CICS suboptions. If you specify the NOCICS option, the compiler diagnoses
and discards any CICS statements that it finds in your source program. If you have
already used the separate CICS translator, you must use the NOCICS compiler
option.

You can specify the CICS option in any of the compiler option sources: compiler
invocation, PROCESS or CBL statements, or installation default. When the CICS option
is the COBOL installation default, you cannot specify CICS suboptions. However,

362 Programming Guide

 making the CICS option the installation default is not recommended, because the
changes made by the integrated CICS translator are not appropriate for non-CICS
applications.

All CBL or PROCESS statements must precede any comment lines, in accordance with
the rules for Enterprise COBOL.

The CICS suboption string that you provide on the CICS compiler option is made
available to the integrated CICS translator. Only that translator views the contents
of the string.

When you use the integrated CICS translator, you must compile with these
options:
Table 57. Compiler options required for the integrated CICS translator
Compiler option Comment
CICS If you specify NOLIB, DYNAM, or NORENT, the compiler forces on
LIB, NODYNAM, and RENT.
LIB Must be in effect with CICS
NODYNAM Must be in effect with CICS
RENT Must be in effect with CICS
SIZE(xxx) xxx must be a size value (not MAX) that leaves enough storage
in your user region for the integrated CICS translation process.

In addition, IBM recommends that you use the compiler option WORD(CICS) to have
the compiler flag language elements that are not supported under CICS.

You can use the standard JCL procedural statements that are supplied with
COBOL to compile your program with the integrated CICS translator. In addition
to specifying the above compiler options, you must change your JCL to specify the
STEPLIB override for the COBOL step and to add the data set that contains the
integrated CICS translator services, unless these services are in the linklist. The
default name of the data set for CICS Transaction Server V2R2 is
CICSTS22.CICS.SDFHLOAD, but your installation might have changed the name.
For example, you might have the following line in your JCL:
//STEPLIB DD DSN=CICSTS22.CICS.SDFHLOAD,DISP=SHR

The COBOL compiler listing includes the error diagnostics (such as syntax errors
in the CICS statements) that the integrated CICS translator generates. The listing
reflects the input source; it does not include the COBOL statements that the
integrated CICS translator generates.

Compiling a sequence of programs

When you use the CICS option to compile a source file that contains a sequence of
COBOL programs, the order of precedence of the options from highest to lowest is:
1. Options that are specified in the CBL or PROCESS card that initiates the unit of
compilation
2. Options that are specified when the compiler is started
3. CICS default options

Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for CICS 363

 Separating CICS suboptions
Because of the concatenation of multiple CICS option specifications, you can
separate CICS suboptions (which might not fit on a single CBL statement) into
multiple CBL statements.

The CICS suboptions that you include in the suboption string are cumulative. The
compiler concatenates these suboptions from multiple sources in the order that
they are specified. For example, suppose that your JCL file has the following code:
//STEP1 EXEC IGYWC, . . .
//PARM.COBOL=“CICS(”FLAG(I)“)”
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
CBL CICS(“DEBUG”)
CBL CICS(“LINKAGE”)
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. COBOL1.

During compilation, the compiler passes the following suboption string to the
integrated CICS translator:
“FLAG(I) DEBUG LINKAGE”

The concatenated strings are delimited with single spaces and with a quotation
mark or single quotation mark around the group. When the compiler finds
multiple instances of the same CICS suboption, the last specification of the
suboption in the concatenated string takes effect. The compiler limits the length of
the concatenated CICS suboption string to 4 KB.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Integrated CICS translator”

RELATED TASKS
“Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS” on page 359

RELATED REFERENCES
“CICS” on page 273
CICS Application Programming Guide

Integrated CICS translator

When you use the CICS compiler option, the COBOL compiler works with the
integrated CICS translator to handle both native COBOL and embedded CICS
statements in the source program. When the compiler encounters CICS statements,
and at other significant points in the source program, it interfaces with the
integrated CICS translator. This translator takes appropriate actions on the CICS
statements and then returns to the compiler, typically indicating what native
language statements to generate. However, if you are using CICS Transaction
Server 1.3, you must continue to use the separate translator.

Although the use of the separate CICS translator continues to be supported, use of
the integrated CICS translator is recommended. Certain restrictions that apply
when you use the separate translator do not apply when you use the integrated
translator:
v You can use Debug Tool to debug the original source, instead of the expanded
source that the separate CICS translator provides.
v You do not need to translate separately the EXEC CICS or EXEC DLI statements
that are in copybooks.

364 Programming Guide

 v There is no intermediate data set for the translated but not compiled version of
the source program.
v There is only one output listing instead of two.
v Using nested programs that contain EXEC CICS statements is simpler. DFHCOMAREA
and DFHEIBLK are generated with the GLOBAL attribute in the outermost program.
You do not need to pass them as arguments on calls to nested programs or
specify them on the PROCEDURE DIVISION USING statement of nested programs.
v You can keep nested programs that contain EXEC CICS in separate files and
include them through COPY statements.
v REPLACE statements can affect EXEC CICS statements.
v Because the compiler generates binary fields in CICS control blocks with format
COMP-5 instead of BINARY, there is no dependency on the setting of the TRUNC
compiler option. You can use any setting of the TRUNC option in CICS
applications, subject only to the requirements of the application logic and use of
user-defined binary fields.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS” on page 359
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

RELATED REFERENCES
“TRUNC” on page 310

Using the separate CICS translator

To run a COBOL program under CICS, you can use the separate CICS translator to
convert the CICS commands to COBOL statements and then compile and link the
program to create the executable module. However, using the CICS translator that
is integrated with the Enterprise COBOL compiler is recommended.

To translate CICS statements separately, use the COBOL3 translator option. This
option causes the following line to be inserted:
CBL RENT,NODYNAM,LIB

You can suppress the insertion of a CBL statement by using the CICS translator
option NOCBLCARD.

CICS provides the translator option ANSI85, which supports these language
features (introduced by the COBOL 85 Standard):
v Blank lines intervening in literals
v Sequence numbers containing any character
v Lowercase characters supported in all COBOL words
v REPLACE statement
v Batch compilation
v Nested programs
v Reference modification
v GLOBAL variables
v Interchangeability of comma, semicolon, and space
v Symbolic character definition

After you use the separate CICS translator, use the following compiler options
when you compile the program:

Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for CICS 365

 Table 58. Compiler options required for the separate CICS translator
Required compiler option Condition
RENT
NODYNAM The program is translated by the CICS translator.
LIB The program contains a COPY or BASIS statement.

In addition, IBM recommends that you use the compiler option WORD(CICS)to have
the compiler flag language elements that are not supported under CICS.

The following TRUNC compiler option recommendations are based on expected

values for binary data items:
Table 59. TRUNC compiler options recommended for the separate CICS translator
Recommended compiler
option Condition
TRUNC(OPT) All binary data items conform to the PICTURE and USAGE clause
for those data items.
TRUNC(BIN) Not all binary data items conform to the PICTURE and USAGE
clause for those data items.

For example, if you use the separate CICS translator and have a data item defined
as PIC S9(8) BINARY that might receive a value greater than eight digits, use the
TRUNC(BIN) compiler option, change the item to USAGE COMP-5, or change the
PICTURE clause.

You might also want to avoid using options that have no effect:
v ADV
v FASTSRT
v OUTDD

The input data set for the compiler is the data set that you received as a result of
translation, which is SYSPUNCH by default.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Integrated CICS translator” on page 364

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

CICS reserved-word table

COBOL provides an alternate reserved-word table (IGYCCICS) for CICS
application programs. If you use the compiler option WORD(CICS), COBOL words
that are not supported under CICS are flagged by the compiler with an error
message.

In addition to the COBOL words restricted by the IBM-supplied default

reserved-word table, the IBM-supplied CICS reserved-word table restricts the
following COBOL words:

366 Programming Guide

 CLOSE I-O-CONTROL REWRITE
DELETE MERGE SD
FD OPEN SORT
FILE READ START
FILE-CONTROL RERUN WRITE
INPUT-OUTPUT

If you intend to use the SORT statement under CICS (COBOL supports an interface
for the SORT statement under CICS), you must change the CICS reserved-word
table before using it. You must remove the words in bold above from the list of
words marked as restricted, because they are required for the SORT function.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

RELATED REFERENCES
“WORD” on page 313

Handling errors by using CICS HANDLE

The setting of the CBLPSHPOP run-time option affects the state of the HANDLE
specifications when a program calls COBOL subprograms using a CALL statement.

When CBLPSHPOP is ON and a COBOL subprogram (not a nested program) is called

with a CALL statement, the following actions occur:
1. As part of program initialization, the run time suspends the HANDLE
specifications of the calling program (with an EXEC CICS PUSH HANDLE).
2. The default actions for HANDLE apply until the called program issues its own
HANDLE commands.
3. As part of program termination, the run time reinstates the HANDLE
specifications of the calling program (with an EXEC CICS POP HANDLE).

When CBLPSHPOP is OFF, the run time does not perform CICS PUSH or POP on a CALL
to any COBOL subprogram. If the subprograms do not use any of the EXEC CICS
condition-handling commands, you can run with CBLPSHPOP(OFF), eliminating the
overhead of the PUSH HANDLE and POP HANDLE commands. As a result, performance
can be improved compared to running with CBLPSHPOP(ON).

If you are migrating an application from the VS COBOL II run time to the
Language Environment run time, see the related reference for information about
the CBLPSHPOP option for additional considerations.

If you use the CICS HANDLE CONDITION or CICS HANDLE AID commands, the LABEL
specified for the CICS HANDLE command must be in the same PROCEDURE DIVISION
as the CICS command that causes branching to the CICS HANDLE label. You cannot
use the CICS HANDLE commands with the LABEL option to handle conditions, aids,
or abends that were caused by another program invoked with the COBOL CALL
statement. Attempts to perform cross-program branching by using the CICS HANDLE
command with the LABEL option result in a transaction abend.

If a condition, aid, or abend occurs in a nested program, the LABEL for the
condition, aid, or abend must be in the same nested program; otherwise
unpredictable results will occur.

Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for CICS 367

 “Example: handling errors by using CICS HANDLE”

RELATED REFERENCES
CBLPSHPOP run-time option (Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration
Guide)
IBM Enterprise COBOL Version 3 Release 1 Performance Tuning
(www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/cobol/zos/pdf/cobpf310.pdf)

Example: handling errors by using CICS HANDLE

The following sample code illustrates the use of CICS HANDLE in COBOL programs.
Program A has a CICS HANDLE CONDITION command and program B has no CICS
HANDLE commands. Program A calls program B; program A also calls nested
program A1.

The following shows how a condition is handled in three scenarios.

(1) CBLPSHPOP(ON): If the CICS READ command in program B causes a
condition, the condition is not handled by program A (the HANDLE
specifications are suspended because the run time performs a CICS PUSH
HANDLE). The condition turns into a transaction abend.
(2) CBLPSHPOP(OFF): If the CICS READ command in program B causes a
condition, the condition is not handled by program A (the run time
diagnoses the attempt to perform cross-program branching by using a CICS
HANDLE command with the LABEL option). The condition turns into a
transaction abend.
(3) If the CICS READ command in nested program A1 causes a condition, the
flow of control goes to label ERR-1, and unpredictable results occur.
***********************************************************
* Program A *
***********************************************************
ID DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. A.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
EXEC CICS HANDLE CONDITION
ERROR(ERR-1)
END-EXEC.
CALL ’B’ USING DFHEIBLK DFHCOMMAREA.
CALL ’A1’.
. . .
THE-END.
EXEC CICS RETURN END-EXEC.
ERR-1.
. . .
* Nested program A1.
ID DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. A1.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
EXEC CICS READ (3)
FILE(’LEDGER’)
INTO(RECORD)
RIDFLD(ACCTNO)
END-EXEC.
END PROGRAM A1.
END PROGRAM A.
*
***********************************************************
* Program B *
***********************************************************
ID DIVISION.

368 Programming Guide

PROGRAM-ID. B.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
EXEC CICS READ (1) (2)
FILE(’MASTER’)
INTO(RECORD)
RIDFLD(ACCTNO)
END-EXEC.
. . .
END PROGRAM B.

Chapter 20. Developing COBOL programs for CICS 369

370 Programming Guide
 Chapter 21. Programming for a DB2 environment
In general, the coding for your COBOL program will be the same if you want it to
access a DB2 database. However, to retrieve, update, insert, and delete DB2 data
and use other DB2 services, you must use SQL statements.

To communicate with DB2, do the following:

v Code any SQL statements you need, delimiting them with EXEC SQL and
END-EXEC statements.
v Use the DB2 precompiler or compile with the SQL compiler option if you are
using DB2 for OS/390 Version 7 or later.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“DB2 coprocessor” on page 375

RELATED TASKS
“Coding SQL statements”
“Compiling with the SQL option” on page 373
Coding SQL statements in a COBOL application (IBM DB2 Application Programming
and SQL Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
IBM DB2 SQL Reference

Coding SQL statements

Delimit SQL statements with EXEC SQL and END-EXEC statements. You also need to
do these special steps:
| v Declare an SQL communication area (SQLCA) in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
| or LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION of the outermost program. (LOCAL-STORAGE is
| recommended for recursive programs and programs compiled using the THREAD
| compiler option.)
| v Declare all host variables that you use in SQL statements in the WORKING-STORAGE
| SECTION, LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION, or LINKAGE SECTION. However, you do not need
to identify them with EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION and EXEC SQL END
DECLARE SECTION.
| v All programs compiled using the SQL compiler option must have a
| WORKING-STORAGE SECTION or a LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION. Recursive programs or
| programs compiled using the THREAD compiler option must have a
| LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION.
| v SQL statements are not allowed in object-oriented classes or methods.

Using SQL INCLUDE with the DB2 coprocessor

An SQL INCLUDE statement is treated identically to a native COBOL COPY statement
when you use the SQL compiler option. Therefore, the following two lines are
treated the same way:
EXEC SQL INCLUDE name END-EXEC.
COPY name.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 371

 The name in an SQL INCLUDE statement follows the same rules as those for COPY
text-name and is processed identically to a COPY text-name statement that does not
have a REPLACING clause.

The library search order for SQL INCLUDE statements is the same SYSLIB
concatenation as the compiler uses to resolve COBOL COPY statements that do not
specify a library-name.

Using character data

You can code any of the following USAGE clauses to describe host variables for
character data that you use in EXEC SQL statements:
v USAGE DISPLAY for single-byte or UTF-8 data
v USAGE DISPLAY-1 for DBCS data
v USAGE NATIONAL for Unicode data

When you use the stand-alone DB2 preprocessor, you must specify the code page
(CCSID) in EXEC SQL DECLARE statements for host variables declared with USAGE
NATIONAL. You must specify the code page for host variables declared with USAGE
DISPLAY or DISPLAY-1 only if the CCSID in effect for the COBOL CODEPAGE compiler
option and the CCSIDs used by DB2 for character and graphic data do not match.

For example:
CBL CODEPAGE(1140) NSYMBOL(NATIONAL)
. . .
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
EXEC SQL INCLUDE SQLCA END-EXEC.
EXEC SQL BEGIN DECLARE SECTION END-EXEC.
01 ID PIC S9(4) USAGE COMP.
01 C1140.
49 C1140-LEN PIC S9(4) USAGE COMP.
49 C1140-TEXT PIC X(50).
EXEC SQL DECLARE :C1140 VARIABLE CCSID 1140 END-EXEC.
01 G1200.
49 G1200-LEN PIC S9(4) USAGE COMP.
49 G1200-TEXT PIC N(50) USAGE NATIONAL.
EXEC SQL DECLARE :G1200 VARIABLE CCSID 1200 END-EXEC.
EXEC SQL END DECLARE SECTION END-EXEC.
. . .
EXEC SQL FETCH C1 INTO :ID, :C1140, :G1200 END-EXEC.

When you use the integrated DB2 coprocessor, the statements EXEC SQL DECLARE
:C1140 VARIABLE CCSID 1140 END-EXEC and EXEC SQL DECLARE :G1200 VARIABLE
CCSID 1200 END-EXEC coded above are not necessary because the code-page
information is handled implicitly.

If you specify EXEC SQL DECLARE variable-name VARIABLE CCSID nnnn END-EXEC, that
specification overrides the implied CCSID. For example, the following code would
cause DB2 to treat C1208-TEXT as encoded in UTF-8 (CCSID 1208) rather than
encoded in the CCSID in effect for the COBOL CODEPAGE compiler option:
01 C1208.
49 C1208-LEN PIC S9(4) USAGE COMP.
49 C1208-TEXT PIC X(50).
EXEC SQL DECLARE :C1208 VARIABLE CCSID 1208 END-EXEC.

The NSYMBOL compiler option has no effect on a character literal inside an EXEC SQL
statement. Character literals in an EXEC SQL statement follow the SQL rules for
character constants.

372 Programming Guide

 Using binary items
For binary data items that you specify in an EXEC SQL statement, use either of these
techniques:
v Declare them as USAGE COMP-5.
v Use the TRUNC(BIN) option if USAGE BINARY, COMP, or COMP-4 is specified. (This
might have a larger impact on performance than using USAGE COMP-5 on
individual data items.)

If you specify a USAGE BINARY, COMP, or COMP-4 item when option TRUNC(OPT) or
TRUNC(STD) or both are in effect, the compiler accepts the item but the data might
not be valid because of the decimal truncation rules. You need to ensure that
truncation does not affect the validity of the data.

Determining the success of SQL statements

When DB2 finishes executing an SQL statement, DB2 sends a return code in the
SQLCA (with one exception) to indicate whether the operation succeeded or failed.
Your program should test the return code and take any necessary action.

The exception occurs when a program runs under DSN from one of the alternate
entry points of the TSO batch mode module IKJEFT01 (IKJEFT1A or IKJEFT1B). In
this case, the return code is passed in register 15.

After execution of SQL statements, the content of the RETURN-CODE special register
might not be valid. Therefore, even if your COBOL program terminates normally
after successfully using the SQL statements, the job step could end with an
undefined return code. To ensure that a meaningful return code is given at
termination, set the RETURN-CODE special register before terminating your program.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40

RELATED REFERENCES
“CODEPAGE” on page 274

Compiling with the SQL option

You use the SQL compiler option on z/OS to enable the DB2 coprocessor and
specify the DB2 suboptions. The SQL compiler option works with embedded SQL
statements only if the compiler has access to DB2 for OS/390 Version 7 or later.

You can specify the SQL option in any of the compiler option sources: compiler
invocation, PROCESS or CBL statements, or installation default. You cannot specify
DB2 suboptions when the SQL option is the COBOL installation default, but you
can specify default DB2 suboptions by customizing the DB2 product installation
defaults.

The DB2 suboption string that you provide on the SQL compiler option is made
available to the DB2 coprocessor. Only the DB2 coprocessor views the contents of
the string.

When you use the DB2 coprocessor, you must compile with these options:

Chapter 21. Programming for a DB2 environment 373

 Table 60. Compiler options required with the DB2 coprocessor
Compiler option Comment
SQL If you use also NOLIB, LIB is forced on.
LIB Must be specified with SQL
SIZE(xxx) xxx is a size value (not MAX) that leaves enough storage in the
user region for the DB2 coprocessor services.

You can use standard JCL procedural statements to compile your program with the
DB2 coprocessor. In addition to specifying the above compiler options, specify the
following items in your JCL:
v DBRMLIB DD statement with the location for the generated database request
module (DBRM).
v STEPLIB override for the COBOL step, adding the data set that contains the DB2
coprocessor services, unless these services are in the LNKLST. Typically, this data
set is DSN710.SDSNLOAD, but your installation might have changed the name.

For example, you might have the following lines in your JCL:
//DBRMLIB DD DSN=PAYROLL.MONTHLY.DBRMLIB.DATA(MASTER),DISP=SHR
//STEPLIB DD DSN=DSN710.SDSNLOAD,DISP=SHR

Compiling in batch
When you use the SQL option to compile a source file that contains a sequence of
COBOL programs (a batch compile sequence), the option must be in effect for the
first program of the batch sequence. If the SQL option is specified on CBL or PROCESS
cards, the CBL or PROCESS cards must precede the first program in the batch
compile sequence.

Separating DB2 suboptions

Because of the concatenation of multiple SQL option specifications, you can
separate DB2 suboptions (which might not fit into single CBL statement) into
multiple CBL statements.

The DB2 suboptions that you include in the suboption string are cumulative. The
compiler concatenates these suboptions from multiple sources in the order that
they are specified. For example, suppose that your source file has the following
code:
//STEP1 EXEC IGYWC, . . .
| // PARM.COBOL=’SQL(“string1”)’
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
| CBL SQL(“string2”)
| CBL SQL(“string3”)
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. DRIVER1.

During compilation, the compiler passes the following suboption string to the DB2
coprocessor:
| “string1 string2 string3”

The concatenated strings are delimited with single spaces. When the compiler finds
multiple instances of the same DB2 suboption, the last specification of the
suboption in the concatenated string will be in effect. The compiler limits the
length of the concatenated DB2 suboption string to 4 KB.

374 Programming Guide

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“DB2 coprocessor”

RELATED REFERENCES
“SQL” on page 303
IBM DB2 Command Reference

DB2 coprocessor
When you use the DB2 coprocessor (called SQL statement coprocessor by DB2), the
compiler handles your source program containing embedded SQL statements
without your having to use a separate precompile step. When the compiler
encounters SQL statements at significant points in the source program, it interfaces
with the DB2 coprocessor. This coprocessor takes appropriate actions on the SQL
statements and indicates to the compiler what native COBOL statements to
generate for them.

Although the use of a separate precompile step continues to be supported, use of

the coprocessor is recommended. Interactive debugging with Debug Tool is
enhanced when you use the coprocessor because you see the SQL statements in the
listing (and not the generated COBOL source). However, you must have DB2 for
OS/390 Version 7 or later.

Compiling with the DB2 coprocessor generates a DB2 database request module
(DBRM) along with the usual COBOL compiler outputs such as object module and
listing. The DBRM writes to the data set that you specified on the DBRMLIBB DD
statement in the JCL for the COBOL compile step. As input to the DB2 bind
process, the DBRM data set contains information about the SQL statements and
host variables in the program.

The COBOL compiler listing includes the error diagnostics (such as syntax errors
in the SQL statements) that the DB2 coprocessor generates.

Certain restrictions on the use of COBOL language that apply when you use the
precompile step do not apply when you use the DB2 coprocessor:
v You can use SQL statements in any nested program. (With the precompiler, SQL
statements are restricted to the outermost program.)
v You can use SQL statements in copybooks.
v REPLACE statements work on SQL statements.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the SQL option” on page 373

Chapter 21. Programming for a DB2 environment 375

376 Programming Guide
Chapter 22. Developing COBOL programs for IMS
Although much of the coding of a COBOL program will be the same when
running under IMS, be aware of the following recommendations and restrictions.

In COBOL, IMS message processing programs (MPPs) do not use non-IMS input or
output statements such as READ, WRITE, REWRITE, OPEN, and CLOSE.

With Enterprise COBOL, you can invoke IMS facilities using the following
interfaces:
v CBLTDLI call
v Language Environment callable service CEETDLI

You code calls to CEETDLI the same way as calls to CBLTDLI. CEETDLI behaves
essentially the same way as CBLTDLI.

You can also run object-oriented COBOL programs in an IMS Java dependent
region. You can mix the object-oriented COBOL and Java languages in a single
application.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling and linking COBOL programs for running under IMS”
“Using object-oriented COBOL and Java under IMS” on page 378
“Calling a COBOL method from an IMS Java application” on page 378
“Building a mixed COBOL and Java application that starts with COBOL” on page
379
“Writing mixed-language applications” on page 380

Compiling and linking COBOL programs for running under IMS

For best performance in the IMS environment, use the RENT compiler option. It
causes COBOL to generate reentrant code. You can then run your application
programs in either preloaded mode (the programs are always resident in storage) or
nonpreload mode, without having to recompile with different options.

IMS allows COBOL programs to be preloaded. This preloading can boost

performance because subsequent requests for the program can be handled faster
when the program is already in storage (rather than being fetched from a library
each time it is needed).

You must use the RENT compiler option to compile a program that is to be run
preloaded or as both preloaded and nonpreloaded. When you preload a load
module that contains COBOL programs, all of the COBOL programs in that load
module must be compiled with the RENT option.

For IMS programs, IBM recommends the RENT compiler option.

You can place programs compiled with the RENT option in the z/OS link pack area.
There they can be shared among the IMS dependent regions.

To run above the 16-MB line, your application program must be compiled with
either RENT or NORENT RMODE(ANY).

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 377

 The data for IMS application programs can reside above the 16-MB line, and you
can use DATA(31) RENT, or RMODE(ANY) NORENT for programs that use IMS services.

The recommended link-edit attributes for proper execution of COBOL programs

under IMS are as follows:
v Link as RENT load modules that contain only COBOL programs compiled with
the RENT compiler option.
v To link load modules that contain a mixture of COBOL RENT programs and other
programs, use the link-edit attributes recommended for the other programs.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
Coordinated condition handling under IMS (Language Environment Programming
Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“DATA” on page 277
“RENT” on page 299
IMS considerations (Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide)

Using object-oriented COBOL and Java under IMS

You can mix object-oriented COBOL and Java in an application that runs in an IMS
Java dependent region. For example, you can:
v Call a COBOL method from an IMS Java application. You can build the
messaging portion of your application in Java and call COBOL methods to
access IMS databases.
v Build a mixed COBOL and Java application that starts with the main method of
a COBOL class and that invokes Java routines.

You must run these applications in either a Java message processing (JMP)
dependent region or a Java batch processing (JBP) dependent region. A program
that reads from the message queue (regardless of the language) must run in a JMP
dependent region.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a factory section” on page 514
Chapter 30, “Writing object-oriented programs,” on page 485
Chapter 31, “Communicating with Java methods,” on page 527
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
IMS Java User’s Guide

Calling a COBOL method from an IMS Java application

You can use the object-oriented language support in Enterprise COBOL to write
COBOL methods that an IMS Java program can call. When you define a COBOL
class and compile it with the Enterprise COBOL compiler, the compiler generates:
v A Java class definition with native methods
v The object code that implements the native methods

You can then create an instance and invoke the methods of this class from an IMS
Java program that runs in an IMS Java dependent region, just as you would use
any other class.

378 Programming Guide

 For example, you can define a COBOL class that uses the appropriate DL/I calls to
access an IMS database. To make the implementation of this class available to an
IMS Java program, do the following steps:
1. Compile the COBOL class with the Enterprise COBOL compiler to generate a
Java source file (.java) that contains the class definition and an object module
(.o) that contains the implementation of the native methods.
2. Compile the generated Java source file with the Java compiler to create a class
file (.class).
3. Link the object code into a dynamic link library (DLL) in the HFS (.so). (See the
related tasks for details.) The HFS directory that contains the COBOL DLLs
must be listed in the LIBPATH, as specified in the IMS.PROCLIB member that
is indicated by the ENVIRON= parameter of the IMS region procedure.
4. Update the sharable application class path in the master JVM options member
(ibm.jvm.sharable.application.class.path in the IMS.PROCLIB member that is
specified by the JVMOPMAS= parameter of the IMS region procedure) to
enable the JVM to access the Java class file.

When you write the initial routine of a mixed-language application in Java, you
must implement a class that is derived from the IMS Java IMSApplication class.

A Java program cannot call procedural COBOL programs directly. To reuse existing
COBOL IMS code, you can use one of the following techniques:
v Restructure the COBOL code as a method in a COBOL class.
v Write a COBOL class definition and method that serves as a wrapper for the
existing procedural code. The wrapper code can use COBOL CALL statements to
access procedural COBOL programs.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524
“Wrapping procedure-oriented COBOL programs” on page 523
IMS Java User’s Guide

Building a mixed COBOL and Java application that starts with

COBOL
You can also build a mixed COBOL and Java IMS application that starts with
COBOL code.

An application that runs in an IMS Java dependent region must start with the main
method of a class. A COBOL class definition with a main factory method meets this
requirement; therefore, you can use it as the first routine of a mixed COBOL and
Java IMS application. (See the related tasks for details about how you can structure
OO applications.) Enterprise COBOL generates a Java class with a main method
that the IMS Java dependent region can find, instantiate, and invoke in the same
way that the region does for the main method of an IMS Java IMSApplication
subclass. Although you can code the entire application in COBOL, you would
probably build this type of application to call a Java routine. When COBOL
run-time support runs within the JVM of an IMS Java dependent region, it
automatically finds and uses this JVM to invoke methods on Java classes.

When the main factory method of a COBOL class is the initial routine of a
mixed-language application in an IMS Java dependent region, the program is
subject to the same requirements as a Java program that runs in the dependent
region. That is, the program must explicitly commit resources before it reads

Chapter 22. Developing COBOL programs for IMS 379

 subsequent messages from the message queue or exits the application. (A COBOL
DL/I GU call does not commit resources when it is issued in an IMS Java
dependent region, as it does when issued in a message processing region (MPR).)

However, the COBOL application is not derived from the IMSApplication class,
and it should not use the IMS Java classes for processing messages or
synchronizing transactions. Instead, it should use DL/I calls in COBOL for
processing messages (GU and GN) and synchronizing transactions (CHKP). A CHKP call
in an IMS Java dependent region does not result in the automatic retrieval of a
message from the message queue, unlike a CHKP call in a non-IMS Java region.

RELATED TASKS
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524
IMS Java User’s Guide
New IBM Technology featuring Persistent Reusable Java Virtual Machines

Writing mixed-language applications

This section covers some things to consider when you write mixed-language
applications.

Using the COBOL STOP RUN statement

If you use the COBOL STOP RUN statement in the COBOL portion of your
application, it will terminate all COBOL and Java routines (including the JVM),
and return control immediately to IMS. The program and the transaction are left in
a stopped state.

Processing messages and synchronizing transactions

IMS message processing applications must do all message processing and
transaction synchronization logic in one language, either COBOL or Java, rather
than distributing this logic between application components written in the two
languages. COBOL components use CALL statements to DL/I services for
processing messages (GU and GN) and synchronizing transactions (CHKP). Java
components use IMS Java classes to do these functions. You can use object
instances of classes derived from IMSFieldMessage to communicate entire IMS
messages between the COBOL and Java components of the application.

Accessing databases
Limitation: EXEC SQL statements for DB2 database access are not currently
supported in COBOL routines that run in IMS Java dependent regions.

You can use either Java, COBOL, or a mixture of the two languages for accessing
IMS databases.

Recommendation: Do not access the same database program communication block

(PCB) from both Java and COBOL. The Java and COBOL parts of the application
share the same database position. Changes in database position from calls in one
part of the application will affect the database position in another part of the
application. (This problem occurs whether the affected parts of an application are
written in the same language or in different languages.)

Suppose that a Java component of a mixed application builds an SQL SELECT clause
and uses Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) to query and retrieve results from an
IMS database. The IMS Java class library constructs the appropriate request to IMS
to establish the correct position in the database. If you then invoke a COBOL
method that builds a segment search argument (SSA) and issues a GU (Get Unique)
request to IMS against the same database PCB, the request has probably altered the

380 Programming Guide

position in the database for that PCB. If so, subsequent JDBC requests to retrieve
more records by using the initial SQL SELECT clause will be incorrect because the
database position has changed. If you must access the same PCB from multiple
languages, after an interlanguage call, reestablish the database position before you
access more records in the database.

Using the application interface block

The IMS Java dependent region does not provide PCB addresses to its application.
Therefore, COBOL applications that run in an IMS Java dependent region are
required to use the application interface block (AIB) interface, which requires that
all PCBs in a program specification block (PSB) definition have a name.

To use the AIB interface, specify the PCB requested for the call by placing the PCB
name (which must be defined as part of the PSBGEN) in the resource name field of
the AIB. You do not specify the PCB address directly, and your application does
not need to know the relative PCB position in the PCB list. At the completion of
the call, the AIB returns the PCB address that corresponds to the PCB name that
the application passed.

For example:
Local-storage section.
copy AIB.
. . .
Linkage section.
01 IOPCB.
05 logtterm pic x(08).
05 pic x(02).
05 tpstat pic x(02).
05 iodate pic x(04).
05 iotime pic x(04).
05 pic x(02).
05 seqnum pic x(02).
05 mod pic x(08).
Procedure division.
Move spaces to input-area
Move spaces to AIB
Move “DFSAIB” to AIBRID
Move length of AIB to AIBRLEN
Move “IOPCB” to AIBRSNM1
Move length of input-area to AIBOALEN
Call “CEETDLI” using GU, AIB, input-area
Set address of IOPCB to AIBRESA1
If tpstat = spaces
* . . process input message

RELATED TASKS
IMS Java User’s Guide
IMS Application Programming: Transaction Manager

Chapter 22. Developing COBOL programs for IMS 381

382 Programming Guide
 Chapter 23. Running COBOL programs under UNIX
To run COBOL programs in the UNIX environment, you must compile them with
the Enterprise COBOL or the COBOL for OS/390 & VM compiler. They must be
reentrant: use the compiler and linker option RENT. If you are going to run them
from the HFS, use the linker option AMODE 31. Any AMODE 24 program that you call
from within a UNIX application must reside in an MVS PDS or PDSE.

The following restrictions apply to running under UNIX:

v SORT and MERGE statements are not supported.
v You cannot use the old COBOL interfaces for preinitialization (run-time option
RTEREUS and functions IGZERRE and ILBOSTP0) to establish a reusable
environment.
v You cannot run a COBOL program compiled with the NOTHREAD option in more
than one thread. If you start a COBOL application in a second thread, you get a
software condition from the COBOL run time. You can run NOTHREAD COBOL
programs in the initial process thread (IPT) or in one non-IPT that you create
from a C or PL/I routine.
You can run a COBOL program in more than one thread when you compile all
the COBOL programs in the application with the THREAD option.

| You can use Debug Tool to debug Unix System Services programs in remote debug
| mode, for example, by using the Debug Perspective of WebSphere Studio
| Enterprise Developer, or in full-screen mode (MFI) using a VTAM terminal.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 15, “Compiling under UNIX,” on page 249
“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page 259
“Running in UNIX environments”
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
“Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs” on page 386
“Accessing main program parameters” on page 388
Language Environment Programming Guide

RELATED REFERENCES
“RENT” on page 299

Running in UNIX environments

You can run UNIX COBOL programs in any of the UNIX execution environments:
v From a UNIX shell, either:
– The OMVS shell (OMVS), or
– The ISPF shell (ISHELL)
Enter the program name at the shell prompt. The program must be in the
current directory or in your search path.
You can specify run-time options only by setting the environment variable
_CEE_RUNOPTS before starting the program.
You can run MVS programs that reside in a cataloged MVS data set from a shell
by using the tso utility. For example:
tso “call ’my.loadlib(myprog)’”

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 383

 The ISPF shell can direct stdout and stderr only to an HFS file, not to your
terminal.
v From outside a shell, either:
– TSO/E, or
– Batch
To call a UNIX COBOL program that resides in an HFS file from the TSO/E
ready prompt, use the BPXBATCH utility or a spawn() syscall in a REXX exec.
To call a UNIX COBOL program that resides in an HFS file with the JCL EXEC
statement, use the BPXBATCH utility.

RELATED TASKS
“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page 259
“Setting and accessing environment variables”
“Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs” on page 386
“Accessing main program parameters” on page 388
“Defining and allocating QSAM files” on page 134
“Defining and allocating line-sequential files” on page 177
“Allocating VSAM files” on page 169
“Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY)” on page 30
Running POSIX-enabled programs using a UNIX shell (Language Environment
Programming Guide)
Running POSIX-enabled programs outside the UNIX shells (Language Environment
Programming Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“TEST” on page 306
The BPXBATCH utility (UNIX System Services User’s Guide)
Language Environment Programming Reference

Setting and accessing environment variables

You can set environment variables for UNIX COBOL programs in either of these
ways:
v From the shell with commands export and set
v From the program

Although setting and resetting environment variables from the shell before you
begin to run a program is probably a typical procedure, you can set, reset, and
access environment variables from the program while it is running.

If you are running a program with BPXBATCH, you can set environment variables
by using an STDENV DD statement.

Setting environment variables that affect execution

To set environment variables from a shell, use the export or set command. For
example, to set the environment variable MYFILE:
export MYFILE=/usr/mystuff/notes.txt

Call POSIX functions setenv() and putenv() to set environment variables from the
program.

384 Programming Guide

 Environment variables of interest for COBOL programs
_CEE_ENVFILE
Specifies a file from which to read environment variables.
_CEE_RUNOPTS
Run-time options.
CLASSPATH
Directory paths of Java .class files required for an OO application.
COBJVMINITOPTIONS
Java virtual machine (JVM) options used when COBOL initializes a JVM.
_IGZ_SYSOUT
stdout or stderr to direct DISPLAY output. These are the only allowable
values.
LIBPATH
Directory paths of dynamic link libraries.
PATH Directory paths of executable programs.
STEPLIB
Location of programs not in the LNKLST.

Resetting environment variables

You can reset an environment variable from the shell or from your program. To
reset an environment variable as if it had not been set, use the UNIX shell
command unset. To reset an environment variable from a COBOL program, call
the setenv() function.

Accessing environment variables

To see the values of all environment variables, you can use the export command
with no parameters.

To access the value of an environment variable from a COBOL program, call the
getenv() function.

“Example: accessing environment variables”

RELATED TASKS
“Running in UNIX environments” on page 383
“Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs” on page 386
“Accessing main program parameters” on page 388
“Running OO applications under UNIX” on page 259
“Displaying values on a screen or in a file (DISPLAY)” on page 30

RELATED REFERENCES
_CEE_ENVFILE (C/C++ Programming Guide)
Language Environment Programming Reference
MVS JCL Reference

Example: accessing environment variables

The following example shows how you can access and set environment variables
from a COBOL program by calling the standard POSIX functions getenv() and
putenv().

Chapter 23. Running COBOL programs under UNIX 385

 Because getenv() and putenv() are C functions, you must pass arguments BY VALUE.
Pass character strings as BY VALUE pointers that point to null-terminated strings.
Compile programs that call these functions with the NODYNAM and
PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) options.
CBL pgmname(longmixed),nodynam
Identification division.
Program-id. “envdemo”.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 P pointer.
01 PATH pic x(5) value Z“PATH”.
01 var-ptr pointer.
01 var-len pic 9(4) binary.
01 putenv-arg pic x(14) value Z“MYVAR=ABCDEFG”.
01 rc pic 9(9) binary.
Linkage section.
01 var pic x(5000).
Procedure division.
* Retrieve and display the PATH environment variable
Set P to address of PATH
Call “getenv” using by value P returning var-ptr
If var-ptr = null then
Display “PATH not set”
Else
Set address of var to var-ptr
Move 0 to var-len
Inspect var tallying var-len
for characters before initial X“00”
Display “PATH = ” var(1:var-len)
End-if
* Set environment variable MYVAR to ABCDEFG
Set P to address of putenv-arg
Call “putenv” using by value P returning rc
If rc not = 0 then
Display “putenv failed”
Stop run
End-if
Goback.

Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs

You can call standard UNIX/POSIX functions from UNIX programs and from
traditional MVS COBOL programs by using the CALL literal statement. These
functions are part of Language Environment.

Because these are C functions, you must pass arguments BY VALUE. Pass character
strings as BY VALUE pointers that point to null-terminated strings. You must use the
compiler options NODYNAM and PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) when you compile programs
that call these functions.

fork(), exec(), and spawn()

You can call the fork(), exec(), and spawn() functions from a COBOL program, or
from a non-COBOL program in the same process as COBOL programs. However,
be aware of these restrictions:
v From a forked process you cannot access any COBOL sequential, indexed, or
relative files that were open when you issued the fork. You get a file status code
92 when you attempt such access (CLOSE, READ, WRITE, REWRITE, DELETE, or START).
You can access line-sequential files that were open at the time of a fork.
v You cannot use the fork() function in a process in which any of the following
conditions are true:

386 Programming Guide

 – A COBOL SORT or MERGE is running.
– A declarative is running.
– The process has more than one Language Environment enclave (COBOL run
unit).
– The process has used any of the COBOL reusable environment interfaces.
– The process has ever run an OS/VS COBOL or VS COBOL II program.
v With one exception, MVS DD allocations are not inherited from a parent process
to a child process. The exception is the local spawn, which creates a child
process in the same address space as the parent process. You request a local
spawn by setting the environment variable _BPX_ SHAREAS=YES before you invoke
the spawn() function.

The exec() and spawn() functions start a new Language Environment enclave in
the new UNIX process. Therefore the target program of the exec() or spawn() is a
main program, and all COBOL programs in the process start in initial state with all
files closed.

Samples
Sample code for calling some of the POSIX routines is provided with the product.
The sample source code is in the SIGYSAMP data set.
Table 61. Samples with POSIX function calls
Purpose Sample Functions used
Shows how to use some of the file IGYTFL1 getcwd()
and directory routines mkdir()
rmdir()
access()
Shows how to use the iconv IGYTCNV iconv_open()
routines to convert data iconv()
iconv_close()
Shows the use of the exec() routine IGYTEXC fork()
to run a new program along with IGYTEXC1 getpid()
other process-related routines getppid()
execl()
perror()
wait()
Shows how to get the errno value IGYTERNO perror()
IGYTGETE fopen()
Shows the use of the interprocess IGYTMSQ ftok()
communication message routines IGYTMSQ2 msgget()
msgsndd()
perror()
fopen()
fclose()
msgrcv()
msgctl()
perror()

RELATED TASKS
“Running in UNIX environments” on page 383
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
“Accessing main program parameters” on page 388
Language Environment Programming Guide

Chapter 23. Running COBOL programs under UNIX 387

 RELATED REFERENCES
C/C++ Run-Time Library Reference
UNIX System Services Programming Assembler Callable Services Reference

Accessing main program parameters

When you run a COBOL program from the UNIX shell command line, or with an
exec() or spawn() function, the parameter list consists of three parameters passed
by reference:
argument count
A binary fullword integer that contains the number of elements in each of
the arrays that are passed in the second and third parameters.
argument length list
An array of pointers. The nth entry in the array is the address of a
fullword binary integer that contains the length of the nth entry in the
argument list.
argument list
An array of pointers. The nth entry in the array is the address of the nth
character string passed as an argument in the spawn() or exec() function or
in the command invocation. Each character string is null-terminated.
This array is never empty. The first argument is the character string that
represents the name of the file associated with the process being started.

You can access these parameters with standard COBOL coding.

“Example: accessing main program parameters”

RELATED TASKS
“Running in UNIX environments” on page 383
“Setting and accessing environment variables” on page 384
“Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs” on page 386

Example: accessing main program parameters

The following example shows the three parameters that are passed by reference.
Identification division.
Program-id. “EXECED”.
****************************************************************
* This sample program displays arguments received via exec() *
* function of UNIX System Services *
****************************************************************
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 curr-arg-count pic 9(9) binary value zero.
Linkage section.
01 arg-count pic 9(9) binary. (1)
01 arg-length-list. (2)
05 arg-length-addr pointer occurs 1 to 99999
depending on curr-arg-count.
01 arg-list. (3)
05 arg-addr pointer occurs 1 to 99999
depending on curr-arg-count.
01 arg-length pic 9(9) binary.
01 arg pic X(65536).
Procedure division using arg-count arg-length-list arg-list.
*****************************************************************
* Display number of arguments received *
*****************************************************************

388 Programming Guide

 Display “Number of arguments received: ” arg-count
*****************************************************************
* Display each argument passed to this program *
*****************************************************************
Perform arg-count times
Add 1 to curr-arg-count
* *******************************************************
* * Set address of arg-length to address of current *
* * argument length and display *
* *******************************************************
Set Address of arg-length
to arg-length-addr(curr-arg-count)
Display
“Length of Arg ” curr-arg-count “ = ” arg-length
* *******************************************************
* * Set address of arg to address of current argument *
* * and display *
* *******************************************************
Set Address of arg to arg-addr(curr-arg-count)
Display “Arg ” curr-arg-count “ = ” arg (1:arg-length)
End-Perform
Display “Display of arguments complete.”
Goback.
(1) This count contains the number of elements in the arrays that are passed in
the second and third parameters.
(2) This array includes a pointer to the length of the nth entry in the argument
list.
(3) This array includes a pointer to the nth character string passed as an
argument on the spawn() or exec() function or the command invocation.

Chapter 23. Running COBOL programs under UNIX 389

390 Programming Guide
Part 4. Structuring complex applications
Chapter 24. Using subprograms . . . . . . 393 Using CALL identifier with DLLs . . . . . . 429
Main programs, subprograms, and calls . . . . 394 Search order for DLLs in HFS . . . . . . . 430
Ending and reentering main programs or Using DLL linkage and dynamic calls together . . 430
subprograms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 Using procedure or function pointers with DLLs 431
Transferring control to another program . . . . 396 Calling DLLs from non-DLLs . . . . . . . 432
Making static calls . . . . . . . . . . . 397 Example: calling DLLs from non-DLLs . . . . 432
Making dynamic calls . . . . . . . . . 397 Using COBOL DLLs with C/C++ programs . . . 434
Canceling a subprogram . . . . . . . . 398 Using DLLs in OO COBOL applications . . . . 434
When to use a dynamic call . . . . . . 398
AMODE switching . . . . . . . . . . 399 Chapter 27. Preparing COBOL programs for
Performance considerations of static and multithreading . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
dynamic calls . . . . . . . . . . . . 401 Multithreading . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Making both static and dynamic calls . . . . 401 Choosing THREAD to support multithreading . . 439
Examples: static and dynamic CALL statements 402 Transferring control with multithreading . . . . 439
Calling nested COBOL programs . . . . . . 403 Using cancel with threaded programs . . . . 439
Nested programs . . . . . . . . . . 404 Ending a program . . . . . . . . . . . 439
Example: structure of nested programs . . . 405 Preinitializing the COBOL environment . . . 440
Scope of names . . . . . . . . . . . 406 Processing files with multithreading . . . . . . 440
Making recursive calls . . . . . . . . . . 407 File definition storage . . . . . . . . . 440
Calling to and from object-oriented programs . . 407 Recommended usage for file access . . . . . 441
Using procedure and function pointers . . . . . 407 Example: usage patterns of file input and
Deciding which type of pointer to use . . . . 408 output with multithreading. . . . . . . . 441
Calling a C function pointer . . . . . . . 408 Handling COBOL limitations with multithreading 442
Calling to alternate entry points . . . . . . 409
Making programs reentrant . . . . . . . . 409

Chapter 25. Sharing data . . . . . . . . . 411

Passing data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Describing arguments in the calling program 413
Describing parameters in the called program 413
Testing for OMITTED arguments . . . . . . 414
Coding the LINKAGE SECTION . . . . . . . 414
Coding the PROCEDURE DIVISION for passing
arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Grouping data to be passed . . . . . . . 415
Handling null-terminated strings . . . . . . 415
Using pointers to process a chained list . . . 416
Example: using pointers to process a chained
list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Passing return code information . . . . . . . 419
Understanding the RETURN-CODE special
register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Using PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING . .
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Specifying CALL . . . RETURNING . . . . . 420
Sharing data by using the EXTERNAL clause. . . 420
Sharing files between programs (external files) . . 421
Example: using external files . . . . . . . 421

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application 425

Dynamic link libraries (DLLs) . . . . . . . . 425
Compiling programs to create DLLs . . . . . . 426
Linking DLLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427
Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL
application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Prelinking certain DLLs . . . . . . . . . . 429

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 391

392 Programming Guide
Chapter 24. Using subprograms
Many applications consist of several separately compiled programs linked together.
A run unit (the COBOL term synonymous with enclave in Language Environment)
includes one or more object programs and can include object programs written in
other Language Environment member languages.

Language Environment provides interlanguage support that allows your Enterprise

COBOL programs to call and be called by programs that meet the requirements of
Language Environment.

Name prefix alert: Do not use program names that start with prefixes used by IBM
products. If you try to use programs whose names start with any of the following,
your CALL statements might resolve to IBM library or compiler routines rather than
to your intended program:

AFB AFH CBC CEE EDC

IBM IFY IGY IGZ ILB

Multithreading: You can combine your multithreaded COBOL programs with C

programs and Language Environment-enabled assembler programs in the same
run unit when those programs are also appropriately coded for multithreaded
execution.

PL/I tasking: To include COBOL programs in applications that contain multiple

PL/I tasks, follow these guidelines:
v Compile all COBOL programs that you run on multiple PL/I tasks with the
THREAD option. If you compile any COBOL program with the NOTHREAD option, all
of the COBOL programs must run in one PL/I task.
v You can call COBOL programs compiled with the THREAD option from one or
more PL/I tasks. However, calls from PL/I programs to COBOL programs
cannot include the TASK or EVENT option. The PL/I tasking call must first call a
PL/I program or function that in turn calls the COBOL program. This
indirection is required because you cannot specify the COBOL program directly
as the target of a PL/I CALL statement that includes the TASK or EVENT option.
v Be aware that issuing a STOP RUN statement from a COBOL program or a STOP
statement from a PL/I program terminates the entire Language Environment
enclave, including all the tasks of execution.
v Do not code explicit POSIX threading (calls to pthread_create()) in any run unit
that includes PL/I tasking.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Main programs, subprograms, and calls” on page 394

RELATED TASKS
“Ending and reentering main programs or subprograms” on page 394
“Transferring control to another program” on page 396
“Making recursive calls” on page 407
“Calling to and from object-oriented programs” on page 407
“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 393

 “Making programs reentrant” on page 409
Language Environment Writing ILC Applications

RELATED REFERENCES
Register conventions (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Main programs, subprograms, and calls

If a COBOL program is the first program in the run unit, that COBOL program is
the main program. Otherwise, it and all other COBOL programs in the run unit are
subprograms. No specific source-code statements or options identify a COBOL
program as a main program or subprogram.

Whether a COBOL program is a main program or subprogram can be significant

for either of two reasons:
v Effect of program termination statements
v State of the program when it is reentered after returning

In the PROCEDURE DIVISION, a program can call another program (generally called a
subprogram), and this called program can itself call other programs. The program
that calls another program is referred to as the calling program, and the program it
calls is referred to as the called program. When the processing of the called
program is completed, the called program can either transfer control back to the
calling program or end the run unit.

The called COBOL program starts running at the top of the PROCEDURE DIVISION.

RELATED TASKS
“Ending and reentering main programs or subprograms”
“Making recursive calls” on page 407
“Transferring control to another program” on page 396

RELATED REFERENCES
Language Environment Programming Guide

Ending and reentering main programs or subprograms

You can use any of three termination statements in a program, but they have
different effects, as shown in the table below:
Table 62. Effects of termination statements
Termination
statement Main program Subprogram
EXIT PROGRAM No action taken. Return to calling program without
ending the run unit. An implicit
EXIT PROGRAM statement is
generated if the called program
has no next executable statement.

In a threaded environment, the

thread is not terminated unless the
program is the first (oldest) one in
the thread.

394 Programming Guide

 Table 62. Effects of termination statements (continued)
Termination
statement Main program Subprogram
1
STOP RUN Return to calling program. (Might Return directly to the program that
be the operating system, and called the main program.1 (Might
application will end.) be the operating system, and
application will end.)
STOP RUN terminates the run unit,
| and deletes all dynamically called STOP RUN terminates the run unit,
| programs in the run unit and all and deletes all dynamically called
| programs link-edited with them. (It programs in the run unit and all
| does not delete the main program.) programs link-edited with them. (It
| does not delete the main program.)
In a threaded environment the
entire Language Environment In a threaded environment, the
enclave is terminated, including all entire Language Environment
threads running within the enclave is terminated, including all
enclave. threads running within the
enclave.
| GOBACK Return to calling program.1 (Might Return to calling program.
| be the operating system, and
| application will end.) In a threaded environment, if the
program is the first program in a
| GOBACK terminates the run unit, thread, the thread is terminated.2
| and deletes all dynamically called
| programs in the run unit and all
| programs link-edited with them. (It
| does not delete the main program.)

In a threaded environment, the

thread is terminated.2

1. If the main program is called by a program written in another language that does not
follow Language Environment linkage conventions, return is to this calling program.
2. If the thread is the initial thread of execution in an enclave, the enclave is terminated.

A subprogram is usually left in its last-used state when it terminates with EXIT
PROGRAM or GOBACK. The next time the subprogram is called in the run unit, its
internal values will be as they were left, except that return values for PERFORM
statements will be reset to their initial values. (In contrast, a main program is
initialized each time it is called.)

There are some cases where programs will be in their initial state:
v A subprogram that is dynamically called and then canceled will be in the initial
state the next time it is called.
v A program with the INITIAL attribute will be in the initial state each time it is
called.
v Data items defined in the LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION will be reset to the initial state
specified by their VALUE clauses each time the program is called.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Comparison of WORKING-STORAGE and LOCAL-STORAGE” on page 15
Thread termination (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 395

 RELATED TASKS
“Calling nested COBOL programs” on page 403
“Making recursive calls” on page 407

Transferring control to another program

You can use several different methods to transfer control to another program:
v Static calls
v Dynamic calls
v Calls to nested programs
v Calls to dynamic link libraries (DLLs)

In addition to making calls between Enterprise COBOL programs, you can also
make static and dynamic calls between Enterprise COBOL and programs compiled
with older compilers in all environments including CICS.

When you want to use OS/VS COBOL with Enterprise COBOL, there are
differences in support between non-CICS and CICS:
In a non-CICS environment
You can make static and dynamic calls between Enterprise COBOL and
other COBOL programs.
Exception: You cannot call VS COBOL II or OS/VS COBOL programs in
the UNIX environment.
In a CICS environment
You cannot call OS/VS COBOL programs in the CICS environment. You
must use EXEC CICS LINK to transfer control between OS/VS COBOL
programs and other COBOL programs.

Calls to nested programs allow you to create applications using structured

programming techniques. You can use nested programs in place of PERFORM
procedures to prevent unintentional modification of data items. Call nested
programs using either the CALL literal or CALL identifier statement.

Calls to dynamic link libraries (DLLs) are an alternative to COBOL dynamic CALL,
and are well suited to object-oriented COBOL applications, UNIX programs, and
applications that interoperate with C/C++.

Under z/OS, linking two load modules together results logically in a single
program with a primary entry point and an alternate entry point, each with its
own name. Each name by which a subprogram is to be dynamically called must be
known to the system. You must specify each such name in linkage-editor or binder
control statements as either a NAME or an ALIAS of the load module that contains the
subprogram.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Nested programs” on page 404

RELATED TASKS
“Making static calls” on page 397
“Making dynamic calls” on page 397
“Making both static and dynamic calls” on page 401
“Calling nested COBOL programs” on page 403

396 Programming Guide

Making static calls
When you use the CALL literal statement in a program that is compiled using the
NODYNAM and NODLL compiler options, a static call occurs. With these options, all
calls of the CALL literal format are handled as static calls.

In the static CALL statement, the COBOL program and all called programs are part
of the same load module. When control is transferred, the called program already
resides in storage, and a branch to it takes place. Subsequent executions of the CALL
statement make the called program available in its last-used state, unless the called
program has the INITIAL attribute. In that case, the called program and each
program directly or indirectly contained within it are placed into its initial state
every time the called program is called within a run unit.

If you specify alternate entry points, a static CALL statement can use any alternate
entry point to enter the called subprogram.

“Examples: static and dynamic CALL statements” on page 402

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Performance considerations of static and dynamic calls” on page 401

RELATED TASKS
“Calling to and from object-oriented programs” on page 407
“Making dynamic calls”
“Making both static and dynamic calls” on page 401

RELATED REFERENCES
“DYNAM” on page 282
“DLL” on page 281
CALL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Making dynamic calls

When you use the CALL literal statement in a program that is compiled using the
DYNAM and the NODLL compiler options, or when you use the CALL identifier
statement in a program that is compiled using the NODLL compiler option, a
dynamic call occurs. The program name in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph or ENTRY
statement must be identical to the corresponding load module name or load
module alias of the load module that contains it.

In this form of the CALL statement, the called COBOL subprogram is not link-edited
with the main program, but is instead link-edited into a separate load module, and
is loaded at run time only when it is required (that is, when called).

Each subprogram that you call with a dynamic CALL statement can be part of a
different load module that is a member of either the system link library or a
private library that you supply. In either case it must be in an MVS load library; it
cannot reside in the hierarchical file system. When a dynamic CALL statement calls
a subprogram that is not resident in storage, the subprogram is loaded from
secondary storage into the region or partition containing the main program and a
branch to the subprogram is performed.

The first dynamic call to a subprogram within a run unit obtains a fresh copy of
the subprogram. Subsequent calls to the same subprogram (by either the original
caller or any other subprogram within the same run unit) result in a branch to the

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 397

 same copy of the subprogram in its last-used state, provided the subprogram does
not possess the INITIAL attribute. Therefore, the reinitialization of either of the
following items is your responsibility:
v GO TO statements that have been altered
v Data items

If you call the same COBOL program under different run units, a separate copy of
working storage is allocated for each run unit.

Restriction: Dynamic calls are not permitted to:

v COBOL DLL programs
v COBOL programs compiled with the PGMNAME(LONGMIXED) option, unless the
program name is less than or equal to eight characters in length and is all
uppercase
v COBOL programs compiled with the PGMNAME(LONGUPPER) option, unless the
program name is less than or equal to eight characters in length
v More than one entry point in the same COBOL program (unless an intervening
CANCEL statement has been executed)

Canceling a subprogram
When you issue a CANCEL statement for a subprogram, the storage occupied by the
subprogram is freed, and a subsequent call to the subprogram functions as though
it were the first call. You can cancel a subprogram from a program other than the
original caller.

If the called subprogram has more than one entry point, ensure an intervening
CANCEL statement is issued before you specify different entry points in the dynamic
CALL statement.

After a CANCEL statement is processed for a dynamically called contained program,

the program will be in the first-used state. However, the program is not loaded
with the initial call, and storage is not freed after the program is canceled.

When to use a dynamic call

Use a dynamic CALL statement in any of the following circumstances:
v The load module that you want to dynamically call is in an MVS load library
rather than in the hierarchical file system.
v You are concerned about ease of maintenance. Applications do not have to be
link-edited again when dynamically called subprograms are changed.
v The subprograms called are used infrequently or are very large.
If the subprograms are called on only a few conditions, dynamic calls can bring
in the subprogram only when needed.
If the subprograms are very large or there are many of them, using static calls
might require too much main storage. Less total storage might be required to
call and cancel one, then call and cancel another, than to statically call both.
v You want to call subprograms in their unused state, and you cannot use the
INITIAL attribute.
When you cannot use the INITIAL attribute to ensure that a subprogram is
placed in its unused state each time it is called, you can set the unused state by
using a combination of dynamic CALL and CANCEL statements. When you cancel
the subprogram that was first called by a COBOL program, the next call will
cause the subprogram to be reinitialized to its unused state.

398 Programming Guide

 Using the CANCEL statement to explicitly cancel a subprogram that was
dynamically loaded and branched to by a non-COBOL program does not result
in any action being taken to release the subprogram’s storage or to delete the
subprogram.
v You have an OS/VS COBOL or other AMODE 24 program in the same run unit
with Enterprise COBOL programs that you want to run in 31-bit addressing
mode. COBOL dynamic call processing includes AMODE switching for AMODE 24
programs calling AMODE 31 programs, and vice versa. To have this implicit AMODE
switching done, you must use the Language Environment run-time option
ALL31(OFF). AMODE switching is not performed when ALL31(ON) is set.
When AMODE switching is performed, control is passed from the caller to a
Language Environment library routine. After the switching is performed, control
passes to the called program; the save area for the library routine will be
positioned between the save area for the caller program and the save area for
the called program.
v You do not know the program name to be called until run time. Here, use the
format CALL identifier, where the identifier is a data item that will contain the
name of the called program at run time. In terms of practical application, you
might use CALL identifier when the program to be called is variable, depending
on conditional processing in your program. CALL identifier is always dynamic,
even if you use the NODYNAM compiler option.

“Examples: static and dynamic CALL statements” on page 402

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Performance considerations of static and dynamic calls” on page 401
“AMODE switching”

RELATED TASKS
“Making both static and dynamic calls” on page 401

RELATED REFERENCES
“DYNAM” on page 282
CALL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
ENTRY statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Language Environment Programming Reference

AMODE switching
| When you have an application that has COBOL subprograms, some of the COBOL
| subprograms can be AMODE 31 and some can be AMODE 24. If your application
| consists of only COBOL programs, and you are using only static and dynamic
| calls, each COBOL subprogram will always be entered in the proper AMODE. For
| example, if you are using a COBOL dynamic call from an AMODE 31 COBOL
| program to an AMODE 24 COBOL program, the AMODE is automatically switched.

| However, if you are using procedure pointers, function pointers, or other

| languages that call COBOL subprograms, you must ensure that when a COBOL
| program is called more than once in an enclave, it is entered in the same AMODE
| each time that it is called. The AMODE is not automatically switched in this case.

| The following scenario shows that AMODE problems can arise when procedure
| pointers are used to call COBOL subprograms. This scenario is not supported
| because the COBOL program COBOLY is not entered in the same AMODE each time
| that it is called.

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 399

| 1. COBOLX is AMODE 31. It uses the SET statement to set a procedure pointer to
| COBOLZ. COBOLZ is a reentrant load module and is AMODE 31 and RMODE 24.
| COBOLX calls COBOLZ using the procedure pointer. COBOLZ is entered in
| AMODE 31.
| 2. COBOLZ returns to COBOLX.
| 3. COBOLX dynamically calls COBOLY, passing the procedure pointer for
| COBOLZ. COBOLY is a reentrant load module, and is AMODE 24 and RMODE 24.
| COBOLY is entered in AMODE 24.
| 4. COBOLY calls COBOLZ using the procedure pointer. This call causes COBOLZ
| to be entered in AMODE 24, which is not the same AMODE in which COBOLZ was
| entered when it was called the first time.

| The following scenario uses a mix of COBOL and assembler language. This
| scenario is not supported because the COBOL program COBOLB is not entered in
| the same AMODE each time that it is called.

| 1. COBOLA is AMODE 31. COBOLA dynamically calls COBOLB. COBOLB is a

| reentrant load module and is AMODE 31 and RMODE 24. COBOLB is entered in
| AMODE 31.
| 2. COBOLB returns to COBOLA.

400 Programming Guide

| 3. COBOLA dynamically calls ASSEM10, which is in assembler language.
| ASSEM10 is a reentrant load module, and is AMODE 24 and RMODE 24. ASSEM10
| is entered in AMODE 24.
| 4. ASSEM10 loads COBOLB. ASSEM10 does a BALR instruction to COBOLB.
| COBOLB is entered in AMODE 24, which is not the same AMODE in which
| COBOLB was entered when it was called the first time.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
“Making dynamic calls” on page 397

RELATED REFERENCES
ALL31 (Language Environment Programming Reference)

Performance considerations of static and dynamic calls

Because a statically called program is link-edited into the same load module as the
calling program, a static call is faster than a dynamic call. A static call is the
preferred method if your application does not require the services of the dynamic
call.

Statically called programs cannot be deleted (using CANCEL), so static calls might
take more main storage. If storage is a concern, think about using dynamic calls.
Storage usage of calls depends on whether:
v The subprogram is called only a few times. Regardless of whether it is called, a
statically called program is loaded into storage; a dynamically called program is
loaded only when it is called.
v You subsequently delete the dynamically called subprogram with a CANCEL
statement.
You cannot delete a statically called program, but you can delete a dynamically
called program. Using a dynamic call and then a CANCEL statement to delete the
dynamically called program after it is no longer needed in the application (and
not after each call to it) might require less storage than using a static call.

RELATED TASKS
“Making static calls” on page 397
“Making dynamic calls” on page 397

Making both static and dynamic calls

You can specify both static and dynamic CALL statements in the same program if
you compile the program with the NODYNAM compiler option. In this case, with the
CALL literal statement the called subprogram will be link-edited with the main
program into one load module. The CALL identifier statement results in the dynamic
invocation of a separate load module.

When a dynamic CALL statement and a static CALL statement to the same
subprogram are issued within one program, a second copy of the subprogram is
loaded into storage. Because this arrangement does not guarantee that the
subprogram will be left in its last-used state, results can be unpredictable.

RELATED REFERENCES
“DYNAM” on page 282

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 401

 Examples: static and dynamic CALL statements
This example has three parts:
v Code that uses a static call to call a subprogram
v Code that uses a dynamic call to call the same subprogram
v The subprogram that is called by the two types of calls

The following example shows how you would code static calls:
PROCESS NODYNAM NODLL
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 RECORD-2 PIC X. (6)
01 RECORD-1. (2)
05 PAY PICTURE S9(5)V99.
05 HOURLY-RATE PICTURE S9V99.
05 HOURS PICTURE S99V9.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
CALL “SUBPROG” USING RECORD-1. (1)
CALL “PAYMASTR” USING RECORD-1 RECORD-2. (5)
STOP RUN.

The following example shows how you would code dynamic calls:
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
77 PGM-NAME PICTURE X(8).
01 RECORD-2 PIC x. (6)
01 RECORD-1. (2)
05 PAY PICTURE S9(5)V99.
05 HOURLY-RATE PICTURE S9V99.
05 HOURS PICTURE S99V9.
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
. . .
MOVE “SUBPROG” TO PGM-NAME.
CALL PGM-NAME USING RECORD-1. (1)
CANCEL PGM-NAME.
MOVE “PAYMASTR” TO PGM-NAME. (4)
CALL PGM-NAME USING RECORD-1 RECORD-2. (5)
STOP RUN.

The following example shows a called subprogram that is called by each of the
two preceding calling programs:
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. SUBPROG.
DATA DIVISION.
LINKAGE SECTION.
01 PAYREC. (2)
10 PAY PICTURE S9(5)V99.
10 HOURLY-RATE PICTURE S9V99.
10 HOURS PICTURE S99V9.
77 PAY-CODE PICTURE 9. (6)
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING PAYREC. (1)
. . .
EXIT PROGRAM. (3)
ENTRY “PAYMASTR” USING PAYREC PAY-CODE. (5)
. . .
GOBACK. (7)
(1) Processing begins in the calling program. When the first CALL statement is
executed, control is transferred to the first statement of the PROCEDURE
DIVISION in SUBPROG, which is the called program.

402 Programming Guide

 In each of the CALL statements, the operand of the first USING option is
identified as RECORD-1.
(2) When SUBPROG receives control, the values within RECORD-1 are made
available to SUBPROG; however, in SUBPROG they are referred to as PAYREC.
The PICTURE character-strings within PAYREC and PAY-CODE contain the same
number of characters as RECORD-1 and RECORD-2, although the descriptions
are not identical.
(3) When processing within SUBPROG reaches the EXIT PROGRAM statement,
control is returned to the calling program. Processing continues in that
program until the second CALL statement is issued.
(4) In the example of a dynamically called program, because the second CALL
statement refers to another entry point within SUBPROG, a CANCEL statement
is issued before the second CALL statement.
(5) With the second CALL statement in the calling program, control is again
transferred to SUBPROG, but this time processing begins at the statement
following the ENTRY statement in SUBPROG.
(6) The values within RECORD-1 are again made available to PAYREC. In
addition, the value in RECORD-2 is now made available to SUBPROG through
the corresponding USING operand PAY-CODE.
When control is transferred the second time from the statically linked
program, SUBPROG is made available in its last-used state (that is, if any
values in SUBPROG storage were changed during the first execution, those
changed values are still in effect). When control is transferred from the
dynamically linked program, however, SUBPROG is made available in its
initial state, because of the CANCEL statement that has been executed.
(7) When processing reaches the GOBACK statement, control is returned to the
calling program at the statement immediately following the second CALL
statement.

In any given execution of the called program and either of the two calling
programs, if the values within RECORD-1 are changed between the time of the first
CALL and the second, the values passed at the time of the second CALL statement
will be the changed, not the original, values. If you want to use the original values,
you must save them.

Calling nested COBOL programs

By calling nested programs, you can create applications using structured
programming techniques. You can also call nested programs in place of PERFORM
procedures to prevent unintentional modification of data items.

Use either the CALL literal or CALL identifier statement to make calls to nested
programs.

You can call a contained program only from its directly containing program, unless
you identify the contained program as COMMON in its PROGRAM-ID clause. In that case,
you can call the common program from any program that is contained (directly or
indirectly) in the same program as the common program. Only contained
programs can be identified as COMMON. Recursive calls are not allowed.

Follow these guidelines when using nested program structures:

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 403

 v Code an the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION in each program. All other divisions are
optional.
v Make the name of a contained program unique. You can use any valid COBOL
word or an alphanumeric literal for the name.
v In the outermost program, set any CONFIGURATION SECTION options that might be
required. Contained programs cannot have a CONFIGURATION SECTION.
v Include each contained program in the containing program immediately before
its END PROGRAM marker.
v Use an END PROGRAM marker to terminate contained and containing programs.

You cannot use the THREAD option when compiling programs that contain nested
programs.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Nested programs”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Scope of names” on page 406
CALL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Nested programs
A COBOL program can nest, or contain, other COBOL programs. The nested
programs can themselves contain other programs. A nested program can be
directly or indirectly contained in a program.

There are four main advantages to nesting called programs:

v Nested programs give you a method to create modular functions for your
application and maintain structured programming techniques. They can be used
analogously to PERFORM procedures, but with more structured control flow and
with the ability to protect local data items.
v Nested programs allow for debugging a program before including it in the
application.
v Nested programs allow you to compile your application with a single invocation
of the compiler.
v Calls to nested programs have the best performance of all the forms of COBOL
CALL statements.

The following example describes a nested program structure with directly and
indirectly contained programs:

404 Programming Guide

“Example: structure of nested programs”

RELATED TASKS
“Calling nested COBOL programs” on page 403

RELATED REFERENCES
“Scope of names” on page 406

Example: structure of nested programs

The following example shows a nested structure with some contained programs
identified as COMMON.

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 405

 The following table describes the calling hierarchy for the structure that is shown
in the example above. Programs A12, A2, and A3 are identified as COMMON, and the
calls associated with them differ.

And can be called by these

This program Can call these programs programs
A A1, A2, A3 None
A1 A11, A12, A2, A3 A
A11 A111, A12, A2, A3 A1
A111 A12, A2, A3 A11
A12 A2, A3 A1, A11, A111
A2 A3 A, A1, A11, A111, A12, A3
A3 A2 A, A1, A11, A111, A12, A2

Note that:
v A2 cannot call A1 because A1 is not common and is not contained in A2.
v A1 can call A2 because A2 is common.

Scope of names
Names in nested structures are divided into two classes: local and global. The class
determines whether a name is known beyond the scope of the program that
declares it. A specific search sequence locates the declaration of a name after it is
referenced in a program.

Local names: Names (except the program-name) are local unless declared to be
otherwise. Local names are visible or accessible only within the program in which
they were declared. They are not visible or accessible to contained and containing
programs.

Global names: A name that is global (indicated using the GLOBAL clause) is visible
and accessible to the program in which it is declared and to all the programs that
are directly and indirectly contained in that program. Therefore, the contained
programs can share common data and files from the containing program simply by
referencing the name of the item.

Any item that is subordinate to a global item (including condition-names and

indexes) is automatically global.

You can declare the same name with the GLOBAL clause more than one time,
providing that each declaration occurs in a different program. Be aware that you
can mask, or hide, a name in a nested structure by having the same name occur in
different programs of the same containing structure. However, this masking could
cause problems during a search for a name declaration.

Searching for name declarations: When a name is referenced in a program, a

search is made to locate the declaration for that name. The search begins in the
program that contains the reference and continues outward to containing programs
until a match is found. The search follows this process:
1. Declarations in the program are searched first.
2. If no match is found, only global declarations are searched in successive outer
containing programs.

406 Programming Guide

 3. The search ends when the first matching name is found; otherwise, an error
exists if no match is found.

The search is for a global name, not for a particular type of object associated with
the name such as a data item or file connector. The search stops when any match is
found, regardless of the type of object. If the object declared is of a different type
than that expected, an error condition exists.

Making recursive calls

A called program can directly or indirectly execute its caller. For example, program
X calls program Y, program Y calls program Z, and program Z then calls program
X. This type of call is recursive.

To make a recursive call, you must code the RECURSIVE clause on the PROGRAM-ID
paragraph of the recursively called program. If you try to recursively call a
COBOL program that does not have the RECURSIVE clause coded on its PROGRAM-ID
paragraph, a condition is signaled. If the condition remains unhandled, the run
unit will end.

RELATED TASKS
“Identifying a program as recursive” on page 6

RELATED REFERENCES
RECURSIVE attribute (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“THREAD” on page 309

Calling to and from object-oriented programs

When you create applications that contain object-oriented programs, the
object-oriented COBOL programs are COBOL DLL programs and can be in one or
more dynamic link libraries (DLLs). (Each class definition must be in a separate
DLL, however.) Calls to or from COBOL DLL programs must either use DLL
linkage or be static calls. COBOL dynamic calls to or from COBOL DLL programs
are not supported.

If you must call a COBOL DLL program from a COBOL non-DLL program, other
means that ensure that the DLL linkage mechanism is followed are available.

Using procedure and function pointers

Procedure pointers are data items defined with the USAGE IS PROCEDURE-POINTER
clause. Function pointers are data items defined with the USAGE IS
FUNCTION-POINTER clause. In this discussion, “pointer” refers to either a
procedure-pointer data item or a function-pointer data item. You can set either of
these data items to contain entry addresses of (or pointers to) these entry points:
v Another COBOL program that is not nested. For example, to have a user-written
error-handling routine take control when an exception condition occurs, you
must first pass the entry address of the routine to CEEHDLR, a condition
management Language Environment callable service, to have it registered.
v A program written in another language. For example, to receive the entry
address of a C function, call the function with the CALL RETURNING format of the
CALL statement. It will return a pointer that you can either use as a function
pointer or convert to a procedure pointer by using a form of the SET statement.

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 407

 v An alternate entry point in another COBOL program (as defined in an ENTRY
statement).

You can set procedure-pointer and function-pointer data items only by using
format 6 of the SET statement. The SET statement sets the pointer to refer either to
an entry point in the same load module as your program, to a separate load
module, or to an entry point exported from a DLL, depending on the
DYNAM|NODYNAM and DLL|NODLL compiler options. Therefore, consider these factors
when using these pointer data items:
v If you compile your program with the NODYNAM and NODLL options and set your
pointer item to a literal value (to an actual name of an entry point), the value
must refer to an entry point in the same load module as your program.
Otherwise the reference cannot be resolved.
v If you compile your program with the NODLL option and either set your pointer
item to an identifier that will contain the name of the entry point at run time or
set your pointer item to a literal and compile with the DYNAM option, then your
pointer item, whether a literal or variable, must point to an entry point in a
separate load module. The entry point can be either the primary entry point or
an alternate entry point named in an ALIAS linkage-editor or binder statement.
v If you compile with the NODYNAM and DLL options and set your pointer item to a
literal value (the actual name of an entry point), the value must refer to an entry
point in the same load module as your program. or to an entry point name that
is exported from a DLL module. In the latter case you must include the DLL
side file for the target DLL module in the link edit of your program load
module.
v If you compile with the NODYNAM and DLL options and set your pointer item to an
identifier (a data item that contains the entry point name at run time), the
identifier value must refer to the entry point name that is exported from a DLL
module. In this case the DLL module name must match the name of the
exported entry point.

If you set your pointer item to an entry address in a dynamically called load
module, and your program subsequently cancels that dynamically called module,
then your pointer item becomes undefined. Reference to it thereafter is not reliable.

Deciding which type of pointer to use

Use procedure pointers to call other COBOL programs and to call Language
Environment callable services. They are more efficient than function pointers for
COBOL-to-COBOL calls and are required for calls to Language Environment
condition handling services.

Use function pointers to communicate with C/C++ programs or with services

provided by the Java Native Interface.

Calling a C function pointer

Many callable services written in C return function pointers. You can call such a C
function pointer from your COBOL program by using COBOL function pointers as
illustrated here:
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. DEMO.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
******
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 FP USAGE FUNCTION-POINTER.

408 Programming Guide

 ******
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
CALL “c-function” RETURNING FP.
CALL FP.
. . .

Calling to alternate entry points

You can specify another entry point where the program will begin running by
using the ENTRY label in the called program. However, this is not recommended in
a structured program.

Static calls to alternate entry points work without restriction.

Dynamic calls to alternate entry points require:

v NAME or ALIAS linkage-editor or binder control statements.
v The NAME compiler option.
v An intervening CANCEL for dynamic calls to the same module at differing entry
points. CANCEL causes the program to be invoked in initial state when it is called
at a new entry point.

“Examples: static and dynamic CALL statements” on page 402

RELATED TASKS
“Using procedure or function pointers with DLLs” on page 431
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527

RELATED REFERENCES
“DLL” on page 281
“DYNAM” on page 282
“NAME” on page 291
CANCEL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Procedure pointer (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Function pointer (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
ENTRY statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Making programs reentrant

If more than one user will run an application program at the same time (for
example, users in different address spaces accessing the same program that resides
in the link pack area), you must make the program reentrant by using the RENT
option when you compile it. You do not need to worry about multiple copies of
variables. The compiler creates the necessary reentrancy controls in your object
module.

The following Enterprise COBOL programs must be reentrant:

v Programs to be used with CICS
v Programs to be preloaded with IMS
v Programs to be used as DB2 stored procedures
v Programs to be run in the UNIX environment
v Programs that are enabled for DLL support
v Programs that use object-oriented syntax

Chapter 24. Using subprograms 409

 For reentrant programs, use the DATA compiler option and the HEAP and ALL31
run-time options to control whether dynamic data areas, such as WORKING-STORAGE,
are obtained from storage below or above the 16-MB line.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

RELATED REFERENCES
“RENT” on page 299
“DATA” on page 277
ALL31 run-time option (Language Environment Programming Reference)
HEAP run-time option (Language Environment Programming Reference)

410 Programming Guide

 Chapter 25. Sharing data
When a run unit consists of several separately compiled programs that call each
other, the programs must be able to communicate with each other. They also
usually need to have access to common data.

This material describes how you can write programs that can share data with other
programs. For the purposes of this discussion, a subprogram is any program called
by another program.

RELATED TASKS
“Passing data”
“Coding the LINKAGE SECTION” on page 414
“Coding the PROCEDURE DIVISION for passing arguments” on page 415
“Passing return code information” on page 419
“Specifying CALL . . . RETURNING” on page 420
“Sharing data by using the EXTERNAL clause” on page 420
“Sharing files between programs (external files)” on page 421

Passing data
You can choose among three ways of passing data between programs:
BY REFERENCE
The subprogram refers to and processes the data items in storage of the
calling program rather than working on a copy of the data.
BY CONTENT
The calling program passes only the contents of the literal or identifier. With
a CALL . . . BY CONTENT, the called program cannot change the value of
the literal or identifier in the calling program, even if it modifies the data
item in which it received the literal or identifier.
BY VALUE
The calling program or method passes the value of the literal or identifier,
not a reference to the sending data item.
The called program or invoked method can change the parameter in the
called program or invoked method. However, because the subprogram or
method has access only to a temporary copy of the sending data item,
these changes do not affect the argument in the calling program.

| The following figure shows the differences in values passed BY REFERENCE, BY

| CONTENT, and BY VALUE:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 411

 Determine which of these data-passing methods to use based on what you want
your program to do with the data.
Table 63. Methods for passing data in the CALL statement
Code Purpose Comments
CALL . . . BY REFERENCE To have the definition of the argument Any changes made by the subprogram
identifier of the CALL statement in the calling to the parameter affect the argument in
program and the definition of the the calling program.
parameter in the called program share
the same memory
CALL . . . BY REFERENCE To pass a Data Control Block (DCB) to The file-name must reference a QSAM
file-name assembler programs sequential file.1
| CALL . . . BY CONTENT ADDRESS To pass the address of identifier to a Any changes to the copy of the address
| OF identifier called program will not affect the address of identifier,
| but changes to identifier using the copy
| of the address will cause changes to
| identifier.
CALL . . . BY CONTENT identifier To pass a copy of the identifier to the Changes to the parameter by the
subprogram. subprogram will not affect the caller’s
identifier.
| CALL . . . BY CONTENT literal To pass a copy of a literal value to a
called program
| CALL . . . BY CONTENT LENGTH To pass a copy of the length of a data The calling program passes the length
OF identifier item of the identifier from its LENGTH special
register.
| A combination of BY REFERENCE To pass both a data item and a copy of
and BY CONTENT such as: its length to a subprogram
CALL ’ERRPROC’
USING BY REFERENCE A
BY CONTENT LENGTH OF A.
CALL . . . BY VALUE identifier To pass data to a program, such as a A copy of the identifier is passed
C/C++ program, that uses BY VALUE directly in the parameter list.
parameter linkage conventions.
CALL . . . BY VALUE literal To pass data to a program, such as a A copy of the literal is passed directly
C/C++ program, that uses BY VALUE in the parameter list.
parameter linkage conventions.

412 Programming Guide

 Table 63. Methods for passing data in the CALL statement (continued)
Code Purpose Comments
| CALL . . . BY VALUE ADDRESS OF To pass the address of identifier to a Any changes to the copy of the address
| identifier called program. This is the will not affect the address of identifier,
| recommended way to pass data to a but changes to identifier using the copy
| C/C++ program that expects a pointer of the address will cause changes to
| to the data. identifier.
CALL . . . RETURNING To call a C/C++ function with a
function return value

1. File-names as CALL operands are allowed as an IBM extension to COBOL. Any use of the extension generally
depends on the specific internal implementation of the compiler. Control block field settings might change in
future releases. Any changes made to the control block are the user’s responsibility and not supported by IBM.

Describing arguments in the calling program

In the calling program, describe arguments in the DATA DIVISION in the same
manner as other data items in the DATA DIVISION. Describe these data items in the
LINKAGE SECTION of all the programs that it calls directly or indirectly.

Storage for arguments is allocated only in the highest outermost program. For
example, program A calls program B, which calls program C. Data items are
allocated in program A and are described in the LINKAGE SECTION of programs B
and C, making the one set of data available to all three programs.

If you reference data in a file, the file must be open when the data is referenced.

Code the USING phrase of the CALL statement to pass the arguments.

Do not pass parameters allocated in storage above the 16-MB line to AMODE 24
subprograms. Use the DATA(24) option if the RENT option is in effect, or the
RMODE(24) option if the NORENT option is in effect.

Describing parameters in the called program

You must know what is being passed from the calling program and describe it in
the LINKAGE SECTION of the called program.

Code the USING phrase after the PROCEDURE DIVISION header to receive the
parameters.

| When arguments are passed to the subprogram BY REFERENCE, it is invalid for the
| subprogram to specify any relationship between its parameters and any fields
| other than those that are passed that are defined in the main program. The
| subprogram must not:
| v Define a parameter to be larger in bytes than the corresponding argument.
| v Use subscript references to refer to elements beyond the limits of tables that are
| passed as arguments by the calling program.
| v Use reference modification to access data beyond the length of defined
| parameters.
| v Manipulate the address of a parameter in order to access other data items that
| are defined in the calling program.

| If any of these rules are violated, unexpected results might occur when the calling
| program is compiled with the OPTIMIZE compiler option.

Chapter 25. Sharing data 413

 Testing for OMITTED arguments
You can specify that one or more BY REFERENCE arguments are not to be passed to a
called program by coding the OMITTED keyword in place of those arguments in the
CALL statement. For example, to omit the second argument when calling program
sub1, code this statement:
Call ’sub1’ Using PARM1, OMITTED, PARM3

The arguments in the USING phrase of the CALL statement must match the
parameters of the called program in number and position.

In a called program, you can test whether an argument was passed as OMITTED by
comparing the address of the corresponding parameter to NULL. For example:
Program-ID. sub1.
. . .
Procedure Division Using RPARM1, RPARM2, RPARM3.
If Address Of RPARM2 = Null Then
Display ’No 2nd argument was passed this time’
Else
Perform Process-Parm-2
End-If

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying CALL . . . RETURNING” on page 420
“Sharing data by using the EXTERNAL clause” on page 420
“Sharing files between programs (external files)” on page 421

RELATED REFERENCES
CALL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
INVOKE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Coding the LINKAGE SECTION

Code the same number of data-names in the identifier list of the calling program as
the number of data-names in the identifier list of the called program. Synchronize
them by position, because the compiler passes the first identifier of the calling
program to the first identifier of the called program, and so on.

You will introduce errors if the number of data-names in the identifier list of a
called program is greater than the number of data-names in the identifier list of the
calling program. The compiler does not try to match arguments and parameters.

The following figure shows a data item being passed from one program to another.

414 Programming Guide

 In the calling program, the code for parts (PARTCODE) and the part number (PARTNO)
are referred to separately. In the called program, by contrast, the code for parts and
the part number are combined into one data item (PART-ID). A reference in the
called program to PART-ID is the only valid reference to these items.

Coding the PROCEDURE DIVISION for passing arguments

If you pass an argument BY VALUE, use the USING BY VALUE clause on the PROCEDURE
DIVISION header of the subprogram:
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING BY VALUE

If you pass an argument BY REFERENCE or BY CONTENT, you do not need to indicate

how the argument was passed on the PROCEDURE DIVISION.

You can code the header in either of the following ways:

PROCEDURE DIVISION USING
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING BY REFERENCE

RELATED REFERENCES
The procedure division header (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Grouping data to be passed

Consider grouping all the data items you want to pass between programs and
putting them under one level-01 item. If you do this, you can pass a single level-01
record between programs.

To make the possibility of mismatched records even smaller, put the level-01 record
into a copy library and copy it in both programs. That is, copy it in the
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of the calling program and in the LINKAGE SECTION of the
called program.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding the LINKAGE SECTION” on page 414

Handling null-terminated strings

COBOL supports null-terminated strings when you use null-terminated literals, the
hexadecimal literal X’00’, and string-handling verbs.

Chapter 25. Sharing data 415

 You can manipulate null-terminated strings (passed from a C program, for
example) by using string-handling mechanisms such as those shown for the
following code:
01 L pic X(20) value z’ab’.
01 M pic X(20) value z’cd’.
01 N pic X(20).
01 N-Length pic 99 value zero.
01 Y pic X(13) value ’Hello, World!’.

To determine the length of a null-terminated string and then display the value of
the string:
Inspect N tallying N-length for characters before initial X’00’
Display ’N: ’ N(1:N-length) ’ Length: ’ N-length

To move a null-terminated string to an alphanumeric string, and strip null:

Unstring N delimited by X’00’
into X

To create a null-terminated string:

String Y delimited by size
X’00’ delimited by size
into N.

To concatenate two null-terminated strings:

String L delimited by x’00’
M delimited by x’00’
X’00’ delimited by size
into N.

RELATED TASKS
“Manipulating null-terminated strings” on page 91

RELATED REFERENCES
Null-terminated alphanumeric literals (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Using pointers to process a chained list

When you want to pass and receive addresses of record areas, you can manipulate
pointer data items, which are a special type of data item to hold data addresses.
Pointer data items are data items that either are defined with the USAGE IS POINTER
clause or are ADDRESS special registers. A typical application for using pointer data
items is in processing a chained list (a series of records where each record points to
the next).

When you pass addresses between programs in a chained list, you can use NULL to
assign the value of an address that is not valid (nonnumeric 0) to pointer items.
You can assign the value NULL to a pointer data item in two ways:
v Use a VALUE IS NULL clause in its data definition.
v Use NULL as the sending field in a SET statement.

In the case of a chained list in which the pointer data item in the last record
contains a null value, the code to check for the end of the list is as follows:
IF PTR-NEXT-REC = NULL
. . .
(logic for end of chain)

416 Programming Guide

If the program has not reached the end of the list, the program can process the
record and move on to the next record.

The data passed from a calling program might contain header information that you
want to ignore. Because pointer data items are not numeric, you cannot directly
perform arithmetic on them. However, to bypass header information, you can use
the SET statement to increment the passed address.

“Example: using pointers to process a chained list”

RELATED TASKS
“Coding the LINKAGE SECTION” on page 414
“Coding the PROCEDURE DIVISION for passing arguments” on page 415

RELATED REFERENCES
SET statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: using pointers to process a chained list

For this example, picture a chained list of data that consists of individual salary
records. The following figure shows one way to visualize how these records are
linked in storage:

The first item in each record points to the next record, except for the last record.
The first item in the last record contains a null value instead of an address, to
indicate that it is the last record.

The high-level logic of an application that processes these records might look as
follows:
OBTAIN ADDRESS OF FIRST RECORD IN CHAINED LIST FROM ROUTINE
CHECK FOR END OF THE CHAINED LIST
DO UNTIL END OF THE CHAINED LIST
PROCESS RECORD
GO ON TO THE NEXT RECORD
END

The following code contains an outline of the calling program, LISTS, used in this
example of processing a chained list.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. LISTS.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
******
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
77 PTR-FIRST POINTER VALUE IS NULL. (1)
77 DEPT-TOTAL PIC 9(4) VALUE IS 0.
******
LINKAGE SECTION.
01 SALARY-REC.
02 PTR-NEXT-REC POINTER. (2)

Chapter 25. Sharing data 417

 02 NAME PIC X(20).
02 DEPT PIC 9(4).
02 SALARY PIC 9(6).
01 DEPT-X PIC 9(4).
******
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING DEPT-X.
******
* FOR EVERYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED AS DEPT-X,
* GO THROUGH ALL THE RECORDS IN THE CHAINED LIST BASED ON THE
* ADDRESS OBTAINED FROM THE PROGRAM CHAIN-ANCH
* AND CUMULATE THE SALARIES.
* IN EACH RECORD, PTR-NEXT-REC IS A POINTER TO THE NEXT RECORD
* IN THE LIST; IN THE LAST RECORD, PTR-NEXT-REC IS NULL.
* DISPLAY THE TOTAL.
******
CALL “CHAIN-ANCH” USING PTR-FIRST (3)
SET ADDRESS OF SALARY-REC TO PTR-FIRST (4)
******
PERFORM WITH TEST BEFORE UNTIL ADDRESS OF SALARY-REC = NULL (5)

IF DEPT = DEPT-X
THEN ADD SALARY TO DEPT-TOTAL
ELSE CONTINUE
END-IF
SET ADDRESS OF SALARY-REC TO PTR-NEXT-REC (6)

END-PERFORM
******
DISPLAY DEPT-TOTAL
GOBACK.
(1) PTR-FIRST is defined as a pointer data item with an initial value of NULL.
On a successful return from the call to CHAIN-ANCH, PTR-FIRST contains the
address of the first record in the chained list. If something goes wrong
with the call, however, and PTR-FIRST never receives the value of the
address of the first record in the chain, a null value remains in PTR-FIRST
and, according to the logic of the program, the records will not be
processed.
(2) The LINKAGE SECTION of the calling program contains the description of the
records in the chained list. It also contains the description of the
department code that is passed, using the USING clause of the CALL
statement.
(3) To obtain the address of the first SALARY-REC record area, the LISTS
program calls the program CHAIN-ANCH:
(4) The SET statement bases the record description SALARY-REC on the address
contained in PTR-FIRST.
(5) The chained list in this example is set up so that the last record contains an
address that is not valid. This check for the end of the chained list is
accomplished with a do-while structure where the value NULL is assigned
to the pointer data item in the last record.
(6) The address of the record in the LINKAGE-SECTION is set equal to the
address of the next record by means of the pointer data item sent as the
first field in SALARY-REC. The record-processing routine repeats, processing
the next record in the chained list.

To increment addresses received from another program, you could set up the
LINKAGE SECTION and PROCEDURE DIVISION like this:

418 Programming Guide

 LINKAGE SECTION.
01 RECORD-A.
02 HEADER PIC X(12).
02 REAL-SALARY-REC PIC X(30).
. . .
01 SALARY-REC.
02 PTR-NEXT-REC POINTER.
02 NAME PIC X(20).
02 DEPT PIC 9(4).
02 SALARY PIC 9(6).
. . .
PROCEDURE DIVISION USING DEPT-X.
. . .
SET ADDRESS OF SALARY-REC TO ADDRESS OF REAL-SALARY-REC

The address of SALARY-REC is now based on the address of REAL-SALARY-REC, or

RECORD-A + 12.

RELATED TASKS
“Using pointers to process a chained list” on page 416

Passing return code information

Use the RETURN-CODE special register to pass and receive return codes between
programs. Methods do not return information in the RETURN-CODE special register,
but they can check the register after a call to a program.

You can also use the RETURNING phrase on the PROCEDURE DIVISION header in your
method to return information to an invoking program or method. If you use
PROCEDURE DIVISION . . . RETURNING with CALL . . . RETURNING, the RETURN-CODE
register will not be set.

Understanding the RETURN-CODE special register

When a COBOL program returns to its caller, the contents of the RETURN-CODE
special register are stored into register 15. When control is returned to a COBOL
program or method from a call, the contents of register 15 are stored into the
RETURN-CODE special register of the calling program or method. When control is
returned from a COBOL program to the operating system, the special register
contents are returned as a user return code.

You might need to think about this handling of the RETURN-CODE when control is
returned to a COBOL program from a non-COBOL program. If the non-COBOL
program does not use register 15 to pass back the return code, then the
RETURN-CODE special register of the COBOL program might be updated with a
value that is not valid. Unless you set this special register to a meaningful value
before your Enterprise COBOL program returns to the operating system, a return
code that is not valid will be passed back to the system.

For equivalent function between COBOL and C programs, have your COBOL
program call the C program with the RETURNING option. If the C program (function)
correctly declares a function value, the RETURNING value of the calling COBOL
program will be set.

You cannot set the RETURN-CODE special register by using the INVOKE statement.

Chapter 25. Sharing data 419

 Using PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING . . .
Use the RETURNING phrase on the PROCEDURE DIVISION header of your program to
return information to the calling program:
PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING dataname2

When the called program successfully returns to its caller, the value in dataname2 is
stored into the identifier that you specified in the RETURNING phrase of the CALL
statement:
CALL . . . RETURNING dataname2

CEEPIPI: The results of specifying PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING on programs

that are called with the Language Environment preinitialization service (CEEPIPI)
are undefined.

Specifying CALL . . . RETURNING

You can specify the RETURNING phrase of the CALL statement for calls to functions in
C/C++ or to subroutines in COBOL.

It has the following format:

CALL . . . RETURNING dataname2

The return value of the called program is stored into dataname2.

You must define dataname2 in the DATA DIVISION of the calling COBOL program.
The data type of the return value that is declared in the target function must be
identical to the data type of dataname2.

Sharing data by using the EXTERNAL clause

Use the EXTERNAL clause to allow separately compiled programs and methods
(including programs in a batch sequence) to share data items.

Code EXTERNAL on the 01-level data description in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of

your program or method. The following rules apply:
v Items that are subordinate to an EXTERNAL group item are themselves EXTERNAL.
v You cannot use the name for the data item as the name for another EXTERNAL
item in the same program.
v You cannot code the VALUE clause for any group item, or subordinate item, that
is EXTERNAL.

In the run unit, any COBOL program or method that has the same data description
for the item as the program containing the item can access and process the data
item. For example, suppose program A has the following data description:
01 EXT-ITEM1 EXTERNAL PIC 99.

Program B could access that data item by having the identical data description in
its WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.

Remember, any program that has access to an EXTERNAL data item can change its
value. Do not use this clause for data items that you need to protect.

420 Programming Guide

Sharing files between programs (external files)
Use the EXTERNAL clause for files to allow separately compiled programs or
methods in the run unit to access common files. It is recommended that you follow
these guidelines:
v Use the same data-name in the FILE STATUS clause of all the programs that
check the file status code.
v For all programs that check the same file status field, code the EXTERNAL clause
on the level-01 data definition for the file status field in each program.

Using external files has these benefits:

v Your main program can reference the record area of the file, although the main
program does not contain any input or output statements.
v Each subprogram can control a single input or output function, such as OPEN or
READ.
v Each program has access to the file.

“Example: using external files”

RELATED REFERENCES
EXTERNAL clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: using external files

The table below describes the main program and subprograms used in the example
that follows.

Name Function
ef1 The main program, which calls all the subprograms and then verifies the
contents of a record area
ef1openo Opens the external file for output and checks the file status code
ef1write Writes a record to the external file and checks the file status code
ef1openi Opens the external file for input and checks the file status code
ef1read Reads a record from the external file and checks the file status code
ef1close Closes the external file and checks the file status code

Additionally, COPY statements ensure that each subprogram contains an identical

description of the file.

Each program in the example declares a data item with the EXTERNAL clause in its
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. This item is used for checking file status codes and is
also placed using the COPY statement.

Each program uses three copybooks:

v The first is named efselect and is placed in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph.
Select ef1
Assign To ef1
File Status Is efs1
Organization Is Sequential.
v The second is named effile and is placed in the FILE SECTION.

Chapter 25. Sharing data 421

 Fd ef1 Is External
Record Contains 80 Characters
Recording Mode F.
01 ef-record-1.
02 ef-item-1 Pic X(80).
v The third is named efwrkstg and is placed in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 efs1 Pic 99 External.

Input-output using external files

Identification Division.
Program-Id.
ef1.
*
* This is the main program that controls the external file
* processing.
*
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Copy efselect.
Data Division.
File Section.
Copy effile.
Working-Storage Section.
Copy efwrkstg.
Procedure Division.
Call “ef1openo”
Call “ef1write”
Call “ef1close”
Call “ef1openi”
Call “ef1read”
If ef-record-1 = “First record” Then
Display “First record correct”
Else
Display “First record incorrect”
Display “Expected: ” “First record”
Display “Found : ” ef-record-1
End-If
Call “ef1close”
Goback.
End Program ef1.
Identification Division.
Program-Id.
ef1openo.
*
* This program opens the external file for output.
*
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Copy efselect.
Data Division.
File Section.
Copy effile.
Working-Storage Section.
Copy efwrkstg.
Procedure Division.
Open Output ef1
If efs1 Not = 0
Display “file status ” efs1 “ on open output”
Stop Run
End-If
Goback.
End Program ef1openo.
Identification Division.

422 Programming Guide

Program-Id.
ef1write.
*
* This program writes a record to the external file.
*
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Copy efselect.
Data Division.
File Section.
Copy effile.
Working-Storage Section.
Copy efwrkstg.
Procedure Division.
Move “First record” to ef-record-1
Write ef-record-1
If efs1 Not = 0
Display “file status ” efs1 “ on write”
Stop Run
End-If
Goback.
End Program ef1write.
Identification Division.
Program-Id.
ef1openi.
*
* This program opens the external file for input.
*
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Copy efselect.
Data Division.
File Section.
Copy effile.
Working-Storage Section.
Copy efwrkstg.
Procedure Division.
Open Input ef1
If efs1 Not = 0
Display “file status ” efs1 “ on open input”
Stop Run
End-If
Goback.
End Program ef1openi.
Identification Division.
Program-Id.
ef1read.
*
* This program reads a record from the external file.
*
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Copy efselect.
Data Division.
File Section.
Copy effile.
Working-Storage Section.
Copy efwrkstg.
Procedure Division.
Read ef1
If efs1 Not = 0
Display “file status ” efs1 “ on read”
Stop Run
End-If

Chapter 25. Sharing data 423

 Goback.
End Program ef1read.
Identification Division.
Program-Id.
ef1close.
*
* This program closes the external file.
*
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Copy efselect.
Data Division.
File Section.
Copy effile.
Working-Storage Section.
Copy efwrkstg.
Procedure Division.
Close ef1
If efs1 Not = 0
Display “file status ” efs1 “ on close”
Stop Run
End-If
Goback.
End Program ef1close.

424 Programming Guide

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application
Creating a dynamic link library (DLL) or a DLL application is similar to creating a
regular COBOL application. It involves writing, compiling, and linking your source
code.

Special considerations when writing a DLL or a DLL application include:

v Determining how the parts of the load module or the application relate to each
other or to other DLLs
v Deciding what linking or calling mechanisms to use

Depending on whether you want a DLL load module or a load module that
references a separate DLL, you need to use slightly different compiler and
linkage-editor or binder options.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Dynamic link libraries (DLLs)”

RELATED TASKS
“Using CALL identifier with DLLs” on page 429
“Using DLL linkage and dynamic calls together” on page 430
“Using COBOL DLLs with C/C++ programs” on page 434
“Using DLLs in OO COBOL applications” on page 434
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Linking DLLs” on page 427
“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407

Dynamic link libraries (DLLs)

A DLL is a load module or a program object that can be accessed from other
separate load modules. A DLL differs from a traditional load module in that it
exports definitions of programs, functions, or variables to DLLs, DLL applications,
or non-DLLs. Therefore, you do not need to link the target routines into the same
load module as the referencing routine. When an application references a separate
DLL for the first time, the system automatically loads the DLL into memory. In
other words, calling a program in a DLL is similar to calling a load module with a
dynamic CALL.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 425

 A DLL application is an application that references imported definitions of
programs, functions, or variables.

Although some functions of z/OS DLLs overlap the functions provided by COBOL
dynamic CALL statements, DLLs have several advantages over regular z/OS load
modules and dynamic calls:
v DLLs are common across COBOL and C/C++, thus providing better
interoperation for applications that use multiple programming languages.
Reentrant COBOL and C/C++ DLLs can also interoperate smoothly.
v You can make calls to programs in separate DLL modules that have long
program names. (Dynamic call resolution truncates program names to eight
characters.) Using the COBOL option PGMNAME(LONGUPPER) or PGMNAME(LONGMIXED)
and the COBOL DLL support, you can make calls between load modules with
names of up to 160 characters.

DLLs are supported by IBM Language Environment, based on function provided

by the z/OS DFSMS program management binder. DLL support is available for
applications running under z/OS in batch or in TSO, CICS, UNIX, or IMS
environments.

RELATED REFERENCES
“PGMNAME” on page 297
Binder support for DLLs (z/OS DFSMS: Program Management)

Compiling programs to create DLLs

When you compile a COBOL program with the DLL option, it becomes enabled for
DLL support. Applications that use DLL support must be reentrant. Therefore, you
must compile them with the RENT compiler option and link them with the RENT
binder option.

In an application with DLL support, use the following compiler options depending
on where the programs or classes are:
Table 64. Compiler options for DLL applications
Programs or classes in: Compile with:
Root load module DLL, RENT, NOEXPORTALL
DLL load modules used by other load modules DLL, RENT, EXPORTALL

426 Programming Guide

 If a DLL load module includes some programs that are used only from within the
DLL module, you can hide these routines inside the DLL by compiling them with
NOEXPORTALL.

“Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL application” on page 428

RELATED TASKS
“Linking DLLs”
“Prelinking certain DLLs” on page 429
Chapter 26, “Creating a DLL or a DLL application,” on page 425

RELATED REFERENCES
“DLL” on page 281
“EXPORTALL” on page 283
“RENT” on page 299

Linking DLLs
You can link your DLL-enabled object modules into separate DLL load modules, or
you can link them together statically. You can decide whether to package the
application as one module or as several DLL modules at link time.

Use of the DLL support in the DFSMS binder is recommended for linking DLL
applications. The DFSMS binder can directly receive the output of the COBOL
compilers, thus eliminating the prelink step. However, you must use the Language
Environment prelinker before standard linkage editing if your DLL must reside in
a PDS load library.

A binder-based DLL must reside in a PDSE or in an HFS file rather than in a PDS.

When linking a DLL application by using the DFSMS binder, use the following
binder options:
Table 65. Binder options for DLL applications
Type of code Link using binder parameters:
DLL applications DYNAM(DLL), RENT, COMPAT(PM3) or
COMPAT(CURRENT)
Applications that use mixed-case exported CASE(MIXED)
program names

Class definitions or INVOKE statements

You must specify a SYSDEFSD DD statement to indicate the data set where the binder
should create a DLL definition side file. This side file contains IMPORT control
statements for each symbol exported by a DLL. The binder SYSLIN input (the
binding code that references the DLL code) must include the DLL definition side
files for the DLLs that are to be referenced from the module being linked.

If there are programs in the module that you do not want to make available with
DLL linkage, you can edit the definition side file to remove these programs.

“Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL application” on page 428

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application 427

 RELATED TASKS
Chapter 26, “Creating a DLL or a DLL application,” on page 425
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Prelinking certain DLLs” on page 429

RELATED REFERENCES
Binder support for DLLs (z/OS DFSMS: Program Management)

Example: sample JCL for a procedural DLL application

The following sample shows how to create an application that consists of a main
program calling a DLL subprogram. The first step creates the DLL load module
containing the subprogram DemoDLLSubprogram. The second step creates the
main load module containing the program MainProgram. The third step runs the
application.
//DLLSAMP JOB ,
// TIME=(1),MSGLEVEL=(1,1),MSGCLASS=H,CLASS=A,
// NOTIFY=&SYSUID,USER=&SYSUID
// SET LEPFX=’SYS1’
//*---------------------------------------------------------------------
//* Compile COBOL subprogram, bind to form a DLL.
//*---------------------------------------------------------------------
//STEP1 EXEC IGYWCL,REGION=80M,GOPGM=DEMODLL,
// PARM.COBOL=’RENT,PGMN(LM),DLL,EXPORTALL’,
// PARM.LKED=’RENT,LIST,XREF,LET,MAP,DYNAM(DLL),CASE(MIXED)’
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
Identification division.
Program-id. “DemoDLLSubprogram”.
Procedure division.
Display “Hello from DemoDLLSubprogram!”.
End program “DemoDLLSubprogram”.
/*
//LKED.SYSDEFSD DD DSN=&&SIDEDECK,UNIT=SYSDA,DISP=(NEW,PASS),
// SPACE=(TRK,(1,1))
//LKED.SYSLMOD DD DSN=&&GOSET(&GOPGM),DSNTYPE=LIBRARY,DISP=(MOD,PASS)
//LKED.SYSIN DD DUMMY
//*---------------------------------------------------------------------
//* Compile and bind COBOL main program
//*---------------------------------------------------------------------
//STEP2 EXEC IGYWCL,REGION=80M,GOPGM=MAINPGM,
// PARM.COBOL=’RENT,PGMNAME(LM),DLL’,
// PARM.LKED=’RENT,LIST,XREF,LET,MAP,DYNAM(DLL),CASE(MIXED)’
//COBOL.SYSIN DD *
Identification division.
Program-id. “MainProgram”.
Procedure division.
Call “DemoDLLSubprogram”
Stop Run.
End program “MainProgram”.
/*
//LKED.SYSIN DD DSN=&&SIDEDECK,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
//*---------------------------------------------------------------------
//* Execute the main program, calling the subprogram DLL.
//*---------------------------------------------------------------------
//STEP3 EXEC PGM=MAINPGM,REGION=80M
//STEPLIB DD DSN=&&GOSET,DISP=(OLD,DELETE)
// DD DSN=&LEPFX..SCEERUN,DISP=SHR
//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=*
//CEEDUMP DD SYSOUT=*

428 Programming Guide

Prelinking certain DLLs
You need to use the Language Environment prelinker before standard linkage
editing if the DLL must reside in a PDS load library rather than in a PDSE or an
HFS file.

After compiling your source DLL, prelink the object modules to form a single
object module:
1. Specify a SYSDEFSD DD statement for the prelink step to indicate the data set
where the prelinker should create a DLL definition side file for the DLL. This
side file contains IMPORT prelinker control statements for each symbol exported
by the DLL. The prelinker uses this side file to prelink other modules that
reference the new DLL.
2. Specify the DLLNAME(xxx) prelinker option to indicate the DLL load module
name for the prelinker to use in constructing the IMPORT control statements in
the side file. Alternatively, the prelinker can obtain the DLL load module name
from the NAME prelinker control statement or from the PDS member name in the
SYSMOD DD statement for the prelink step.
3. If this DLL references any other DLLs, include the definition side files for these
DLLs together with the object decks that are input to this prelink step. These
side files instruct the prelinker to resolve the symbolic references in the current
module to the symbols exported from the other DLLs.

Use the linkage editor or binder as usual to create the DLL load module from the
object module produced by the prelinker. Specify the RENT option of the linkage
editor or binder.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Linking DLLs” on page 427

Using CALL identifier with DLLs

In a COBOL program that has been compiled with the DLL option, you can use
CALL identifier statements as well as CALL literal statements to make calls to DLLs.
However, there are a few additional considerations for the CALL identifier case.

For the contents of the identifier or for the literal in the CALL statement, use the
name of either of the following programs:
v A nested program in the same compilation unit as is eligible to be called from
the program containing the CALL identifier statement.
v A program in a separately bound DLL module. The target program name must
be exported from the DLL, and the DLL module name must match the exported
name of the target program.

In the nonnested case, the run-time environment interprets the program name in
the identifier according to the setting of the PGMNAME compiler option of the program
containing the CALL statement, and interprets the program name that is exported
from the target DLL according to the setting of the PGMNAME option used when the
target program was compiled.

The search for the target DLL in the hierarchical file system (HFS) is case sensitive.
If the target DLL is a PDS or PDSE member, then the DLL member name must be
eight characters or less. For the purpose of the search for the DLL as a PDS or
PDSE member, the run time automatically converts the name to uppercase.
Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application 429
 If the run-time environment cannot resolve the CALL statement in either of these
cases, control is transferred to the ON EXCEPTION or ON OVERFLOW phrase of the CALL
statement. If the CALL statement does not specify one of these phrases in this
situation, Language Environment raises a severity-3 condition.

RELATED TASKS
“Using DLL linkage and dynamic calls together”
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Linking DLLs” on page 427

RELATED REFERENCES
“DLL” on page 281
“PGMNAME” on page 297
CALL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“Search order for DLLs in HFS”

Search order for DLLs in HFS

When you use the hierarchical file system (HFS), the search order for resolving a
DLL reference in a CALL statement depends on the setting of the Language
Environment POSIX run-time option.

If the POSIX run-time option is set to ON, the search order is as follows:
1. The run-time environment looks for the DLL in the HFS. If the LIBPATH
environment variable is set, the run time searches each directory listed.
Otherwise, it searches just the current directory. The search for the DLL in the
HFS is case sensitive.
2. If the run-time environment does not find the DLL in the HFS, it tries to load
the DLL from the MVS load library search order of the caller. In this case, the
DLL name must be eight characters or less. The run time automatically
converts the DLL name to uppercase for this search.

If the POSIX run-time option is set to OFF, the search order is reversed:
1. The run-time environment tries to load the DLL from the search order for the
load library of the caller.
2. If the run-time environment cannot load the DLL from this load library, it tries
to load the DLL from the HFS.

RELATED TASKS
“Using CALL identifier with DLLs” on page 429

RELATED REFERENCES
POSIX (Language Environment Programming Reference)

Using DLL linkage and dynamic calls together

For applications (that is, Language Environment enclaves) that are structured as
multiple, separately bound modules, you should use exclusively one form of
linkage between modules: either dynamic call linkage or DLL linkage. DLL linkage
refers to a call in a program that is compiled with the DLL and NODYNAM options
where the call resolves to an exported name in a separate module. DLL linkage can
also refer to an invocation of a method that is defined in a separate module.

430 Programming Guide

 However, some applications require more flexibility. In these cases, you can use
both DLL linkage and COBOL dynamic call linkage within a Language
Environment enclave if the programs are compiled as follows:

Program A Program B Compile both with:

Contains dynamic call Target of dynamic call NODLL
Uses DLL linkage Contains target program or method DLL

Important: This support is available only in Language Environment V2R9 and

later.

If a program contains a CALL statement for a separately compiled program and you
compile one program with the DLL compiler option and the other program with
NODLL, then the call is supported only if you bind the two programs together in the
same module.

The following diagram shows several separately bound modules that mix dynamic
calls and DLL linkage:

You cannot cancel programs that are called using DLL linkage.

All components of a DLL application must have the same AMODE. The automatic
AMODE switching normally provided by COBOL dynamic calls is not available
for DLL linkages.

Using procedure or function pointers with DLLs

In run units that contain a mix of DLLs and non-DLLs, use procedure and function
pointers with care. When you use the SET procedure-pointer-1 TO ENTRY entry-name or
SET function-pointer-1 TO ENTRY entry-name statement in a program that is compiled
with the NODLL option, you must not pass the pointer to a program that is
compiled with the DLL option. However, when you use this statement in a program
that is compiled with the DLL option, you can pass the pointer to a program that is
in a separately bound DLL module.

If you compile with the NODYNAM and DLL options and entry-name is an identifier, the
identifier value must refer to the entry point name that is exported from a DLL

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application 431

 module. The DLL module name must match the name of the exported entry point.
The following are further considerations in this case:
v The program name that is contained in the identifier is interpreted according to
the setting of the PGMNAME(COMPAT|LONGUPPER|LONGMIXED) compiler option of the
program containing the CALL statement.
v The program name that is exported from the target DLL is interpreted according
to the setting of the PGMNAME option used when compiling the target program.
v The search for the target DLL in the HFS is case sensitive.
v If the target DLL is a PDS or PDSE member, then the DLL member name must
be eight characters or less. For the purpose of the search for the DLL as a PDS or
PDSE member, the name is automatically converted to uppercase.

Calling DLLs from non-DLLs

It is possible to call a DLL from a COBOL program that is compiled with the NODLL
option, but there are restrictions. You can use the following methods to ensure that
the DLL linkage is followed:
v Put the COBOL DLL programs that you want to call from the COBOL non-DLL
programs in the load module that contains the main program. Use static calls
from the COBOL non-DLL programs to call the COBOL DLL programs.
The COBOL DLL programs in the load module that contains the main program
can call COBOL DLL programs in other DLLs.
v Put the COBOL DLL programs in DLLs and call them from COBOL non-DLL
programs with CALL function-pointer, where function-pointer is set to a function
descriptor of the program to be called. You can obtain the address of the
function descriptor for the program in the DLL by calling a C routine that uses
dllload and dllqueryfn.

“Example: calling DLLs from non-DLLs”

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Dynamic link libraries (DLLs)” on page 425

RELATED TASKS
“Using CALL identifier with DLLs” on page 429
“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Linking DLLs” on page 427

RELATED REFERENCES
“DLL” on page 281
“EXPORTALL” on page 283

Example: calling DLLs from non-DLLs

The following sample code shows how a COBOL program that is not in a DLL
(COBOL1) can call a COBOL program that is in a DLL (program ooc05R in DLL
OOC05R):
CBL NODYNAM
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. ’COBOL1’.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
DATA DIVISION.

432 Programming Guide

 FILE SECTION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 DLL-INFO.
03 DLL-LOADMOD-NAME PIC X(12).
03 DLL-PROGRAM-NAME PIC X(160).
03 DLL-PROGRAM-HANDLE FUNCTION-POINTER.
77 DLL-RC PIC S9(9) BINARY.
77 DLL-STATUS PIC X(1) VALUE ’N’.
88 DLL-LOADED VALUE ’Y’.
88 DLL-NOT-LOADED VALUE ’N’.

PROCEDURE DIVISION.

IF DLL-NOT-LOADED
THEN
* Move the names in. They must be null terminated.
MOVE Z’OOC05R’ TO DLL-LOADMOD-NAME
MOVE Z’ooc05r’ TO DLL-PROGRAM-NAME

* Call the C routine to load the DLL and to get the

* function descriptor address.
CALL ’A1CCDLGT’ USING BY REFERENCE DLL-INFO
BY REFERENCE DLL-RC
IF DLL-RC = 0
THEN
SET DLL-LOADED TO TRUE
ELSE
DISPLAY ’A1CCLDGT failed with rc = ’
DLL-RC
MOVE 16 TO RETURN-CODE
STOP RUN
END-IF
END-IF

* Use the function pointer on the call statement to call the

* program in the DLL.
* Call the program in the DLL.
CALL DLL-PROGRAM-HANDLE

GOBACK.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <dll.h>
#pragma linkage (A1CCDLGT,COBOL)

typedef struct dll_lm {

char dll_loadmod_name[(12]);
char dll_func_name[(160]);
void (*fptr) (void); /* function pointer */
} dll_lm;

void A1CCDLGT (dll_lm *dll, int *rc)

{
dllhandle *handle;
void (*fptr1)(void);
*rc = 0;
/* Load the DLL */
handle = dllload(dll->dll_loadmod_name);
if (handle == NULL) {
perror(“A1CCDLGT failed on call to load DLL./n”);
*rc = 1;
return;
}

/* Get the address of the function */

fptr1 = (void (*)(void))

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application 433

 dllqueryfn(handle,dll->dll_func_name);
if (fptr1 == NULL) {
perror(“A1CCDLGT failed on retrieving function./n”);
*rc = 2;
return;
}
/* Return the function pointer */
dll->fptr = fptr1;
return;
}

Using COBOL DLLs with C/C++ programs

COBOL support for DLLs interoperates with the DLL support in the z/OS C/C++
products, except for COBOL EXTERNAL data. COBOL data items that are declared
with the EXTERNAL attribute are independent of DLL support. These data items are
accessible by name from any COBOL program in the run unit that declares them,
regardless of whether the programs are in DLLs.

In particular, COBOL applications can call functions that are exported from C/C++
DLLs. Similarly, C/C++ applications can call COBOL programs that are exported
from COBOL DLLs.

The COBOL options DLL, RENT, and EXPORTALL work much the same way as the DLL,
RENT, and EXPORTALL options in C/C++. However, the C/C++ compiler produces
DLL-enabled code by default. The DLL option applies only to C.

You can pass a C/C++ DLL function pointer to COBOL and use it within COBOL,
receiving the C/C++ function pointer as a COBOL function-pointer data item.

The following example shows a COBOL call to a C function that returns a function
pointer to a service, followed by a COBOL call to the service.
Identification Division.
Program-id. Demo.
Data Division.
Working-Storage section.
01 fp usage function-pointer.
Procedure Division.
Call “c-function” returning fp.
Call fp.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Linking DLLs” on page 427

RELATED REFERENCES
“DLL” on page 281
“EXPORTALL” on page 283
“RENT” on page 299
EXTERNAL (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Using DLLs in OO COBOL applications

You must compile each COBOL class definition using the DLL, THREAD, RENT, and
DBCS compiler options, and link-edit it into a separate DLL module using the RENT
binder option.

434 Programming Guide

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
“Compiling programs to create DLLs” on page 426
“Linking DLLs” on page 427

RELATED REFERENCES
“DLL” on page 281
“THREAD” on page 309
“RENT” on page 299
“DBCS” on page 279

Chapter 26. Creating a DLL or a DLL application 435

436 Programming Guide
Chapter 27. Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading
You can run your COBOL programs in multiple threads within a process under
batch, TSO, IMS, or UNIX. There is no explicit COBOL language to use for
multithreaded execution; rather, you compile with the THREAD compiler option.

COBOL does not directly support managing program threads. However, you can
run COBOL programs that you compile with the THREAD compiler option in
multithreaded application servers, in applications that use a C/C++ driver
program to create the threads, in programs that interoperate with Java and use
Java threads, and in applications that use PL/I tasking. In other words, other
programs can call COBOL programs in such a way that the COBOL programs run
in multiple threads within a process or as multiple program invocation instances
within a thread. Your threaded application must run within a single Language
Environment enclave.

Choosing LOCAL-STORAGE or WORKING-STORAGE: Because you must code your

multithreaded programs as recursive, the persistence of data is that of any
recursive program:
v Data items in the LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION are automatically allocated for each
instance of a program invocation. When a program runs in multiple threads
simultaneously, each invocation has a separate copy of LOCAL-STORAGE data.
v Data items in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION are allocated once for each program
and are thus available in their last-used state to all invocations of the program.

For the data that you want to isolate to an individual program invocation instance,
define the data in the LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION. In general, this choice is appropriate
for working data in threaded programs. If you declare data in WORKING-STORAGE
and your program changes the contents of the data, you must take one of the
following actions:
v Structure your application so that you do not access data in WORKING-STORAGE
simultaneously from multiple threads.
v If you do access data simultaneously from separate threads, write appropriate
serialization code.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Multithreading”

RELATED TASKS
“Choosing THREAD to support multithreading” on page 439
“Transferring control with multithreading” on page 439
“Processing files with multithreading” on page 440
“Handling COBOL limitations with multithreading” on page 442

RELATED REFERENCES
“THREAD” on page 309
PROGRAM-ID paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Multithreading
To use COBOL support for multithreading, you need to understand how processes,
threads, run units, and program invocation instances relate to each other.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 437

 The operating system and multithreaded applications can handle execution flow
within a process, which is the course of events when all or part of a program runs.
Programs that run within a process can share resources. Processes can be
manipulated. For example, they can have a high or low priority in terms of the
amount of time that the system devotes to running the process.

Within a process, an application can initiate one or more threads, each of which is a
stream of computer instructions that controls that thread. A multithreaded process
begins with one stream of instructions (one thread) and can later create other
instruction streams to perform tasks. These multiple threads can run concurrently.
Within a thread, control is transferred between executing programs.

In a multithreaded environment, a COBOL run unit is the portion of the process

that includes threads with actively executing COBOL programs. The COBOL run
unit continues until no COBOL program is active in the execution stack for any of
the threads. For example, a called COBOL program contains a GOBACK statement
and returns control to a C program. Within the run unit, COBOL programs can call
non-COBOL programs, and vice versa.

Within a thread, control is transferred between separate COBOL and non-COBOL

programs. For example, a COBOL program can call another COBOL program or a
C program. Each separately called program is a program invocation instance.
Program invocation instances of a particular program can exist in multiple threads
within a given process.

The following illustration shows these relationships between processes, threads,

run units, and program invocation instances.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Program Management Model (Language Environment Programming Guide)
Threads (Language Environment Programming Guide)

RELATED TASKS
“Choosing THREAD to support multithreading” on page 439
“Transferring control with multithreading” on page 439
“Processing files with multithreading” on page 440
“Handling COBOL limitations with multithreading” on page 442

438 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“THREAD” on page 309

Choosing THREAD to support multithreading

Select the THREAD compiler option for multithreading support. Choose THREAD if
your program will be called in more than one thread in a single process by an
application. Compiling with THREAD prepares the COBOL program for threading
support. However, compiling with THREAD might reduce the performance of your
program because of the serialization logic that is automatically generated.

In order to run COBOL programs in more than one thread, you must compile all
of the COBOL programs in the run unit with the THREAD option. You must also
compile them with the RENT option and link them with the RENT option of the
binder or linkage editor.

Language restrictions: When you use the THREAD option, you cannot use certain
language elements, as documented in the discussion of the THREAD option.

Recursion: Before you compile a program with the THREAD compiler option, you
must specify the RECURSIVE phrase in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph. If you do not, you
will get an error.

RELATED TASKS
“Sharing data in recursive or multithreaded programs” on page 17

RELATED REFERENCES
“THREAD” on page 309

Transferring control with multithreading

When you write COBOL programs for a multithreaded environment, choose
appropriate program linkage and ending statements.

Using cancel with threaded programs

As in single-threaded environments, a called program is in its initial state when it
is first called within a run unit and when it is first called after a CANCEL to the
called program. Ensure that the program that you name on a CANCEL statement is
not active on any thread. If you try to cancel an active program, a severity-3
Language Environment condition occurs.

Ending a program
Use GOBACK to return to the caller of the program. When you use GOBACK from the
first program in a thread, the thread is terminated. If that thread is the initial
thread in an enclave, the entire enclave is terminated.

Use EXIT PROGRAM as you would GOBACK, except from a main program where it has
no effect.

Use STOP RUN to terminate the entire Language Environment enclave and to return
control to the caller of the main program (which might be the operating system).
All threads that are executing within the enclave are terminated.

Chapter 27. Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading 439

 Preinitializing the COBOL environment
If your threaded application requires preinitialization, use the Language
Environment services (CEEPIPI interface). You cannot use the COBOL-specific
interfaces for preinitialization (run-time option RTEREUS and functions IGZERRE
and ILBOSTP0) to establish a reusable environment from any program compiled
with the THREAD option.

RELATED CONCEPTS
Enclave termination (Language Environment Programming Guide)

RELATED TASKS
“Ending and reentering main programs or subprograms” on page 394

Processing files with multithreading

In your threaded applications, you can code COBOL statements for input and
output in QSAM, VSAM, and line-sequential files. Each file definition (FD) has an
implicit serialization lock. This lock is used with automatic serialization logic
during the input or output operation that is associated with the execution of the
following statements:
v OPEN
v CLOSE
v READ
v WRITE
v REWRITE
v START
v DELETE

Automatic serialization also occurs for the implicit MOVE that is associated with the
following statements:
WRITE recordname FROM identifier
READ file-name INTO identifier

Automatic serialization is not applied to any statements specified within the

following conditional phrases:
v AT END
v NOT AT END
v INVALID KEY
v NOT INVALID KEY
v AT END-OF-PAGE
v NOT AT END-OF-PAGE

File definition storage

On all program invocations, the storage that is associated with a file definition
(such as FD records and the record area that is associated with the SAME RECORD
AREA clause) is allocated and available in its last-used state. All threads of execution
share this storage. You can depend on automatic serialization for this storage
during the execution of the OPEN, CLOSE, READ, WRITE, REWRITE, START, and DELETE
statements, but not between uses of these statements.

440 Programming Guide

Recommended usage for file access
The following file organizations are recommended for use in your threaded
programs:
v Sequential organization
v Line-sequential organization
v Relative organization with sequential access
v Indexed organization with sequential access

To take full advantage of automatic serialization and to avoid explicitly writing

your own serialization logic, use one of the recommended file organizations and
use the following usage patterns when you access files in threaded programs:

Recommended usage pattern for input

OPEN INPUT fn
. . .
READ fn INTO local-storage item
. . .
* Process the record from the local-storage item
. . .
CLOSE fn

Recommended usage pattern for output

OPEN OUTPUT fn
. . .
* Construct output record in local-storage item
. . .
WRITE rec FROM local-storage item
. . .
CLOSE fn

With other usage patterns, you must take one of the following actions:
v Verify the safety of your application logic. Ensure that two instances of the
program are never simultaneously active on different threads.
v Code explicit serialization logic by using calls to POSIX services.

To avoid serialization problems when you access a file from multiple threads,
define the data items that are associated with the file (such as file-status data items
and key arguments) in the LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION.

“Example: usage patterns of file input and output with multithreading”

RELATED TASKS
“Closing QSAM files” on page 132
“Closing VSAM files” on page 163
“Coding ERROR declaratives” on page 207
“Calling UNIX/POSIX APIs” on page 386

Example: usage patterns of file input and output with

multithreading
The following examples show the need for explicit serialization logic when you
deviate from the recommended usage pattern for file input and output in your
multithreaded applications. These examples also show the unexpected behavior
that might result if you fail to handle serialization properly.

Chapter 27. Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading 441

 In each example, two instances of one program that contains the sample operations
are running within one run unit on two different threads.

Example 1
READ F1
. . .
REWRITE R1

The second thread might execute the READ statement after the READ statement is
executed on the first thread but before the REWRITE statement is executed on the
first thread. The REWRITE statement might not update the record that you intended.
To ensure the results that you want, write explicit serialization logic.

Example 2
READ F1
. . .
* Process the data in the FD record description entry for F1
. . .

The second thread might execute the READ statement while the first thread is still
processing a record in the FD record description entry. The second READ statement
would overlay the record that the first thread is still processing. To avoid this
problem, use the recommended technique of READ F1 INTO local-storage-item.

Other cases: You must give similar consideration to other usage patterns that
involve a sequence of related input and output operations, such as START followed
by READ NEXT, or READ followed by DELETE. Take appropriate steps to ensure the
correct processing of file input and output.

Handling COBOL limitations with multithreading

Some COBOL applications depend on subsystems or other applications. In a
multithreaded environment, these dependencies and others result in some
limitations on COBOL programs.

In general, you must synchronize access to resources that are visible to the
application within a run unit. Exceptions to this requirement are DISPLAY and
ACCEPT, which you can use from multiple threads and supported COBOL file I/O
statements with the recommended usage pattern; all synchronization is provided
by the run-time environment.

CICS: You cannot run multithreaded applications in the CICS environment. You
can run in the CICS environment a COBOL program that has been compiled with
the THREAD option and that is part of an application that has no multiple threads or
PL/I tasks.

Recursive: Because you must code the programs in a multithreaded application as

recursive, you must adhere to all the restrictions and programming considerations
that apply to recursive programs, such as not coding nested programs.

Reentrancy: You must compile your multithreading programs with the RENT
compiler option and link them with the RENT option of the binder or linkage editor.

POSIX and PL/I: If you use POSIX threads in your multithreaded application, you
must specify the Language Environment run-time option POSIX(ON). If the

442 Programming Guide

application uses PL/I tasking, you must specify POSIX(OFF). You cannot mix
POSIX threads and PL/I tasks in the same application.

AMODE: You must run your multithreaded applications with AMODE 31. You can
run a COBOL program that has been compiled with the THREAD option with AMODE
24 as part of an application that does not have multiple threads or PL/I tasks.

Asynchronous signals: In a threaded application your COBOL program might be

interrupted by an asynchronous signal or interrupt. If your program contains logic
that cannot tolerate such an interrupt, you must disable the interrupts for the
duration of that logic. Call a C/C++ function to set the signal mask appropriately.

Older COBOL programs: To run your COBOL programs on multiple threads of a

multithreaded application, you must compile them with Enterprise COBOL and
use the THREAD option. If you run programs that have been compiled with older
compilers, you must follow these restrictions:
v Run applications that contain OS/VS COBOL programs only on the initial
thread (IPT).
v Run applications that contain programs compiled by other older compilers only
on one thread, although it can be a thread other than the initial thread.

IGZBRDGE, IGZETUN, and IGZEOPT: Do not use IGZBRDGE, the macro for
converting static calls to dynamic calls, with programs that have been compiled
with the THREAD option; this macro is not supported. Do not use the modules
IGZETUN (for storage tuning) or IGZEOPT (for run-time options) for applications
where the main program has been compiled with the THREAD option; these CSECTs
are ignored.

UPSI switches: All programs and all threads in an application share a single copy
of UPSI switches. If you modify switches in a threaded application, you must code
appropriate serialization logic.

RELATED TASKS
“Making recursive calls” on page 407
“Processing files with multithreading” on page 440

Chapter 27. Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading 443

444 Programming Guide
Part 5. Using XML and COBOL together
Chapter 28. Processing XML input . . . . . 447
XML parser in COBOL . . . . . . . . . . 447
Accessing XML documents . . . . . . . . . 449
Parsing XML documents . . . . . . . . . 449
Processing XML events . . . . . . . . . 450
Writing procedures to process XML . . . . . 456
Understanding the content of XML-CODE 457
Using XML-TEXT and XML-NTEXT . . . . 458
Transforming XML text to COBOL data items 459
Restriction on processing procedures . . . 459
Ending processing procedures . . . . . . 459
Example: parsing XML . . . . . . . . 460
Understanding the encoding of XML documents 462
Coded character sets for XML documents . . . 463
Code-page-sensitive characters in XML markup 464
Specifying the code page . . . . . . . . 464
Handling errors in parsing XML documents . . . 465
Unhandled exceptions . . . . . . . . . 467
Handling exceptions . . . . . . . . . . 468
Terminating XML parsing . . . . . . . . 468
Code-page conflict exception . . . . . . . 469

Chapter 29. Producing XML output . . . . . 471

Generating XML output . . . . . . . . . . 471
Example: generating XML . . . . . . . . 473
Program XGFX . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Program Pretty . . . . . . . . . . . 475
Output from program XGFX . . . . . . 475
Enhancing XML output . . . . . . . . . . 476
Example: enhancing XML output . . . . . . 477
Controlling the encoding of generated XML output 480
Handling errors in generating XML output . . . 480

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 445

446 Programming Guide
Chapter 28. Processing XML input
You can process XML input in your COBOL program by using the XML PARSE
statement. The XML PARSE statement is the COBOL language interface to the
high-speed XML parser, which is part of the COBOL run time. Processing XML
input involves control being passed to and received from the XML parser. You start
this exchange of control with the XML PARSE statement, which specifies a processing
procedure that receives control from the XML parser to handle the parser events.
You use special registers in your processing procedure to exchange information
with the parser.

Use these COBOL facilities to process XML input:

v XML PARSE statement to begin XML parsing and to identify the document and
your processing procedure
v Processing procedure to control the parsing: receive and process the XML events
and associated document fragments, and optionally handle exceptions
v Special registers to receive and pass information:
– XML-CODE to determine the status of XML parsing
– XML-EVENT to receive the name of each XML event
– XML-TEXT to receive XML document fragments from an alphanumeric
document
– XML-NTEXT to receive XML document fragments from a national document

RELATED CONCEPTS
“XML parser in COBOL”

RELATED TASKS
“Accessing XML documents” on page 449
“Parsing XML documents” on page 449
“Processing XML events” on page 450
“Handling errors in parsing XML documents” on page 465
“Understanding the encoding of XML documents” on page 462

RELATED REFERENCES
Appendix D, “XML reference material,” on page 625
XML specification (www.w3c.org/XML/)

XML parser in COBOL

Enterprise COBOL provides an event-based interface that enables you to parse
XML documents and transform them to COBOL data structures. The XML parser
finds fragments (associated with XML events) within the document, and your
processing procedure acts on these fragments. You code your procedure to handle
each XML event. Throughout this operation, control passes back and forth between
the parser and your procedure.

You start this exchange with the parser by using the XML PARSE statement, in which
you designate your processing procedure. Execution of this XML PARSE statement
begins the parsing and establishes your processing procedure with the parser. Each
execution of your procedure causes the XML parser to continue analyzing the XML
document and report the next event, passing back to your procedure the fragment

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 447

 that it finds, such as the start of a new element. You can also specify in the XML
PARSE statement two imperative statements to which you want control to be passed
at the end of the parsing: one when a normal end occurs and one when an
exception condition exists.

This figure gives a high-level overview of the basic exchange of control between
the parser and your program:

XML parsing flow overview

Normally, parsing continues until the entire XML document has been parsed.

When the XML parser parses XML documents, it checks them for most aspects of
well formedness as defined in the XML specification. A document is well formed if
it adheres to the XML syntax and follows some additional rules such as proper use
of end tags and uniqueness of attribute names.

RELATED TASKS
“Accessing XML documents” on page 449
“Parsing XML documents” on page 449
“Writing procedures to process XML” on page 456
“Handling errors in parsing XML documents” on page 465
“Understanding the encoding of XML documents” on page 462

RELATED REFERENCES
XML specification (www.w3c.org/XML/)
“XML conformance” on page 631

448 Programming Guide

 Accessing XML documents
Before you can parse an XML document with an XML PARSE statement, you must
make the document available to your program. The most likely method of
| acquiring the document is by retrieval from a WebSphere MQ message, a CICS
transient queue or communication area, or an IMS message processing queue.

If the XML document that you want to parse is held in a file, use ordinary COBOL
facilities to place the document into a data item in your program:
v A FILE-CONTROL entry to define the file to your program
v The OPEN statement to open the file
v The READ statement to read all the records from the file into an alphanumeric or
national data item that is defined in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION or
LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION of your program
v Optionally the STRING statement to string all of the separate records together into
one continuous stream, to remove extraneous blanks, and to handle
variable-length records

RELATED TASKS
“Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS” on page 359
Chapter 22, “Developing COBOL programs for IMS,” on page 377

Parsing XML documents

To parse XML documents, use the XML PARSE statement, as in the following
example:
XML PARSE XMLDOCUMENT
PROCESSING PROCEDURE XMLEVENT-HANDLER
ON EXCEPTION
| DISPLAY ’XML document error ’ XML-CODE
STOP RUN
NOT ON EXCEPTION
DISPLAY ’XML document was successfully parsed.’
END-XML

In the XML PARSE statement you first identify the data item (XMLDOCUMENT in the
example) that contains the XML document character stream. In the DATA DIVISION,
you can declare the identifier as a national data item or as an alphanumeric data
item. If it is a national data item, its content must be encoded in Unicode
| UTF-16BE, CCSID 1200. If it is alphanumeric, its content must be encoded with one
of the supported single-byte character sets. (See the related reference below about
coded characters sets for further details.)

| If the identifier is alphanumeric and the XML document does not contain an
encoding declaration, the document is parsed with the code page that is specified
by the CODEPAGE compiler option in effect.

| XML declaration: If the document that you are parsing contains an XML
| declaration, the declaration must begin in the first byte of the document. If the
| string <?xml starts after the first byte of the document, the parser generates an
| exception code. The attribute names that are coded in the XML declaration must all
| be in lowercase characters.

Next you specify the name of the procedure (XMLEVENT-HANDLER in the example)
that is to handle the XML events from the document.

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 449

 In addition, you can specify either or both of the following phrases to receive
control after parsing finishes:
v ON EXCEPTION, to receive control when an unhandled exception occurs during
parsing
v NOT ON EXCEPTION, to receive control otherwise

You can end the XML PARSE statement with the explicit scope terminator END-XML.
| Use END-XML to nest an XML PARSE statement that uses the ON EXCEPTION or NOT ON
| EXCEPTION phrase in a conditional statement (for example, in another XML PARSE
| statement or in an XML GENERATE statement).

| The parser passes control to the processing procedure for each XML event. Control
| returns to the parser when the end of the processing procedure is reached. This
exchange of control between the XML parser and the processing procedure
continues until one of the following events occurs:
v The entire XML document has been parsed, as indicated by the END-OF-DOCUMENT
event.
v The parser detects an error in the document and signals an EXCEPTION event, and
the processing procedure does not reset the special register XML-CODE to zero
before returning to the parser.
v You terminate the parsing process deliberately by setting the special register
XML-CODE to -1 before returning to the parser.

RELATED TASKS
“Understanding the encoding of XML documents” on page 462

RELATED REFERENCES
“Coded character sets for XML documents” on page 463
XML PARSE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Processing XML events

Use the XML-EVENT special register to determine which event the parser passes to
your processing procedure. XML-EVENT contains an event name such as
’START-OF-ELEMENT’. The parser passes the content for the event in special register
XML-TEXT or XML-NTEXT, depending on the type of the XML identifier specified in
the XML PARSE statement.

The events are shown below in the order in which they would occur for the
following sample XML document. The text shown under the “Sample XML text”
headings comes from this sample, with exact text delimited by angle brackets
(<<>>).

| The term “XML text” in the following descriptions means in general the content
| either of XML-TEXT or XML-NTEXT. (The sample XML document below does not
| contain any text that requires XML-NTEXT, however, and thus uses only XML-TEXT.)

| Note that this example begins with an XML declaration. If an XML declaration
| occurs in a document that you are parsing, the declaration must begin in the first
| byte of the document; otherwise, the parser generates an exception code. The
| attribute names that are coded in the XML declaration must all be in lowercase
| characters.
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“ibm-1140” standalone=“yes” ?>
<!--This document is just an example-->
<sandwich>
<bread type=“baker&apos;s best” />

450 Programming Guide

 <?spread please use real mayonnaise ?>
<meat>Ham &amp; turkey</meat>
<filling>Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc.</filling>
<![CDATA[We should add a <relish> element in future!]]>
</sandwich>junk
START-OF-DOCUMENT
Description
Occurs once, at the beginning of the parsing of the document. XML
text is the entire document, including any line-control characters
such as LF (Line Feed) or NL (New Line).
Sample XML text
The text for this sample is 336 characters in length.

VERSION-INFORMATION
Description
Occurs within the optional XML declaration for the version
information. XML text contains the version value. An XML
declaration is XML text that specifies the version of XML that is
used and the encoding of the document.
Sample XML text
<<1.0>>

ENCODING-DECLARATION
Description
Occurs within the XML declaration for the optional encoding
declaration. XML text contains the encoding value.
Sample XML text
<<ibm-1140>>

STANDALONE-DECLARATION
Description
Occurs within the XML declaration for the optional standalone
declaration. XML text contains the standalone value.
Sample XML text
<<yes>>

DOCUMENT-TYPE-DECLARATION
Description
Occurs when the parser finds a document type declaration.
Document type declarations begin with the character sequence
’<!DOCTYPE’ and end with a right angle bracket (’>’) character;
some fairly complicated grammar rules describe the content in
| between. (See the XML specification for details. Also see the related
| reference below about code-page-sensitive characters for
| information about coding the exclamation point (!).) For this event,
XML text contains the entire declaration, including the opening
and closing character sequences. This is the only event for which
XML text includes the delimiters.

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 451

 Sample XML text
The sample does not have a document type declaration.

COMMENT
Description
Occurs for any comments in the XML document. XML text contains
the data between the opening and closing comment delimiters,
| ’<!--’ and ’-->’, respectively. (See the related reference below about
| code-page-sensitive characters for information about coding the
| exclamation point (!).)
Sample XML text
<<This document is just an example>>

START-OF-ELEMENT
Description
Occurs once for each element start tag or empty element tag. XML
text is set to the element name.
Sample XML text
In the order that they occur as START-OF-ELEMENT events:
1. <<sandwich>>
2. <<bread>>
3. <<meat>>
4. <<filling>>

ATTRIBUTE-NAME
Description
Occurs for each attribute in an element start tag or empty element
tag, after a valid name is recognized. XML text contains the
attribute name.
Sample XML text
<<type>>

ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTERS
Description
Occurs for each fragment of an attribute value. XML text contains
the fragment. An attribute value normally consists only of a single
string, even if it is split across lines. The attribute value might
consist of multiple events, however.
Sample XML text
In the order in which they occur as ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTERS events:
1. <<baker>>
2. <<s best>>

452 Programming Guide

 Notice that the value of the type attribute in the sample consists of
three fragments: the string ’baker’, the single character ’’’, and the
string ’s best’. The single-character fragment ’’’ is passed separately
as an ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTER event.

ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTER
Description
Occurs in attribute values for the predefined entity references
’&amp;’, ’&apos;’, ’&gt;’, ’&lt;’, and ’&quot;’. See the XML
specification for details of predefined entities.
Sample XML text
<<’>>

ATTRIBUTE-NATIONAL-CHARACTER
Description
Occurs in attribute values for numeric character references
(Unicode code points or “scalar values”) of the form ’&#dd..;’ or
’&#hh..;’, where d and h represent decimal and hexadecimal digits,
respectively. If the scalar value of the national character is greater
than 65,535 (NX’FFFF’), XML-NTEXT contains two encoding units (a
surrogate pair) and has a length of 4 bytes. This pair of encoding
units represents a single character. Do not create characters that are
| not valid by splitting this pair. (See the related reference below
| about code-page-sensitive characters for information about coding
| the number sign (#).)
Sample XML text
The sample does not contain a numeric character reference.

END-OF-ELEMENT
Description
Occurs once for each element end tag or empty element tag when
the parser recognizes the closing angle bracket of the tag. XML text
contains the element name.
Sample XML text
In the order that they occur as END-OF-ELEMENT events:
1. <<bread>>
2. <<meat>>
3. <<filling>>
4. <<sandwich>>

PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-TARGET
Description
Occurs when the parser recognizes the name that follows the
opening character sequence, ’<?’, of a processing instruction (PI).
PIs allow XML documents to contain special instructions for
applications.

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 453

 Sample XML text
<<spread>>

PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-DATA
Description
Occurs for the data that follows the PI target, up to but not
including the PI closing character sequence, ’?>’. XML text contains
the PI data, which includes trailing, but not leading, white-space
characters.
Sample XML text
<<please use real mayonnaise >>

CONTENT-CHARACTERS
Description
This event represents the principal part of an XML document: the
character data between element start and end tags. XML text
contains this data, which usually consists only of a single string
even if it is split across lines. If the content of an element includes
any references or other elements, the complete content might
consist of several events. The parser also uses the
CONTENT-CHARACTERS event to pass the text of CDATA sections to
your program.
Sample XML text
In the order that they occur as CONTENT-CHARACTERS events:
1. <<Ham >>
2. << turkey>>
3. <<Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc.>>
4. <<We should add a <relish> element in future!>>

Notice that the content of the meat element in the sample consists
of the string ’Ham ’, the character ’&’, and the string ’ turkey’. The
single-character fragment ’&’ is passed separately as a
CONTENT-CHARACTER event. Also notice the trailing and leading
spaces, respectively, in these two string fragments.

CONTENT-CHARACTER
Description
Occurs in element content for the predefined entity references
’&amp;’, ’&apos;’, ’&gt;’, ’&lt;’, and ’&quot;’. See the XML
specification for details about predefined entities.
Sample XML text
<<&>>

CONTENT-NATIONAL-CHARACTER
Description
Occurs in element content for numeric character references
(Unicode code points or “scalar values”) of the form ’&#dd..;’ or

454 Programming Guide

 ’&#hh..;’, where d and h represent decimal and hexadecimal digits,
respectively. If the scalar value of the national character is greater
than 65,535 (NX’FFFF’), XML-NTEXT contains two encoding units (a
surrogate pair) and has a length of 4 bytes. This pair of encoding
units represents a single character. Do not create characters that are
| not valid by splitting this pair. (See the related reference below
| about code-page-sensitive characters for information about coding
| the number sign (#).)
Sample XML text
The sample does not contain a numeric character reference.

START-OF-CDATA-SECTION
Description
Occurs at the start of a CDATA section. CDATA sections begin with
the string ’<![CDATA[’ and end with the string ’]]>’. Such sections
are used to “escape” blocks of text that contain characters that
would otherwise be recognized as XML markup. XML text always
contains the opening character sequence ’<![CDATA[’. The parser
passes the content of a CDATA section between these delimiters as
| a single CONTENT-CHARACTERS event. (See the related reference below
| about code-page-sensitive characters for information about coding
| the exclamation point (!) and left square bracket ([).)
Sample XML text
<<<![CDATA[>>

END-OF-CDATA-SECTION
Description
Occurs when the parser recognizes the end of a CDATA section.
| (See the related reference below about code-page-sensitive
| characters for information about coding the right square bracket
| (]).)
Sample XML text
<<]]>>>

UNKNOWN-REFERENCE-IN-ATTRIBUTE
Description
Occurs within attribute values for entity references other than the
five predefined entity references, as shown for
ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTER above.
Sample XML text
The sample does not have any unknown entity references.

UNKNOWN-REFERENCE-IN-CONTENT
Description
Occurs within element content for entity references other than the
predefined entity references, as shown for CONTENT-CHARACTER
above.

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 455

 Sample XML text
The sample does not have any unknown entity references.

END-OF-DOCUMENT
Description
Occurs when document parsing has completed.
Sample XML text
XML text is empty for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.

EXCEPTION
Description
Occurs when an error in processing the XML document is detected.
For encoding conflict exceptions, which are signaled before parsing
begins, XML-TEXT (for XML documents in an alphanumeric data
item) or XML-NTEXT (for XML documents in a national data item)
either is zero length or contains only the encoding declaration
value from the document.
Sample XML text
The part of the document that was parsed up to and including the
point where the exception (the superfluous ’junk’ after the
</sandwich> tag) was detected.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Code-page-sensitive characters in XML markup” on page 464
XML-EVENT (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
4.6 Predefined entities (XML specification at www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml#sec-
predefined-ent)
2.8 Prolog and document type declaration (XML specification at
www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml#sec-prolog-dtd)

Writing procedures to process XML

In your processing procedure, code the statements to handle XML events.

For each event that the parser encounters, it passes information to your processing
procedure in several special registers, as shown in the following table. Use these
registers to populate your data structures and to control your processing.
Table 66. Special registers used by the XML parser
Special
register Content Implicit definition and usage
1
XML-EVENT The name of the XML event PICTURE X(30) USAGE DISPLAY
VALUE SPACE
XML-CODE2 An exception code or zero for each PICTURE S9(9) USAGE BINARY
XML event VALUE ZERO
| XML-TEXT1 Text (corresponding to the event that Variable-length elementary
the parser encountered) from the XML alphanumeric data item; 16-MB
document if you specify an size limit
alphanumeric data item for the XML
PARSE identifier

456 Programming Guide

 Table 66. Special registers used by the XML parser (continued)
Special
register Content Implicit definition and usage
1
| XML-NTEXT Text (corresponding to the event that Variable-length elementary
the parser encountered) from the XML national data item; 16-MB size
document if you specify a national data limit
item for the XML PARSE identifier

1. You cannot use this special register as a receiving data item.

| 2. The XML GENERATE statement also uses XML-CODE. Therefore, if you code an XML GENERATE
| statement in the processing procedure, save the value of XML-CODE before the XML
| GENERATE statement and restore the saved value after the XML GENERATE statement.

When used in nested programs, these special registers are implicitly defined as
GLOBAL in the outermost program.

Understanding the content of XML-CODE

When the parser returns control to your XML PARSE statement, special register
XML-CODE contains the most recent value set by the parser or by your processing
procedure.

For each event except the EXCEPTION event, the value of XML-CODE is zero. If you set
XML-CODE to -1 before you return control to the XML parser for an event other than
EXCEPTION, processing stops with a user-initiated exception (as indicated by the
returned XML-CODE value of -1). The result of changing XML-CODE to any other
nonzero value before returning from any event is undefined.

For the EXCEPTION event, special register XML-CODE contains the exception code.

The following figure shows the flow of control between the parser and your
processing procedure and shows how XML-CODE is used to pass information
between them. The off-page connectors (for example, ) connect the multiple
charts in this information. In particular, in the following figure connects to the
chart Control flow for XML exceptions (page 466), and connects from XML
CCSID exception flow control (page 469).

Control flow between XML parser and program, showing XML-CODE usage

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 457

 Using XML-TEXT and XML-NTEXT
The special registers XML-TEXT and XML-NTEXT are mutually exclusive. The type of
the XML PARSE identifier determines which of these two special registers is set,
except for the ATTRIBUTE-NATIONAL-CHARACTER and CONTENT-NATIONAL-CHARACTER
events. For these two events, XML-NTEXT is set regardless of the data item that you
specify as the XML PARSE identifier.

When the parser sets XML-TEXT, XML-NTEXT is undefined (length 0). When the parser
sets XML-NTEXT, XML-TEXT is undefined (length 0).

To determine how many national characters XML-NTEXT contains, use the LENGTH
function. LENGTH OF XML-NTEXT contains the number of bytes, rather than
characters, used by XML-NTEXT.

458 Programming Guide

 Transforming XML text to COBOL data items
Because XML data is neither fixed length nor fixed format, you need to use special
techniques when you move XML data to COBOL data items.

For alphanumeric items, decide whether the XML data should go at the left
(default) end of your COBOL item or at the right end. If it should go at the right
end, specify the JUSTIFIED RIGHT clause in the declaration of the COBOL item.

Give special consideration to numeric XML values, particularly “decorated”

monetary values such as ’$1,234.00’ or ’$1234’. These two strings mean the same
thing in XML but would have completely different declarations as COBOL sending
fields. Use one of these techniques when you move XML data to COBOL data
items:
v If the format is reasonably regular, code a MOVE to an alphanumeric item that is
redefined appropriately as a numeric-edited item. Then do the final move to a
numeric (operational) item by moving from, and thus de-editing, the
numeric-edited item. (A regular format would have the same number of digits
after the decimal point, a comma separator for values greater than 999, and so
on.)
v For simplicity and vastly increased flexibility, use the following functions for
alphanumeric XML data:
– NUMVAL to extract and decode simple numeric values from XML data that
represents plain numbers
– NUMVAL-C to extract and decode numeric values from XML data that represents
monetary quantities
Note, however, that use of these functions is at the expense of performance.

Restriction on processing procedures

A processing procedure must not directly execute an XML PARSE statement.
However, if a processing procedure passes control to a method or outermost
program by using an INVOKE or CALL statement, the target method or program can
execute the same or a different XML PARSE statement. You can also execute the same
XML statement or different XML statements simultaneously from a program that is
executing on multiple threads.

Ending processing procedures

The compiler inserts a return mechanism after the last statement in each processing
procedure. You can code a STOP RUN statement in a processing procedure to end the
| run unit. However, an EXIT PROGRAM statement (when a CALL statement is active) or
a GOBACK statement does not return control to the parser. Using either such
statement in a processing procedure results in a severe error.

“Example: parsing XML” on page 460

RELATED TASKS
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106

RELATED REFERENCES
“XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation” on page 625
“XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation” on page 628
XML-CODE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
XML-EVENT (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
XML-NTEXT (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
XML-TEXT (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 459

 Example: parsing XML
This example shows the basic organization of an XML PARSE statement and of a
processing procedure. The XML document is shown in the source so that you can
follow the flow of the parsing. The output of the program is also shown below.
Compare the document to the output of the program to follow the interaction of
the parser and the processing procedure, and to match events to document
fragments.
Process flag(i,i)
Identification division.
Program-id. xmlsampl.

Data division.
Working-storage section.
******************************************************************
* XML document, encoded as initial values of data items. *
******************************************************************
1 xml-document.
2 pic x(39) value ’<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“ibm-1140”’.
2 pic x(19) value ’ standalone=“yes”?>’.
2 pic x(39) value ’<!--This document is just an example-->’.
2 pic x(10) value ’<sandwich>’.
2 pic x(35) value ’ <bread type=“baker&apos;s best”/>’.
2 pic x(41) value ’ <?spread please use real mayonnaise ?>’.
2 pic x(31) value ’ <meat>Ham &amp; turkey</meat>’.
2 pic x(40) value ’ <filling>Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc.’.
2 pic x(10) value ’</filling>’.
2 pic x(35) value ’ <![CDATA[We should add a <relish>’.
2 pic x(22) value ’ element in future!]]>’.
2 pic x(31) value ’ <listprice>$4.99 </listprice>’.
2 pic x(27) value ’ <discount>0.10</discount>’.
2 pic x(11) value ’</sandwich>’.
1 xml-document-length computational pic 999.

******************************************************************
* Sample data definitions for processing numeric XML content. *
******************************************************************
1 current-element pic x(30).
1 xfr-ed pic x(9) justified.
1 xfr-ed-1 redefines xfr-ed pic 999999.99.
1 list-price computational pic 9v99 value 0.
1 discount computational pic 9v99 value 0.
1 display-price pic $$9.99.

Procedure division.
mainline section.

XML PARSE xml-document PROCESSING PROCEDURE xml-handler

ON EXCEPTION
display ’XML document error ’ XML-CODE
NOT ON EXCEPTION
display ’XML document successfully parsed’
END-XML

******************************************************************
* Process the transformed content and calculate promo price. *
******************************************************************
display ’ ’
display ’-----+++++***** Using information from XML ’
’*****+++++-----’
display ’ ’
move list-price to display-price
display ’ Sandwich list price: ’ display-price
compute display-price = list-price * (1 - discount)
display ’ Promotional price: ’ display-price
display ’ Get one today!’

460 Programming Guide

 goback.

xml-handler section.
evaluate XML-EVENT
* ==> Order XML events most frequent first
when ’START-OF-ELEMENT’
display ’Start element tag: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
move XML-TEXT to current-element
when ’CONTENT-CHARACTERS’
display ’Content characters: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
* ==> Transform XML content to operational COBOL data item...
evaluate current-element
when ’listprice’
* ==> Using function NUMVAL-C...
compute list-price = function numval-c(XML-TEXT)
when ’discount’
* ==> Using de-editing of a numeric edited item...
move XML-TEXT to xfr-ed
move xfr-ed-1 to discount
end-evaluate
when ’END-OF-ELEMENT’
display ’End element tag: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
move spaces to current-element
when ’START-OF-DOCUMENT’
compute xml-document-length = function length(XML-TEXT)
display ’Start of document: length=’ xml-document-length
’ characters.’
when ’END-OF-DOCUMENT’
display ’End of document.’
when ’VERSION-INFORMATION’
display ’Version: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’ENCODING-DECLARATION’
display ’Encoding: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’STANDALONE-DECLARATION’
display ’Standalone: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’ATTRIBUTE-NAME’
display ’Attribute name: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTERS’
display ’Attribute value characters: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTER’
display ’Attribute value character: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’START-OF-CDATA-SECTION’
display ’Start of CData: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’END-OF-CDATA-SECTION’
display ’End of CData: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’CONTENT-CHARACTER’
display ’Content character: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-TARGET’
display ’PI target: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-DATA’
display ’PI data: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’COMMENT’
display ’Comment: <’ XML-TEXT ’>’
when ’EXCEPTION’
compute xml-document-length = function length (XML-TEXT)
display ’Exception ’ XML-CODE ’ at offset ’
xml-document-length ’.’
when other
display ’Unexpected XML event: ’ XML-EVENT ’.’
end-evaluate
.
End program xmlsampl.

Output from parse example: From the following output you can see which
parsing events came from which fragments of the document:

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 461

 Start of document: length=390 characters.
Version: <1.0>
Encoding: <ibm-1140>
Standalone: <yes>
Comment: <This document is just an example>
Start element tag: <sandwich>
Content characters: < >
Start element tag: <bread>
Attribute name: <type>
Attribute value characters: <baker>
Attribute value character: <’>
Attribute value characters: <s best>
End element tag: <bread>
Content characters: < >
PI target: <spread>
PI data: <please use real mayonnaise >
Content characters: < >
Start element tag: <meat>
Content characters: <Ham >
Content character: <&>
Content characters: < turkey>
End element tag: <meat>
Content characters: < >
Start element tag: <filling>
Content characters: <Cheese, lettuce, tomato, etc.>
End element tag: <filling>
Content characters: < >
Start of CData: <<![CDATA[>
Content characters: <We should add a <relish> element in future!>
End of CData: <]]>>
Content characters: < >
Start element tag: <listprice>
Content characters: <$4.99 >
End element tag: <listprice>
Content characters: < >
Start element tag: <discount>
Content characters: <0.10>
End element tag: <discount>
End element tag: <sandwich>
End of document.
XML document successfully parsed

-----+++++***** Using information from XML *****+++++-----

Sandwich list price: $4.99

Promotional price: $4.49
Get one today!

Understanding the encoding of XML documents

| The parser decides how to process your document by using the following sources
| of information about the document encoding:
| v The basic document encoding
| v The type of the data item that contains the document
| v Any document encoding declaration
| v The external code page, if applicable
| v The set of supported code pages

| These sources of encoding information must be consistent with one another. The
| parser signals an XML exception event if it finds a conflict.

462 Programming Guide

| The basic document encoding is one of the following encoding categories that the
| parser determines by examining the first few bytes of the XML document:
| v ASCII
| v EBCDIC
| v Unicode UTF-16, either big-endian or little-endian
| v Other unsupported encoding
| v No recognizable encoding

| The type of the data item that contains the document is also relevant. The parser
| supports the following combinations:
| v National data items whose contents are encoded using Unicode UTF-16
| v Alphanumeric data items whose contents are encoded using one of the
supported single-byte character sets

| The discovery that the encoding is Unicode UTF-16 also provides the code-page
| information, 1200 UTF-16BE (big-endian), since Unicode is effectively a single large
| code page. Thus, if the parser finds a UTF-16 document in a national data item, it
| ignores external code-page information.

| But if the basic document encoding is ASCII or EBCDIC, the parser needs specific
| code-page information to be able to parse the XML document correctly. This
| additional code-page information is acquired from the document encoding
| declaration or from the external code page.

| The document encoding declaration is an optional part of the XML declaration at the
| beginning of the document. (See the related task about specifying the code page
| for details.)

| The external code page is the value in effect for the CODEPAGE compiler option.

| Finally, the encoding must be one of the supported code pages. (See the related
| reference below about coded character sets for XML documents for details.)

RELATED TASKS
“Specifying the code page” on page 464

RELATED REFERENCES
“Coded character sets for XML documents”
“XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation” on page 625
“XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation” on page 628

Coded character sets for XML documents

| Documents in national data items must be encoded with Unicode UTF-16, CCSID
| 1200.

| Documents in alphanumeric data items must be encoded with one of the

| single-byte EBCDIC code pages shown in the table below.
Table 67. Supported EBCDIC code pages
| CCSID Description
| 1047 Latin 1 / Open Systems
| 1140, 37 USA, Canada, . . . Euro Country Extended Code Page (ECECP),
| Country Extended Code Page (CECP)

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 463

 Table 67. Supported EBCDIC code pages (continued)
| CCSID Description
| 1141, 273 Austria, Germany ECECP, CECP
| 1142, 277 Denmark, Norway ECECP, CECP
| 1143, 278 Finland, Sweden ECECP, CECP
| 1144, 280 Italy ECECP, CECP
| 1145, 284 Spain, Latin America (Spanish) ECECP, CECP
| 1146, 285 UK ECECP, CECP
| 1147, 297 France ECECP, CECP
| 1148, 500 International ECECP, CECP
| 1149, 871 Iceland ECECP, CECP

| To parse XML documents that are encoded in other code pages, first convert the
| documents to national characters by using the NATIONAL-OF function. You can
convert the individual pieces of document text that are passed to the processing
procedure in special register XML-NTEXT back to the original code page by using the
DISPLAY-OF function.

RELATED TASKS
“Converting national data” on page 107
“Specifying the code page”

Code-page-sensitive characters in XML markup

| Several special characters that are used in XML markup have different hexadecimal
| representations in various EBCDIC code pages. The following table shows the
| special characters and their hexadecimal values for the supported code page
| CCSIDs:
Table 68. Hexadecimal values of special characters for code page CCSIDs
| Character 1047 1140 1141 1142 1143 1144 1145 1146 1147 1148 1149
| [ X’AD’ X’BA’ X’63’ X’9E’ X’B5’ X’90’ X’4A’ X’B1’ X’90’ X’4A’ X’AE’
| ] X’BD’ X’BB’ X’FC’ X’9F’ X’9F’ X’51’ X’5A’ X’BB’ X’B5’ X’5A’ X’9E’
| ! X’5A’ X’5A’ X’4F’ X’4F’ X’4F’ X’4F’ X’BB’ X’5A’ X’4F’ X’4F’ X’4F’
| | X’4F’ X’4F’ X’BB’ X’BB’ X’BB’ X’BB’ X’4F’ X’4F’ X’BB’ X’BB’ X’BB’
| # X’7B’ X’7B’ X’7B’ X’4A’ X’63’ X’B1’ X’69’ X’7B’ X’B1’ X’7B’ X’7B’

Specifying the code page

| The preferred way to specify the code page for parsing an XML document is to
| omit the encoding declaration from the document and to rely on external
| code-page information. Doing so makes it possible to transmit an XML document
| between heterogeneous systems without requiring that you update the encoding
| declaration to reflect any translation imposed by the transmission process.

| Unicode XML documents do not require additional code-page information because

| Unicode effectively consists of a single large code page. The code page used for
| parsing EBCDIC XML documents that do not have an encoding declaration is the
| value in effect for the CODEPAGE compiler option.

464 Programming Guide

 You can also specify the encoding information for an XML document in the XML
| declaration with which most XML documents begin. (Note that the XML parser
| generates an exception if it encounters an XML declaration that does not begin in
| the first byte of an XML document.) This is an example of an XML declaration that
includes an encoding declaration:
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“ibm-1140” ?>

Specify the encoding declaration in either of the following ways:

v Specify the CCSID number (with or without any number of leading zeros)
| optionally prefixed by any of the following strings (in any mixture of uppercase
and lowercase):
– IBM-
– IBM_
– CCSID-
– CCSID_
v Use one of the following supported aliases (in any mixture of uppercase and
lowercase):
Table 69. Aliases for XML encoding declarations
Code page Supported aliases
037 EBCDIC-CP-US, EBCDIC-CP-CA, EBCDIC-CP-WT, EBCDIC-CP-NL
500 EBCDIC-CP-BE, EBCDIC-CP-CH
1200 UTF-16

RELATED TASKS
“Understanding the encoding of XML documents” on page 462

Handling errors in parsing XML documents

Use these facilities to handle errors in an XML document:
v The processing procedure
v The ON EXCEPTION phrase of the XML PARSE statement
v Special register XML-CODE

When the XML parser detects an error in an XML document, it generates an XML
exception event. The parser realizes this exception event by passing control to your
processing procedure with the following information in special registers:
v XML-EVENT contains ’EXCEPTION’.
v XML-CODE contains a numeric exception code.
| v XML-TEXT (for XML documents in an alphanumeric data item) or XML-NTEXT (for
| XML documents in a national data item) contains the document text up to and
including the point where the exception was detected.

You might be able to handle the exception in your processing procedure and
continue parsing if the numeric exception code is within one of the following
ranges:
v 1-99
v 100,001-165,535

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 465

 If the exception code has any other nonzero value, parsing cannot continue. The
| exceptions for encoding conflicts (50-99 and 300-399) are signaled before the
| parsing of the document begins. For these exceptions, XML-TEXT (or XML-NTEXT)
either is zero length or contains only the encoding declaration value from the
document.

Exceptions in the range 1-49 are fatal errors according to the XML specification.
Therefore the parser does not continue normal parsing even if you handle the
exception. However, the parser does continue scanning for further errors until it
reaches the end of the document or encounters an error that does not allow
continuation. For these exceptions, the parser does not signal any further normal
events except for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.

Use the following figure to understand the flow of control between the parser and
your processing procedure. The figure illustrates how you can handle certain
exceptions and can use XML-CODE to identify the exceptions. The off-page
connectors (for example, ) connect the multiple charts in this information. In
particular, connects to the chart XML CCSID exception flow control (page 469).
Within this figure, and serve both as off-page and on-page connectors.

Control flow for XML exceptions

466 Programming Guide

Unhandled exceptions
If you do not want to handle an exception, return control to the parser without
changing the value of XML-CODE. The parser transfers control to the statement that
you specify in the ON EXCEPTION phrase. If you do not code an ON EXCEPTION
phrase, control is transferred to the end of the XML PARSE statement.

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 467

 Handling exceptions
To handle an exception event in your processing procedure, do these steps:
1. Use the contents of XML-CODE to guide your actions.
2. Set XML-CODE to zero to indicate that you handled the exception.
3. Return control to the parser. The exception condition then no longer exists.

If no unhandled exceptions occur before the end of parsing, control is passed to

the statement that you specify in the NOT ON EXCEPTION phrase (normal end of
parsing). If you do not code a NOT ON EXCEPTION phrase, control is passed to the
end of the XML PARSE statement. The special register XML-CODE contains zero.

You can handle exceptions as explained above only if the exception code passed in
| XML-CODE is within one of the following ranges, which indicate that an encoding
| conflict was detected:
| v 50-99
v 100,001-165,535

| You can do limited handling of exceptions for which the exception code passed in
| XML-CODE is within the range 1-49. After an exception in this range occurs, the
| parser does not signal any further normal events, except for the END-OF-DOCUMENT
| event, even if you set XML-CODE to zero before returning. If you set XML-CODE to
| zero, the parser continues parsing the document and signals any exceptions that it
| finds. (Doing so can be useful as a way of discovering multiple errors in the
| document.) At the end of parsing after an exception in this range, control is passed
| to the statement that you specify in the ON EXCEPTION phrase, if any, otherwise to
| the end of the XML PARSE statement. The special register XML-CODE contains the code
| for the most recent exception that the parser detected.

For all other exceptions, the parser signals no further events, and passes control to
the statement that you specify in the ON EXCEPTION phrase. In this case, XML-CODE
contains the original exception number even if you set XML-CODE to zero in the
processing procedure before returning control to the parser.

If you return control to the parser with XML-CODE set to a nonzero value that is
different from the original exception code, the results are undefined.

Terminating XML parsing

You can terminate parsing deliberately by setting XML-CODE to -1 in your processing
procedure before returning to the parser from any normal XML event (that is, not
an EXCEPTION event). You can use this technique when you have seen enough of
the document or have detected some irregularity in the document that precludes
further meaningful processing.

In this case, the parser does not signal any further events although an exception
condition exists. Therefore control returns to the ON EXCEPTION phrase, if specified.
In the imperative statement of the ON EXCEPTION phrase, you can test whether
XML-CODE is -1, which would indicate that you terminated parsing deliberately. If
you do not specify an ON EXCEPTION phrase, control returns to the end of the XML
PARSE statement.

You can also terminate parsing after any XML exception event by returning to the
parser without changing XML-CODE. The result is similar to the result of deliberate
termination, except that the parser returns to the XML PARSE statement with
XML-CODE containing the exception number.

468 Programming Guide

 Code-page conflict exception
| A special case applies to exception events in which the document data item is
| alphanumeric and the exception code in XML-CODE is in the range 100,001 through
165,535. These exception codes indicate that the code page of the document (as
| specified by its encoding declaration) conflicts with the external code-page
| information.

| In this case, you can choose to parse with the code page of the document by
subtracting 100,000 from the value in XML-CODE. For instance, if XML-CODE contains
| 101,140, the code page of the document is 1140. Alternatively, you can choose to
| parse with the external code page by setting XML-CODE to zero before returning to
| the parser.

The parser takes one of three actions after returning from a processing procedure
for a code-page conflict exception event:
| v If you set XML-CODE to zero, the parser uses the external code page: the CODEPAGE
| compiler option value.
v If you set XML-CODE to the code page of the document (that is, the original
XML-CODE value minus 100,000), the parser uses the code page of the document.
This is the only case where the parser continues when XML-CODE has a nonzero
value upon returning from a processing procedure.
v Otherwise, the parser stops processing the document and returns control to the
XML PARSE statement with an exception condition. XML-CODE contains the
exception code that was originally passed to the exception event.

The following figure illustrates these actions. The off-page connectors (for example,
) connect the multiple charts in this information. In particular, in the
following figure connects to Control flow between XML parser and program,
showing XML-CODE usage (page 457), and connects from Control flow for
XML exceptions (page 466).

XML CCSID exception flow control

Chapter 28. Processing XML input 469

| In this figure, CCSID (coded character set identifier) is a value from 1 to 65,536 that
| denotes the code page.

RELATED TASKS
“Understanding the encoding of XML documents” on page 462

RELATED REFERENCES
“XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation” on page 625
“XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation” on page 628
XML-CODE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

470 Programming Guide

 Chapter 29. Producing XML output
| You can produce XML output in a COBOL program by using the XML GENERATE
| statement. In the XML GENERATE statement, you can also identify a field to receive a
| count of the number of characters of XML output generated, and a statement to
| receive control if an exception occurs.

| To produce XML output, use:

| v The XML GENERATE statement to identify the source and target data items, count
| field, and ON EXCEPTION statement
| v Special register XML-CODE to determine the status of XML generation

| After you transform COBOL data items to XML, you can use the resulting XML
| output in various ways, such as deploying it in a Web service, passing it as a
| message to WebSphere MQ, or transmitting it for subsequent conversion to a CICS
| communication area.

RELATED TASKS
“Generating XML output”
“Enhancing XML output” on page 476
“Controlling the encoding of generated XML output” on page 480
“Handling errors in generating XML output” on page 480

Generating XML output

| To transform COBOL data to XML, use the XML GENERATE statement as in the
| following example:
| XML GENERATE XML-OUTPUT FROM SOURCE-REC
| COUNT IN XML-CHAR-COUNT
| ON EXCEPTION
| DISPLAY ’XML generation error ’ XML-CODE
| STOP RUN
| NOT ON EXCEPTION
| DISPLAY ’XML document was successfully generated.’
| END-XML

| In the XML GENERATE statement, you first identify the data item (XML-OUTPUT in the
| example) that is to receive the XML output. Define the data item to be large
| enough to contain the generated XML output, typically five to eight times the size
| of the COBOL source data depending on the length of its data-name or
| data-names.

| In the DATA DIVISION, you can declare the identifier as an alphanumeric data item
| or as a national data item. You must declare it as USAGE NATIONAL if the CODEPAGE
| compiler option specifies a DBCS code page or the XML output will contain any
| data from the COBOL source record that has any of the following characteristics:
| v Is described implicitly or explicitly with the USAGE NATIONAL phrase or the USAGE
| DISPLAY-1 phrase
| v Has a DBCS name (that is, is a data item whose name contains DBCS characters)
| v Is an alphanumeric data item that contains DBCS characters

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 471

| Next you identify the group or elementary data item (SOURCE-REC in the example)
| that is to be transformed to XML format. Do not specify the RENAMES clause in the
| data description of that data item.

| Some COBOL data items are not transformed to XML, but are ignored. Subordinate
| data items of a group data item that you transform to XML are ignored if they:
| v Specify the REDEFINES clause, or are subordinate to such a redefining item
| v Specify the RENAMES clause

| These items are also ignored when you generate XML:

| v Elementary FILLER (or unnamed) data items
| v Slack bytes inserted for SYNCHRONIZED data items

| There must be at least one elementary data item that is not ignored when you
| generate XML. For the data items that are not ignored, ensure that the identifier
| that you are transforming to XML satisfies these conditions when you declare it in
| the DATA DIVISION:
| v Each elementary data item is either an index data item or belongs to one of
| these classes:
| – Alphabetic
| – Alphanumeric
| – Numeric
| – National
| That is, no elementary data item is described with the USAGE POINTER, USAGE
| FUNCTION-POINTER, USAGE PROCEDURE-POINTER, or USAGE OBJECT REFERENCE phrase.
| v Each data-name other than FILLER is unique within the immediately containing
| group, if any.
| v Any DBCS data-names, when converted to Unicode, are legal as names in the
| XML specification, version 1.0.
| v The data item or items do not specify the DATE FORMAT clause, or the DATEPROC
| compiler option is not in effect.

| An XML declaration is not generated. No white space (for example, new lines or
| indentation) is inserted to make the generated XML more readable.

| Optionally, you can code the COUNT IN phrase to obtain the number of XML
| character positions that are filled during generation of the XML output. Declare the
| count field as an integer data item that does not have the symbol P in its PICTURE
| string. You can use the count field and reference modification to obtain only that
| portion of the receiving data item that contains the generated XML output. For
| example, XML-OUTPUT(1:XML-CHAR-COUNT) references the first XML-CHAR-COUNT
| character positions of XML-OUTPUT.

| In addition, you can specify either or both of the following phrases to receive
| control after generation of the XML document:
| v ON EXCEPTION, to receive control if an error occurs during XML generation
| v NOT ON EXCEPTION, to receive control if no error occurs

| You can end the XML GENERATE statement with the explicit scope terminator
| END-XML. Code END-XML to nest an XML GENERATE statement that has the ON
| EXCEPTION or NOT ON EXCEPTION phrase in a conditional statement.

472 Programming Guide

| XML generation continues until either the COBOL source record has been
| transformed to XML or an error occurs. If an error occurs, the results are as
| follows:
| v Special register XML-CODE contains a nonzero exception code.
| v Control is passed to the ON EXCEPTION phrase, if specified, otherwise to the end
| of the XML GENERATE statement.

| If no error occurs during XML generation, special register XML-CODE contains zero,
| and control is passed to the NOT ON EXCEPTION phrase if specified or to the end of
| the XML GENERATE statement otherwise.

“Example: generating XML”

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling the encoding of generated XML output” on page 480
“Handling errors in generating XML output” on page 480

RELATED REFERENCES
XML GENERATE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Operation of XML GENERATE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
XML specification (www.w3c.org/XML/)

Example: generating XML

| The following example simulates the building of a purchase order in a group data
| item, and generates an XML version of that purchase order.

| Program XGFX uses XML GENERATE to produce XML output in elementary data item
| xmlPO from the source record, group data item purchaseOrder. Elementary data
| items in the source record are converted to character format as necessary, and the
| characters are inserted in XML elements whose names are derived from the
| data-names in the source record.

| XGFX calls program Pretty, which uses the XML PARSE statement with processing
| procedure p to format the XML output with new lines and indentation so that the
| XML content can more easily be verified.

Program XGFX
| Identification division.
| Program-id. XGFX.
| Data division.
| Working-storage section.
| 01 numItems pic 99 global.
| 01 purchaseOrder global.
| 05 orderDate pic x(10).
| 05 shipTo.
| 10 country pic xx value ’US’.
| 10 name pic x(30).
| 10 street pic x(30).
| 10 city pic x(30).
| 10 state pic xx.
| 10 zip pic x(10).
| 05 billTo.
| 10 country pic xx value ’US’.
| 10 name pic x(30).
| 10 street pic x(30).
| 10 city pic x(30).
| 10 state pic xx.
| 10 zip pic x(10).
| 05 orderComment pic x(80).

Chapter 29. Producing XML output 473

| 05 items occurs 0 to 20 times depending on numItems.
| 10 item.
| 15 partNum pic x(6).
| 15 productName pic x(50).
| 15 quantity pic 99.
| 15 USPrice pic 999v99.
| 15 shipDate pic x(10).
| 15 itemComment pic x(40).
| 01 numChars comp pic 999.
| 01 xmlPO pic x(999).
| Procedure division.
| m.
| Move 20 to numItems
| Move spaces to purchaseOrder
|
| Move ’1999-10-20’ to orderDate
|
| Move ’US’ to country of shipTo
| Move ’Alice Smith’ to name of shipTo
| Move ’123 Maple Street’ to street of shipTo
| Move ’Mill Valley’ to city of shipTo
| Move ’CA’ to state of shipTo
| Move ’90952’ to zip of shipTo
|
| Move ’US’ to country of billTo
| Move ’Robert Smith’ to name of billTo
| Move ’8 Oak Avenue’ to street of billTo
| Move ’Old Town’ to city of billTo
| Move ’PA’ to state of billTo
| Move ’95819’ to zip of billTo
| Move ’Hurry, my lawn is going wild!’ to orderComment
|
| Move 0 to numItems
| Call ’addFirstItem’
| Call ’addSecondItem’
| Move space to xmlPO
| Xml generate xmlPO from purchaseOrder count in numChars
| Call ’pretty’ using xmlPO value numChars
| Goback
| .
|
| Identification division.
| Program-id. ’addFirstItem’.
| Procedure division.
| Add 1 to numItems
| Move ’872-AA’ to partNum(numItems)
| Move ’Lawnmower’ to productName(numItems)
| Move 1 to quantity(numItems)
| Move 148.95 to USPrice(numItems)
| Move ’Confirm this is electric’ to itemComment(numItems)
| Goback.
| End program ’addFirstItem’.
|
| Identification division.
| Program-id. ’addSecondItem’.
| Procedure division.
| Add 1 to numItems
| Move ’926-AA’ to partNum(numItems)
| Move ’Baby Monitor’ to productName(numItems)
| Move 1 to quantity(numItems)
| Move 39.98 to USPrice(numItems)
| Move ’1999-05-21’ to shipDate(numItems)
| Goback.
| End program ’addSecondItem’.
|
| End program XGFX.

474 Programming Guide

 Program Pretty
| Identification division.
| Program-id. Pretty.
| Data division.
| Working-storage section.
| 01 prettyPrint.
| 05 pose pic 999.
| 05 posd pic 999.
| 05 depth pic 99.
| 05 element pic x(30).
| 05 indent pic x(20).
| 05 buffer pic x(100).
| Linkage section.
| 1 doc.
| 2 pic x occurs 16384 times depending on len.
| 1 len comp-5 pic 9(9).
| Procedure division using doc value len.
| m.
| Move space to prettyPrint
| Move 0 to depth posd
| Move 1 to pose
| Xml parse doc processing procedure p
| Goback.
| p.
| Evaluate xml-event
| When ’START-OF-ELEMENT’
| If element not = space
| If depth > 1
| Display indent(1:2 * depth - 2) buffer(1:pose - 1)
| Else
| Display buffer(1:pose - 1)
| End-if
| End-if
| Move xml-text to element
| Add 1 to depth
| Move 1 to pose
| String ’<’ xml-text ’>’ delimited by size into buffer
| with pointer pose
| Move pose to posd
| When ’CONTENT-CHARACTERS’
| String xml-text delimited by size into buffer
| with pointer posd
| When ’CONTENT-CHARACTER’
| String xml-text delimited by size into buffer
| with pointer posd
| When ’END-OF-ELEMENT’
| Move space to element
| String ’</’ xml-text ’>’ delimited by size into buffer
| with pointer posd
| If depth > 1
| Display indent(1:2 * depth - 2) buffer(1:posd - 1)
| Else
| Display buffer(1:posd - 1)
| End-if
| Subtract 1 from depth
| Move 1 to posd
| When other
| Continue
| End-evaluate
| .
| End program Pretty.

Output from program XGFX

| <purchaseOrder>
| <orderDate>1999-10-20</orderDate>
| <shipTo>

Chapter 29. Producing XML output 475

| <country>US</country>
| <name>Alice Smith</name>
| <street>123 Maple Street</street>
| <city>Mill Valley</city>
| <state>CA</state>
| <zip>90952</zip>
| </shipTo>
| <billTo>
| <country>US</country>
| <name>Robert Smith</name>
| <street>8 Oak Avenue</street>
| <city>Old Town</city>
| <state>PA</state>
| <zip>95819</zip>
| </billTo>
| <orderComment>Hurry, my lawn is going wild!</orderComment>
| <items>
| <item>
| <partNum>872-AA</partNum>
| <productName>Lawnmower</productName>
| <quantity>1</quantity>
| <USPrice>148.95</USPrice>
| <shipDate> </shipDate>
| <itemComment>Confirm this is electric</itemComment>
| </item>
| </items>
| <items>
| <item>
| <partNum>926-AA</partNum>
| <productName>Baby Monitor</productName>
| <quantity>1</quantity>
| <USPrice>39.98</USPrice>
| <shipDate>1999-05-21</shipDate>
| <itemComment> </itemComment>
| </item>
| </items>
| </purchaseOrder>

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 28, “Processing XML input,” on page 447

RELATED REFERENCES
Operation of XML GENERATE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Enhancing XML output

| It might happen that the information that you want to express in XML format
| already exists in a group item in the DATA DIVISION, but you are unable to use that
| group item directly to generate an XML document because of one or more of the
| following factors:
| v In addition to the required data, the group item has data items that contain
| working data values that are irrelevant to the XML output document.
| v The names of the required data items are unsuitable for external presentation,
| and are possibly meaningful only to programmers.
| v The definition of the data is not of the required data type. Perhaps only the
| redefinitions (which are ignored by the XML GENERATE statement) have the
| appropriate format.
| v The required data items are nested too deeply within irrelevant subordinate
| group data items. The XML output should be “flattened,” rather than
| hierarchical as it would be by default.

476 Programming Guide

| v The required data items are broken up into too many components, and should
| be output as the content of the containing group.
| v The group item contains the required information, but in the wrong order.

| There are various ways that you can deal with such situations. One possible
| technique is to define a new data item that has the appropriate characteristics, and
| move the required data to the appropriate fields of this new data item. However,
| this approach is somewhat laborious and requires careful maintenance to keep the
| original and new data items synchronized.

| An alternative approach that has some advantages is to provide a redefinition of

| the original group data item, and to generate the XML output from that
| redefinition. To do so, start from the original set of data descriptions, and make
| these changes:
| v Exclude elementary data items from the generated XML either by renaming
| them to FILLER or by deleting their names.
| v Provide more meaningful and appropriate names for the selected elementary
| items and for the group items that contain them.
| v Remove unneeded intermediate group items to flatten the hierarchy.
| v Specify different data types to obtain the desired trimming behavior.
| v Choose a different order for the output by using a sequence of XML GENERATE
| statements.

| The safest way to accomplish these changes is to use another copy of the original
| declarations accompanied by one or more REPLACE compiler-directing statements.

“Example: enhancing XML output”

RELATED REFERENCES
Operation of XML GENERATE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: enhancing XML output

| Consider the following example data structure:
| 01 CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUES-BOX.
| 15 CDR-LIFE-BASE-VAL-DATE PIC X(08).
| 15 CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-LINE OCCURS 2 TIMES.
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC.
| 25 CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1 PIC X(15).
| 25 FILLER PIC X(01).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT PIC X(08).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE PIC X(08).
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE.
| 25 CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE PIC X(02).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-BP-DASH PIC X(02).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE1 PIC X(02).
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE-ED REDEFINES
| CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE PIC $$$.$$.
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY.
| 25 CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE PIC X(08).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-QTY-DASH PIC X(02).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE1 PIC X(02).
| 25 FILLER PIC X(02).
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY-ED REDEFINES
| CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY PIC ZZ,ZZZ,ZZZ.ZZZ.
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE PIC X(15).
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-ED REDEFINES
| CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE

Chapter 29. Producing XML output 477

| PIC $(4),$$$,$$9.99.
| 15 CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE-LINE.
| 20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE PIC X(15).

| When this data structure is populated with some sample values, and XML is
| generated directly from it and then formatted using program Pretty (shown in
| “Example: generating XML” on page 473), the result is as follows:
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUES-BOX>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-VAL-DATE>01/02/03</CDR-LIFE-BASE-VAL-DATE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-LINE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1>First</CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT> </CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE>01/01/01</CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE>$2</CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BP-DASH>3.</CDR-LIFE-BP-DASH>
| <CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE1>00</CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE1>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY>
| <CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE> 1</CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE>
| <CDR-LIFE-QTY-DASH>23</CDR-LIFE-QTY-DASH>
| <CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE1>.0</CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE1>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE> $765.00</CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-LINE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-LINE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1>Second</CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT> </CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE>02/02/02</CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE>$3</CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BP-DASH>4.</CDR-LIFE-BP-DASH>
| <CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE1>00</CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE1>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY>
| <CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE> 2</CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE>
| <CDR-LIFE-QTY-DASH>34</CDR-LIFE-QTY-DASH>
| <CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE1>.0</CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE1>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE> $654.00</CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-LINE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE-LINE>
| <CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE>Very high!</CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE-LINE>
| </CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUES-BOX>

| This generated XML suffers from several problems:

| v The element names are long and not very meaningful.
| v There is unwanted data, for example, CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT and
| CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE.
| v Required data has an unnecessary parent. For example, CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1 has
| parent CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC.
| v Other required fields are split into too many subcomponents. For example,
| CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE has three subcomponents for one amount.

| These and other characteristics of the XML output can be remedied by redefining
| the storage as follows:

478 Programming Guide

| 1 BaseValues redefines CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUES-BOX.
| 2 BaseValueDate pic x(8).
| 2 BaseValueLine occurs 2 times.
| 3 Description pic x(15).
| 3 pic x(9).
| 3 BaseDate pic x(8).
| 3 BasePrice pic x(6) justified.
| 3 BaseQuantity pic x(14) justified.
| 3 BaseValue pic x(15) justified.
| 2 TotalValue pic x(15).

| The result of generating and formatting XML from the set of definitions of the data
| values shown above is more usable:
| <BaseValues>
| <BaseValueDate>01/02/03</BaseValueDate>
| <BaseValueLine>
| <Description>First</Description>
| <BaseDate>01/01/01</BaseDate>
| <BasePrice>$23.00</BasePrice>
| <BaseQuantity>123.000</BaseQuantity>
| <BaseValue>$765.00</BaseValue>
| </BaseValueLine>
| <BaseValueLine>
| <Description>Second</Description>
| <BaseDate>02/02/02</BaseDate>
| <BasePrice>$34.00</BasePrice>
| <BaseQuantity>234.000</BaseQuantity>
| <BaseValue>$654.00</BaseValue>
| </BaseValueLine>
| <TotalValue>Very high!</TotalValue>
| </BaseValues>

| You can redefine the original data definition directly, as shown above. However, it
| is generally safer to use the original definition, but to modify it suitably using the
| text-manipulation capabilities of the compiler. An example is shown in the REPLACE
| compiler-directing statement below. This REPLACE statement might appear
| complicated, but it has the advantage of being self-maintaining if the original data
| definitions are modified.
| replace ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUES-BOX== by
| ==BaseValues redefines CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUES-BOX==
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-VAL-DATE== by ==BaseValueDate==
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-LINE== by ==BaseValueLine==
| ==20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC.== by ====
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-DESC1== by ==Description==
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-LIT== by ====
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-DTE== by ==BaseDate==
| ==20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE.== by ====
| ==25 CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE PIC X(02).== by ====
| ==25 CDR-LIFE-BP-DASH PIC X(02).== by ====
| ==25 CDR-LIFE-BP-SPACE1 PIC X(02).== by ====
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE-ED== by ==BasePrice==
| ==REDEFINES CDR-LIFE-BASE-PRICE PIC $$$.$$.== by
| ==pic x(6) justified.==
| ==20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY.
| 25 CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE PIC X(08).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-QTY-DASH PIC X(02).
| 25 CDR-LIFE-QTY-SPACE1 PIC X(02).
| 25 FILLER PIC X(02).== by ====
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY-ED== by ==BaseQuantity==
| ==REDEFINES CDR-LIFE-BASE-QTY PIC ZZ,ZZZ,ZZZ.ZZZ.== by
| ==pic x(14) justified.==
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE-ED== by ==BaseValue==
| ==20 CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE PIC X(15).== by ====
| ==REDEFINES CDR-LIFE-BASE-VALUE PIC $(4),$$$,$$9.99.==

Chapter 29. Producing XML output 479

| by ==pic x(15) justified.==
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE-LINE. 20== by ====
| ==CDR-LIFE-BASE-TOT-VALUE== by ==TotalValue==.

| The result of this REPLACE statement followed by a second instance of the original
| set of definitions is similar to the suggested redefinition of group item BaseValues
| shown above. This REPLACE statement illustrates a variety of techniques for
| eliminating unwanted definitions and for modifying the definitions that should be
| retained. Use whichever technique is appropriate for your situation.

RELATED REFERENCES
Operation of XML GENERATE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
REPLACE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Controlling the encoding of generated XML output

| When you generate XML output by using the XML GENERATE statement, you can
| control the encoding of the output by the class of the data item that receives the
| XML output. The following table shows the possible output formats.
Table 70. Encoding of generated XML output
| If you define the receiving
| XML identifier as: The generated XML output is encoded in:
| Alphanumeric The code page specified by the CODEPAGE compiler option
| in effect when the source was compiled
| National UTF-16 big-endian (UTF-16BE, CCSID 1200)1

| 1. A byte order mark is not generated.

| For details about how data items are converted to XML and how the XML element
| names are formed from the COBOL data-names, see the related reference below
| about the operation of the XML GENERATE statement.

RELATED REFERENCES
“CODEPAGE” on page 274
Operation of XML GENERATE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Handling errors in generating XML output

| When an error is detected during generation of XML output, an exception
| condition exists. You can write code to check the special register XML-CODE, which
| contains a numeric exception code that indicates the error type.

| To handle errors, use either or both of the following phrases of the XML GENERATE
| statement:
| v ON EXCEPTION
| v COUNT IN

| If you code the ON EXCEPTION phrase in the XML GENERATE statement, control is
| transferred to the imperative statement that you specify. You might code an
| imperative statement, for example, to display the XML-CODE value. If you do not
| code an ON EXCEPTION phrase, control is transferred to the end of the XML GENERATE
| statement.

480 Programming Guide

| When an error occurs, one problem might be that the data item that receives the
| XML output is not large enough. In that case, the XML output is not complete, and
| special register XML-CODE contains error code 400.

| You can examine the generated XML output by doing these steps:
| 1. Code the COUNT IN phrase in the XML GENERATE statement.
| The count field that you specify holds a count of the XML character positions
| that are filled during XML generation. If you define the XML output as a
| national data item, the count is in national character positions (UTF-16
| character encoding units); otherwise the count is in bytes.
| 2. Use the count field with reference modification to refer to the substring of the
| receiving data item that contains the generated XML output.
| For example, if XML-OUTPUT is the data item that receives the XML output, and
| XML-CHAR-COUNT is the count field, then XML-OUTPUT(1:XML-CHAR-COUNT)
| references the XML output.

| Use the contents of XML-CODE to determine what corrective action to take. For a list
| of the exceptions that can occur during XML generation, see the related reference
| below.

RELATED TASKS
“Referring to substrings of data items” on page 93

RELATED REFERENCES
“XML GENERATE exceptions” on page 633

Chapter 29. Producing XML output 481

482 Programming Guide
Part 6. Developing object-oriented programs
Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 485 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining
Example: accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . 486 factory data . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515
Subclasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487 Defining a factory method . . . . . . . . 516
Defining a class . . . . . . . . . . . . 488 Hiding a factory or static method . . . . 517
CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a class . . . 490 Invoking factory or static methods . . . . 517
REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class 490 Example: defining a factory (with methods) . . 518
Example: external class-names and Java Account class . . . . . . . . . . . 518
packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491 CheckingAccount class (subclass of Account) 520
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining Check class . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
class instance data . . . . . . . . . . . 492 TestAccounts client program . . . . . . 522
Example: defining a class . . . . . . . . 493 Output produced by the TestAccounts client
Defining a class instance method . . . . . . . 493 program . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
METHOD-ID paragraph for defining a class Wrapping procedure-oriented COBOL programs 523
instance method . . . . . . . . . . . 494 Structuring OO applications . . . . . . . . 524
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION for defining a class Examples: COBOL applications that you can run
instance method . . . . . . . . . . . 495 using the java command . . . . . . . . 524
DATA DIVISION for defining a class instance Displaying a message: . . . . . . . . 524
method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 Echoing the input strings: . . . . . . . 525
PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class
instance method . . . . . . . . . . . 496 Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 527
USING phrase for obtaining passed Accessing JNI services . . . . . . . . . . 527
arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . 497 Handling Java exceptions . . . . . . . . 528
RETURNING phrase for returning a value 497 Throwing an exception from your COBOL
Overriding an instance method . . . . . . 497 program . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Overloading an instance method . . . . . . 498 Catching a Java exception . . . . . . . 529
Coding attribute (get and set) methods . . . . 499 Example: handling Java exceptions . . . . 529
Example: coding a get method . . . . . 499 Managing local and global references . . . . 530
Example: defining a method . . . . . . . 500 Deleting, saving, and freeing local references 530
Account class . . . . . . . . . . . 500 JNI services . . . . . . . . . . . . 531
Check class . . . . . . . . . . . . 501 Java access controls . . . . . . . . . . 531
Defining a client . . . . . . . . . . . . 502 Sharing data with Java . . . . . . . . . . 531
REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a client 503 Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and
DATA DIVISION for defining a client . . . . 504 Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Choosing LOCAL-STORAGE or Declaring arrays and strings for Java . . . . 532
WORKING-STORAGE . . . . . . . . 504 Manipulating Java arrays . . . . . . . . 534
Comparing and setting object references . . . 505 Example: processing a Java int array . . . 535
Invoking methods (INVOKE) . . . . . . . 506 Manipulating Java strings . . . . . . . . 536
USING phrase for passing arguments . . . 507 Services for Unicode . . . . . . . . . 536
RETURNING phrase for obtaining a returned Services for EBCDIC . . . . . . . . . 537
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507 Services for UTF-8 . . . . . . . . . . 538
Invoking overridden superclass methods . . 507 Example: J2EE client written in COBOL . . . . 539
Creating and initializing instances of classes . . 508 COBOL client (ConverterClient.cbl) . . . . . 539
Instantiating Java classes . . . . . . . 508 Java client (ConverterClient.java) . . . . . . 541
Instantiating COBOL classes . . . . . . 509
Freeing instances of classes . . . . . . . . 509
Example: defining a client . . . . . . . . 510
Defining a subclass . . . . . . . . . . . 510
CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a subclass . . 511
REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a subclass 512
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining
subclass instance data . . . . . . . . . 512
Defining a subclass instance method . . . . 513
Example: defining a subclass (with methods) 513
CheckingAccount class (subclass of Account) 513
Defining a factory section . . . . . . . . . 514

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 483

484 Programming Guide
 Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs
When you write an object-oriented (OO) program, you have to determine what
classes you need and the methods and data that the classes need to do their work.

OO programs are based on objects (entities that encapsulate state and behavior) and
their classes, methods, and data. A class is a template that defines the state and the
capabilities of an object. Usually a program creates and works with multiple object
instances (or simply, instances) of a class, that is, multiple objects that are members
of that class. The state of each instance is stored in data known as instance data,
and the capabilities of each instance are called instance methods. A class can define
data that is shared by all instances of the class, known as factory or static data, and
methods that are supported independently of any object instance, known as factory
or static methods.

Using Enterprise COBOL, you can:

v Define classes, with methods and data implemented in COBOL.
v Create instances of Java and COBOL classes.
v Invoke methods on Java and COBOL objects.
v Write classes that inherit from Java classes or other COBOL classes.
v Define and invoke overloaded methods.

In Enterprise COBOL programs, you can call the services provided by the Java
Native Interface (JNI) to obtain Java-oriented capabilities in addition to the basic
OO capabilities available directly in the COBOL language.

In Enterprise COBOL classes, you can code CALL statements to interface with
procedural COBOL programs. Thus COBOL class definition syntax can be
especially useful for writing wrapper classes for procedural COBOL logic, enabling
existing COBOL code to be accessed from Java.

Java code can create instances of COBOL classes, invoke methods of these classes,
and can extend COBOL classes.

It is recommended that you develop and run OO COBOL programs and Java
programs in the z/OS UNIX System Services environment.

| Restrictions:
| v COBOL class definitions and methods cannot contain EXEC SQL statements and
| cannot be compiled using the SQL compiler option.
| v COBOL class definitions and methods cannot contain EXEC CICS statements,
| cannot be run in a CICS environment, and cannot be compiled using the CICS
| compiler option.

“Example: accounts” on page 486

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a class” on page 488
“Defining a class instance method” on page 493
“Defining a client” on page 502
“Defining a subclass” on page 510

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 485

 “Defining a factory section” on page 514
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
Upgrading IBM COBOL programs (Enterprise COBOL Compiler and Run-Time
Migration Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
The Java Language Specification

Example: accounts
Consider the example of a bank in which customers can open accounts and make
deposits to and withdrawals from their accounts. You could represent an account
by a general-purpose class, called Account. Because there are many customers,
multiple instances of the Account class could exist simultaneously.

Once you determine the classes that you need, your next step is to determine the
methods that the classes need to do their work. An Account class for example must
provide the following services:
v Open the account.
v Get the current balance.
v Deposit to the account.
v Withdraw from the account.
v Report account status.

The following methods for an Account class meet the above needs:
init Open an account and assign it an account number.
getBalance
Return the current balance of the account.
credit Deposit a given sum to the account.
debit Withdraw a given sum from the account.
print Display account number and account balance.

As you design an Account class and its methods, you discover the need for the
class to keep some instance data. Typically, an Account object would need the
following instance data:
v Account number
v Account balance
v Customer information: name, address, home phone, work phone, social security
number, and so forth

To keep the example simple, however, it is assumed that the account number and
account balance are the only instance data that the Account class needs.

Diagrams are helpful when you design classes and methods. The following
diagram depicts a first attempt at a design of the Account class:

486 Programming Guide

 The words in parentheses in the diagrams are the names of the instance data, and
the words following a number and colon are the names of the instance methods.

The structure below shows how the classes relate to each other, and is known as
the inheritance hierarchy. The Account class inherits directly from the class
java.lang.Object.

Subclasses
In the account example, Account is a general-purpose class. However, a bank could
have many different types of accounts: checking accounts, savings accounts,
mortgage loans, and so forth, all of which have all the general characteristics of
accounts but could have additional characteristics not shared by all types of
accounts.

For example, a CheckingAccount class could have, in addition to the account

number and account balance that all accounts have, a check fee that applies to each
check written on the account. A CheckingAccount class also needs a method to
process checks (that is, to read the amount, debit the payer, credit the payee, and
so forth). So it makes sense to define CheckingAccount as a subclass of Account,
and to define in the subclass the additional instance data and instance methods
that the subclass needs.

As you design the CheckingAccount class, you discover the need for a class that
models checks. An instance of class Check would need, at a minimum, instance
data for payer, payee, and the check amount.

Many additional classes (and database and transaction-processing logic) would

need to be designed in a real-world OO account system, but have been omitted
from this discussion to keep the example simple.

The updated inheritance diagram is shown below.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 487

 A number and colon with no method-name following them indicate that the
method with that number is inherited from the superclass.

Multiple inheritance: You cannot use multiple inheritance in your OO COBOL

applications. All classes that you define must have exactly one parent, and
java.lang.Object must be at the root of every inheritance hierarchy. The class
structure of any object-oriented system defined in an OO COBOL application is
thus a tree.

“Example: defining a method” on page 500

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a class”
“Defining a class instance method” on page 493
“Defining a subclass” on page 510

Defining a class
A COBOL class definition consists of an IDENTIFICATION DIVISION and ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION, followed by an optional factory definition and optional object definition,
followed by an END CLASS marker:
Table 71. Structure of class definitions
Section Purpose Syntax
IDENTIFICATION Name the class. Provide “CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a class”
DIVISION inheritance information on page 490 (required)
(required) for it. AUTHOR paragraph (optional)
INSTALLATION paragraph (optional)
DATE-WRITTEN paragraph (optional)
DATE-COMPILED paragraph (optional)

488 Programming Guide

Table 71. Structure of class definitions (continued)
Section Purpose Syntax
ENVIRONMENT Describe the computing CONFIGURATION SECTION (required)
DIVISION environment. Relate “REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a
(required) class-names used within class” on page 490 (required)
the class definition to the SOURCE-COMPUTER paragraph (optional)
corresponding external OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph (optional)
class-names known SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph (optional)
outside the compilation
unit.
Factory definition Define data to be shared IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
(optional) by all instances of the FACTORY.
class, and methods DATA DIVISION.
supported independently WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
of any object instance. * (Factory data here)
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
* (Factory methods here)
END FACTORY.
Object definition Define instance data and IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
(optional) instance methods. OBJECT.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
* (Instance data here)
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
* (Instance methods here)
END OBJECT.

If you specify the SOURCE-COMPUTER, OBJECT-COMPUTER, or SPECIAL-NAMES paragraphs

in a class CONFIGURATION SECTION, they apply to the entire class definition
including all methods that the class introduces.

A class CONFIGURATION SECTION can consist of the same entries as a program

CONFIGURATION SECTION, except that a class CONFIGURATION SECTION cannot contain
an INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION. You define an INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION only in the
individual methods that require it rather than defining it at the class level.

As shown above, you define instance data and methods in the DATA DIVISION and
PROCEDURE DIVISION, respectively, within the OBJECT paragraph of the class
definition. In classes that require data and methods that are to be associated with
the class itself rather than with individual object instances, define a separate DATA
DIVISION and PROCEDURE DIVISION within the FACTORY paragraph of the class
definition.

Each COBOL class definition must be in a separate source file.

“Example: defining a class” on page 493

RELATED TASKS
“WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining class instance data” on page 492
“Defining a class instance method” on page 493
“Defining a subclass” on page 510
“Defining a factory section” on page 514
“Describing the computing environment” on page 7
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 489

 RELATED REFERENCES
COBOL class definition structure (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a class

Use the CLASS-ID paragraph in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION to name a class and
provide inheritance information for it. For example:
Identification Division. Required
Class-id. Account inherits Base. Required

Use the CLASS-ID paragraph to identify these classes:

v The class that you are defining (Account in the example above).
v The immediate superclass from which the class that you are defining inherits its
characteristics. The superclass can be implemented in Java or COBOL.
In the example above, inherits Base indicates that the Account class inherits
methods and data from the class known within the class definition as Base. It is
recommended that you use the name Base in your OO COBOL programs to refer
to java.lang.Object.

A class-name must use single-byte characters and must conform to the normal
rules of formation for a COBOL user-defined word.

Use the REPOSITORY paragraph in the CONFIGURATION SECTION of the ENVIRONMENT

DIVISION to associate the superclass name (Base in the example above) with the
name of the superclass as it is known externally (java.lang.Object for Base). You
can optionally also specify the name of the class that you are defining (Account in
the example above) in the REPOSITORY paragraph and associate it with its
corresponding external class-name.

You must derive all classes directly or indirectly from the java.lang.Object class.

RELATED TASKS
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class”

RELATED REFERENCES
CLASS-ID paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
User-defined words (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class

Use the REPOSITORY paragraph to declare to the compiler that the specified words
are class-names when you use them within a class definition, and to optionally
relate the class-names to the corresponding external class-names (the class-names
as they are known outside the compilation unit). External class-names are case
sensitive and must conform to Java rules of formation. For example, in the Account
class definition you might code this:
Environment Division. Required
Configuration Section. Required
Repository. Required
Class Base is “java.lang.Object” Required
Class Account is “Account”. Optional

The REPOSITORY paragraph entries indicate that the external class-names of the
classes referred to as Base and Account within the class definition are
java.lang.Object and Account, respectively.

490 Programming Guide

In the REPOSITORY paragraph, you must code an entry for each class-name that you
explicitly reference in the class definition. For example:
v Base
v A superclass from which the class that you are defining inherits
v The classes that you reference in methods within the class definition

In a REPOSITORY paragraph entry, you must specify the external class-name if the
name contains non-COBOL characters.

You must specify the external class-name for any referenced class that is part of a
Java package. For such a class, specify the external class-name as the fully qualified
name of the package, followed by period (.), followed by the simple name of the
Java class. For example, the Object class is part of the java.lang package, so specify
its external name as java.lang.Object as shown above.

An external class-name that you specify in the REPOSITORY paragraph must be an

alphanumeric literal that conforms to the rules of formation for a fully qualified
Java class-name.

If you do not include the external class-name in a REPOSITORY paragraph entry, the
external class-name is formed from the class-name in the following manner:
v The class-name is converted to uppercase.
v Each hyphen is changed to zero.
v The first character, if a digit, is changed:
– 1-9 are changed to A-I.
– 0 is changed to J.

In the example above, class Account is known externally as Account (in mixed
case) because the external name is spelled using mixed case.

You can optionally include in the REPOSITORY paragraph an entry for the class that
you are defining (Account in this example). You must include an entry for the class
that you are defining if the external class-name contains non-COBOL characters, or
to specify a fully package-qualified class-name if the class is to be part of a Java
package.

“Example: external class-names and Java packages”

RELATED TASKS
“Declaring arrays and strings for Java” on page 532

RELATED REFERENCES
REPOSITORY paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Identifiers (The Java Language Specification)
Packages (The Java Language Specification)

Example: external class-names and Java packages

The following example shows how external class-names are determined from
entries in a REPOSITORY paragraph:
Environment division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Employee is “com.acme.Employee”
Class JavaException is “java.lang.Exception”
Class Orders.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 491

 The local class-names (the class-names as used within the class definition), the Java
packages that contain the classes, and the associated external class-names are as
shown in the table below:

Local class-name Java package External class-name

Employee com.acme com.acme.Employee
JavaException java.lang java.lang.Exception
Orders (unnamed) ORDERS

The external class-name (the name following the class-name and optional IS in the
REPOSITORY paragraph entry) is composed of the fully qualified name of the
package (if any) followed by a period, followed by the simple name of the class.

RELATED TASKS
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class” on page 490

RELATED REFERENCES
REPOSITORY paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining class instance

data
Use the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION in the DATA DIVISION of the OBJECT paragraph to
describe the instance data that a COBOL class needs, that is, the data to be allocated
for each instance of the class. The OBJECT keyword, which you must immediately
precede with an IDENTIFICATION DIVISION declaration, indicates the beginning of
the definitions of the instance data and instance methods for the class. For
example, the definition of the instance data for the Account class might look like
this:
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 AccountNumber pic 9(6).
01 AccountBalance pic S9(9) value zero.
. . .
End Object.

The instance data is allocated when an object instance is created, and exists until
garbage collection of the instance by the Java run time.

You can initialize simple instance data by using VALUE clauses as shown above. You
can initialize more complex instance data by coding customized methods to create
and initialize instances of classes.

COBOL instance data is equivalent to Java private nonstatic member data. No

other class or subclass (nor factory method in the same class, if any) can reference
COBOL instance data directly. Instance data is global to all instance methods that
the OBJECT paragraph defines. If you want to make instance data accessible from
outside the OBJECT paragraph, define attribute (get or set) instance methods for
doing so.

The syntax of the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for instance data declaration is

generally the same as in a program, with these exceptions:
v You cannot use the EXTERNAL attribute.

492 Programming Guide

 v You can use the GLOBAL attribute, but it has no effect.

RELATED TASKS
“Creating and initializing instances of classes” on page 508
“Freeing instances of classes” on page 509
“Defining a factory method” on page 516
“Coding attribute (get and set) methods” on page 499

Example: defining a class

This example shows a first attempt at the definition of the Account class, excluding
method definitions.
cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed)
Identification Division.
Class-id. Account inherits Base.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Base is “java.lang.Object”
Class Account is “Account”.
*
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 AccountNumber pic 9(6).
01 AccountBalance pic S9(9) value zero.
*
Procedure Division.
*
* (Instance method definitions here)
*
End Object.
*
End class Account.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
“Defining a client” on page 502

Defining a class instance method

Define COBOL instance methods in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of the OBJECT paragraph
of a class definition. An instance method defines an operation that is supported for
each object instance of a class.

A COBOL instance method definition consists of four divisions (like a COBOL

program), followed by an END METHOD marker:
Table 72. Structure of instance method definitions
Division Purpose Syntax
IDENTIFICATION Name a method. “METHOD-ID paragraph for defining a
(required) class instance method” on page 494
(required)
AUTHOR paragraph (optional)
INSTALLATION paragraph (optional)
DATE-WRITTEN paragraph (optional)
DATE-COMPILED paragraph (optional)

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 493

 Table 72. Structure of instance method definitions (continued)
Division Purpose Syntax
ENVIRONMENT Relate the file-names used “INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION for defining a
(optional) in a method to the class instance method” on page 495
corresponding file-names (optional)
known to the operating
system.
DATA (optional) Define external files. “DATA DIVISION for defining a class
Allocate a copy of the instance method” on page 495 (optional)
data.
PROCEDURE Code the executable “PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a
(optional) statements to complete class instance method” on page 496
the service provided by (optional)
the method.

Definition: The signature of a method consists of the name of the method and the
number and type of its formal parameters. (You define the formal parameters of a
COBOL method in the USING phrase of the method’s PROCEDURE DIVISION header.)

Within a class definition, you do not need to make each method-name unique, but
you do need to give each method a unique signature. (You overload methods by
giving them the same name but a different signature.)

COBOL instance methods are equivalent to Java public nonstatic methods.

“Example: defining a method” on page 500

RELATED TASKS
“PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class instance method” on page 496
“Overloading an instance method” on page 498
“Overriding an instance method” on page 497
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Defining a subclass instance method” on page 513
“Defining a factory method” on page 516

METHOD-ID paragraph for defining a class instance method

Use the METHOD-ID paragraph to name an instance method. Immediately precede
the METHOD-ID paragraph with an IDENTIFICATION DIVISION declaration to indicate
the beginning of the method definition. For example, the definition of the credit
method in the Account class begins like this:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “credit”.

Code the method-name as an alphanumeric or national literal. The method-name is

processed in a case-sensitive manner and must conform to the rules of formation
for a Java method-name.

Other Java or COBOL methods or programs (that is, clients) use the method-name
to invoke a method.

In the example above, credit is the method-name.

494 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106

RELATED REFERENCES
Meaning of method names (The Java Language Specification)
Identifiers (The Java Language Specification)
METHOD-ID paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION for defining a class instance method

The ENVIRONMENT DIVISION of an instance method can have only one section, the
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION. For example, if the Account class defined a method that
read information from a file, the Account class might have an INPUT-OUTPUT
SECTION that looks like this:
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
Select account-file Assign AcctFile.

The INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION relates the file-names used in a method definition to the
corresponding file-names as they are known to the operating system. The syntax
for the INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION of a method is the same as the syntax for the
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION of a program.

RELATED TASKS
“Describing the computing environment” on page 7

RELATED REFERENCES
INPUT-OUTPUT section (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

DATA DIVISION for defining a class instance method

The DATA DIVISION of an instance method consists of any of the following four
sections:
FILE SECTION
The same as a program FILE SECTION, except that a method FILE SECTION
can define EXTERNAL files only.
LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION
A separate copy of the LOCAL-STORAGE data is allocated for each invocation
of the method, and is freed on return from the method.
If you specify the VALUE clause on a data item, the item is initialized to that
value on each invocation of the method.
The method LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION is similar to a program LOCAL-STORAGE
SECTION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
A single copy of the WORKING-STORAGE data is allocated. The data persists in
its last-used state until the run unit ends. The same copy of the data is
used whenever the method is invoked, regardless of the invoking object or
thread.
If you specify the VALUE clause on a data item, the item is initialized to that
value on the first invocation of the method. You can specify the EXTERNAL
clause for the data items.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 495

 The method WORKING-STORAGE SECTION is similar to a program
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
LINKAGE SECTION
The same as a program LINKAGE SECTION.

If you define a data item with the same name in both the DATA DIVISION of an
instance method and the DATA DIVISION of the OBJECT paragraph, a reference in the
method to that data-name refers only to the method data item. The method DATA
DIVISION takes precedence.

RELATED TASKS
“Describing the data” on page 12
“Sharing data by using the EXTERNAL clause” on page 420

RELATED REFERENCES
Data Division overview (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class instance method

Code the executable statements to implement the service that an instance method
provides in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of the instance method.

You can code most COBOL statements in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of a method that
you can code in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of a program. You cannot, however, code
the following statements in a method:
v ENTRY
v EXIT PROGRAM
v The following obsolete elements of COBOL 85:
– ALTER
– GOTO without a specified procedure-name
– SEGMENT-LIMIT
– USE FOR DEBUGGING

Additionally, because you must compile all COBOL class definitions with the
THREAD compiler option, you cannot use SORT or MERGE statements in a COBOL
method.

You can code the EXIT METHOD or GOBACK statement in an instance method to return
control to the invoking client. Both statements have the same effect. If you specify
the RETURNING phrase upon invocation of the method, the EXIT METHOD or GOBACK
statement returns the value of the data item to the invoking client.

An implicit EXIT METHOD is generated as the last statement in the PROCEDURE

DIVISION of each method.

You can specify STOP RUN in a method; doing so terminates the entire run unit
including all threads executing within it.

You must terminate a method definition with an END METHOD marker. For example,
the following statement marks the end of the credit method:
End method “credit”.

496 Programming Guide

 USING phrase for obtaining passed arguments
Specify the formal parameters to a method, if any, in the USING phrase of the
method’s PROCEDURE DIVISION header. You must specify that the arguments are
passed BY VALUE. Define each parameter as a level-01 or level-77 item in the
method’s LINKAGE SECTION. The data type of each parameter must be one of the
types that are interoperable with Java.

RETURNING phrase for returning a value

Specify the data item to be returned as the method result, if any, in the RETURNING
phrase of the method’s PROCEDURE DIVISION header. Define the data item as a
level-01 or level-77 item in the method’s LINKAGE SECTION. The data type of the
return value must be one of the types that are interoperable with Java.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Overriding an instance method”
“Overloading an instance method” on page 498
“Comparing and setting object references” on page 505
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

RELATED REFERENCES
“THREAD” on page 309
The procedure division header (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Overriding an instance method

An instance method defined in a subclass is said to override an inherited instance
method that would otherwise be accessible in the subclass if the two methods have
the same signature.

To override a superclass instance method m1 in a COBOL subclass, define an

instance method m1 in the subclass that has the same name and whose PROCEDURE
DIVISION USING phrase (if any) has the same number and type of formal
parameters as the superclass method has. (If the superclass method is implemented
in Java, you must code formal parameters that are interoperable with the data
types of the corresponding Java parameters.) When a client invokes m1 on an
instance of the subclass, the subclass method rather than the superclass method is
invoked.

For example, the Account class defines a method debit whose LINKAGE SECTION
and PROCEDURE DIVISION header look like this:
Linkage section.
01 inDebit pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inDebit.

If you define a CheckingAccount subclass and want it to have a debit method that
overrides the debit method defined in the Account superclass, define the subclass
method with exactly one input parameter also specified as pic S9(9) binary. If a
client invokes debit using an object reference to a CheckingAccount instance, the
CheckingAccount debit method (rather than the debit method in the Account
superclass) is invoked.

The presence or absence of a method return value and the data type of the return
value used in the PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING phrase (if any) must be identical
in the subclass instance method and the overridden superclass instance method.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 497

 An instance method must not override a factory method in a COBOL superclass
nor a static method in a Java superclass.

“Example: defining a method” on page 500

RELATED TASKS
“PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class instance method” on page 496
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Invoking overridden superclass methods” on page 507
“Defining a subclass” on page 510
“Hiding a factory or static method” on page 517

RELATED REFERENCES
Inheritance, overriding, and hiding (The Java Language Specification)

Overloading an instance method

Two methods supported in a class (whether defined in the class or inherited from
a superclass) are said to be overloaded if they have the same name but different
signatures.

You overload methods when you want to enable clients to invoke different
versions of a method, for example, to initialize data using different sets of
parameters.

To overload a method, define a method whose PROCEDURE DIVISION USING phrase

(if any) has a different number or type of formal parameters than an identically
named method supported in the same class.

For example, the Account class defines an instance method init that has exactly
one formal parameter. The LINKAGE SECTION and PROCEDURE DIVISION header of the
init method look like this:
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber.

Clients invoke this method to initialize an Account instance with a given account
number (and a default account balance of zero) by passing exactly one argument
that matches the data type of inAccountNumber.

But the Account class could define, for example, a second instance method init
that has an additional formal parameter that allows the opening account balance to
also be specified. The LINKAGE SECTION and PROCEDURE DIVISION header of this init
method could look like this:
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(9) binary.
01 inBalance pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber
inBalance.

Clients could invoke either init method by passing arguments that match the
signature of the desired method.

498 Programming Guide

 The presence or absence of a method return value does not have to be consistent in
overloaded methods, and the data type of the return value given in the PROCEDURE
DIVISION RETURNING phrase (if any) does not have to be identical in overloaded
methods.

You can overload factory methods in exactly the same way that you overload
instance methods.

The rules for overloaded method definition and resolution of overloaded method
invocations are based on the corresponding rules for Java.

RELATED TASKS
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Defining a factory method” on page 516

RELATED REFERENCES
Overloading (The Java Language Specification)

Coding attribute (get and set) methods

You can provide access to an instance variable X from outside the class in which X
is defined by coding accessor (get) or mutator (set) methods for X.

Instance variables in COBOL are private. The class that defines instance variables
fully encapsulates them, and only the instance methods defined in the same OBJECT
paragraph can access them directly. Normally a well-designed object-oriented
application does not need to access instance variables from outside the class.

COBOL does not directly support the concept of a public instance variable as
defined in Java and other object-oriented languages, nor the concept of a class
attribute as defined by CORBA. (A CORBA attribute is an instance variable that has
an automatically generated get method for accessing the value of the variable, and
an automatically generated set method for modifying the value of the variable if
the variable is not read-only.)

“Example: coding a get method”

RELATED TASKS
“WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining class instance data” on page 492
“Processing the data” on page 18

Example: coding a get method

In the Account class you could define an instance method, getBalance, to return the
value of the instance variable AccountBalance to a client. Define getBalance and
AccountBalance in the OBJECT paragraph of the Account class definition:
Identification Division.
Class-id. Account inherits Base.
* (ENVIRONMENT DIVISION not shown)
* (FACTORY paragraph not shown)
*
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 AccountBalance pic S9(9) value zero.
* (Other instance data not shown)
*
Procedure Division.
*

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 499

 Identification Division.
Method-id. “getBalance”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 outBalance pic S9(9) binary.
*
Procedure Division returning outBalance.
Move AccountBalance to outBalance.
End method “getBalance”.
*
* (Other instance methods not shown)
End Object.
*
End class Account.

Example: defining a method

This example adds to the previous example (“Example: defining a class” on page
493) the instance method definitions of the Account class, and shows the definition
of the Java Check class.

Account class
cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed)
Identification Division.
Class-id. Account inherits Base.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Base is “java.lang.Object”
Class Account is “Account”.
*
* (FACTORY paragraph not shown)
*
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 AccountNumber pic 9(6).
01 AccountBalance pic S9(9) value zero.
*
Procedure Division.
*
* init method to initialize the account:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “init”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber.
Move inAccountNumber to AccountNumber.
End method “init”.
*
* getBalance method to return the account balance:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “getBalance”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 outBalance pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division returning outBalance.
Move AccountBalance to outBalance.
End method “getBalance”.
*
* credit method to deposit to the account:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “credit”.
Data division.

500 Programming Guide

 Linkage section.
01 inCredit pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inCredit.
Add inCredit to AccountBalance.
End method “credit”.
*
* debit method to withdraw from the account:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “debit”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inDebit pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inDebit.
Subtract inDebit from AccountBalance.
End method “debit”.
*
* print method to display formatted account number and balance:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “print”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 PrintableAccountNumber pic ZZZZZZ999999.
01 PrintableAccountBalance pic $$$$,$$$,$$9CR.
Procedure Division.
Move AccountNumber to PrintableAccountNumber
Move AccountBalance to PrintableAccountBalance
Display “ Account: ” PrintableAccountNumber
Display “ Balance: ” PrintableAccountBalance.
End method “print”.
*
End Object.
*
End class Account.

Check class
/**
* A Java class for check information
*/
public class Check {
private CheckingAccount payer;
private Account payee;
private int amount;

public Check(CheckingAccount inPayer, Account inPayee, int inAmount) {

payer=inPayer;
payee=inPayee;
amount=inAmount;
}

public int getAmount() {

return amount;
}

public Account getPayee() {

return payee;
}
}

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 501

Defining a client
A program or method that requests services from one or more methods in a class
is called a client of that class.

In a COBOL or Java client, you can:

v Create object instances of Java and COBOL classes.
v Invoke instance methods on Java and COBOL objects.
v Invoke COBOL factory methods and Java static methods.

In a COBOL client, you can also call services provided by the Java Native Interface
(JNI).

A COBOL client program consists of the usual four divisions:

Table 73. Structure of COBOL clients
Division Purpose Syntax
IDENTIFICATION Name a client. Code as usual, except that a client program
(required) must be:
v Recursive (declared RECURSIVE in the
PROGRAM-ID paragraph)
v Thread-enabled (compiled with the
THREAD option, and conforming to the
coding guidelines for threaded
applications)
ENVIRONMENT Describe the computing CONFIGURATION SECTION (required)
(required) environment. Relate “REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a
class-names used in the client” on page 503 (required)
client to the
corresponding external
class-names known
outside the compilation
unit.
DATA (optional) Describe the data that the “DATA DIVISION for defining a client” on
client needs. page 504 (optional)
PROCEDURE Create instances of Code using INVOKE, IF, and SET statements.
(optional) classes, manipulate object
reference data items, and
invoke methods.

A method can request services from another method. Therefore a COBOL method
can act as a client and use the statements discussed in this section.

Because you must compile all COBOL programs that contain object-oriented syntax
or that interoperate with Java with the THREAD compiler option, you cannot use the
following language elements in a COBOL client:
v SORT or MERGE statements
v Nested programs

Any programs that you compile with the THREAD compiler option must be
recursive. You must specify the RECURSIVE clause in the PROGRAM-ID paragraph of
each OO COBOL client program.

502 Programming Guide

 “Example: defining a client” on page 510

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
Chapter 27, “Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading,” on page 437
Chapter 31, “Communicating with Java methods,” on page 527
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Creating and initializing instances of classes” on page 508
“Comparing and setting object references” on page 505
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Invoking factory or static methods” on page 517

RELATED REFERENCES
“THREAD” on page 309

REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a client

Use the REPOSITORY paragraph in the CONFIGURATION SECTION of the ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION to declare to the compiler that the specified words are class-names when
you use them in a COBOL client, and to optionally relate the class-names to the
corresponding external class-names (the class-names as they are known outside the
compilation unit). External class-names are case sensitive, and must conform to
Java rules of formation. For example, in a client program that uses the Account
and Check classes you might code this:
Environment division. Required
Configuration section. Required
Source-Computer. IBM-390.
Object-Computer. IBM-390.
Repository. Required
Class Account is “Account”
Class Check is “Check”.

The REPOSITORY paragraph entries indicate that the external class-names of the
classes referred to as Account and Check within the client are Account and Check,
respectively.

In the REPOSITORY paragraph, you must code an entry for each class-name that you
explicitly reference in the client.

In a REPOSITORY paragraph entry, you must specify the external class-name if the
name contains non-COBOL characters.

You must specify the external class-name for any referenced class that is part of a
Java package. For such a class, specify the external class-name as the fully qualified
name of the package, followed by period (.), followed by the simple name of the
Java class.

An external class-name that you specify in the REPOSITORY paragraph must be an

alphanumeric literal that conforms to the rules of formation for a fully qualified
Java class-name.

If you do not include the external class-name in a REPOSITORY paragraph entry, the
external class-name is formed from the class-name in the same manner as it is
when an external class-name is not included in a REPOSITORY paragraph entry in a
class definition. In the example above, class Account and class Check are known
externally as Account and Check (in mixed case), respectively, because the external
names are spelled using mixed case.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 503

 The SOURCE-COMPUTER, OBJECT-COMPUTER, and SPECIAL-NAMES paragraphs of the
CONFIGURATION SECTION are optional.

RELATED TASKS
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class” on page 490

RELATED REFERENCES
REPOSITORY paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Identifiers (The Java Language Specification)
Packages (The Java Language Specification)

DATA DIVISION for defining a client

You can use any of the sections of the DATA DIVISION to describe the data that the
client needs. For example:
Data Division.
Local-storage section.
01 anAccount usage object reference Account.
01 aCheckingAccount usage object reference CheckingAccount.
01 aCheck usage object reference Check.
01 payee usage object reference Account.
. . .

Because a client references classes, it needs one or more special data items called
object references, that is, references to instances of the classes. All requests to
instance methods require an object reference to an instance of a class in which the
method is supported (that is, either defined or available by inheritance). You code
object references to refer to instances of Java classes using the same syntax as you
use to code object references to refer to instances of COBOL classes. In the example
above, the phrase usage object reference indicates an object reference data item.

All four object references above are called typed object references because a
class-name appears after the OBJECT REFERENCE phrase. A typed object reference can
refer only to an instance of the class named in the OBJECT REFERENCE phrase or to
one of its subclasses. Thus anAccount can refer to instances of the Account class or
one of its subclasses, but cannot refer to instances of any other class. Similarly,
aCheck can refer only to instances of the Check class or any subclasses that it
might have.

Another type of object reference, not shown above, does not have a class-name
after the OBJECT REFERENCE phrase. Such a reference is called a universal object
reference, which means that it can refer to instances of any class. Avoid coding
universal object references, because they are interoperable with Java in only very
limited circumstances (when used in the RETURNING phrase of the INVOKE
class-name NEW . . . statement).

You must define, in the REPOSITORY paragraph of the CONFIGURATION SECTION,

class-names that you use in the OBJECT REFERENCE phrase.

Choosing LOCAL-STORAGE or WORKING-STORAGE

You can in general use the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION to define working data that a
client program needs. However, if the program could simultaneously run on
multiple threads, you might instead want to define the data in the LOCAL-STORAGE
SECTION, as shown above. Each thread has access to a separate copy of
LOCAL-STORAGE data but shares access to a single copy of WORKING-STORAGE data. If
you define the data in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION, you need to synchronize
access to the data or ensure that no two threads can access it simultaneously.

504 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
Chapter 27, “Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading,” on page 437
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a client” on page 503

RELATED REFERENCES
RETURNING phrase (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Comparing and setting object references

You can compare object references by using conditional statements. For example,
code either IF statement below to check whether the object reference anAccount
refers to no object instance:
If anAccount = Null . . .
If anAccount = Nulls . . .

You can code a call to the JNI service IsSameObject to check whether two object
references, object1 and object2, refer to the same object instance or whether each
refers to no object instance. To ensure that the arguments and return value are
interoperable with Java and to establish addressability to the callable service, code
the following data definitions and statements preceding the call to IsSameObject:
Local-storage Section.
. . .
01 is-same Pic X.
88 is-same-false Value X’00’.
88 is-same-true Value X’01’ Through X’FF’.
Linkage Section.
Copy JNI.
Procedure Division.
Set Address Of JNIEnv To JNIEnvPtr
Set Address Of JNINativeInterface To JNIEnv
. . .
Call IsSameObject Using By Value JNIEnvPtr object1 object2
Returning is-same
If is-same-true . . .

Within a method you can check whether an object reference refers to the object
instance on which the method was invoked by coding a call to IsSameObject that
compares the object reference and SELF.

You can instead invoke the Java equals method (inherited from java.lang.Object) to
determine whether two object references refer to the same object instance.

You can make an object reference refer to no object instance by using the SET
statement. For example:
Set anAccount To Null.

You can also make one object reference refer to the same instance as another object
reference does by using the SET statement. For example:
Set anotherAccount To anAccount.

This SET statement causes anotherAccount to refer to the same object instance as
anAccount does. If the receiver (anotherAccount) is a universal object reference, the
sender (anAccount) can be either a universal or a typed object reference. If the
receiver is a typed object reference, the sender must be a typed object reference
bound to the same class as the receiver or to one of its subclasses.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 505

 Within a method you can make an object reference refer to the object instance on
which the method was invoked by setting it to SELF. For example:
Set anAccount To Self.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527

RELATED REFERENCES
IsSameObject (The Java Native Interface)

Invoking methods (INVOKE)

In a Java client, you can create object instances of classes that were implemented in
COBOL and invoke methods on those objects. Use standard Java syntax to do so.

In a COBOL client, you can invoke methods defined in Java or COBOL classes by
coding the INVOKE statement. For example:
Invoke Account “createAccount”
using by value 123456
returning anAccount
Invoke anAccount “credit” using by value 500.

The first statement uses the class-name Account to invoke a method called
createAccount, which must be either a Java static method or a COBOL factory
method supported (that is, either defined or inherited) in the Account class. using
by value 123456 indicates that 123456 is an input argument to the method, passed
by value. 123456 and anAccount must conform to the definition of the formal
parameters and return type, respectively, of the (possibly overloaded)
createAccount method.

The second INVOKE statement uses the returned object reference anAccount to
invoke the instance method credit defined in the Account class. The input
argument 500 must conform to the definition of the formal parameters of the
(possibly overloaded) credit method.

Code the name of the method to be invoked either as a literal or as an identifier

whose value at run time matches the method-name in the signature of the target
method. The method-name must be an alphanumeric or national literal or data
item, and is interpreted in a case-sensitive manner.

For example, when you code an INVOKE statement using an object reference (as in
the second statement above), the statement begins with one of the following two
forms:
Invoke objRef “literal-name” . . .
Invoke objRef identifier-name . . .

When the method-name is an identifier, you must define the object reference
(objRef) as USAGE OBJECT REFERENCE with no specified type, that is, as a universal
object reference.

If an invoked method is not supported in the class to which the object reference
refers, a severity-3 Language Environment condition is raised at run time unless
you code the ON EXCEPTION phrase of the INVOKE statement.

You can use the optional scope terminator END-INVOKE with the INVOKE statement.

506 Programming Guide

The INVOKE statement does not set the RETURN-CODE special register.

USING phrase for passing arguments

Specify the arguments to a method, if any, in the USING phrase of the INVOKE
statement. Code the data types of the arguments so that they match the signature
of the intended target method. If the target method is overloaded, the data types of
the arguments are used to select from among the methods that have the same
name.

You must specify that the arguments are passed BY VALUE, which means that the
arguments are not affected by any change to the corresponding formal parameters
in the invoked method. The data type of each argument must be one of the types
that are interoperable with Java.

RETURNING phrase for obtaining a returned value

Specify the data item to be returned as the method result, if any, in the RETURNING
phrase of the INVOKE statement. Define the returned item in the DATA DIVISION of
the client.

The item that you specify in the RETURNING phrase of the INVOKE statement must
conform to the type returned by the target method:
v If the target method is implemented in COBOL and the returned item is not an
object reference, code the DATA DIVISION definition of the returned item exactly
like the definition of the RETURNING item in the target method.
v If the target method is implemented in Java, code the DATA DIVISION definition
of the returned item to be interoperable with the returned Java data item.
v If the returned item is an object reference, code the DATA DIVISION definition of
the returned item as an object reference typed to the same class as the object
reference returned by the target method.

In all cases, the data type of the returned value must be one of the types that are
interoperable with Java.

RELATED TASKS
“Overloading an instance method” on page 498
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“PROCEDURE DIVISION for defining a class instance method” on page 496
“Invoking overridden superclass methods”
“Invoking factory or static methods” on page 517
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106

RELATED REFERENCES
INVOKE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Invoking overridden superclass methods

Sometimes within a class you need to invoke an overridden superclass method
instead of invoking a method with the same signature that is defined in the current
class.

For example, suppose that the CheckingAccount class overrides the debit instance
method defined in its immediate superclass, Account. You could invoke the
Account debit method within a method in the CheckingAccount class by coding
this statement:
Invoke Super “debit” Using By Value amount.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 507

 You would define amount as PIC S9(9) BINARY to match the signature of the debit
methods.

The CheckingAccount class overrides the print method that is defined in the
Account class. Because the print method has no formal parameters, a method in
the CheckingAccount class could invoke the superclass print method with this
statement:
Invoke Super “print”.

The keyword SUPER indicates that you want to invoke a superclass method rather
than a method in the current class. (SUPER is an implicit reference to the object used
in the invocation of the currently executing method.)

“Example: accounts” on page 486

RELATED TASKS
“Overriding an instance method” on page 497

RELATED REFERENCES
INVOKE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Creating and initializing instances of classes

Before you can use the instance methods defined in a Java or COBOL class, you
must first create an instance of the class. To create a new instance of class
class-name and to obtain a reference object-reference to the created object, code a
statement of this form:
INVOKE class-name NEW . . . RETURNING object-reference

You must define object-reference in the DATA DIVISION of the client.

When you code the INVOKE . . . NEW statement within a method, and the use of
the returned object reference is not limited to the duration of the method
invocation, you must convert the returned object reference to a global reference by
calling the JNI service NewGlobalRef:
Call NewGlobalRef using by value JNIEnvPtr object-reference
returning object-reference

If you do not call NewGlobalRef, the returned object reference is only a local
reference, which means that it is automatically freed after the method returns.

For further information about managing local and global references, see the related
task below.

Instantiating Java classes

To instantiate a Java class, you can invoke any parameterized constructor that the
class supports by coding the USING phrase in the INVOKE . . . NEW statement
immediately before the RETURNING phrase, passing BY VALUE the number and types
of arguments that match the signature of the constructor. The data type of each
argument must be one of the types that are interoperable with Java. To invoke the
default (parameterless) constructor, omit the USING phrase.

For example, to create an instance of the Check class, initialize its instance data,
and obtain reference aCheck to the Check instance created, you could code this
statement in a COBOL client:

508 Programming Guide

 Invoke Check New
using by value aCheckingAccount, payee, 125
returning aCheck

Instantiating COBOL classes

To instantiate a COBOL class, you can specify either a typed or universal object
reference in the RETURNING phrase of the INVOKE . . . NEW statement. However,
you cannot code the USING phrase: the instance data is initialized as specified in the
VALUE clauses in the class definition. Thus the INVOKE . . . NEW statement is useful
for instantiating COBOL classes that have only simple instance data.

For example, the following statement creates an instance of the Account class,
initializes the instance data as specified in VALUE clauses in the WORKING-STORAGE
SECTION of the OBJECT paragraph of the Account class definition, and provides
reference outAccount to the new instance:
Invoke Account New returning outAccount

To make it possible to initialize COBOL instance data that cannot be initialized

using VALUE clauses alone, when designing a COBOL class you must define a
parameterized creation method in the FACTORY paragraph and a parameterized
initialization method in the OBJECT paragraph:
1. In the parameterized factory creation method, do these steps:
a. Code INVOKE class-name NEW RETURNING objectRef to create an instance of
class-name and to give initial values to the instance data items that have
VALUE clauses.
b. Invoke the parameterized initialization method on the instance (objectRef),
passing BY VALUE the arguments that were supplied to the factory method.
2. In the initialization method, code logic to complete the instance data
initialization using the values supplied through the formal parameters.

To create an instance of the COBOL class and properly initialize it, the client
invokes the parameterized factory method, passing BY VALUE the desired
| arguments. The object reference returned to the client is a local reference. If the
| client code is within a method, and the use of the returned object reference is not
| limited to the duration of that method, the client code must convert the returned
| object reference to a global reference by calling the JNI service NewGlobalRef.

“Example: defining a factory (with methods)” on page 518

RELATED TASKS
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527
“Managing local and global references” on page 530
“DATA DIVISION for defining a client” on page 504
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Defining a factory section” on page 514
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532

RELATED REFERENCES
VALUE clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
INVOKE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Freeing instances of classes

You do not need to take any action to free individual object instances of any class.
No syntax is available for doing so.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 509

 The Java run-time system automatically performs garbage collection, that is, it
reclaims the memory for objects that are no longer in use.

There could be times, however, when you need to explicitly free local or global
references to objects within a native COBOL client in order to permit garbage
collection of the referenced objects to occur.

RELATED TASKS
“Managing local and global references” on page 530

Example: defining a client

This example shows a small client program of the Account class (as seen in
“Example: defining a method” on page 500). The program does this:
1. Invokes a factory method createAccount to create an Account instance with a
default balance of zero
2. Invokes the instance method credit to deposit $500 to the new account
3. Invokes the instance method print to display the account status
cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed)
Identification division.
Program-id. “TestAccounts” recursive.
Environment division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Account is “Account”.
Data Division.
* Working data is declared in LOCAL-STORAGE instead of
* WORKING-STORAGE so that each thread has its own copy:
Local-storage section.
01 anAccount usage object reference Account.
*
Procedure division.
Test-Account-section.
Display “Test Account class”
* Create account 123456 with 0 balance:
Invoke Account “createAccount”
using by value 123456
returning anAccount
* Deposit 500 to the account:
Invoke anAccount “credit” using by value 500
Invoke anAccount “print”
Display space
*
Stop Run.
End program “TestAccounts”.

“Example: defining a factory (with methods)” on page 518

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a factory method” on page 516
“Invoking factory or static methods” on page 517
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

Defining a subclass
You can make a class (called a subclass, derived class, or child class) a
specialization of another class (called a superclass, base class, or parent class). A
subclass inherits the methods and instance data of its superclasses, and is related
to its superclasses by an is-a relationship. For example, if subclass P inherits from

510 Programming Guide

 superclass Q, and subclass Q inherits from superclass S, then an instance of P is an
instance of Q and also (by transitivity) an instance of S. An instance of P inherits
the methods and data of Q and S.

Restriction: You cannot use multiple inheritance in your COBOL programs. Each
COBOL class that you define must have exactly one immediate superclass that is
implemented in Java or COBOL, and each class must be derived directly or
indirectly from java.lang.Object. The semantics of inheritance are as defined by
Java.

Using subclasses has several advantages:

v Reuse of code. Through inheritance, a subclass can reuse methods that already
exist in a superclass.
v Specialization. In a subclass you can add new methods to handle cases that the
superclass does not handle. You can also add new data items that the superclass
does not need.
v Change in action. A subclass can override a method that it inherits from a
superclass by defining a method of the same signature as that in the superclass.
When you override a method, you might make only a few minor changes or
completely change what the method does.

The structure and syntax of a subclass definition are identical to those of a class
definition: Define instance data and methods in the DATA DIVISION and PROCEDURE
DIVISION, respectively, within the OBJECT paragraph of the subclass definition. In
subclasses that require data and methods that are to be associated with the
subclass itself rather than with individual object instances, define a separate DATA
DIVISION and PROCEDURE DIVISION within the FACTORY paragraph of the subclass
definition.

COBOL instance data is private. A subclass can access the instance data of a
COBOL superclass only if the superclass defines attribute (get or set) instance
methods for doing so.

“Example: accounts” on page 486

“Example: defining a subclass (with methods)” on page 513

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a class” on page 488
“Overriding an instance method” on page 497
“Coding attribute (get and set) methods” on page 499
“Defining a subclass instance method” on page 513
“Defining a factory section” on page 514

RELATED REFERENCES
Inheritance, overriding, and hiding (The Java Language Specification)
COBOL class definition structure (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a subclass

Use the CLASS-ID paragraph to name the subclass and indicate from which
immediate Java or COBOL superclass it inherits its characteristics. For example:
Identification Division. Required
Class-id. CheckingAccount inherits Account. Required

In the example above, CheckingAccount is the subclass being defined.

CheckingAccount inherits all the methods of the class known within the subclass

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 511

 definition as Account. CheckingAccount methods can access Account instance data
only if the Account class provides attribute (get or set) methods for doing so.

You must specify the name of the immediate superclass in the REPOSITORY
paragraph in the CONFIGURATION SECTION of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. You can
optionally associate the superclass name with the name of the class as it is known
externally. You can also specify the name of the subclass that you are defining
(here, CheckingAccount) in the REPOSITORY paragraph and associate it with its
corresponding external class-name.

RELATED TASKS
“CLASS-ID paragraph for defining a class” on page 490
“Coding attribute (get and set) methods” on page 499
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a subclass”

REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a subclass

Use the REPOSITORY paragraph to declare to the compiler that the specified words
are class-names when you use them within a subclass definition, and to optionally
relate the class-names to the corresponding external class-names (the class-names
as they are known outside the compilation unit). For example, in the
CheckingAccount subclass definition you might code this:
Environment Division. Required
Configuration Section. Required
Repository. Required
Class CheckingAccount is “CheckingAccount” Optional
Class Check is “Check” Required
Class Account is “Account”. Required

The REPOSITORY paragraph entries indicate that the external class-names of the
classes referred to as CheckingAccount, Check, and Account within the subclass
definition are CheckingAccount, Check, and Account, respectively.

In the REPOSITORY paragraph, you must code an entry for each class-name that you
explicitly reference in the subclass definition. For example:
v A user-defined superclass from which the subclass that you are defining inherits
v The classes that you reference in methods within the subclass definition

The rules for coding REPOSITORY paragraph entries in a subclass are identical to
those for coding REPOSITORY paragraph entries in a class.

RELATED TASKS
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class” on page 490

RELATED REFERENCES
REPOSITORY paragraph (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining subclass instance

data
Use the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION in the DATA DIVISION of the subclass OBJECT
paragraph to describe any instance data that the subclass needs in addition to the
instance data defined in its superclasses. Use the same syntax that you use to
define instance data in a class.

For example, the definition of the instance data for the CheckingAccount subclass
of the Account class might look like this:

512 Programming Guide

 Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 CheckFee pic S9(9) value 1.
. . .
End Object.

RELATED TASKS
“WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining class instance data” on page 492

Defining a subclass instance method

A subclass inherits the methods of its superclasses. In a subclass definition, you
can override any instance method that the subclass inherits by defining an instance
method that has the same signature as the inherited method. In a subclass
definition you can also define new methods that the subclass needs.

The structure and syntax of a subclass instance method are identical to those of a
class instance method. Define subclass instance methods in the PROCEDURE DIVISION
of the OBJECT paragraph of the subclass definition.

“Example: defining a subclass (with methods)”

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a class instance method” on page 493
“Overriding an instance method” on page 497
“Overloading an instance method” on page 498

Example: defining a subclass (with methods)

This example shows the instance method definitions for the CheckingAccount
subclass of the Account class (as seen in “Example: defining a method” on page
500):
v The processCheck method invokes the Java instance methods getAmount and
getPayee of the Check class to get the check data. It invokes the credit and
debit instance methods inherited from the Account class to credit the payee and
debit the payer of the check.
v The print method overrides the print instance method defined in the Account
class. It invokes the overridden print method to display account status, and also
displays the check fee. CheckFee is an instance data item defined in the subclass.

CheckingAccount class (subclass of Account)

cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed)
Identification Division.
Class-id. CheckingAccount inherits Account.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class CheckingAccount is “CheckingAccount”
Class Check is “Check”
Class Account is “Account”.
*
* (FACTORY paragraph not shown)
*
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 CheckFee pic S9(9) value 1.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 513

 Procedure Division.
*
* processCheck method to get the check amount and payee,
* add the check fee, and invoke inherited methods debit
* to debit the payer and credit to credit the payee:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “processCheck”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 amount pic S9(9) binary.
01 payee usage object reference Account.
Linkage section.
01 aCheck usage object reference Check.
*
Procedure Division using by value aCheck.
Invoke aCheck “getAmount” returning amount
Invoke aCheck “getPayee” returning payee
Invoke payee “credit” using by value amount
Add checkFee to amount
Invoke self “debit” using by value amount.
End method “processCheck”.
*
* print method override to display account status:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “print”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 printableFee pic $$,$$$,$$9.
Procedure Division.
Invoke super “print”
Move CheckFee to printableFee
Display “ Check fee: ” printableFee.
End method “print”.
*
End Object.
*
End class CheckingAccount.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Overriding an instance method” on page 497
“Invoking overridden superclass methods” on page 507

Defining a factory section

Use the FACTORY paragraph in a class definition to define data and methods that
are to be associated with the class itself rather than with individual object
instances:
v COBOL factory data is equivalent to Java private static data. A single copy of the
data is instantiated for the class and is shared by all object instances of the class.
You most commonly use factory data when you want to gather data from all the
instances of a class. For example, you could define a factory data item to keep a
running total of the number of instances of the class that are created.
v COBOL factory methods are equivalent to Java public static methods. The
methods are supported by the class independently of any object instance.
You most commonly use factory methods to customize object creation when you
cannot use VALUE clauses alone to initialize instance data.

514 Programming Guide

 By contrast, you use the OBJECT paragraph in a class definition to define data that
is created for each object instance of the class, and methods that are supported for
each object instance of the class.

A factory definition consists of three divisions, followed by an END FACTORY

statement:
Table 74. Structure of factory definitions
Division Purpose Syntax
IDENTIFICATION Identify the start of the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
(required) factory definition. FACTORY.
DATA (optional) Describe data that is “WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for
allocated once for the defining factory data” (optional)
class (as opposed to data
allocated for each instance
of a class).
PROCEDURE Define factory methods. Factory method definitions: “Defining a
(optional) factory method” on page 516

“Example: defining a factory (with methods)” on page 518

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a class” on page 488
“Creating and initializing instances of classes” on page 508
“Wrapping procedure-oriented COBOL programs” on page 523
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION for defining factory data

Use the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION in the DATA DIVISION of the FACTORY paragraph
to describe the factory data that a COBOL class needs, that is, statically allocated
data to be shared by all object instances of the class. The FACTORY keyword, which
you must immediately precede with an IDENTIFICATION DIVISION declaration,
indicates the beginning of the definitions of the factory data and factory methods
for the class. For example, the definition of the factory data for the Account class
might look like this:
Identification division.
Factory.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 NumberOfAccounts pic 9(6) value zero.
. . .
End Factory.

You can initialize simple factory data by using VALUE clauses as shown above.

COBOL factory data is equivalent to Java private static data. No other class or
subclass (nor instance method in the same class, if any) can reference COBOL
factory data directly. Factory data is global to all factory methods that the FACTORY
paragraph defines. If you want to make factory data accessible from outside the
FACTORY paragraph, define factory attribute (get or set) methods for doing so.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding attribute (get and set) methods” on page 499
“Creating and initializing instances of classes” on page 508

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 515

 Defining a factory method
Define COBOL factory methods in the PROCEDURE DIVISION of the FACTORY paragraph
of a class definition. A factory method defines an operation that is supported by a
class independently of any object instance of the class.

You typically define factory methods for classes whose instances require complex
initialization, that is, to values that you cannot assign by using VALUE clauses alone.
Within a factory method you can invoke instance methods to initialize the instance
data. A factory method cannot directly access instance data.

You can code factory attribute (get and set) methods to make factory data
accessible from outside the FACTORY paragraph, for example, to make the data
accessible from instance methods in the same class or from a client program. For
example, the Account class could define a factory method getNumberOfAccounts
to return the current tally of the number of accounts.

You can use factory methods to wrap procedure-oriented COBOL programs so that
they are accessible from Java programs. You can code a factory method called main
to enable you to run an OO application by using the java command, and to
structure your applications in keeping with standard Java practice. See the related
tasks for details.

In defining factory methods, you use the same syntax that you use to define
instance methods. A COBOL factory method definition consists of four divisions
(like a COBOL program), followed by an END METHOD marker:
Table 75. Structure of factory method definitions
Division Purpose Syntax
IDENTIFICATION Same as for a class Same as for a class instance method
(required) instance method (required)
ENVIRONMENT Same as for a class Same as for a class instance method
(optional) instance method
DATA (optional) Same as for a class Same as for a class instance method
instance method
PROCEDURE Same as for a class Same as for a class instance method
(optional) instance method

Within a class definition, you do not need to make each factory method-name
unique, but you do need to give each factory method a unique signature. You can
overload factory methods in exactly the same way that you overload instance
methods. For example, the CheckingAccount subclass provides two versions of the
factory method createCheckingAccount: one that initializes the account to have a
default balance of zero, and one that allows the opening balance to be passed in.
Clients can invoke either createCheckingAccount method by passing arguments
that match the signature of the desired method.

If you define a data item with the same name in both the DATA DIVISION of a
factory method and the DATA DIVISION of the FACTORY paragraph, a reference in the
method to that data-name refers only to the method data item. The method DATA
DIVISION takes precedence.

COBOL factory methods are equivalent to Java public static methods.

“Example: defining a factory (with methods)” on page 518

516 Programming Guide

RELATED TASKS
“Structuring OO applications” on page 524
“Wrapping procedure-oriented COBOL programs” on page 523
“Creating and initializing instances of classes” on page 508
“Defining a class instance method” on page 493
“Coding attribute (get and set) methods” on page 499
“Overloading an instance method” on page 498
“Hiding a factory or static method”
“Invoking factory or static methods”
“Using object-oriented COBOL and Java under IMS” on page 378

Hiding a factory or static method

A factory method defined in a subclass is said to hide an inherited COBOL or Java
method that would otherwise be accessible in the subclass if the two methods have
the same signature.

To hide a superclass factory method f1 in a COBOL subclass, define a factory

method f1 in the subclass that has the same name and whose PROCEDURE DIVISION
USING phrase (if any) has the same number and type of formal parameters as the
superclass method has. (If the superclass method is implemented in Java, you must
code formal parameters that are interoperable with the data types of the
corresponding Java parameters.) When a client invokes f1 using the subclass name,
the subclass method rather than the superclass method is invoked.

The presence or absence of a method return value and the data type of the return
value used in the PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING phrase (if any) must be identical
in the subclass factory method and the hidden superclass method.

A factory method must not hide an instance method in a Java or COBOL

superclass.

“Example: defining a factory (with methods)” on page 518

RELATED TASKS
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Overriding an instance method” on page 497
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506

RELATED REFERENCES
Inheritance, overriding, and hiding (The Java Language Specification)
The procedure division header (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Invoking factory or static methods

To invoke a COBOL factory method or Java static method in a COBOL method or
client program, code the class-name as the first operand of the INVOKE statement.

For example, a client program could invoke one of the overloaded

CheckingAccount factory methods called createCheckingAccount to create a
checking account with account number 777777 and an opening balance of $300 by
coding this statement:
Invoke CheckingAccount “createCheckingAccount”
using by value 777777 300
returning aCheckingAccount

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 517

 To invoke a factory method from within the same class in which you define the
factory method, you also use the class-name as the first operand in the INVOKE
statement.

Code the name of the method to be invoked either as a literal or as an identifier

whose value at run time is the method-name. The method-name must be an
alphanumeric or national literal or data item, and is interpreted in a case-sensitive
manner.

If an invoked method is not supported in the class that you name in the INVOKE
statement, a severity-3 Language Environment condition is raised at run time
unless you code the ON EXCEPTION phrase in the INVOKE statement.

The conformance requirements for passing arguments to a COBOL factory method

or Java static method in the USING phrase, and receiving a return value in the
RETURNING phrase, are the same as those for invoking instance methods.

“Example: defining a factory (with methods)”

RELATED TASKS
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532

RELATED REFERENCES
INVOKE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: defining a factory (with methods)

This example updates the previous examples (“Example: defining a method” on
page 500, “Example: defining a client” on page 510, and “Example: defining a
subclass (with methods)” on page 513):
v The Account class adds factory data and a parameterized factory method,
createAccount, which allows an Account instance to be created using an account
number that is passed in.
v The CheckingAccount subclass adds factory data and an overloaded
parameterized factory method, createCheckingAccount. One implementation of
createCheckingAccount initializes the account with a default balance of zero, and
the other allows the opening balance to be passed in. Clients can invoke either
method by passing arguments that match the signature of the desired method.
v The TestAccounts client invokes the services provided by the factory methods of
the Account and CheckingAccount classes, and instantiates the Java Check class.
v The output from the TestAccounts client program is shown.

You can also find the complete source code for this example in the
cobol/demo/oosample subdirectory in the HFS. Typically the complete path for
the source is /usr/lpp/cobol/demo/oosample. You can use the makefile there to
compile and link the code.

Account class
cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed),lib
Identification Division.
Class-id. Account inherits Base.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Base is “java.lang.Object”

518 Programming Guide

 Class Account is “Account”.
*
Identification division.
Factory.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 NumberOfAccounts pic 9(6) value zero.
*
Procedure Division.
*
* createAccount method to create a new Account
* instance, then invoke the OBJECT paragraph’s init
* method on the instance to initialize its instance data:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “createAccount”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(6) binary.
01 outAccount object reference Account.
* Facilitate access to JNI services:
Copy JNI.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber
returning outAccount.
* Establish addressability to JNI environment structure:
Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv
Invoke Account New returning outAccount
Invoke outAccount “init” using by value inAccountNumber
Add 1 to NumberOfAccounts.
End method “createAccount”.
*
End Factory.
*
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 AccountNumber pic 9(6).
01 AccountBalance pic S9(9) value zero.
*
Procedure Division.
*
* init method to initialize the account:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “init”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber.
Move inAccountNumber to AccountNumber.
End method “init”.
*
* getBalance method to return the account balance:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “getBalance”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 outBalance pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division returning outBalance.
Move AccountBalance to outBalance.
End method “getBalance”.
*
* credit method to deposit to the account:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “credit”.
Data division.
Linkage section.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 519

 01 inCredit pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inCredit.
Add inCredit to AccountBalance.
End method “credit”.
*
* debit method to withdraw from the account:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “debit”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inDebit pic S9(9) binary.
Procedure Division using by value inDebit.
Subtract inDebit from AccountBalance.
End method “debit”.
*
* print method to display formatted account number and balance:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “print”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 PrintableAccountNumber pic ZZZZZZ999999.
01 PrintableAccountBalance pic $$$$,$$$,$$9CR.
Procedure Division.
Move AccountNumber to PrintableAccountNumber
Move AccountBalance to PrintableAccountBalance
Display “ Account: ” PrintableAccountNumber
Display “ Balance: ” PrintableAccountBalance.
End method “print”.
*
End Object.
*
End class Account.

CheckingAccount class (subclass of Account)

cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed),lib
Identification Division.
Class-id. CheckingAccount inherits Account.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class CheckingAccount is “CheckingAccount”
Class Check is “Check”
Class Account is “Account”.
*
Identification division.
Factory.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 NumberOfCheckingAccounts pic 9(6) value zero.
*
Procedure Division.
*
* createCheckingAccount overloaded method to create a new
* CheckingAccount instance with a default balance, invoke
* inherited instance method init to initialize the account
* number, and increment factory data tally of checking accounts:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “createCheckingAccount”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(6) binary.
01 outCheckingAccount object reference CheckingAccount.
* Facilitate access to JNI services:
Copy JNI.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber
returning outCheckingAccount.
* Establish addressability to JNI environment structure:

520 Programming Guide

 Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv
Invoke CheckingAccount New returning outCheckingAccount
Invoke outCheckingAccount “init”
using by value inAccountNumber
Add 1 to NumberOfCheckingAccounts.
End method “createCheckingAccount”.
*
* createCheckingAccount overloaded method to create a new
* CheckingAccount instance, invoke inherited instance methods
* init to initialize the account number and credit to set the
* balance, and increment factory data tally of checking accounts:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “createCheckingAccount”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 inAccountNumber pic S9(6) binary.
01 inInitialBalance pic S9(9) binary.
01 outCheckingAccount object reference CheckingAccount.
Copy JNI.
Procedure Division using by value inAccountNumber
inInitialBalance
returning outCheckingAccount.
Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv
Invoke CheckingAccount New returning outCheckingAccount
Invoke outCheckingAccount “init”
using by value inAccountNumber
Invoke outCheckingAccount “credit”
using by value inInitialBalance
Add 1 to NumberOfCheckingAccounts.
End method “createCheckingAccount”.
*
End Factory.
*
Identification division.
Object.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 CheckFee pic S9(9) value 1.
Procedure Division.
*
* processCheck method to get the check amount and payee,
* add the check fee, and invoke inherited methods debit
* to debit the payer and credit to credit the payee:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “processCheck”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 amount pic S9(9) binary.
01 payee usage object reference Account.
Linkage section.
01 aCheck usage object reference Check.
Procedure Division using by value aCheck.
Invoke aCheck “getAmount” returning amount
Invoke aCheck “getPayee” returning payee
Invoke payee “credit” using by value amount
Add checkFee to amount
Invoke self “debit” using by value amount.
End method “processCheck”.
*
* print method override to display account status:
Identification Division.
Method-id. “print”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 printableFee pic $$,$$$,$$9.

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 521

 Procedure Division.
Invoke super “print”
Move CheckFee to printableFee
Display “ Check fee: ” printableFee.
End method “print”.
*
End Object.
*
End class CheckingAccount.

Check class
/**
* A Java class for check information
*/
public class Check {
private CheckingAccount payer;
private Account payee;
private int amount;

public Check(CheckingAccount inPayer, Account inPayee, int inAmount) {

payer=inPayer;
payee=inPayee;
amount=inAmount;
}

public int getAmount() {

return amount;
}

public Account getPayee() {

return payee;
}
}

TestAccounts client program

cbl dll,thread,pgmname(longmixed)
Identification division.
Program-id. “TestAccounts” recursive.
Environment division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Account is “Account”
Class CheckingAccount is “CheckingAccount”
Class Check is “Check”.
Data Division.
* Working data is declared in Local-storage
* so that each thread has its own copy:
Local-storage section.
01 anAccount usage object reference Account.
01 aCheckingAccount usage object reference CheckingAccount.
01 aCheck usage object reference Check.
01 payee usage object reference Account.
*
Procedure division.
Test-Account-section.
Display “Test Account class”
* Create account 123456 with 0 balance:
Invoke Account “createAccount”
using by value 123456
returning anAccount
* Deposit 500 to the account:
Invoke anAccount “credit” using by value 500
Invoke anAccount “print”
Display space
*
Display “Test CheckingAccount class”

522 Programming Guide

 * Create checking account 777777 with balance of 300:
Invoke CheckingAccount “createCheckingAccount”
using by value 777777 300
returning aCheckingAccount
* Set account 123456 as the payee:
Set payee to anAccount
* Initialize check for 125 to be paid by account 777777 to payee:
Invoke Check New
using by value aCheckingAccount, payee, 125
returning aCheck
* Debit the payer, and credit the payee:
Invoke aCheckingAccount “processCheck”
using by value aCheck
Invoke aCheckingAccount “print”
Invoke anAccount “print”
*
Stop Run.
End program “TestAccounts”.

Output produced by the TestAccounts client program

Test Account class
Account: 123456
Balance: $500

Test CheckingAccount class

Account: 777777
Balance: $174
Check fee: $1
Account: 123456
Balance: $625

RELATED TASKS
“Creating and initializing instances of classes” on page 508
“Defining a factory method” on page 516
“Invoking factory or static methods” on page 517
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

Wrapping procedure-oriented COBOL programs

A wrapper is a class that provides an interface between object-oriented code and
procedure-oriented code.

Factory methods provide a convenient means for writing wrappers for existing
procedural COBOL code to make it accessible from Java programs.

To wrap COBOL code, do these steps:

1. Create a simple COBOL class that contains a FACTORY paragraph.
2. In the FACTORY paragraph, code a factory method that uses a CALL statement to
call the procedural program.

A Java program can invoke the factory method by using a static method invocation
expression, thus invoking the COBOL procedural program.

RELATED TASKS
“Defining a class” on page 488
“Defining a factory section” on page 514
“Defining a factory method” on page 516

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 523

Structuring OO applications
You can structure applications that use object-oriented COBOL syntax in one of
three ways. An OO application can begin with:
v A COBOL program, which can have any name.
Under UNIX, you can run the application by specifying the name of the linked
module (which should match the program name) at the command prompt. You
can also bind the program as a module in a PDSE and run it in JCL using the
EXEC PGM statement.
v A Java class definition that contains a method called main. Declare main as
public, static, and void, with a single parameter of type String[].
You can run the application with the java command, specifying the name of the
class that contains main and zero or more strings as command-line arguments.
v A COBOL class definition that contains a factory method called main. Declare
main with no RETURNING phrase and a single USING parameter, an object reference
to a class that is an array with elements of type java.lang.String. (Thus main is in
effect public, static, and void, with a single parameter of type String[].)
You can run the application with the java command, specifying the name of the
class that contains main and zero or more strings as command-line arguments.
Structure an OO application this way if you want to:
– Run the application by using the java command.
– Run the application in an environment where applications must start with the
main method of a Java class file (such as an IMS Java dependent region).
– Follow standard Java programming practice.
“Examples: COBOL applications that you can run using the java command”

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
“Defining a factory method” on page 516
“Declaring arrays and strings for Java” on page 532
Chapter 22, “Developing COBOL programs for IMS,” on page 377

Examples: COBOL applications that you can run using the

java command
The following examples show COBOL class definitions that contain a factory
method called main. In each case, main has no RETURNING phrase and has a single
USING parameter, an object reference to a class that is an array with elements of
type java.lang.String. You can run these applications by using the java command.

Displaying a message:
cbl dll,thread
Identification Division.
Class-id. CBLmain inherits Base.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Base is “java.lang.Object”
Class stringArray is “jobjectArray:java.lang.String”
Class CBLmain is “CBLmain”.
*
Identification Division.
Factory.
Procedure division.
*
Identification Division.

524 Programming Guide

 Method-id. “main”.
Data division.
Linkage section.
01 SA usage object reference stringArray.
Procedure division using by value SA.
Display “ >> COBOL main method entered”
.
End method “main”.
End factory.
End class CBLmain.

Echoing the input strings:

cbl dll,thread,lib,pgmname(longmixed),ssrange
Identification Division.
Class-id. Echo inherits Base.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Base is “java.lang.Object”
Class stringArray is “jobjectArray:java.lang.String”
Class jstring is “java.lang.String”
Class Echo is “Echo”.
*
Identification Division.
Factory.
Procedure division.
*
Identification Division.
Method-id. “main”.
Data division.
Local-storage section.
01 SAlen pic s9(9) binary.
01 I pic s9(9) binary.
01 SAelement object reference jstring.
01 SAelementlen pic s9(9) binary.
01 Sbuffer pic X(65535).
01 P pointer.
Linkage section.
01 SA object reference stringArray.
Copy “JNI.cpy” suppress.
Procedure division using by value SA.
Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv
Call GetArrayLength using by value JNIEnvPtr SA
returning SAlen
Display “Input string array length: ” SAlen
Display “Input strings:”
Perform varying I from 0 by 1 until I = SAlen
Call GetObjectArrayElement
using by value JNIEnvPtr SA I
returning SAelement
Call “GetStringPlatformLength”
using by value JNIEnvPtr
SAelement
address of SAelementlen
0
Call “GetStringPlatform”
using by value JNIEnvPtr
SAelement
address of Sbuffer
length of Sbuffer
0
Display Sbuffer(1:SAelementlen)
End-perform

Chapter 30. Writing object-oriented programs 525

 .
End method “main”.
End factory.
End class Echo.

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
“Defining a factory method” on page 516
Chapter 31, “Communicating with Java methods,” on page 527

526 Programming Guide

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods
To achieve interlanguage interoperability with Java, you need to follow certain
rules and guidelines for:
v Using services in the Java Native Interface (JNI)
v Coding data types
v Compiling your COBOL programs

You can invoke methods that are written in Java from COBOL programs, and you
can invoke methods that are written in COBOL from Java programs. You need to
code COBOL object-oriented language for basic Java object capabilities. For
additional Java capabilities, you can call JNI services.

Because Java programs might be multithreaded and use asynchronous signals,

compile your COBOL programs with the THREAD option.

“Example: J2EE client written in COBOL” on page 539

RELATED TASKS
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106
“Accessing JNI services”
“Sharing data with Java” on page 531
Chapter 30, “Writing object-oriented programs,” on page 485
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
Chapter 27, “Preparing COBOL programs for multithreading,” on page 437

RELATED REFERENCES
The Java 2 Enterprise Edition Developer’s Guide

Accessing JNI services

The Java Native Interface (JNI) provides many callable services that you can use
when you develop applications that mix COBOL and Java. To facilitate access to
these services, copy JNI.cpy into the LINKAGE SECTION of your COBOL program.
This copybook contains:
v COBOL data definitions that correspond to the Java JNI types
v The JNI environment structure JNINativeInterface, which contains function
pointers for accessing the callable service functions

You obtain the JNI environment structure by two levels of indirection from the JNI
environment pointer, as this illustration shows:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 527

 Use the special register JNIEnvPtr to reference the JNI environment pointer to
obtain the address for the JNI environment structure. JNIEnvPtr is implicitly
defined with USAGE POINTER; do not use it as a receiving data item.

Before you reference the contents of the JNI environment structure, you must code
the following statements to establish its addressability:
Linkage section.
COPY JNI
. . .
Procedure division.
. . .
Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv
. . .

This code sets the addresses of the following items:

v JNIEnv is a pointer data item that JNI.cpy provides. JNIEnvPtr is the COBOL
special register that contains the environment pointer.
v JNINativeInterface is the COBOL group structure that JNI.cpy contains. This
structure maps the JNI environment structure, which contains an array of
function pointers for the JNI callable services.

After you code the above statements, you can access the JNI callable services with
CALL statements that reference the function pointers. You can pass the JNIEnvPtr
special register as the first argument to the services that require the environment
pointer, as shown in this example:
01 InputArrayObj usage object reference jlongArray.
01 ArrayLen pic S9(9) comp-5.
. . .
Call GetArrayLength using by value JNIEnvPtr InputArrayObj
returning ArrayLen

Important: Pass all arguments to the JNI callable services by value.

Some JNI callable services require a Java class-object reference as an argument. To

obtain a reference to the class object that is associated with a class, use one of the
following JNI callable services:
v GetObjectClass
v FindClass

Restriction: The JNI environment pointer is thread specific, therefore do not pass it
from one thread to another.

RELATED TASKS
“Managing local and global references” on page 530
“Handling Java exceptions”
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Defining a client” on page 502

RELATED REFERENCES
Appendix F, “JNI.cpy,” on page 649
The Java Native Interface

Handling Java exceptions

Use JNI services to throw and catch Java exceptions.

528 Programming Guide

Throwing an exception from your COBOL program
Use one of the following services to throw a Java exception from a COBOL
method:
v Throw
v ThrowNew

You must make the thrown object an instance of a subclass of java.lang.Throwable.

The Java virtual machine (JVM) does not recognize and process the thrown
exception until the method that contains the call has completed and returned to
the JVM.

Catching a Java exception

After you invoke a method that might have thrown a Java exception, you can use
the following JNI services to test whether an exception actually occurred, to
process the exception, and to clear the exception, if clearing is appropriate:
v ExceptionOccurred
v ExceptionCheck
v ExceptionDescribe
v ExceptionClear

To do error analysis, use the methods supported by the exception object that is
returned. This object is an instance of java.lang.Throwable.

“Example: handling Java exceptions”

Example: handling Java exceptions

This example shows the use of JNI services for catching an exception from Java
and using the PrintStackTrace method of java.lang.Throwable for error analysis.
Repository.
Class JavaException is “java.lang.Exception”.
. . .
Local-storage section.
01 ex usage object reference JavaException.
Linkage section.
COPY “JNI.cpy”.
. . .
Procedure division.
Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv
. . .
Invoke anObj “someMethod”
Perform ErrorCheck
. . .
ErrorCheck.
Call ExceptionOccurred
using by value JNIEnvPtr
returning ex
If ex not = null then
Call ExceptionClear using by value JNIEnvPtr
Display “Caught an unexpected exception”
Invoke ex “printStackTrace”
Stop run
End-if

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 529

 Managing local and global references
The Java virtual machine tracks the object references that you use in native
methods, such as COBOL methods. This tracking ensures that the objects are not
prematurely released during garbage collection. There are two classes of such
references:
Local references
Local references are valid only while the method that you invoke runs.
They are automatically freed after the native method returns.
Global references
Global references remain valid until you explicitly delete them. You can
create global references from local references by using the JNI service
NewGlobalRef.

The following object references are always local:

v Object references that are received as method parameters
| v Object references that are returned as the method RETURNING value from a
| method invocation
v Object references that are returned by a call to a JNI function
v Object references that you create by using the INVOKE . . . NEW statement

You can pass either a local reference or a global reference as an object reference
argument to a JNI service.

| You can code methods to return either local or global references as RETURNING
| values. However, in either case, the reference that is received by the invoking
| program is a local reference.

| You can pass either local or global references as USING arguments in a method
| invocation. However, in either case, the reference that is received by the invoked
| method is a local reference.

Local references are valid only in the thread in which you create them. Do not pass
them from one thread to another.

Deleting, saving, and freeing local references

You can manually delete local references at any point within a method.

Save local references only in object references that you define in the LOCAL-STORAGE
SECTION of a method. If you want to save a local reference with a SET statement to
an object instance variable, a factory variable, or a data item in the
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of a method, first convert the local reference to a global
reference. Otherwise, you will get an error because these storage areas persist
when the method returns, but the local reference is no longer valid.

In most cases you can rely on the automatic freeing of local references that occurs
when a method returns. However, in some cases you should explicitly free a local
reference within a method by using the JNI service DeleteLocalRef. Here are two
situations where explicit freeing is appropriate:
v In a method you access a large object, thereby creating a local reference to the
object. After extensive computations, the method returns. You should free the
large object if you do not need it for the additional computations, because the
local reference prevents the object from being released during garbage collection.

530 Programming Guide

 v You create a large number of local references in a method but do not use all of
them at the same time. Because the Java virtual machine requires space to keep
track of each local reference, you should free those that you no longer need to
avoid causing the system to run out of memory.
For example, in a COBOL method you loop through a large array of objects,
retrieve the elements as local references, and operate on one element at each
iteration. You can free the local reference to the array element after each
iteration.

JNI services
Use these callable services to manage local references and global references:
Table 76. JNI services for local and global references
Service Input arguments Return value Purpose
NewGlobalRef v The JNI environment The global reference, or To create a new global
pointer NULL if the system is out of reference to the object that
memory the input object reference
v A local or global object
refers to
reference
DeleteGlobalRef v The JNI environment None To delete a global reference
pointer to the object that the input
object reference refers to
v A global object reference
DeleteLocalRef v The JNI environment None To delete a local reference
pointer to the object that the input
object reference refers to
v A local object reference

Java access controls

The Java access modifiers protected and private are not enforced when you use
the Java Native Interface. Therefore a COBOL program could invoke a protected or
private Java method that would not have been invocable from a Java client. This
usage is not recommended.

Sharing data with Java

Some COBOL data types have Java equivalents, but others do not. You can pass
the types that have Java equivalents as arguments in the USING phrase of an INVOKE
statement or receive them as the RETURNING value on an INVOKE statement.
Similarly, you can receive these types from a Java method as parameters on the
USING phrase or return them as the value in the RETURNING phrase of the PROCEDURE
DIVISION header in a COBOL method.

To pass or receive arrays and strings, declare them as object references:

v Declare an array as an object reference that contains an instance of one of the
special array classes.
v Declare a string as an object reference that contains an instance of the jstring
class.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Declaring arrays and strings for Java” on page 532
“Manipulating Java arrays” on page 534

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 531

 “Manipulating Java strings” on page 536
“Invoking methods (INVOKE)” on page 506
Chapter 25, “Sharing data,” on page 411

Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java

Use only the COBOL data types in this table when you communicate with Java:
Table 77. Interoperable data types in COBOL and Java
Primitive Java data
type Corresponding COBOL data type
1
boolean PIC X followed by exactly two condition names of the form shown:
level-number data-name PIC X.
88 data-name-false value X’00’.
88 data-name-true value X’01’ through X’FF’.
byte1 Single-byte alphanumeric: PIC X or PIC A
short USAGE BINARY, COMP, COMP-4, or COMP-5, with PICTURE clause of the
form S9(n), where 1<=n<=4
int USAGE BINARY, COMP, COMP-4, or COMP-5, with PICTURE clause of the
form S9(n), where 5<=n<=9
long USAGE BINARY, COMP, COMP-4, or COMP-5, with PICTURE clause of the
form S9(n), where 10<=n<=18
float2 USAGE COMP-1
2
double USAGE COMP-2
char Single-character national: PIC N USAGE NATIONAL
class types USAGE OBJECT REFERENCE class-name
(object references)

1. You must distinguish boolean from byte, because they both correspond to PIC X. PIC X
is interpreted as boolean only when you define an argument or a parameter with the
two condition names as shown. Otherwise, a PIC X data item is interpreted as the Java
byte type.
2. Java floating-point data is represented in IEEE floating point. Enterprise COBOL,
however, uses hexadecimal floating-point representation. When you pass floating-point
arguments by using an INVOKE statement or you receive floating-point data from a Java
method, the arguments and data are automatically converted as needed.

Declaring arrays and strings for Java

When you communicate with Java, declare arrays and strings with the special
array classes and with jstring, respectively, by coding the COBOL data types
shown in this table:
Table 78. Interoperable arrays and strings in COBOL and Java
Java data type Corresponding COBOL data type
boolean[ ] object reference jbooleanArray
byte[ ] object reference jbyteArray
short[ ] object reference jshortArray
int[ ] object reference jintArray
long[ ] object reference jlongArray
char[ ] object reference jcharArray
Object[ ] object reference jobjectArray

532 Programming Guide

Table 78. Interoperable arrays and strings in COBOL and Java (continued)
Java data type Corresponding COBOL data type
String object reference jstring

When you use these special classes for array and string interoperability with Java,
you must code an entry for the classes that you use in the REPOSITORY paragraph,
such as in this example:
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class jbooleanArray is “jbooleanArray”.

The REPOSITORY paragraph entry for an object array type must specify an external
class-name of one of the following forms:
“jobjectArray”
“jobjectArray:external-classname-2”

In the first case, the REPOSITORY entry specifies an array class where the elements of
the array are objects of type java.lang.Object.

In the second case, the REPOSITORY entry specifies an array class where the
elements of the array are objects of type external-classname-2. A colon is required as
a separator between the specification of the jobjectArray type and the external
class-name of the elements of the array.

The following example shows both cases:

Environment Division.
Configuration Section.
Repository.
Class jobjectArray is “jobjectArray”
Class Employee is “com.acme.Employee”
Class Department is “jobjectArray:com.acme.Employee”.
. . .
Linkage section.
01 oa usage object reference jobjectArray.
01 aDepartment usage object reference Department.
. . .
Procedure division using by value aDepartment.
. . .

In this example, oa defines an array of elements that are objects of type

java.lang.Object. aDepartment defines an array of elements that are objects of type
com.acme.Employee.

“Examples: COBOL applications that you can run using the java command” on
page 524

The following Java array types are currently not supported for interoperation with
COBOL programs:
Table 79. Noninteroperable array types in COBOL and Java
Java data type Corresponding COBOL data type
float[ ] object reference jfloatArray
double[ ] object reference jdoubleArray

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 533

 RELATED TASKS
“REPOSITORY paragraph for defining a class” on page 490

Manipulating Java arrays

To represent the array in a COBOL program, code a group data item that contains
a single elementary item of the data type that corresponds to the Java type of the
array. Specify an OCCURS or OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause that is appropriate for the
array.

For example, the following code specifies a structure to receive 500 or fewer
integer values from a jlongArray object:
01 longArray.
02 X pic S9(9) comp-5 occurs 1 to 500 times depending on N.

To operate on objects of the special Java-array classes, call the services that the JNI
provides. You can use services to access and set individual elements of an array
and for the following purposes, using the services cited:
Table 80. JNI array services
Service Input arguments Return value Purpose
GetArrayLength v The JNI environment pointer The array length as a To get the number of
binary fullword elements in a Java array
v The array object reference
integer object
NewBooleanArray v The JNI environment pointer The array object To create a new Java array
NewByteArray reference, or NULL if object
v The number of elements in
NewCharArray the array cannot be
the array, as a binary
NewShortArray constructed
fullword integer
NewIntArray
NewLongArray
GetBooleanArrayElements v The JNI environment pointer A pointer to the To extract the array
GetByteArrayElements storage buffer elements from a Java array
v The array object reference
GetCharArrayElements into a storage buffer. The
GetShortArrayElements v A pointer to a boolean item. services return a pointer to
GetIntArrayElements If the pointer is not null, the the storage buffer, which
GetLongArrayElements boolean item is set to true if a you can use as the address
copy of the array elements of a COBOL group data
was made. If a copy was item defined in the
made, the corresponding LINKAGE SECTION.
ReleasexxxArrayElements
service must be called if
changes are to be written
back to the array object.
ReleaseBooleanArrayElements v The JNI environment pointer None; the storage for To release the storage
ReleaseByteArrayElements the array is released. buffer that contains
v The array object reference
ReleaseCharArrayElements elements that have been
ReleaseShortArrayElements v A pointer to the storage extracted from a Java
ReleaseIntArrayElements buffer array and conditionally
ReleaseLongArrayElements v The release mode, as a binary map the updated array
fullword integer. See Java JNI values back into the array
documentation for details. object
Recommendation: Specify 0,
to copy back the array
content and free the storage
buffer.

534 Programming Guide

Table 80. JNI array services (continued)
Service Input arguments Return value Purpose
NewObjectArray v The JNI environment pointer The array object To create a new Java
reference, or NULL if object array
v The number of elements in
the array cannot be
the array, as a binary
constructed1
fullword integer
v An object reference for the
array element class
v An object reference for the
initial element value. All
array elements are set to this
value.
GetObjectArrayElement v The JNI environment pointer An object reference2 To return the element at a
given index within an
v The array object reference
object array
v An array element index, as a
binary fullword integer using
origin zero
SetObjectArrayElement v The JNI environment pointer None3 To set an element within
an object array
v The array object reference
v The array element index, as a
binary fullword integer using
origin zero
v The object reference for the
new value

1. NewObjectArray throws an exception if the system runs out of memory.

2. GetObjectArrayElement throws an exception if the index is not valid.
3. SetObjectArrayElement throws an exception if the index is not valid or if the new value is not a subclass of the
element class of the array.

“Examples: COBOL applications that you can run using the java command” on
page 524
“Example: processing a Java int array”

RELATED TASKS
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Declaring arrays and strings for Java” on page 532
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527

Example: processing a Java int array

This example illustrates using the Java-array classes and JNI services to process a
Java array in COBOL.
cbl lib,thread,dll
Identification division.
Class-id. OOARRAY inherits Base.
Environment division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class Base is “java.lang.Object”
Class jintArray is “jintArray”.
Identification division.
Object.
Procedure division.
Identification division.
Method-id. “ProcessArray”.

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 535

 Data Division.
Local-storage section.
01 intArrayPtr pointer.
01 intArrayLen pic S9(9) comp-5.
Linkage section.
COPY JNI.
01 inIntArrayObj usage object reference jintArray.
01 intArrayGroup.
02 X pic S9(9) comp-5
occurs 1 to 1000 times depending on intArrayLen.
Procedure division using by value inIntArrayObj.
Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv

Call GetArrayLength
using by value JNIEnvPtr inIntArrayObj
returning intArrayLen
Call GetIntArrayElements
using by value JNIEnvPtr inIntArrayObj 0
returning IntArrayPtr
Set address of intArrayGroup to intArrayPtr

* . . . process the array elements X(I) . . .

Call ReleaseIntArrayElements
using by value JNIEnvPtr inIntArrayObj intArrayPtr 0.
End method “ProcessArray”.
End Object.
End class OOARRAY.

Manipulating Java strings

Java String data is represented in Unicode. To represent a Java String in a COBOL
program, declare it as an object reference of the jstring class. Then use JNI services
to set or extract COBOL alphanumeric or national (Unicode) data from the object.

Services for Unicode

Use the following standard services to convert between jstring object references
and COBOL national data items (PIC N(n)).
Table 81. Services that convert between jstring references and national data
Service Input arguments Return value
1
| NewString v The JNI environment pointer jstring object reference
v A pointer to a Unicode string, such
as a COBOL national data item
v The number of characters in the
string; binary fullword
GetStringLength v The JNI environment pointer The number of Unicode characters in the jstring
object reference; binary fullword
v A jstring object reference
1
| GetStringChars v The JNI environment pointer v A pointer to the array of Unicode characters
| v A jstring object reference extracted from the jstring object, or NULL if the
| operation fails. The pointer is valid until it is
| v A pointer to a boolean data item, or
released with ReleaseStringChars.
| NULL
v When the pointer to the boolean data item is
not null, the boolean value is set to true if a
copy is made of the string and to false if no
copy is made.

536 Programming Guide

 Table 81. Services that convert between jstring references and national data (continued)
Service Input arguments Return value
ReleaseStringChars v The JNI environment pointer None; the storage for the array is released.
v A jstring object reference
v A pointer to the array of Unicode
characters that was returned from
GetStringChars

| 1. This service throws an exception if the system runs out of memory.

Access these services by using function pointers in the JNI environment structure
JNINativeInterface.

Services for EBCDIC

Use the following z/OS services, an extension of the JNI, to convert between
jstring object references and COBOL alphanumeric data (PIC X(n)).
Table 82. Services that convert between jstring references and alphanumeric data
Service Input arguments Return value
NewStringPlatform v The JNI environment pointer Return code as a binary fullword
integer:
v Pointer to the null-terminated EBCDIC
character string that you want to convert 0 Success.
to a jstring object
-1 Malformed input or illegal
v Pointer to the jstring object reference in input character.
which you want the result
-2 Unsupported encoding; the
v Pointer to the Java encoding name for the
jstring object reference pointer
string, represented as a null-terminated
is set to NULL.
EBCDIC character string1
GetStringPlatformLength v The JNI environment pointer Return code as a binary fullword
integer:
v jstring object reference for which you want
the length 0 Success.
v Pointer to a binary fullword integer for the -1 Malformed input or illegal
result input character.
v Pointer to the Java encoding name for the
-2 Unsupported encoding; the
string, represented as a null-terminated
jstring object reference pointer
EBCDIC character string1
is set to NULL.

Returns, in the third argument, the

needed length in bytes of the output
buffer to hold the converted Java
string, including the terminating null
byte referenced by the second
argument.

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 537

Table 82. Services that convert between jstring references and alphanumeric data (continued)
Service Input arguments Return value
GetStringPlatform v The JNI environment pointer Return code as a binary fullword
integer:
v jstring object reference that you want to
convert to a null-terminated string 0 Success.
v Pointer to the output buffer in which you -1 Malformed input or illegal
want the converted string input character.
v Length of the output buffer as a binary
-2 Unsupported encoding; the
fullword integer
output string is set to a null
v Pointer to the Java encoding name for the string.
string, represented as a null-terminated
EBCDIC character string1 -3 Conversion buffer is full.

1. If the pointer is NULL, the encoding from the Java file.encoding property is used.

The EBCDIC services are packaged as a DLL that is part of the IBM Developer Kit
for OS/390, Java 2 Technology Edition. Use CALL literal statements to call these
services. The calls are resolved through the libjvm.x DLL side file, which you must
include in the link step of any COBOL program that uses object-oriented language.

For example, the following code creates a Java String object from the EBCDIC
string ’MyConverter’. (This code fragment is from the J2EE client program, which
is shown in full in “Example: J2EE client written in COBOL” on page 539.)
Move z“MyConverter” to stringBuf
Call “NewStringPlatform”
using by value JNIEnvPtr
address of stringBuf
address of jstring1
0
returning rc

If the EBCDIC services are the only JNI services that you call from a COBOL
program, you do not need to copy the JNI.cpy copybook nor do you need to
establish addressability with the JNI environment pointer.

For details on these services, see jni_convert.h, which is shipped with the IBM
Developer Kit for OS/390, Java 2 Technology Edition.

Access these services by using function pointers in the JNI environment structure
JNINativeInterface.

Services for UTF-8

The Java Native Interface also provides services for conversion between jstring
object references and UTF-8 strings. These services are not recommended for use in
COBOL due to the difficulty in handling UTF-8 character strings on the z/OS
platform.

RELATED TASKS
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527
“Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java” on page 532
“Declaring arrays and strings for Java” on page 532
“Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL” on page 106
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257

538 Programming Guide

Example: J2EE client written in COBOL
This example shows a COBOL client program that can access enterprise beans
running on a J2EE-compliant EJB server. It is equivalent to the J2EE client program
given in the Getting Started chapter of The Java 2 Enterprise Edition Developer’s
Guide.

For your convenience in comparing implementations, the equivalent Java version

of the sample client from the guide is shown after the COBOL implementation. The
enterprise bean is not shown here; it is assumed to be the Java implementation of
the simple currency converter enterprise bean that is given in the same guide.

COBOL client (ConverterClient.cbl)

Process pgmname(longmixed),lib,dll,thread
*****************************************************************
* Demo J2EE client written in COBOL. *
* *
* Based on the sample J2EE client written in Java, which is *
* given in the “Getting Started” chapter of “The Java(TM) 2 *
* Enterprise Edition Developer’s Guide.” *
* *
* The client: *
* - Locates the home interface of a session enterprise bean *
* (a simple currency converter bean) *
* - Creates an enterprise bean instance *
* - Invokes a business method (currency conversion) *
*****************************************************************
Identification division.
Program-id. “ConverterClient” is recursive.
Environment Division.
Configuration section.
Repository.
Class InitialContext is “javax.naming.InitialContext”
Class PortableRemoteObject
is “javax.rmi.PortableRemoteObject”
Class JavaObject is “java.lang.Object”
Class JavaClass is “java.lang.Class”
Class JavaException is “java.lang.Exception”
Class jstring is “jstring”
Class Converter is “Converter”
Class ConverterHome is “ConverterHome”.
Data division.
Working-storage section.
01 initialCtx object reference InitialContext.
01 obj object reference JavaObject.
01 classObj object reference JavaClass.
01 ex object reference JavaException.
01 currencyConverter object reference Converter.
01 home object reference ConverterHome.
01 homeObject redefines home object reference JavaObject.
01 jstring1 object reference jstring.
01 stringBuf pic X(500) usage display.
01 len pic s9(9) comp-5.
01 rc pic s9(9) comp-5.
01 amount comp-2.
Linkage section.
Copy JNI.
Procedure division.
Set address of JNIenv to JNIEnvPtr
Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIenv

*****************************************************************
* Create JNDI naming context. *
*****************************************************************

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 539

 Invoke InitialContext New returning initialCtx
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

*****************************************************************
* Create a jstring object for the string “MyConverter” for use *
* as argument to the lookup method. *
*****************************************************************
Move z“MyConverter” to stringBuf
Call “NewStringPlatform”
using by value JNIEnvPtr
address of stringBuf
address of jstring1
0
returning rc
If rc not = zero then
Display “Error occurred creating jstring object”
Stop run
End-if

*****************************************************************
* Use the lookup method to obtain a reference to the home *
* object bound to the name “MyConverter”. (This is the JNDI *
* name specified when deploying the J2EE application.) *
*****************************************************************
Invoke initialCtx “lookup” using by value jstring1
returning obj
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

*****************************************************************
* Narrow the home object to be of type ConverterHome. *
* First obtain class object for the ConverterHome class, by *
* passing the null-terminated ASCII string “ConverterHome” to *
* the FindClass API. Then use this class object as the *
* argument to the static method “narrow”. *
*****************************************************************
Move z“ConverterHome” to stringBuf
Call “__etoa”
using by value address of stringBuf
returning len
If len = -1 then
Display “Error occurred on ASCII conversion”
Stop run
End-if
Call FindClass
using by value JNIEnvPtr
address of stringBuf
returning classObj
If classObj = null
Display “Error occurred locating ConverterHome class”
Stop run
End-if
Invoke PortableRemoteObject “narrow”
using by value obj
classObj
returning homeObject
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

*****************************************************************
* Create the ConverterEJB instance and obtain local object *
* reference for its remote interface *
*****************************************************************
Invoke home “create” returning currencyConverter
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

*****************************************************************
* Invoke business methods *
*****************************************************************

540 Programming Guide

 Invoke currencyConverter “dollarToYen”
using by value +100.00E+0
returning amount
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

Display amount

Invoke currencyConverter “yenToEuro”

using by value +100.00E+0
returning amount
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

Display amount

*****************************************************************
* Remove the object and return. *
*****************************************************************
Invoke currencyConverter “remove”
Perform JavaExceptionCheck

Goback
.

*****************************************************************
* Check for thrown Java exceptions *
*****************************************************************
JavaExceptionCheck.
Call ExceptionOccurred using by value JNIEnvPtr
returning ex
If ex not = null then
Call ExceptionClear using by value JNIEnvPtr
Display “Caught an unexpected exception”
Invoke ex “PrintStackTrace”
Stop run
End-if
.
End program “ConverterClient”.

Java client (ConverterClient.java)

/*
*
* Copyright 2000 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
*
* This software is the proprietary information of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
* Use is subject to license terms.
*
*/

import javax.naming.Context;
import javax.naming.InitialContext;
import javax.rmi.PortableRemoteObject;

import Converter;
import ConverterHome;

public class ConverterClient {

public static void main(String[] args) {

try {
Context initial = new InitialContext();
Object objref = initial.lookup(“MyConverter”);

ConverterHome home =
(ConverterHome)PortableRemoteObject.narrow(objref,
ConverterHome.class);

Chapter 31. Communicating with Java methods 541

 Converter currencyConverter = home.create();

double amount = currencyConverter.dollarToYen(100.00);

System.out.println(String.valueOf(amount));
amount = currencyConverter.yenToEuro(100.00);
System.out.println(String.valueOf(amount));

currencyConverter.remove();

} catch (Exception ex) {

System.err.println(“Caught an unexpected exception!”);
ex.printStackTrace();
}
}
}

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 16, “Compiling, linking, and running OO applications,” on page 257
WebSphere for z/OS: Assembling J2EE Applications

RELATED REFERENCES
The Java 2 Enterprise Edition Developer’s Guide

542 Programming Guide

Part 7. Specialized processing
Chapter 32. Interrupts and checkpoint/restart 545 Avoiding problems with packed-decimal fields 574
Setting checkpoints . . . . . . . . . . . 545 Moving from expanded to windowed date fields 574
Designing checkpoints . . . . . . . . . 546
Testing for a successful checkpoint . . . . . 546
DD statements for defining checkpoint data sets 547
Examples: defining checkpoint data sets . . 547
Messages generated during checkpoint . . . . 548
Restarting programs . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Requesting automatic restart . . . . . . . 549
Requesting deferred restart . . . . . . . . 549
Formats for requesting deferred restart . . . . 550
Example: requesting a deferred restart . . . 550
Resubmitting jobs for restart . . . . . . . 551
Example: restarting a job at a specific
checkpoint step . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Example: requesting a step restart . . . . . 551
Example: resubmitting a job for a step restart 551
Example: resubmitting a job for a checkpoint
restart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 553

Millennium language extensions (MLE) . . . . 554
Principles and objectives of these extensions . . 554
Resolving date-related logic problems . . . . . 555
Using a century window . . . . . . . . 556
Example: century window . . . . . . . 557
Using internal bridging . . . . . . . . . 557
Example: internal bridging . . . . . . . 558
Moving to full field expansion. . . . . . . 558
Example: converting files to expanded date
form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
Using year-first, year-only, and year-last date fields 560
Compatible dates . . . . . . . . . . . 561
Example: comparing year-first date fields . . . 562
Using other date formats . . . . . . . . 562
Example: isolating the year . . . . . . . . 562
Manipulating literals as dates . . . . . . . . 563
Assumed century window . . . . . . . . 564
Treatment of nondates . . . . . . . . . 565
Setting triggers and limits . . . . . . . . . 565
Example: using limits . . . . . . . . . 566
Using sign conditions . . . . . . . . . 567
Sorting and merging by date . . . . . . . . 567
Example: sorting by date and time . . . . . 568
Performing arithmetic on date fields . . . . . . 569
Allowing for overflow from windowed date
fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
Specifying the order of evaluation . . . . . 570
Controlling date processing explicitly . . . . . 571
Using DATEVAL . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Using UNDATE . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Example: DATEVAL . . . . . . . . . . 572
Example: UNDATE . . . . . . . . . . 572
Analyzing and avoiding date-related diagnostic
messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Avoiding problems in processing dates . . . . . 574

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 543

544 Programming Guide
Chapter 32. Interrupts and checkpoint/restart
When programs run for an extended period of time, interruptions might halt
processing before the end of a job. The checkpoint/restart functions of z/OS allow
an interrupted program to be restarted at the beginning of a job step or at a
checkpoint that you have set.

Because the checkpoint/restart functions cause a lot of extra processing, use them
only when you anticipate interruptions caused by machine malfunctions, input or
output errors, or intentional operator intervention.

The checkpoint routine starts from the COBOL load module containing your
program. While your program is running, the checkpoint routine creates records at
points you have designated using the COBOL RERUN clause. A checkpoint record
contains a snapshot of the information in the registers and main storage when the
program reached the checkpoint.

The restart routine restarts an interrupted program. You can perform a restart at
any time after the program was interrupted: either immediately (automatic restart),
or later (deferred restart).

RELATED TASKS
“Setting checkpoints”
“Restarting programs” on page 548
“Resubmitting jobs for restart” on page 551
z/OS DFSMS: Checkpoint/Restart

RELATED REFERENCES
“DD statements for defining checkpoint data sets” on page 547
“Messages generated during checkpoint” on page 548
“Formats for requesting deferred restart” on page 550

Setting checkpoints
To set checkpoints, use job control statements and use the RERUN clause in the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. Associate each RERUN clause with a particular COBOL file.

The RERUN clause indicates that a checkpoint record is to be written onto a

checkpoint data set whenever a specified number of records in the COBOL file has
been processed, or when END OF VOLUME is reached. You cannot use the RERUN
clause with files that have been defined with the EXTERNAL attribute.

You can write checkpoint records from several COBOL files onto one checkpoint
data set, but you must use a separate data set exclusively for checkpoint records.
You cannot embed checkpoint records in one of your program data sets.

Restriction: A checkpoint data set must have sequential organization. You cannot
write checkpoints on VSAM data sets or on data sets allocated to extended-format
QSAM data sets. Also, a checkpoint cannot be taken if any program in the run unit
has an extended-format QSAM data set open.

Checkpoint records are written on the checkpoint data set defined by a DD

statement. In the DD statement, you also choose the checkpoint method:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 545

 Single (store single checkpoints)
Only one checkpoint record exists at any given time. After the first
checkpoint record is written, any succeeding checkpoint record overlays
the previous one.
This method is acceptable for most programs. You save space on the
checkpoint data set, and you can restart your program at the latest
checkpoint.
Multiple (store multiple contiguous checkpoints)
Checkpoints are recorded and numbered sequentially. Each checkpoint is
saved.
Use this method when you want to restart a program at a checkpoint other
than the latest one taken.

You must use the multiple checkpoint method for complete compliance to the
COBOL 85 Standard.

Checkpoints during sort operations have the following requirements:

v If checkpoints are to be taken during a sort operation, add a DD statement for
SORTCKPT in the job control procedure for execution.
v You can take checkpoint records on ASCII-collated sorts, but the system-name
indicating the checkpoint data set must not specify an ASCII file.

Designing checkpoints
Design your checkpoints at critical points in your program so that data can be
easily reconstructed. Do not change the contents of files between the time of a
checkpoint and the time of the restart.

In a program using disk files, design the program so that you can identify
previously processed records. For example, consider a disk file containing loan
records that are periodically updated for interest due. If a checkpoint is taken,
records are updated, and then the program is interrupted, you would want to test
that the records updated after the last checkpoint are not updated again when the
program is restarted. To do this, set up a date field in each record, and update the
field each time the record is processed. Then, after the restart, test the field to
determine whether the record was already processed.

For efficient repositioning of a print file, take checkpoints on the file only after
printing the last line of a page.

Testing for a successful checkpoint

After each input or output statement that issues a checkpoint, the RETURN-CODE
special register is updated with the return code from the checkpoint routine.
Therefore, you can test whether the checkpoint was successful and decide whether
conditions are right to allow a restart. If the return code is greater than 4, an error
has occurred in the checkpoint. Check the return code to prevent a restart that
could cause incorrect output.

RELATED TASKS
“Using checkpoint/restart with DFSORT” on page 198

RELATED REFERENCES
“DD statements for defining checkpoint data sets” on page 547
Return codes (z/OS DFSMS: Checkpoint/Restart)

546 Programming Guide

DD statements for defining checkpoint data sets
To define checkpoint data sets, use the following DD statements:

For tape:
//ddname DD DSNAME=data-set-name,
// [VOLUME=SER=volser,]UNIT=device-type,
// DISP=({NEW|MOD},PASS)

For direct-access devices:

//ddname DD DSNAME=data-set-name,
// [VOLUME=(PRIVATE,RETAIN,SER=volser),]
// UNIT=device-type,SPACE=(subparms),
// DISP=({NEW|MOD},PASS,KEEP)
ddname
Provides a link to the DD statement. The same as the ddname portion of the
assignment-name used in the COBOL RERUN clause.
data-set-name
Identifies the checkpoint data set to the restart procedure. The name given
to the data set used to record checkpoint records.
volser
Identifies the volume by serial number.
device-type
Identifies the device.
subparms
Specifies the amount of track space needed for the data set.
MOD Specifies the multiple contiguous checkpoint method.
NEW Specifies the single checkpoint method.
PASS Prevents deletion of the data set at successful completion of the job step,
unless the job step is the last in the job. If it is the last step, the data set is
deleted.
KEEP Keeps the data set if the job step abnormally ends.

“Examples: defining checkpoint data sets”

Examples: defining checkpoint data sets

The following examples show the job control language and COBOL coding you
can use to define checkpoint data sets.

Writing single checkpoint records, using tape:

//CHECKPT DD DSNAME=CHECK1,VOLUME=SER=ND0003,
// UNIT=TAPE,DISP=(NEW,KEEP),LABEL=(,NL)
. . .
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
. . .
RERUN ON CHECKPT EVERY
5000 RECORDS OF ACCT-FILE.

Writing single checkpoint records, using disk:

//CHEK DD DSNAME=CHECK2,
// VOLUME=(PRIVATE,RETAIN,SER=DB0030),
// UNIT=3380,DISP=(NEW,KEEP),SPACE=(CYL,5)
. . .
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.

Chapter 32. Interrupts and checkpoint/restart 547

 . . .
RERUN ON CHEK EVERY
20000 RECORDS OF PAYCODE.
RERUN ON CHEK EVERY
30000 RECORDS OF IN-FILE.

Writing multiple contiguous checkpoint records, using tape:

//CHEKPT DD DSNAME=CHECK3,VOLUME=SER=111111,
// UNIT=TAPE,DISP=(MOD,PASS),LABEL=(,NL)
. . .
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
. . .
RERUN ON CHEKPT EVERY
10000 RECORDS OF PAY-FILE.

Messages generated during checkpoint

The system checkpoint routine advises the operator of the status of the checkpoints
taken by displaying informative messages on the console.

Each time a checkpoint has been successfully completed, a message is displayed

associating the jobname (ddname, unit, volser) with a checkid.

checkid is the identification name of the checkpoint taken. The control program
assigns checkid as an eight-character string. The first character is the letter C,
followed by a decimal number indicating the checkpoint. For example, the
following message indicates the fourth checkpoint taken in the job step:
checkid C0000004

Restarting programs
The system restart routine does the following:
v Retrieves the information recorded in a checkpoint record
v Restores the contents of main storage and all registers
v Restarts the program

You can begin the restart routine in one of two ways:

v Automatically, at the time an interruption stopped the program
v At a later time, as a deferred restart

The RD parameter of the job control language determines the type of restart. You
can use the RD parameter on either the JOB or the EXEC statement. If coded on the
JOB statement, the parameter overrides any RD parameters on the EXEC statement.

To suppress both restart and writing checkpoints, code RD=NC.

Restriction: If you try to restart at a checkpoint taken by a COBOL program

during a SORT or MERGE operation, an error message is issued and the restart is
canceled. Only checkpoints taken by DFSORT are valid.

Data sets that have the SYSOUT parameter coded on their DD statements are handled
in various ways depending on the type of restart.

If the checkpoint data set is multivolume, include in the VOLUME parameter the
sequence number of the volume on which the checkpoint entry was written. If the
checkpoint data set is on a 7-track tape with nonstandard labels or no labels, the
SYSCHK DD statement must contain DCB=(TRTCH=C,. . .).

548 Programming Guide

Requesting automatic restart
Automatic restart occurs only at the latest checkpoint taken. If no checkpoint was
taken before interruption, automatic restart occurs at the beginning of the job step.

Whenever automatic restart is to occur, the system repositions all devices except
unit-record devices.

If you want automatic restart, code RD=R or RD=RNC as follows:

v RD=R indicates that restart is to occur at the latest checkpoint. Code the RERUN
clause for at least one data set in the program in order to record checkpoints. If
no checkpoint is taken before interruption, restart occurs at the beginning of the
job step.
v RD=RNC indicates that no checkpoint is to be written, and any restart is to occur
at the beginning of the job step. In this case, RERUN clauses are unnecessary; if
any are present, they are ignored.

If you omit the RD parameter, the CHKPT macro instruction remains active, and
checkpoints can be taken during processing. If an interrupt occurs after the first
checkpoint, automatic restart will occur.

To restart automatically, a program must satisfy the following conditions:

v In the program you must request restart by using the RD parameter or by taking
a checkpoint.
v An abend that terminated the job must return a code that allows restart.
v The operator must authorize the restart.

“Example: requesting a step restart” on page 551

Requesting deferred restart

Deferred restart can occur at any checkpoint, not necessarily the latest one taken.
You can restart your program at a checkpoint other than at the beginning of the job
step.

When a deferred restart has been successfully completed, the system displays a
message on the console stating that the job has been restarted. Control is then
given to your program.

If you want deferred restart, code the RD parameter as RD=NR. This form of the
parameter suppresses automatic restart, but allows a checkpoint record to be
written provided that a RERUN clause has been coded.

Request a deferred restart by using the RESTART parameter on the JOB card and a
SYSCHK DD statement to identify the checkpoint data set. If a SYSCHK DD statement is
present in a job and the JOB statement does not contain the RESTART parameter, the
SYSCHK DD statement is ignored. If a RESTART parameter without the CHECKID
subparameter is included in a job, a SYSCHK DD statement must not appear before
the first EXEC statement for the job.

“Example: restarting a job at a specific checkpoint step” on page 551

RELATED TASKS
“Using checkpoint/restart with DFSORT” on page 198

Chapter 32. Interrupts and checkpoint/restart 549

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Formats for requesting deferred restart”

Formats for requesting deferred restart

The formats for the RESTART parameter on the JOB statement and the SYSCHK DD
statements are as follows:
//jobname JOB MSGLEVEL=1,RESTART=(request[,checkid])
//SYSCHK DD DSNAME=data-set-name,
// DISP=OLD[,UNIT=device-type,
// VOLUME=SER=volser]
MSGLEVEL=1 (or MSGLEVEL=(1,y))
MSGLEVEL is required.
RESTART=(request,[checkid])
Identifies the particular checkpoint at which restart is to occur.
request
Takes one of the following forms:
* Indicates restart at the beginning of the job.
stepname
Indicates restart at the beginning of a job step.
stepname.procstep
Indicates restart at a procedure step within the job step.

checkid
Identifies the checkpoint where restart is to occur.

SYSCHK
The ddname used to identify a checkpoint data set to the control program.
The SYSCHK DD statement must immediately precede the first EXEC
statement of the resubmitted job, and must follow any JOBLIB statement.
data-set-name
Identifies the checkpoint data set. It must be the same name that
was used when the checkpoint was taken.
device-type and volser
Identify the device type and the serial number of the volume
containing the checkpoint data set.

“Example: requesting a deferred restart”

Example: requesting a deferred restart

A restart of the GO step of an IGYWCLG procedure, at checkpoint identifier (CHECKID)
C0000003, might appear as follows:
//jobname JOB MSGLEVEL=1,RESTART=(stepname.GO,C0000003)
//SYSCHK DD DSNAME=CHEKPT,
// DISP=OLD[,UNIT=3380,VOLUME=SER=111111]
. . .

550 Programming Guide

Resubmitting jobs for restart
When you resubmit a job for restart, be careful with any DD statements that might
affect the execution of the restarted job step. The restart routine uses information
from DD statements in the resubmitted job to reset files for use after restart. Pay
attention to the following:
v If you want a data set to be deleted at the end of a job step, give it a conditional
disposition of PASS or KEEP (rather than DELETE) when you run it. This
disposition allows the data set to be available if an interruption forces a restart.
If you want to restart a job at the beginning of a step, you must first discard any
data set created (defined as NEW on a DD statement) in the previous run, or
change the DD statement to mark the data set as OLD.
v At restart time, position input data sets on cards as they were at the time of the
checkpoint. The system automatically repositions input data sets on tape or disk.

“Example: resubmitting a job for a step restart”

“Example: resubmitting a job for a checkpoint restart” on page 552

Example: restarting a job at a specific checkpoint step

This example shows a sequence of job control statements for restarting a job at a
specific step:
//PAYROLL JOB MSGLEVEL=1,REGION=80K,
// RESTART=(STEP1,CHECKPT4)
//JOBLIB DD DSNAME=PRIV.LIB3,DISP=OLD
//SYSCHK DD DSNAME=CHKPTLIB,
// [UNIT=TAPE,VOL=SER=456789,]
// DISP=(OLD,KEEP)
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=PROG4,TIME=5

Example: requesting a step restart

This example shows the use of the RD parameter. Here, the RD parameter requests
step restart for any abnormally terminated job step. The DD statement DDCKPNT
defines a checkpoint data set. For this step, after a RERUN clause is performed, only
automatic checkpoint restart can occur unless a CHKPT cancel is issued.
//J1234 JOB 386,SMITH,MSGLEVEL=1,RD=R
//S1 EXEC PGM=MYPROG
//INDATA DD DSNAME=INVENT[,UNIT=TAPE],DISP=OLD,
// [VOLUME=SER=91468,]
// LABEL=RETPD=14
//REPORT DD SYSOUT=A
//WORK DD DSNAME=T91468,DISP=(,,KEEP),
// UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(3000,(5000,500)),
// VOLUME=(PRIVATE,RETAIN,,6)
//DDCKPNT DD UNIT=TAPE,DISP=(MOD,PASS,CATLG),
// DSNAME=C91468,LABEL=(,NL)

Example: resubmitting a job for a step restart

This example shows the changes that you might make to control statements before
you resubmit the job for step restart:
v The job name has been changed (from J1234 to J3412) to distinguish the original
job from the restarted job.
v The RESTART parameter has been added to the JOB statement, and indicates that
restart is to begin with the first job step.
v The WORK DD statement was originally assigned a conditional disposition of KEEP
for this data set:

Chapter 32. Interrupts and checkpoint/restart 551

 – If the step terminated normally in the previous run of the job, the data set
was deleted and no changes need to be made to this statement.
– If the step abnormally terminated, the data set was kept. In that case, define a
new data set (S91468 instead of T91468, as shown below), or change the status
of the data set to OLD before resubmitting the job.
v A new data set (R91468 instead of C91468) has also been defined as the
checkpoint data set.
//J3412 JOB 386,SMITH,MSGLEVEL=1,RD=R,RESTART=*
//S1 EXEC PGM=MYPROG
//INDATA DD DSNAME=INVENT[,UNIT=TAPE],DISP=OLD,
// [VOLUME=SER=91468,]LABEL=RETPD=14
//REPORT DD SYSOUT=A
//WORK DD DSNAME=S91468,
// DISP=(,,KEEP),UNIT=SYSDA,
// SPACE=(3000,(5000,500)),
// VOLUME=(PRIVATE,RETAIN,,6)
//DDCHKPNT DD UNIT=TAPE,DISP=(MOD,PASS,CATLG),
// DSNAME=R91468,LABEL=(,NL)

“Example: requesting a step restart” on page 551

Example: resubmitting a job for a checkpoint restart

This example shows the changes that you might make to control statements before
you resubmit a job for checkpoint restart:
v The job name has been changed (from J1234 to J3412) to distinguish the original
job from the restarted job.
v The RESTART parameter has been added to the JOB statement, and indicates that
restart is to begin with the first step at the checkpoint entry named C0000002.
v The DD statement DDCKPNT was originally assigned a conditional disposition of
CATLG for the checkpoint data set:
– If the step terminated normally in the previous run of the job, the data set
was kept. In that case, the SYSCHK DD statement must contain all of the
information necessary for retrieving the checkpoint data set.
– If the job abnormally terminated, the data set was cataloged. In that case, the
only parameters required on the SYSCHK DD statement (as shown below) are
DSNAME and DISP.

If a checkpoint is taken in a job that is running when V=R is specified, the job
cannot be restarted until adequate nonpageable dynamic storage becomes
available.
//J3412 JOB 386,SMITH,MSGLEVEL=1,RD=R,
// RESTART=(*,C0000002)
//SYSCHK DD DSNAME=C91468,DISP=OLD
//S1 EXEC PGM=MYPROG
//INDATA DD DSNAME=INVENT,UNIT=TAPE,DISP=OLD,
// VOLUME=SER=91468,LABEL=RETPD=14
//REPORT DD SYSOUT=A
//WORK DD DSNAME=T91468,DISP=(,,KEEP),
// UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(3000,(5000,500)),
// VOLUME=(PRIVATE,RETAIN,,6)
//DDCKPNT DD UNIT=TAPE,DISP=(MOD,KEEP,CATLG),
// DSNAME=C91468,LABEL=(,NL)

552 Programming Guide

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates
With the millennium language extensions, you can make simple changes in your
COBOL programs to define date fields. The compiler recognizes and acts on these
dates by using a century window to ensure consistency. Use the following steps to
implement automatic date recognition in a COBOL program:
1. Add the DATE FORMAT clause to the data description entries of the data items in
the program that contain dates. You must identify all dates with DATE FORMAT
clauses, even those that are not used in comparisons.
2. To expand dates, use MOVE or COMPUTE statements to copy the contents of
windowed date fields to expanded date fields.
3. If necessary, use the DATEVAL and UNDATE intrinsic functions to convert between
date fields and nondates.
4. Use the YEARWINDOW compiler option to set the century window as either a fixed
window or a sliding window.
5. Compile the program with the DATEPROC(FLAG) compiler option, and review the
diagnostic messages to see if date processing has produced any unexpected
side effects.
6. When the compilation has only information-level diagnostic messages, you can
recompile the program with the DATEPROC(NOFLAG) compiler option to produce
a clean listing.

You can use certain programming techniques to take advantage of date processing
and control the effects of using date fields such as when comparing dates, sorting
and merging by date, and performing arithmetic operations involving dates. The
millennium language extensions support year-first, year-only, and year-last date
fields for the most common operations on date fields: comparisons, moving and
storing, and incrementing and decrementing.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Millennium language extensions (MLE)” on page 554

RELATED TASKS
“Resolving date-related logic problems” on page 555
“Using year-first, year-only, and year-last date fields” on page 560
“Manipulating literals as dates” on page 563
“Setting triggers and limits” on page 565
“Sorting and merging by date” on page 567
“Performing arithmetic on date fields” on page 569
“Controlling date processing explicitly” on page 571
“Analyzing and avoiding date-related diagnostic messages” on page 572
“Avoiding problems in processing dates” on page 574

RELATED REFERENCES
DATE FORMAT clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
“DATEPROC” on page 278
“YEARWINDOW” on page 315

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 553

Millennium language extensions (MLE)
The term millennium language extensions refers to the features of Enterprise COBOL
that the DATEPROC compiler option activates to help with logic problems involving
twenty-first century dates.

When enabled, the extensions include:

v The DATE FORMAT clause. Add this clause to items in the DATA DIVISION to
identify date fields and to specify the location of the year component within the
date.
v The reinterpretation of the function return value as a date field, for the following
intrinsic functions:
DATE-OF-INTEGER
DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD
DAY-OF-INTEGER
DAY-TO-YYYYDDD
YEAR-TO-YYYY
v The reinterpretation as a date field of the conceptual data items DATE, DATE
YYYYMMDD, DAY, and DAY YYYYDDD in the following forms of the ACCEPT statement:
ACCEPT identifier FROM DATE
ACCEPT identifier FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
ACCEPT identifier FROM DAY
ACCEPT identifier FROM DAY YYYYDDD
v The intrinsic functions UNDATE and DATEVAL, used for selective reinterpretation of
date fields and nondates.
v The intrinsic function YEARWINDOW, which retrieves the starting year of the
century window set by the YEARWINDOW compiler option.

The DATEPROC compiler option enables special date-oriented processing of identified

date fields. The YEARWINDOW compiler option specifies the 100-year window (the
century window) to use for interpreting two-digit windowed years.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Principles and objectives of these extensions”

RELATED REFERENCES
“DATEPROC” on page 278
“YEARWINDOW” on page 315

Principles and objectives of these extensions

To gain the most benefit from the millennium language extensions, you need to
understand the reasons for their introduction into the COBOL language.

The millennium language extensions focus on a few key principles:

v Programs to be recompiled with date semantics are fully tested and valuable
assets of the enterprise. Their only relevant limitation is that two-digit years in
the programs are restricted to the range 1900-1999.
v No special processing is done for the nonyear part of dates. That is why the
nonyear part of the supported date formats is denoted by Xs. To do otherwise
might change the meaning of existing programs. The only date-sensitive
semantics that are provided involve automatically expanding (and contracting)
the two-digit year part of dates with respect to the century window for the
program.

554 Programming Guide

 v Dates with four-digit year parts are generally of interest only when used in
combination with windowed dates. Otherwise there is little difference between
four-digit year dates and nondates.

Based on these principles, the millennium language extensions are designed to

meet several objectives. You should evaluate the objectives that you need to meet
in order to resolve your date-processing problems, and compare them with the
objectives of the millennium language extensions, to determine how your
application can benefit from them. You should not consider using the extensions in
new applications or in enhancements to existing applications, unless the
applications are using old data that cannot be expanded until later.

The objectives of the millennium language extensions are as follows:

v Extend the useful life of your application programs as they are currently
specified.
v Keep source changes to a minimum, preferably limited to augmenting the
declarations of date fields in the DATA DIVISION. To implement the century
window solution, you should not need to change the program logic in the
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
v Preserve the existing semantics of the programs when adding date fields. For
example, when a date is expressed as a literal, as in the following statement, the
literal is considered to be compatible (windowed or expanded) with the date
field to which it is compared:
If Expiry-Date Greater Than 980101 . . .
Because the existing program assumes that two-digit-year dates expressed as
literals are in the range 1900-1999, the extensions do not change this assumption.
v The windowing feature is not intended for long-term use. It can extend the
useful life of applications as a start toward a long-term solution that can be
implemented later.
v The expanded date field feature is intended for long-term use, as an aid for
expanding date fields in files and databases.

The extensions do not provide fully specified or complete date-oriented data types,
with semantics that recognize, for example, the month and day parts of Gregorian
dates. They do, however, provide special semantics for the year part of dates.

Resolving date-related logic problems

You can adopt any of three approaches to assist with date-processing problems:
Century window
You define a century window and specify the fields that contain windowed
dates. The compiler then interprets the two-digit years in these data fields
according to the century window.
Internal bridging
If your files and databases have not yet been converted to four-digit-year
dates, but you prefer to use four-digit expanded-year logic in your
programs, you can use an internal bridging technique to process the dates
as four-digit-year dates.
Full field expansion
This solution involves explicitly expanding two-digit-year date fields to
contain full four-digit years in your files and databases and then using
these fields in expanded form in your programs. This is the only method
that assures reliable date processing for all applications.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 555

 You can use the millennium language extensions with each approach to achieve a
solution, but each has advantages and disadvantages, as shown below.
Table 83. Advantages and disadvantages of Year 2000 solutions
Aspect Century window Internal bridging Full field expansion
Implementation Fast and easy but Some risk of Must ensure that changes
might not suit all corrupting data to databases, copybooks,
applications and programs are
synchronized
Testing Less testing is Testing is easy
required because no because changes to
changes to program program logic are
logic straightforward
Duration of fix Programs can Programs can Permanent solution
function beyond function beyond
2000, but not a 2000, but not a
long-term solution permanent solution
Performance Might degrade Good performance Best performance
performance
Maintenance Maintenance is easier.

“Example: century window” on page 557

“Example: internal bridging” on page 558
“Example: converting files to expanded date form” on page 559

RELATED TASKS
“Using a century window”
“Using internal bridging” on page 557
“Moving to full field expansion” on page 558

Using a century window

A century window is a 100-year interval, such as 1950-2049, within which any
two-digit year is unique. For windowed date fields, you specify the century
window start date by using the YEARWINDOW compiler option. When the DATEPROC
option is in effect, the compiler applies this window to two-digit date fields in the
program. For example, with a century window of 1930-2029, COBOL interprets
two-digit years as follows:
v Year values from 00 through 29 are interpreted as years 2000-2029.
v Year values from 30 through 99 are interpreted as years 1930-1999.

To implement this century window, you use the DATE FORMAT clause to identify the
date fields in your program and use the YEARWINDOW compiler option to define the
century window as either a fixed window or a sliding window:
v For a fixed window, specify a four-digit year between 1900 and 1999 as the
YEARWINDOW option value. For example, YEARWINDOW(1950) defines a fixed window
of 1950-2049.
v For a sliding window, specify a negative integer from -1 through -99 as the
YEARWINDOW option value. For example, YEARWINDOW(-50) defines a sliding
window that starts 50 years before the year in which the program is running. So
if the program is running in 2003, the century window is 1953-2052, and in 2004
it automatically becomes 1954-2053, and so on.

556 Programming Guide

 The compiler then automatically applies the century window to operations on the
date fields that you have identified. You do not need any extra program logic to
implement the windowing.

“Example: century window”

Example: century window

The following example shows (in bold) how to modify a program to use the
automatic date windowing capability. The program checks whether a video tape
was returned on time:
CBL LIB,QUOTE,NOOPT,DATEPROC(FLAG),YEARWINDOW(-60)
. . .
01 Loan-Record.
05 Member-Number Pic X(8).
05 Tape-ID Pic X(8).
05 Date-Due-Back Pic X(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
05 Date-Returned Pic X(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If Date-Returned > Date-Due-Back Then
Perform Fine-Member.

In this example, there are no changes to the PROCEDURE DIVISION. The addition of
the DATE FORMAT clause on the two date fields means that the compiler recognizes
them as windowed date fields, and therefore applies the century window when
processing the IF statement. For example, if Date-Due-Back contains 000102
(January 2, 2000) and Date-Returned contains 991231 (December 31, 1999),
Date-Returned is less than (earlier than) Date-Due-Back, so the program does not
perform the Fine-Member paragraph.

Using internal bridging

For internal bridging, you can structure your program as follows:
1. Read the input files with two-digit-year dates.
2. Declare these two-digit dates as windowed date fields and move them to
expanded date fields, so that the compiler automatically expands them to
four-digit-year dates.
3. In the main body of the program, use the four-digit-year dates for all date
processing.
4. Window the dates back to two-digit years.
5. Write the two-digit-year dates to the output files.

This process provides a convenient migration path to a full expanded-date

solution, and can have performance advantages over using windowed dates.

When you use this technique, your changes to the program logic are minimal. You
simply add statements to expand and contract the dates, and change the
statements that refer to dates to use the four-digit-year date fields in
WORKING-STORAGE instead of the two-digit-year fields in the records.

Because you are converting the dates back to two-digit years for output, you
should allow for the possibility that the year is outside the century window. For
example, if a date field contains the year 2020, but the century window is
1920-2019, then the date is outside the window, and simply moving it to a
two-digit-year field will be incorrect. To protect against this problem, you can use a
COMPUTE statement to store the date, with the ON SIZE ERROR phrase to detect
whether or not the date is within the century window.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 557

 “Example: internal bridging”

RELATED TASKS
“Using a century window” on page 556
“Performing arithmetic on date fields” on page 569
“Moving to full field expansion”

Example: internal bridging

The following example shows (in bold) how a program can be changed to
implement internal bridging:
CBL DATEPROC(FLAG),YEARWINDOW(-60)
. . .
File Section.
FD Customer-File.
01 Cust-Record.
05 Cust-Number Pic 9(9) Binary.
. . .
05 Cust-Date Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
Working-Storage Section.
77 Exp-Cust-Date Pic 9(8) Date Format yyyyxxxx.
. . .
Procedure Division.
Open I-O Customer-File.
Read Customer-File.
Move Cust-Date to Exp-Cust-Date.
. . .
*=====================================================*
* Use expanded date in the rest of the program logic *
*=====================================================*
. . .
Compute Cust-Date = Exp-Cust-Date
On Size Error Display “Exp-Cust-Date outside
century window”
End-Compute
Rewrite Cust-Record.

Moving to full field expansion

Using the millennium language extensions, you can move gradually toward a
solution that fully expands the date field:
1. Apply the century window solution, and use this solution until you have the
resources to implement a more permanent solution.
2. Apply the internal bridging solution. This way you can use expanded dates in
your programs while your files continue to hold dates in two-digit-year form.
You can progress more easily to a full-field-expansion solution, because there
will be no further changes to the logic in the main body of the programs.
3. Change the file layouts and database definitions to use four-digit-year dates.
4. Change your COBOL copybooks to reflect these four-digit-year date fields.
5. Run a utility program (or special-purpose COBOL program) to copy files from
the old format to the new format.
6. Recompile your programs and do regression testing and date testing.

After you have completed the first two steps, you can repeat the remaining steps
any number of times. You do not need to change every date field in every file at
the same time. Using this method, you can select files for progressive conversion
based on criteria such as business needs or interfaces with other applications.

When you use this method, you need to write special-purpose programs to convert
your files to expanded-date form.

558 Programming Guide

“Example: converting files to expanded date form”

Example: converting files to expanded date form

The following example shows a simple program that copies from one file to
another while expanding the date fields. The record length of the output file is
larger than that of the input file because the dates are expanded.
CBL LIB,QUOTE,NOOPT,DATEPROC(FLAG),YEARWINDOW(-80)
************************************************
** CONVERT - Read a file, convert the date **
** fields to expanded form, write **
** the expanded records to a new **
** file. **
************************************************
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. CONVERT.

ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.

INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
FILE-CONTROL.
SELECT INPUT-FILE
ASSIGN TO INFILE
FILE STATUS IS INPUT-FILE-STATUS.

SELECT OUTPUT-FILE
ASSIGN TO OUTFILE
FILE STATUS IS OUTPUT-FILE-STATUS.

DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD INPUT-FILE
RECORDING MODE IS F.
01 INPUT-RECORD.
03 CUST-NAME.
05 FIRST-NAME PIC X(10).
05 LAST-NAME PIC X(15).
03 ACCOUNT-NUM PIC 9(8).
03 DUE-DATE PIC X(6) DATE FORMAT YYXXXX. (1)
03 REMINDER-DATE PIC X(6) DATE FORMAT YYXXXX.
03 DUE-AMOUNT PIC S9(5)V99 COMP-3.

FD OUTPUT-FILE
RECORDING MODE IS F.
01 OUTPUT-RECORD.
03 CUST-NAME.
05 FIRST-NAME PIC X(10).
05 LAST-NAME PIC X(15).
03 ACCOUNT-NUM PIC 9(8).
03 DUE-DATE PIC X(8) DATE FORMAT YYYYXXXX. (2)
03 REMINDER-DATE PIC X(8) DATE FORMAT YYYYXXXX.
03 DUE-AMOUNT PIC S9(5)V99 COMP-3.

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.

01 INPUT-FILE-STATUS PIC 99.

01 OUTPUT-FILE-STATUS PIC 99.

PROCEDURE DIVISION.

OPEN INPUT INPUT-FILE.

OPEN OUTPUT OUTPUT-FILE.

READ-RECORD.
READ INPUT-FILE
AT END GO TO CLOSE-FILES.
MOVE CORRESPONDING INPUT-RECORD TO OUTPUT-RECORD. (3)

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 559

 WRITE OUTPUT-RECORD.

GO TO READ-RECORD.

CLOSE-FILES.
CLOSE INPUT-FILE.
CLOSE OUTPUT-FILE.

EXIT PROGRAM.

END PROGRAM CONVERT.

Notes
(1) The fields DUE-DATE and REMINDER-DATE in the input record are both
Gregorian dates with two-digit-year components. They are defined with a
DATE FORMAT clause in this program so that the compiler will recognize
them as windowed date fields.
(2) The output record contains the same two fields in expanded date format.
They are defined with a DATE FORMAT clause so that the compiler will treat
them as four-digit-year date fields.
(3) The MOVE CORRESPONDING statement moves each item in INPUT-RECORD
individually to its matching item in OUTPUT-RECORD. When the two
windowed date fields are moved to the corresponding expanded date
fields, the compiler will expand the year values using the current century
window.

Using year-first, year-only, and year-last date fields

A year-first date field is a date field whose DATE FORMAT specification consists of YY
or YYYY, followed by one or more Xs. The date format of a year-only date field has
just the YY or YYYY. When you compare two date fields of either of these types, the
two dates must be compatible; that is, they must have the same number of
nonyear characters. The number of digits for the year component need not be the
same.

A year-last date field is a date field whose DATE FORMAT clause specifies one or more
Xs preceding the YY or YYYY. Such date formats are commonly used to display
dates, but are less useful computationally, because the year, which is the most
significant part of the date, is in the least significant position of the date
representation.

If your version of DFSORT (or equivalent) has the appropriate capabilities,

year-last dates are supported as windowed keys in SORT or MERGE statements. Apart
from sort and merge operations, functional support for year-last date fields is
limited to equal or unequal comparisons and certain kinds of assignment. The
operands must be either dates with identical (year-last) date formats, or a date and
a nondate. The compiler does not provide automatic windowing for operations on
year-last dates. When an unsupported usage (such as arithmetic on year-last dates)
occurs, the compiler provides an error-level message.

If you need more general date-processing capability for year-last dates, you should
isolate and operate on the year part of the date.

“Example: comparing year-first date fields” on page 562

560 Programming Guide

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Compatible dates”

RELATED TASKS
“Sorting and merging by date” on page 567
“Using other date formats” on page 562

Compatible dates
The meaning of the term compatible dates depends on the COBOL division in which
the usage occurs, as follows:
v The DATA DIVISION usage deals with the declaration of date fields, and the rules
governing COBOL language elements such as subordinate data items and the
REDEFINES clause. In the following example, Review-Date and Review-Year are
compatible because Review-Year can be declared as a subordinate data item to
Review-Date:
01 Review-Record.
03 Review-Date Date Format yyxxxx.
05 Review-Year Pic XX Date Format yy.
05 Review-M-D Pic XXXX.
v The PROCEDURE DIVISION usage deals with how date fields can be used together
in operations such as comparisons, moves, and arithmetic expressions. For
year-first and year-only date fields, to be considered compatible, date fields must
have the same number of nonyear characters. For example, a field with DATE
FORMAT YYXXXX is compatible with another field that has the same date format,
and with a YYYYXXXX field, but not with a YYXXX field.
Year-last date fields must have identical DATE FORMAT clauses. In particular,
operations between windowed date fields and expanded year-last date fields are
not allowed. For example, you can move a date field with a date format of
XXXXYY to another XXXXYY date field, but not to a date field with a format of
XXXXYYYY.

You can perform operations on date fields, or on a combination of date fields and
nondates, provided that the date fields in the operation are compatible. For
example, assume the following definitions:
01 Date-Gregorian-Win Pic 9(6) Packed-Decimal Date Format yyxxxx.
01 Date-Julian-Win Pic 9(5) Packed-Decimal Date Format yyxxx.
01 Date-Gregorian-Exp Pic 9(8) Packed-Decimal Date Format yyyyxxxx.

The following statement is inconsistent because the number of nonyear digits is

different between the two fields:
If Date-Gregorian-Win Less than Date-Julian-Win . . .

The following statement is accepted because the number of nonyear digits is the
same for both fields:
If Date-Gregorian-Win Less than Date-Gregorian-Exp . . .

In this case the century window is applied to the windowed date field
(Date-Gregorian-Win) to ensure that the comparison is meaningful.

When a nondate is used in conjunction with a date field, the nondate either is
assumed to be compatible with the date field or is treated as a simple numeric
value.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 561

 Example: comparing year-first date fields
In this example, a windowed date field is compared with an expanded date field,
so the century window is applied to Date-Due-Back:
77 Todays-Date Pic X(8) Date Format yyyyxxxx.
01 Loan-Record.
05 Date-Due-Back Pic X(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If Date-Due-Back > Todays-Date Then . . .

Todays-Date must have a DATE FORMAT clause in this case to define it as an

expanded date field. If it did not, it would be treated as a nondate field, and
would therefore be considered to have the same number of year digits as
Date-Due-Back. The compiler would apply the assumed century window of
1900-1999, which would create an inconsistent comparison.

Using other date formats

To be eligible for automatic windowing, a date field should contain a two-digit
year as the first or only part of the field. The remainder of the field, if present,
must be between one and four characters, but its content is not important. For
example, it can contain a three-digit Julian day, or a two-character identifier of
some event specific to the enterprise.

If there are date fields in your application that do not fit these criteria, you might
have to make some code changes to define just the year part of the date as a date
field with the DATE FORMAT clause. Some examples of these types of date formats
are:
v A seven-character field consisting of a two-digit year, three characters containing
an abbreviation of the month and two digits for the day of the month. This
format is not supported because date fields can have only one through four
nonyear characters.
v A Gregorian date of the form DDMMYY. Automatic windowing is not provided
because the year component is not the first part of the date. Year-last dates such
as these are fully supported as windowed keys in SORT or MERGE statements, and
are also supported in a limited number of other COBOL operations.

If you need to use date windowing in cases like these, you will need to add some
code to isolate the year portion of the date.

“Example: isolating the year”

Example: isolating the year

In the following example, the two date fields contain dates of the form DDMMYY:
03 Last-Review-Date Pic 9(6).
03 Next-Review-Date Pic 9(6).
. . .
Add 1 to Last-Review-Date Giving Next-Review-Date.

In this example, if Last-Review-Date contains 230197 (January 23, 1997), then

Next-Review-Date will contain 230198 (January 23, 1998) after the ADD statement is
executed. This is a simple method for setting the next date for an annual review.
However, if Last-Review-Date contains 230199, then adding 1 gives 230200, which
is not the desired result.

Because the year is not the first part of these date fields, the DATE FORMAT clause
cannot be applied without some code to isolate the year component. In the next

562 Programming Guide

 example, the year component of both date fields has been isolated so that COBOL
can apply the century window and maintain consistent results:
03 Last-Review-Date Date Format xxxxyy.
05 Last-R-DDMM Pic 9(4).
05 Last-R-YY Pic 99 Date Format yy.
03 Next-Review-Date Date Format xxxxyy.
05 Next-R-DDMM Pic 9(4).
05 Next-R-YY Pic 99 Date Format yy.
. . .
Move Last-R-DDMM to Next-R-DDMM.
Add 1 to Last-R-YY Giving Next-R-YY.

Manipulating literals as dates

If a windowed date field has an 88-level condition-name associated with it, the
literal in the VALUE clause is windowed against the century window for the compile
unit rather than against the assumed century window of 1900-1999.

For example, suppose you have these data definitions:

05 Date-Due Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
88 Date-Target Value 051220.

If the century window is 1950-2049 and the contents of Date-Due is 051220

(representing December 20, 2005), then the first condition below evaluates to true,
but the second condition evaluates to false:
If Date-Target
If Date-Due = 051220

The literal 051220 is treated as a nondate, and therefore it is windowed against the
assumed century window of 1900-1999 to represent December 20, 1905. But where
the same literal is specified in the VALUE clause of an 88-level condition-name, the
literal becomes part of the data item to which it is attached. Because this data item
is a windowed date field, the century window is applied whenever it is referenced.

You can also use the DATEVAL intrinsic function in a comparison expression to
convert a literal to a date field, and the output from the intrinsic function will then
be treated as either a windowed date field or an expanded date field to ensure a
consistent comparison. For example, using the above definitions, both of these
conditions evaluate to true:
If Date-Due = Function DATEVAL (051220 “YYXXXX”)
If Date-Due = Function DATEVAL (20051220 “YYYYXXXX”)

With a level-88 condition-name, you can specify the THRU option on the VALUE
clause, but you must specify a fixed century window on the YEARWINDOW compiler
option rather than a sliding window. For example:
05 Year-Field Pic 99 Date Format yy.
88 In-Range Value 98 Thru 06.

With this form, the windowed value of the second item must be greater than the
windowed value of the first item. However, the compiler can verify this difference
only if the YEARWINDOW compiler option specifies a fixed century window (for
example, YEARWINDOW(1940) rather than YEARWINDOW(-60).

The windowed order requirement does not apply to year-last date fields. If you
specify a condition-name VALUE clause with the THROUGH phrase for a year-last date
field, the two literals must follow normal COBOL rules. That is, the first literal
must be less than the second literal.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 563

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Assumed century window”
“Treatment of nondates” on page 565

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling date processing explicitly” on page 571

Assumed century window

When a program uses windowed date fields, the compiler applies the century
window for the compilation unit (that is, the century window defined by the
YEARWINDOW compiler option). When a windowed date field is used in conjunction
with a nondate, and the context demands that the nondate also be treated as a
windowed date, the compiler uses an assumed century window to resolve the
nondate field.

The assumed century window is 1900-1999, which typically is not the same as the
century window for the compilation unit.

In many cases, particularly for literal nondates, this assumed century window is
the correct choice. In the following construct, the literal should retain its original
meaning of January 1, 1972, and not change to 2072 if the century window is, for
example, 1975-2074:
01 Manufacturing-Record.
03 Makers-Date Pic X(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If Makers-Date Greater than “720101” . . .

Even if the assumption is correct, it is better to make the year explicit and
eliminate the warning-level diagnostic message (which results from applying the
assumed century window) by using the DATEVAL intrinsic function:
If Makers-Date Greater than
Function Dateval(“19720101” “YYYYXXXX”) . . .

In some cases, the assumption might not be correct. For the following example,
assume that Project-Controls is in a copy member that is used by other
applications that have not yet been upgraded for year 2000 processing, and
therefore Date-Target cannot have a DATE FORMAT clause:
01 Project-Controls.
03 Date-Target Pic 9(6).
. . .
01 Progress-Record.
03 Date-Complete Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If Date-Complete Less than Date-Target . . .

In the example above, the following three conditions need to be true to make
Date-Complete earlier than (less than) Date-Target:
v The century window is 1910-2009.
v Date-Complete is 991202 (Gregorian date: December 2, 1999).
v Date-Target is 000115 (Gregorian date: January 15, 2000).

However, because Date-Target does not have a DATE FORMAT clause, it is a nondate.
Therefore, the century window applied to it is the assumed century window of
1900-1999, and it is processed as January 15, 1900. So Date-Complete will be greater
than Date-Target, which is not the desired result.

564 Programming Guide

 In this case, you should use the DATEVAL intrinsic function to convert Date-Target
to a date field for this comparison. For example:
If Date-Complete Less than
Function Dateval (Date-Target “YYXXXX”) . . .

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling date processing explicitly” on page 571

Treatment of nondates
The simplest kind of nondate is a literal value. The following items are also
nondates:
v A data item whose data description does not include a DATE FORMAT clause.
v The results (intermediate or final) of some arithmetic expressions. For example,
the difference of two date fields is a nondate, whereas the sum of a date field
and a nondate is a date field.
v The output from the UNDATE intrinsic function.

When you use a nondate in conjunction with a date field, the compiler interprets
the nondate either as a date whose format is compatible with the date field or as a
simple numeric value. This interpretation depends on the context in which the date
field and nondate are used, as follows:
v Comparison
When a date field is compared with a nondate, the nondate is considered to be
compatible with the date field in the number of year and nonyear characters. In
the following example, the nondate literal 971231 is compared with a windowed
date field:
01 Date-1 Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If Date-1 Greater than 971231 . . .
The nondate literal 971231 is treated as if it had the same DATE FORMAT as Date-1,
but with a base year of 1900.
v Arithmetic operations
In all supported arithmetic operations, nondate fields are treated as simple
numeric values. In the following example, the numeric value 10000 is added to
the Gregorian date in Date-2, effectively adding one year to the date:
01 Date-2 Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
Add 10000 to Date-2.
v MOVE statement
Moving a date field to a nondate is not supported. However, you can use the
UNDATE intrinsic function to do this.
When you move a nondate to a date field, the sending field is assumed to be
compatible with the receiving field in the number of year and nonyear
characters. For example, when you move a nondate to a windowed date field,
the nondate field is assumed to contain a compatible date with a two-digit year.

Setting triggers and limits

Triggers and limits are special values that never match valid dates because either
the value is nonnumeric or the nonyear part of the value cannot occur in an actual
date. Triggers and limits are recognized in date fields and also in nondates used in
combination with date fields.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 565

 Type of field Special value
Alphanumeric windowed date or year fields HIGH-VALUE, LOW-VALUE, and SPACE
Alphanumeric and numeric windowed date All nines or all zeros
fields with at least one X in the DATE FORMAT
clause (that is, date fields other than just a
year)

The difference between a trigger and a limit is not in the particular value, but in
the way it is used. You can use any of the special values as either a trigger or a
limit.

When used as triggers, special values can indicate a specific condition such as
“date not initialized” or “account past due.” When used as limits, special values
are intended to act as dates earlier or later than any valid date. LOW-VALUE, SPACE
and zeros are lower limits; HIGH-VALUE and nines are upper limits.

You activate trigger and limit support by specifying the TRIG suboption of the
DATEPROC compiler option. If the DATEPROC(TRIG) compiler option is in effect,
automatic expansion of windowed date fields (before their use as operands in
comparisons, arithmetic, and so on) is sensitive to these special values.

The DATEPROC(TRIG) option results in slower performing code when comparing

windowed dates. The DATEPROC(NOTRIG) option is a performance option that
assumes valid date values in all windowed date fields.

When an actual or assumed windowed date field contains a trigger, the compiler
expands the trigger as if the trigger value were propagated to the century part of
the expanded date result, rather than inferring 19 or 20 as the century value as in
normal windowing. In this way, your application can test for special values or use
them as upper or lower date limits. Specifying DATEPROC(TRIG) also enables SORT
and MERGE statement support of the DFSORT special indicators, which correspond
to triggers and limits.

“Example: using limits”

RELATED TASKS
“Using sign conditions” on page 567

Example: using limits

Suppose that your application checks subscriptions for expiration, but you want
some subscriptions to last indefinitely. You can use the expiration date field to hold
either normal expiration dates or a high limit for the “everlasting” subscription.
For example, consider the following code fragment:
Process DateProc(Flag,Trig). . .
. . .
01 SubscriptionRecord.
. . .
03 ExpirationDate PIC 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
77 TodaysDate Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If TodaysDate >= ExpirationDate
Perform SubscriptionExpired

Suppose that you have the following values:

566 Programming Guide

 v Today’s date is January 4, 2000, represented in TodaysDate as 000104.
v One subscription record has a normal expiration date of December 31, 1999,
represented as 991232.
v The special subscription expiration date is coded as 999999.

Because both dates are windowed, the first subscription is tested as if 20000104
were compared with 19991231, and so the test succeeds. However, when the
compiler detects the special value, it uses trigger expansion instead of windowing.
Therefore, the test proceeds as if 20000104 were compared with 99999999, and it
fails and will always fail.

Using sign conditions

Some applications use special values such as zeros in date fields to act as a trigger,
that is, to signify that some special processing is required. For example, in an
Orders file, a value of zero in Order-Date might signify that the record is a
customer totals record rather than an order record. The program compares the date
to zero, as follows:
01 Order-Record.
05 Order-Date Pic S9(5) Comp-3 Date Format yyxxx.
. . .
If Order-Date Equal Zero Then . . .

However, if you are compiling with the NOTRIG suboption of the DATEPROC compiler
option, this comparison is not valid because the literal value Zero is a nondate, and
is therefore windowed against the assumed century window to give a value of
1900000.

Alternatively, or if compiling on the Windows or AIX workstation, you can use a

sign condition instead of a literal comparison as follows:
If Order-Date Is Zero Then . . .

With a sign condition, Order-Date is treated as a nondate, and the century window
is not considered.

This approach applies only if the operand in the sign condition is a simple
identifier rather than an arithmetic expression. If an expression is specified, the
expression is evaluated first, with the century window being applied where
appropriate. The sign condition is then compared with the results of the
expression.

You could use the UNDATE intrinsic function instead or the TRIG suboption of the
DATEPROC compiler option to achieve the same result.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Treatment of nondates” on page 565

RELATED TASKS
“Setting triggers and limits” on page 565
“Controlling date processing explicitly” on page 571

Sorting and merging by date

DFSORT is the IBM licensed program for sorting and merging. Wherever DFSORT
is mentioned here, you can use any equivalent product.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 567

 If your sort product supports the Y2PAST option and the windowed year identifiers
(Y2B, Y2C, Y2D, Y2S, and Y2Z), you can perform sort and merge operations using
windowed date fields as sort keys. Virtually all date fields that can be specified
with a DATE FORMAT clause are supported, including binary year fields and year-last
date fields. The fields will be sorted in windowed year sequence, according to the
century window that you specify in the YEARWINDOW compiler option.

If your sort product also supports the date field identifiers Y2T, Y2U, Y2W, Y2X, and
Y2Y, you can use the TRIG suboption of the DATEPROC compiler option. (Support for
these date field identifiers was added to DFSORT through APAR PQ19684.)

The special indicators that DFSORT recognizes match exactly those supported by
COBOL: LOW-VALUE, HIGH-VALUE, and SPACE for alphanumeric date or year fields,
and all zeros and all nines for numeric and alphanumeric date fields with at least
one nonyear digit.

“Example: sorting by date and time”

RELATED TASKS
OPTION control statement (Y2PAST) (DFSORT Application Programming Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
“DATEPROC” on page 278
“YEARWINDOW” on page 315

Example: sorting by date and time

The following example shows a transaction file, with the transaction records sorted
by date and time within account number. The field Trans-Date is a windowed
Julian date field.
SD Transaction-File
Record Contains 29 Characters
Data Record is Transaction-Record

01 Transaction-Record.
05 Trans-Account PIC 9(8).
05 Trans-Type PIC X.
05 Trans-Date PIC 9(5) Date Format yyxxx.
05 Trans-Time PIC 9(6).
05 Trans-Amount PIC 9(7)V99.
. . .
Sort Transaction-File
On Ascending Key Trans-Account
Trans-Date
Trans-Time
Using Input-File
Giving Sorted-File.

COBOL passes the relevant information to DFSORT for it to perform the sort. In
addition to the information COBOL always passes to DFSORT, COBOL also passes
the following information:
v Century window as the Y2PAST sort option
v Windowed year field and date format of Trans-Date.

DFSORT uses this information to perform the sort.

568 Programming Guide

Performing arithmetic on date fields
You can perform arithmetic operations on numeric date fields in the same manner
as any numeric data item, and, where appropriate, the century window will be
used in the calculation. However, there are some restrictions on where date fields
can be used in arithmetic expressions and arithmetic statements.

Arithmetic operations that include date fields are restricted to:

v Adding a nondate to a date field
v Subtracting a nondate from a date field
v Subtracting a date field from a compatible date field to give a nondate result

The following arithmetic operations are not allowed:

v Any operation between incompatible date fields
v Adding two date fields
v Subtracting a date field from a nondate
v Unary minus, applied to a date field
v Multiplication, division, or exponentiation of or by a date field
v Arithmetic expressions that specify a year-last date field
v Arithmetic expressions that specify a year-last date field, except as a receiving
data item when the sending field is a nondate

Date semantics are provided for the year parts of date fields but not for the
nonyear parts. For example, adding 1 to a windowed Gregorian date field that
contains the value 980831 gives a result of 980832, not 980901.

Allowing for overflow from windowed date fields

A (nonyear-last) windowed date field that participates in an arithmetic operation is
processed as if the value of the year component of the field were first incremented
by 1900 or 2000, depending on the century window. For example:
01 Review-Record.
03 Last-Review-Year Pic 99 Date Format yy.
03 Next-Review-Year Pic 99 Date Format yy.
. . .
Add 10 to Last-Review-Year Giving Next-Review-Year.

If the century window is 1910-2009, and the value of Last-Review-Year is 98, then
the computation proceeds as if Last-Review-Year is first incremented by 1900 to
give 1998. Then the ADD operation is performed, giving a result of 2008. This result
is stored in Next-Review-Year as 08.

However, the following statement would give a result of 2018:

Add 20 to Last-Review-Year Giving Next-Review-Year.

This result falls outside the range of the century window. If the result is stored in
Next-Review-Year, it will be incorrect because later references to Next-Review-Year
will interpret it as 1918. In this case, the result of the operation depends on
whether the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is specified on the ADD statement:
v If SIZE ERROR is specified, the receiving field is not changed, and the SIZE ERROR
imperative statement is executed.
v If SIZE ERROR is not specified, the result is stored in the receiving field with the
left-hand digits truncated.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 569

 This consideration is important when you use internal bridging. When you
contract a four-digit-year date field back to two digits to write it to the output file,
you need to ensure that the date falls within the century window. Then the
two-digit-year date will be represented correctly in the field.

To ensure appropriate calculations, use a COMPUTE statement to do the contraction,

with a SIZE ERROR phrase to handle the out-of-window condition. For example:
Compute Output-Date-YY = Work-Date-YYYY
On Size Error Perform CenturyWindowOverflow.

SIZE ERROR processing for windowed date receivers recognizes any year value that
falls outside the century window. That is, a year value less than the starting year of
the century window raises the SIZE ERROR condition, as does a year value greater
than the ending year of the century window.

If the DATEPROC(TRIG) compiler option is in effect, trigger values of zeros or nines

in the result also cause the SIZE ERROR condition, even though the year part of the
result (00 or 99, respectively) falls within the century window.

Specifying the order of evaluation

Because of the restrictions on date fields in arithmetic expressions, you might find
that programs that previously compiled successfully now produce diagnostic
messages when some of the data items are changed to date fields.

Consider the following example:

01 Dates-Record.
03 Start-Year-1 Pic 99 Date Format yy.
03 End-Year-1 Pic 99 Date Format yy.
03 Start-Year-2 Pic 99 Date Format yy.
03 End-Year-2 Pic 99 Date Format yy.
. . .
Compute End-Year-2 = Start-Year-2 + End-Year-1 - Start-Year-1.

In this example, the first arithmetic expression evaluated is:

Start-Year-2 + End-Year-1

However, the addition of two date fields is not permitted. To resolve these date
fields, you should use parentheses to isolate the parts of the arithmetic expression
that are allowed. For example:
Compute End-Year-2 = Start-Year-2 + (End-Year-1 - Start-Year-1).

In this case, the first arithmetic expression evaluated is:

End-Year-1 - Start-Year-1

The subtraction of one date field from another is permitted and gives a nondate
result. This nondate result is then added to the date field End-Year-1, giving a date
field result that is stored in End-Year-2.

RELATED TASKS
“Using internal bridging” on page 557

570 Programming Guide

Controlling date processing explicitly
There might be times when you want COBOL data items to be treated as date
fields only under certain conditions, or only in specific parts of the program. Or
your application might contain two-digit-year date fields that cannot be declared
as windowed date fields because of some interaction with another software
product. For example, if a date field is used in a context where it is recognized
only by its true binary contents without further interpretation, the date in this field
cannot be windowed. Such date fields include:
v A key on a VSAM file
v A search field in a database system such as DB2
v A key field in a CICS command

Conversely, there might be times when you want a date field to be treated as a
nondate in specific parts of the program.

COBOL provides two intrinsic functions to deal with these conditions:

DATEVAL
Converts a nondate to a date field
UNDATE Converts a date field to a nondate

Using DATEVAL
You can use the DATEVAL intrinsic function to convert a nondate to a date field, so
that COBOL will apply the relevant date processing to the field. The first argument
in the function is the nondate to be converted, and the second argument specifies
the date format. The second argument is a literal string with a specification similar
to that of the date pattern in the DATE FORMAT clause.

In most cases, the compiler makes the correct assumption about the interpretation
of a nondate, but accompanies this assumption with a warning-level diagnostic
message. This message typically happens when a windowed date is compared
with a literal:
03 When-Made Pic x(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
. . .
If When-Made = “850701” Perform Warranty-Check.

The literal is assumed to be a compatible windowed date but with a century

window of 1900-1999, thus representing July 15, 1985. You can use the DATEVAL
intrinsic function to make the year of the literal date explicit and eliminate the
warning message:
If When-Made = Function Dateval(“19850701” “YYYYXXXX”)
Perform Warranty-Check.

“Example: DATEVAL” on page 572

Using UNDATE
The UNDATE intrinsic function converts a date field to a nondate, so that it can be
referenced without any date processing.

Attention: Avoid using UNDATE except as a last resort, because the compiler will
lose the flow of date fields in your program. This problem could result in date
comparisons not being windowed properly. Use more DATE FORMAT clauses instead
of function UNDATE for MOVE and COMPUTE.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 571

 “Example: UNDATE”

Example: DATEVAL
Assume that a program contains a field Date-Copied and that this field is
referenced many times in the program, but that most of these references move it
between records or reformat it for printing. Only one reference relies on it to
contain a date, for comparison with another date.

In this case, it is better to leave the field as a nondate, and use the DATEVAL intrinsic
function in the comparison statement. For example:
03 Date-Distributed Pic 9(6) Date Format yyxxxx.
03 Date-Copied Pic 9(6).
. . .
If FUNCTION DATEVAL(Date-Copied “YYXXXX”) Less than
Date-Distributed . . .

In this example, the DATEVAL intrinsic function converts Date-Copied to a date field
so that the comparison will be meaningful.

RELATED REFERENCES
DATEVAL (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: UNDATE
In the following example, the field Invoice-Date in Invoice-Record is a windowed
Julian date. In some records, it contains a value of 00999 to indicate that this is not
a true invoice record, but a record containing file control information.

Invoice-Date has been given a DATE FORMAT clause because most of its references in
the program are date-specific. However, in the instance where it is checked for the
existence of a control record, the value of 00 in the year component will lead to
some confusion. A year of 00 in Invoice-Date will represent a year of either 1900
or 2000, depending on the century window. This is compared with a nondate (the
literal 00999 in the example), which will always be windowed against the assumed
century window and will therefore always represent the year 1900.

To ensure a consistent comparison, you should use the UNDATE intrinsic function to
convert Invoice-Date to a nondate. Therefore, if the IF statement is not comparing
date fields, it does not need to apply windowing. For example:
01 Invoice-Record.
03 Invoice-Date Pic x(5) Date Format yyxxx.
. . .
If FUNCTION UNDATE(Invoice-Date) Equal “00999” . . .

RELATED REFERENCES
UNDATE (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Analyzing and avoiding date-related diagnostic messages

When the DATEPROC(FLAG) compiler option is in effect, the compiler produces
diagnostic messages for every statement that defines or references a date field. As
with all compiler-generated messages, each date-related message has one of the
following severity levels:
v Information-level, to draw your attention to the definition or use of a date field.
v Warning-level, to indicate that the compiler has had to make an assumption
about a date field or nondate because of inadequate information coded in the

572 Programming Guide

 program, or to indicate the location of date logic that should be manually
checked for correctness. Compilation proceeds, with any assumptions continuing
to be applied.
v Error-level, to indicate that the usage of the date field is incorrect. Compilation
continues, but run-time results are unpredictable.
v Severe-level, to indicate that the usage of the date field is incorrect. The
statement that caused this error is discarded from the compilation.

The easiest way to use the MLE messages is to compile with a FLAG option setting
that embeds the messages in the source listing after the line to which the messages
refer. You can choose to see all MLE messages or just certain severities.

To see all MLE messages, specify the FLAG(I,I) and DATEPROC(FLAG) compiler
options. Initially, you might want to see all of the messages to understand how
MLE is processing the date fields in your program. For example, if you want to do
a static analysis of the date usage in a program by using the compile listing, use
FLAG (I,I).

However, it is recommended that you specify FLAG(W,W) for MLE-specific compiles.

You must resolve all severe-level (S-level) error messages, and you should resolve
all error-level (E-level) messages as well. For the warning-level (W-level) messages,
you need to examine each message and use the following guidelines to either
eliminate the message or, for unavoidable messages, ensure that the compiler
makes correct assumptions:
v The diagnostic messages might indicate some date data items that should have
had a DATE FORMAT clause. Either add DATE FORMAT clauses to these items or use
the DATEVAL intrinsic function in references to them.
v Pay particular attention to literals in relation conditions that involve date fields
or in arithmetic expressions that include date fields. You can use the DATEVAL
function on literals (as well as nondate data items) to specify a DATE FORMAT
pattern to be used. As a last resort, you can use the UNDATE function to enable a
date field to be used in a context where you do not want date-oriented behavior.
v With the REDEFINES and RENAMES clauses, the compiler might produce a
warning-level diagnostic message if a date field and a nondate occupy the same
storage location. You should check these cases carefully to confirm that all uses
of the aliased data items are correct, and that none of the perceived nondate
redefinitions actually is a date or can adversely affect the date logic in the
program.

In some cases, a the W-level message might be acceptable, but you might want to
change the code to get a compile with a return code of zero.

To avoid warning-level diagnostic messages, follow these guidelines:

v Add DATE FORMAT clauses to any data items that will contain date data, even if
they are not used in comparisons.
v Do not specify a date field in a context where a date field does not make sense,
such as a FILE STATUS, PASSWORD, ASSIGN USING, LABEL RECORD, or LINAGE item. If
you do, you will get a warning-level message and the date field will be treated
as a nondate.
v Ensure that implicit or explicit aliases for date fields are compatible, such as in a
group item that consists solely of a date field.
v Ensure that if a date field is defined with a VALUE clause, the value is compatible
with the date field definition.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 573

 v Use the DATEVAL intrinsic function if you want a nondate treated as a date field,
such as when moving a nondate to a date field or when comparing a windowed
date with a nondate and you want a windowed date comparison. If you do not
use DATEVAL, the compiler will make an assumption about the use of the nondate
and produce a warning-level diagnostic message. Even if the assumption is
correct, you might want to use DATEVAL to eliminate the message.
v Use the UNDATE intrinsic function if you want a date field treated as a nondate,
such as moving a date field to a nondate, or comparing a nondate and a
windowed date field and you do not want a windowed comparison.

RELATED TASKS
“Controlling date processing explicitly” on page 571
Analyzing date-related diagnostic messages (COBOL Millennium Language
Extensions Guide)

Avoiding problems in processing dates

When you change a COBOL program to use the millennium language extensions,
you might find that some parts of the program need special attention to resolve
unforeseen changes in behavior. This section outlines some of the areas that you
might need to consider.

Avoiding problems with packed-decimal fields

COMPUTATIONAL-3 fields (packed-decimal format) are often defined as having an odd
number of digits, even if the field will not be used to hold a number of that
magnitude. The internal representation of packed-decimal numbers always allows
for an odd number of digits.

A field that holds a six-digit Gregorian date, for example, can be declared as PIC
S9(6) COMP-3, and this declaration will reserve 4 bytes of storage. But the
programmer might have declared the field as PIC S9(7), knowing that this would
reserve the same 4 bytes, with the high-order digit always containing a zero.

If you add a DATE FORMAT YYXXXX clause to this field, the compiler will give you a
diagnostic message because the number of digits in the PICTURE clause does not
match the size of the date format specification. In this case, you need to check
carefully each use of the field. If the high-order digit is never used, you can simply
change the field definition to PIC S9(6). If it is used (for example, if the same field
can hold a value other than a date), you need to take some other action, such as:
v Using a REDEFINES clause to define the field as both a date and a nondate (this
usage will also produce a warning-level diagnostic message)
v Defining another WORKING-STORAGE field to hold the date, and moving the
numeric field to the new field
v Not adding a DATE FORMAT clause to the data item, and using the DATEVAL
intrinsic function when referring to it as a date field

Moving from expanded to windowed date fields

When you move an expanded alphanumeric date field to a windowed date field,
the move does not follow the normal COBOL conventions for alphanumeric
moves. When both the sending and receiving fields are date fields, the move is
right justified, not left justified as normal. For an expanded-to-windowed
(contracting) move, the leading two digits of the year are truncated.

574 Programming Guide

Depending on the contents of the sending field, the results of such a move might
be incorrect. For example:
77 Year-Of-Birth-Exp Pic x(4) Date Format yyyy.
77 Year-Of-Birth-Win Pic xx Date Format yy.
. . .
Move Year-Of-Birth-Exp to Year-Of-Birth-Win.

If Year-Of-Birth-Exp contains ’1925’, Year-Of-Birth-Win will contain ’25’.

However, if the century window is 1930-2029, subsequent references to
Year-Of-Birth-Win will treat it as 2025, which is incorrect.

Chapter 33. Processing two-digit-year dates 575

576 Programming Guide
Part 8. Improving performance and productivity
Chapter 34. Tuning your program . . . . . . 579
Using an optimal programming style . . . . . 579
Using structured programming . . . . . . 580
Factoring expressions . . . . . . . . . . 580
Using symbolic constants . . . . . . . . 580
Grouping constant computations . . . . . . 580
Grouping duplicate computations . . . . . 581
Choosing efficient data types . . . . . . . . 581
Computational data items . . . . . . . . 581
Consistent data types . . . . . . . . . . 582
Arithmetic expressions . . . . . . . . . 582
Exponentiations . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Handling tables efficiently . . . . . . . . . 583
Optimization of table references . . . . . . 584
Optimization of constant and variable items 585
Optimization of duplicate items . . . . . 585
Optimization of variable-length items . . . 585
Comparison of direct and relative indexing 585
Optimizing your code . . . . . . . . . . 586
Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . 586
Contained program procedure integration 587
PERFORM procedure integration . . . . . 587
Example: PERFORM procedure integration . . 588
Choosing compiler features to enhance
performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
Performance-related compiler options . . . . 589
Evaluating performance . . . . . . . . . 592
Running efficiently with CICS, IMS, or VSAM . . 592
CICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592
IMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593
VSAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593

Chapter 35. Simplifying coding . . . . . . . 595

Eliminating repetitive coding . . . . . . . . 595
Example: using the COPY statement . . . . . 596
Using Language Environment callable services . . 597
Sample list of Language Environment callable
services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598
Calling Language Environment services . . . 599
Example: Language Environment callable
services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 577

578 Programming Guide
Chapter 34. Tuning your program
When a program is comprehensible, you can assess its performance. A program
that has a tangled control flow is difficult to understand and maintain. The tangled
control flow also inhibits the optimization of the code. Therefore, before you try to
improve the performance directly, you need to assess certain aspects:
1. Examine the underlying algorithms for your program. For top performance, a
sound algorithm is essential. For example, a sophisticated algorithm for sorting
a million items can be hundreds of thousands times faster than a simple
algorithm.
2. Look at the data structures. They should be appropriate for the algorithm.
When your program frequently accesses data, reduce the number of steps
needed to access the data wherever possible.
3. After you have improved the algorithm and data structures, look at other
details of the COBOL source code that affect performance.

You can write programs that result in better generated code sequences and use
system services better. These five areas affect program performance:
v Coding techniques. These include using a programming style that helps the
optimizer, choosing efficient data types, and handling tables efficiently.
v Optimization. You can optimize your code by using the OPTIMIZE compiler
option.
v Compiler options and USE FOR DEBUGGING ON ALL PROCEDURES. Certain compiler
options and language affect the efficiency of your program.
v Run-time environment. Carefully consider your choice of run-time options and
other run-time considerations that control how your compiled program runs.
v Running under CICS, IMS, or using VSAM. Various tips can help make these
programs run efficiently.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization” on page 586
IBM Enterprise COBOL Version 3 Release 1 Performance Tuning
(www.ibm.com/software/awdtools/cobol/zos/pdf/cobpf310.pdf)

RELATED TASKS
“Using an optimal programming style”
“Choosing efficient data types” on page 581
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583
“Optimizing your code” on page 586
“Choosing compiler features to enhance performance” on page 588
Specifying run-time options (Language Environment Programming Guide)
“Running efficiently with CICS, IMS, or VSAM” on page 592

RELATED REFERENCES
“Performance-related compiler options” on page 589
Storage performance considerations (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Using an optimal programming style

The coding style you use can, in certain circumstances, affect how the optimizer
handles your code.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 579

 Using structured programming
Using structured programming statements (such as EVALUATE and inline PERFORM)
makes your program more comprehensible and generates a linear control flow. The
optimizer can then operate over larger regions of the program, which gives you
more efficient code.

Avoid using the following constructs:

v ALTER statement
v Backward branches (except as needed for loops for which PERFORM is unsuitable)
v PERFORM procedures that involve irregular control flow (such as a PERFORM
procedure that prevents control from passing to the end of the procedure and
returning to the PERFORM statement)

Use top-down programming constructs. Out-of-line PERFORM statements are a

natural means of doing top-down programming. With the optimizer, out-of-line
PERFORM statements can often be as efficient as inline PERFORM statements, because
the optimizer can simplify or remove the linkage code.

Factoring expressions
Factoring can save a lot of computation. For example, this code:
MOVE ZERO TO TOTAL
PERFORM VARYING I FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL I = 10
COMPUTE TOTAL = TOTAL + ITEM(I)
END-PERFORM
COMPUTE TOTAL = TOTAL * DISCOUNT

is more efficient than this code:

MOVE ZERO TO TOTAL
PERFORM VARYING I FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL I = 10
COMPUTE TOTAL = TOTAL + ITEM(I) * DISCOUNT
END-PERFORM

The optimizer does not do factoring for you.

Using symbolic constants

To have the optimizer recognize a data item as a constant throughout the program,
initialize it with a VALUE clause and do not change it anywhere in the program.

If you pass a data item to a subprogram BY REFERENCE, the optimizer considers it

to be an external data item and assumes that it is changed at every subprogram
call.

If you move a literal to a data item, the optimizer recognizes it as a constant, but
only in a limited region of the program after the MOVE statement.

Grouping constant computations

When several items of an expression are constant, ensure that the optimizer is
permitted to optimize them. For evaluating expressions, the compiler is bound by
the left-to-right evaluation rules of COBOL. Therefore, either move all the
constants to the left side of the expression or group them inside parentheses.

For example, given that V1, V2, and V3 are variables and that C1, C2, and C3 are
constants, the expressions that contain the constant computations are preferable to
those that do not:

580 Programming Guide

 More efficient Less efficient
V1 * V2 * V3 * (C1 * C2 * C3) V1 * V2 * V3 * C1 * C2 * C3
C1 + C2 + C3 + V1 + V2 + V3 V1 + C1 + V2 + C2 + V3 + C3

Often, in production programming, there is a tendency to place constant factors on

the right-hand side of expressions. However, this placement can result in less
efficient code because optimization is lost.

Grouping duplicate computations

When several components of different expressions are duplicates, make sure the
compiler is permitted to optimize them. For evaluating arithmetic expressions, the
compiler is bound by the left-to-right evaluation rules of COBOL. Therefore, either
move all the duplicates to the left side of the expressions or group them inside
parentheses.

Given that V1 through V5 are variables, the computation V2 * V3 * V4 is a

duplicate (known as a common subexpression) between the following two
statements:
COMPUTE A = V1 * (V2 * V3 * V4)
COMPUTE B = V2 * V3 * V4 * V5

In the following example, the common subexpression is V2 + V3:

COMPUTE C = V1 + (V2 + V3)
COMPUTE D = V2 + V3 + V4

No common subexpressions are in these examples:

COMPUTE A = V1 * V2 * V3 * V4
COMPUTE B = V2 * V3 * V4 * V5
COMPUTE C = V1 + (V2 + V3)
COMPUTE D = V4 + V2 + V3

The optimizer can eliminate duplicate computations; you do not need to introduce
artificial temporary computations. The program is often more comprehensible
without them.

Choosing efficient data types

Choosing the appropriate data type and PICTURE clause can produce more efficient
code, as can avoiding USAGE DISPLAY data items in areas heavily used for
computations. Consistent data types can reduce the need for conversions when
performing operations on data items. You can also improve program performance
by carefully determining when to use fixed-point and floating-point data types.

Computational data items

When you use a data item mainly for arithmetic or as a subscript, code USAGE
BINARY on the data description entry for the item. The operations for manipulating
binary data are faster than those for manipulating decimal data.

However, if a fixed-point arithmetic statement has intermediate results with a large

precision (number of significant digits), the compiler uses decimal arithmetic
anyway, after converting the operands to packed-decimal form. For fixed-point
arithmetic statements, the compiler normally uses binary arithmetic for simple

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 581

 computations with binary operands if the precision is eight digits or fewer. Above
18 digits, the compiler always uses decimal arithmetic. With a precision of nine to
18 digits, the compiler uses either form.

To produce the most efficient code for a BINARY data item, ensure that it has:
v A sign (an S in its PICTURE clause)
v Eight or fewer digits

For a data item that is larger than eight digits or is used with DISPLAY data items,
use PACKED-DECIMAL. The code generated for PACKED-DECIMAL data items can be as
fast as that for BINARY data items in some cases, especially if the statement is
complicated or specifies rounding.

To produce the most efficient code for a PACKED-DECIMAL data item, ensure that it
has:
v A sign (an S in its PICTURE clause)
v An odd number of digits (9s in the PICTURE clause), so that it occupies an exact
number of bytes without a half byte left over
v 15 or fewer digits in the PICTURE specification to avoid using library routines for
multiplication and division

Consistent data types

In operations on operands of different types, one of the operands must be
converted to the same type as the other. Each conversion requires several
instructions. For example, one of the operands might need to be scaled to give it
the appropriate number of decimal places.

You largely avoid conversions by using consistent data types, giving both operands
the same usage and also appropriate PICTURE specifications. That is, you should
give two numbers to be compared, added, or subtracted not only have the same
usage but also the same number of decimal places (9s after the V in the PICTURE
clause).

Arithmetic expressions
Computation of arithmetic expressions that are evaluated in floating point is most
efficient when the operands need little or no conversion. Use operands that are
COMP-1 or COMP-2 to produce the most efficient code.

Declare integer items as BINARY or PACKED-DECIMAL with nine or fewer digits to

afford quick conversion to floating-point data. Also, conversion from a COMP-1 or
COMP-2 item to a fixed-point integer with nine or fewer digits, without SIZE ERROR
in effect, is efficient when the value of the COMP-1 or COMP-2 item is less than
1,000,000,000.

Exponentiations
Use floating point for exponentiations for large exponents to achieve faster
evaluation and more accurate results. For example, the first statement below is
computed more quickly and accurately than the second statement:
COMPUTE fixed-point1 = fixed-point2 ** 100000.E+00

COMPUTE fixed-point1 = fixed-point2 ** 100000

582 Programming Guide

 A floating-point exponent causes floating-point arithmetic to be used to compute
the exponentiation.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40

Handling tables efficiently

Pay close attention to table-handling operations, particularly when they are a major
part of an application. Several techniques can improve the efficiency of these
operations and can also influence the optimizer. The return for your efforts can be
significant.

The following two guidelines affect your choice of how to refer to table elements:
v Use indexing rather than subscripting.
Although the compiler can eliminate duplicate indexes and subscripts, the
original reference to a table element is more efficient with indexes than with
subscripts, even if the subscripts are BINARY. The value of an index has the
element size factored into it, whereas the value of a subscript must be multiplied
by the element size when the subscript is used. The index already contains the
displacement from the start of the table, and this value does not have to be
calculated at run time. However, subscripting might be easier to understand and
maintain.
v Use relative indexing.
Relative index references (that is, references in which an unsigned numeric
literal is added to or subtracted from the index name) are executed as fast as
direct index references and sometimes faster. There is no merit in keeping
alternative indexes with the offset factored in.

Whether you use indexes or subscripts, the following guidelines can help you get
better performance in terms of how you code them:
v Put constant and duplicate indexes or subscripts on the left.
You can reduce or eliminate run-time computations by making the constant and
duplicate indexes or subscripts the leftmost ones. Even when all the indexes or
subscripts are variable, try to use your tables so that the rightmost subscript
varies most often for references that occur close to each other in the program.
This practice also improves the pattern of storage references as well as paging. If
all the indexes or subscripts are duplicates, then the entire index or subscript
computation is a common subexpression.
v Specify the element length so that it matches that of related tables.
When you index or subscript tables, it is most efficient if all the tables have the
same element length. With equal element lengths, the stride for the last
dimension of the tables will be equal. The optimizer can then reuse the
rightmost index or subscript computed for one table. If both the element lengths
and the number of occurrences in each dimension are equal, then the strides for
dimensions other than the last are also equal, resulting in greater commonality
between their subscript computations. The optimizer can then reuse indexes or
subscripts other than the rightmost.
v Avoid errors in references by coding index and subscript checks into your
program.
If you need to validate your indexes and subscripts, it might be faster to code
your own checks in your COBOL program than to use the SSRANGE compiler
option.

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 583

 You can also improve the efficiency of tables in situations covered by the following
guidelines:
v Use binary data items for all subscripts.
When you use subscripts to address a table, use a BINARY signed data item with
eight or fewer digits. In some cases, using four or fewer digits for the data item
might also improve processing time.
v Use binary data items for variable-length table items.
For tables with variable-length items, you can improve the code for OCCURS
DEPENDING ON (ODO). To avoid unnecessary conversions each time the
variable-length items are referenced, specify BINARY for OCCURS . . . DEPENDING
ON objects.
v Use fixed-length data items whenever possible.
Copying variable-length data items into a fixed-length data item before a period
of high-frequency use can reduce some of the overhead associated with using
variable-length data items.
v Organize tables according to the type of search method used.
If the table is searched sequentially, put the data values most likely to satisfy the
search criteria at the beginning of the table. If the table is searched using a
binary search algorithm, put the data values in the table sorted alphabetically on
the search key field.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization of table references”

RELATED TASKS
“Referring to an item in a table” on page 61
“Choosing efficient data types” on page 581

RELATED REFERENCES
“SSRANGE” on page 304

Optimization of table references

For the table element reference ELEMENT(S1 S2 S3), where S1, S2, and S3 are
subscripts, the compiler evaluates the following expression:
comp_s1 * d1 + comp_s2 * d2 + comp_s3 * d3 + base_address

Here comp_s1 is the value of S1 after conversion to binary, comp-s2 is the value of
S2 after conversion to binary, and so on. The strides for each dimension are d1, d2,
and d3. The stride of a given dimension is the distance in bytes between table
elements whose occurrence numbers in that dimension differ by 1 and whose other
occurrence numbers are equal. For example, the stride, d2, of the second dimension
in the above example is the distance in bytes between ELEMENT(S1 1 S3) and
ELEMENT(S1 2 S3).

Index computations are similar to subscript computations, except that no

multiplication needs to be done. Index values have the stride factored into them.
They involve loading the indexes into registers, and these data transfers can be
optimized, much as the individual subscript computation terms are optimized.

Because the compiler evaluates expressions from left to right, the optimizer finds
the most opportunities to eliminate computations when the constant or duplicate
subscripts are the leftmost.

584 Programming Guide

Optimization of constant and variable items
Assume that C1, C2, . . . are constant data items and that V1, V2, . . . are variable
data items. Then, for the table element reference ELEMENT(V1 C1 C2) the compiler
can eliminate only the individual terms comp_c1 * d2 and comp_c2 * d3 as
constant from the expression:
comp_v1 * d1 + comp_c1 * d2 + comp_c2 * d3 + base_address

However, for the table element reference ELEMENT(C1 C2 V1) the compiler can
eliminate the entire subexpression comp_c1 * d1 + comp_c2 * d2 as constant from
the expression:
comp_c1 * d1 + comp_c2 * d2 + comp_v1 * d3 + base_address

In the table element reference ELEMENT(C1 C2 C3), all the subscripts are constant,
and so no subscript computation is done at run time. The expression is:
comp_c1 * d1 + comp_c2 * d2 + comp_c3 * d3 + base_address

With the optimizer, this reference can be as efficient as a reference to a scalar

(nontable) item.

Optimization of duplicate items

In the table element references ELEMENT(V1 V3 V4) and ELEMENT(V2 V3 V4) only the
individual terms comp_v3 * d2 and comp_v4 * d3 are common subexpressions in
the expressions needed to reference the table elements:
comp_v1 * d1 + comp_v3 * d2 + comp_v4 * d3 + base_address
comp_v2 * d1 + comp_v3 * d2 + comp_v4 * d3 + base_address

However, for the two table element references ELEMENT(V1 V2 V3) and ELEMENT(V1
V2 V4) the entire subexpression comp_v1 * d1 + comp_v2 * d2 is common between
the two expressions needed to reference the table elements:
comp_v1 * d1 + comp_v2 * d2 + comp_v3 * d3 + base_address
comp_v1 * d1 + comp_v2 * d2 + comp_v4 * d3 + base_address

In the two references ELEMENT(V1 V2 V3) and ELEMENT(V1 V2 V3), the expressions
are the same:
comp_v1 * d1 + comp_v2 * d2 + comp_v3 * d3 + base_address
comp_v1 * d1 + comp_v2 * d2 + comp_v3 * d3 + base_address

With the optimizer, the second (and any subsequent) reference to the same element
can be as efficient as a reference to a scalar (nontable) item.

Optimization of variable-length items

A group item that contains a subordinate OCCURS DEPENDING ON data item has a
variable length. The program must perform special code every time a
variable-length data item is referenced.

Because this code is out-of-line, it might interrupt optimization. Furthermore, the

code to manipulate variable-length data items is much less efficient than that for
fixed-size data items and can significantly increase processing time. For instance,
the code to compare or move a variable-length data item might involve calling a
library routine and is much slower than the same code for fixed-length data items.

Comparison of direct and relative indexing

Relative index references are as fast as or faster than direct index references.

The direct indexing in ELEMENT (I5, J3, K2) requires this preprocessing:

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 585

 SET I5 TO I
SET I5 UP BY 5
SET J3 TO J
SET J3 DOWN BY 3
SET K2 TO K
SET K2 UP BY 2

This processing makes the direct indexing less efficient than the relative indexing
in ELEMENT (I + 5, J - 3, K + 2).

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization”

RELATED TASKS
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583

Optimizing your code

When your program is ready for final test, specify OPTIMIZE so that the tested code
and the production code are identical.

You might also want to use this compiler option during development if a program
is used frequently without recompilation. However, the overhead for OPTIMIZE
might outweigh its benefits if you recompile frequently, unless you are using the
assembler language expansion (LIST compiler option) to fine-tune your program.

For unit-testing your program, you will probably find it easier to debug code that
has not been optimized.

To see how the optimizer works on your program, compile it with and without the
OPTIMIZE option and compare the generated code. (Use the LIST compiler option to
request the assembler language listing of the generated code.)

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization”

RELATED REFERENCES
“LIST” on page 289
“OPTIMIZE” on page 295

Optimization
To improve the efficiency of the generated code, you can use the OPTIMIZE compiler
option to cause the COBOL optimizer to do the following:
v Eliminate unnecessary transfers of control and inefficient branches, including
those generated by the compiler that are not evident from looking at the source
program.
v Simplify the compiled code for both a PERFORM statement and a CALL statement to
a contained (nested) program. Where possible, the optimizer places the
statements inline, eliminating the need for linkage code. This optimization is
known as procedure integration. If procedure integration cannot be done, the
optimizer uses the simplest linkage possible (perhaps as few as two instructions)
to get to and from the called program.
v Eliminate duplicate computations (such as subscript computations and repeated
statements) that have no effect on the results of the program.

586 Programming Guide

v Eliminate constant computations by performing them when the program is
compiled.
v Eliminate constant conditional expressions.
v Aggregate moves of contiguous items (such as those that often occur with the
use of MOVE CORRESPONDING) into a single move. Both the source and target must
be contiguous for the moves to be aggregated.
v Delete from the program, and identify with a warning message, code that can
never be performed (unreachable code elimination).
v Discard unreferenced data items from the DATA DIVISION, and suppress
generation of code to initialize these data items to their VALUE clauses. (The
optimizer takes this action only when you use the FULL suboption.)

Contained program procedure integration

In contained program procedure integration, the contained program code replaces
a CALL to a contained program. The resulting program runs faster without the
overhead of CALL linkage and with more linear control flow.

Program size: If several CALL statements call contained programs and these
programs replace each such statement, the containing program can become large.
The optimizer limits this increase to no more than 50 percent, after which it no
longer integrates the programs. The optimizer then chooses the next best
optimization for the CALL statement; the linkage overhead can be as few as two
instructions.

Unreachable code: As a result of this integration, one contained program might

be repeated several times. As further optimization proceeds on each copy of the
program, portions might be found to be unreachable, depending on the context
into which the code was copied.

PERFORM procedure integration

PERFORM procedure integration is the process whereby a PERFORM statement is
replaced by its performed procedures. The advantage is that the resulting program
runs faster without the overhead of PERFORM linkage and with more linear control
flow.

Program size: If the performed procedures are invoked by several PERFORM

statements and replace each such statement, the program could become large. The
optimizer limits this increase to no more than 50 percent, after which it no longer
integrates these procedures. If you are concerned about program size, you can
prevent procedure integration in specific instances by using a priority number on
section names.

If you do not want a PERFORM statement to be replaced by its performed

procedures, put the PERFORM statement in one section and put the performed
procedures in another section with a different priority number. The optimizer then
chooses the next best optimization for the PERFORM statement; the linkage overhead
can be as few as two instructions.

Unreachable code: Because of procedure integration, one PERFORM procedure

might be repeated several times. As further optimization proceeds on each copy of
the procedure, portions might be found to be unreachable, depending on the
context into which the code was copied.

“Example: PERFORM procedure integration” on page 588

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 587

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization of table references” on page 584

RELATED REFERENCES
“OPTIMIZE” on page 295

Example: PERFORM procedure integration

All the PERFORM statements in the following program will be transformed by
procedure integration:
1 SECTION 5.
11. PERFORM 12
STOP RUN.
12. PERFORM 21
PERFORM 21.
2 SECTION 5.
21. IF A < 5 THEN
ADD 1 TO A
DISPLAY A
END-IF.

The program will be compiled as if it had originally been written as follows:

1 SECTION 5.
11.
12. IF A < 5 THEN
ADD 1 TO A
DISPLAY A
END-IF.
IF A < 5 THEN
ADD 1 TO A
DISPLAY A
END-IF.
STOP RUN.

By contrast, in the following program only the first PERFORM statement, PERFORM 12,
will be optimized by procedure integration:
1 SECTION.
11. PERFORM 12
STOP RUN.
12. PERFORM 21
PERFORM 21.
2 SECTION 5.
21. IF A < 5 THEN
ADD 1 TO A
DISPLAY A
END-IF.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization of table references” on page 584

RELATED TASKS
“Optimizing your code” on page 586
Chapter 34, “Tuning your program,” on page 579

Choosing compiler features to enhance performance

Your choice of performance-related compiler options and your use of the USE FOR
DEBUGGING ON ALL PROCEDURES statement can affect how well your program is
optimized.

588 Programming Guide

 You might have a customized system that requires certain options for optimum
performance. Do these steps:
1. To see what your system defaults are, get a short listing for any program and
review the listed option settings.
2. Check with your system programmer as to which options are fixed as
nonoverridable for your installation.
3. For the options not fixed by installation, select performance-related options for
compiling your programs.
Important: Confer with your system programmer on how you should tune
your COBOL programs. Doing so will ensure that the options you choose are
appropriate for programs being developed at your site.

Another compiler feature to consider besides compiler options is the USE FOR
DEBUGGING ON ALL PROCEDURES statement. It can greatly affect the compiler
optimizer. The ON ALL PROCEDURES option generates extra code at each transfer to a
procedure name. Although very useful for debugging, it can make the program
significantly larger and inhibit optimization substantially.

Although COBOL allows segmentation language, you will not improve storage
allocation by using it, because COBOL does not perform overlay.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization” on page 586

RELATED TASKS
“Optimizing your code” on page 586
“Getting listings” on page 331

RELATED REFERENCES
“Performance-related compiler options”

Performance-related compiler options

In the table below you can see a brief description of the purpose of each option, its
performance advantages and disadvantages, and usage notes where applicable.
Table 84. Performance-related compiler options
Compiler Performance
option Purpose Performance advantages disadvantages Usage notes
“AWO” on To get optimum Can result in In general, none When you use AWO, the APPLY
page 272 use of buffer performance savings, WRITE-ONLY clause is in effect
and device because this option for all files in the program that
space results in fewer calls to are physical sequential with
data management V-mode records.
services to handle input
and output
DATA(31) To have DFSMS Because extended-format In general, none On a z/OS system with
allocate QSAM QSAM data sets can DFSMS, if your application
(see “DATA” buffers above require many buffers, processes striped
on page 277) the 16-MB line allocating the buffers in extended-format QSAM data
(by using the unrestricted storage sets, use the RENT and
RENT and avoids virtual storage DATA(31) compiler options to
DATA(31) constraint problems. have the input-output buffers
compiler for your QSAM files allocated
options) from storage above the 16-MB
line.

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 589

 Table 84. Performance-related compiler options (continued)
Compiler Performance
option Purpose Performance advantages disadvantages Usage notes
“DYNAM” on To have Subprograms are easier There is a slight To free virtual storage that is
page 282 subprograms to maintain, because the performance penalty no longer needed, issue the
(called through application does not because the call must CANCEL statement.
the CALL have to be link-edited go through a
statement) again if a subprogram is Language
dynamically changed. Environment routine.
loaded at run
time
“FASTSRT” on To specify that Eliminates the overhead None FASTSRT is recommended
page 284 the IBM of returning to Enterprise when direct work files are
DFSORT COBOL after each record used for the sort work files.
product (or is processed Not all sorts are eligible for
equivalent) will this option.
handle all of the
input and
output
NUMPROC(PFD) To have invalid Generates significantly For most references to When you use NUMPROC(PFD),
sign processing more efficient code for COMP-3 and DISPLAY the compiler assumes that the
(see bypassed for numeric comparisons numeric data items, data has the correct sign and
“NUMPROC” numeric NUMPROC(PFD) inhibits bypasses the sign “fix up”
on page 293) operations extra code from being process. Because not all
generated to “fix up” external data files contain the
signs. This extra code proper sign for COMP-3 or
might also inhibit DISPLAY signed numeric data,
some other types of NUMPROC(PFD) might not be
optimizations. The applicable for all programs.
extra code is For performance-sensitive
generated with applications, NUMPROC(PFD) is
NUMPROC(MIG) and recommended.
NUMPROC(NOPFD).
OPTIMIZE(STD) To optimize Generally results in more Longer compile time: NOOPTIMIZE is generally used
generated code efficient run-time code OPTIMIZE requires during program development
(see for better more processing time when frequent compiles are
“OPTIMIZE” performance for compiles than needed; it also allows for
on page 295) NOOPTIMIZE. easier debugging. For
production runs, OPTIMIZE is
recommended.
| OPTIMIZE(FULL) To optimize Generally results in more Longer compile time: OPT(FULL) deletes unused data
| generated code efficient run-time code OPTIMIZE requires items, which might be
| (see for better and less storage usage more processing time undesirable in the case of time
| “OPTIMIZE” performance for compiles than stamps or data items that are
| on page 295) and also NOOPTIMIZE. used only as markers for
| optimize the dump reading.
| DATA DIVISION
“RENT” on To generate a Enables the program to Generates additional
page 299 reentrant be placed in shared code to ensure that
program storage (LPA/ELPA) for the program is
faster execution reentrant
RMODE(ANY) To let the RMODE(ANY) with NORENT In general, none
program be lets the program and its
(see “RMODE” loaded WORKING-STORAGE be
on page 300) anywhere located above the 16-MB
line, relieving storage
below the line.

590 Programming Guide

Table 84. Performance-related compiler options (continued)
Compiler Performance
option Purpose Performance advantages disadvantages Usage notes
NOSSRANGE To verify that all SSRANGE generates None In general, if you need to
table references additional code for verify the table references only
(see and reference verifying table a few times instead of at every
“SSRANGE” modification references. Using reference, coding your own
on page 304) expressions are NOSSRANGE causes that checks might be faster than
in proper code not to be generated. using SSRANGE. You can turn
bounds off SSRANGE at run time with
the CHECK(OFF) run-time
option. For
performance-sensitive
applications, NOSSRANGE is
recommended.
TEST(NONE) or To avoid the Because the TEST None TEST without the hook-location
NOTEST additional object compiler option with any suboption NONE in effect forces
code that would hook-location suboption the NOOPTIMIZE compiler
(see “TEST” on be produced to other than NONE (that is, option into effect. For
page 306) take full ALL, STMT, PATH, BLOCK) production runs, using NOTEST
advantage of generates additional or TEST(NONE,SYM) with or
Debug Tool, use code, it can cause without the SEPARATE
TEST(NONE) or significant performance suboption, is recommended.
NOTEST. degradation when used This results in overlay hooks
Additionally, in a production rather than compiled-in hooks.
when using environment. The more
TEST(NONE), you compiled-in hooks you If during the production run,
can use the specify, the more you want a symbolic dump of
SEPARATE additional code is the data items in a formatted
suboption of generated and the dump when the program
TEST option to greater performance abends, compile with
further reduce degradation might be. TEST(NONE,SYM) with or
the size of your without the SEPARATE
object code. suboption.
TRUNC(OPT) To avoid having Does not generate extra Both TRUNC(BIN) and TRUNC(STD) conforms to the
code generated code and generally TRUNC(STD) generate COBOL 85 Standard, but
(see “TRUNC” to truncate the improves performance extra code whenever TRUNC(BIN) and TRUNC(OPT) do
on page 310) receiving fields a BINARY data item is not. With TRUNC(OPT), the
of arithmetic changed. TRUNC(BIN) compiler assumes that the
operations is usually the slowest data conforms to the PICTURE
of these options, and USAGE specifications.
though its TRUNC(OPT) is recommended
performance was where possible.
improved in COBOL
for OS/390 & VM V2
R2.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Optimization” on page 586
“Storage and its addressability” on page 34

RELATED TASKS
“Generating a list of compiler error messages” on page 246
“Evaluating performance” on page 592
“Optimizing buffer and device space” on page 12
“Choosing compiler features to enhance performance” on page 588

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 591

 “Improving sort performance with FASTSRT” on page 193
“Using striped extended-format QSAM data sets” on page 139
“Handling tables efficiently” on page 583

RELATED REFERENCES
“Sign representation and processing” on page 45
“Allocation of buffers for QSAM files” on page 140

Evaluating performance
Fill in this worksheet to help you evaluate the performance of your program. If
you answer yes to each question, you are probably improving the performance.

In thinking about the performance tradeoff, be sure you understand the function of
each option as well as the performance advantages and disadvantages. You might
prefer function over increased performance in many instances.
Table 85. Performance-tuning worksheet
Compiler option Consideration Yes?
AWO Do you use the AWO option when possible?
DATA When you use QSAM striped data sets, do you use the
DATA(31) option?
DYNAM Do you use NODYNAM? Consider the performance tradeoffs.
FASTSRT When you use direct work files for the sort work files,
have you selected the FASTSRT option?
NUMPROC Do you use NUMPROC(PFD) when possible?
OPTIMIZE Do you use OPTIMIZE for production runs? Can you use
OPTIMIZE(FULL)?
RENT Do you use NORENT? Consider the performance tradeoffs.
RMODE(ANY) Do you use RMODE(ANY) with your NORENT programs?
Consider the performance tradeoffs with storage usage.
SSRANGE Do you use NOSSRANGE for production runs?
TEST Do you use NOTEST, TEST(NONE,SYM), or
TEST(NONE,SYM,SEPARATE) for production runs?
TRUNC Do you use TRUNC(OPT) when possible?

RELATED TASKS
“Choosing compiler features to enhance performance” on page 588

RELATED REFERENCES
“Performance-related compiler options” on page 589

Running efficiently with CICS, IMS, or VSAM

You can improve performance for online programs running under CICS or IMS, or
programs that use VSAM, by following these tips:

CICS
If your application runs under CICS, convert EXEC CICS LINK commands to
COBOL CALL statements to improve transaction response time.

592 Programming Guide

IMS
If your application is running under IMS, preloading the application program and
the library routines can help to reduce the overhead of load and search. It can also
reduce the input-output activity.

For better system performance, use the RENT compiler option and preload the
applications and library routines when possible.

You can also use the Language Environment library routine retention (LRR)
function to improve performance in IMS/TM regions.

VSAM
When you use VSAM files, increase the number of data buffers for sequential
access or index buffers for random access. Also, select a control interval size (CISZ)
appropriate for the application. Smaller CISZ results in faster retrieval for the
random processing at the expense of inserts, and a larger CISZ is more efficient for
sequential processing.

For better performance, access the records sequentially and avoid using multiple
alternate indexes when possible. If you do use alternate indexes, access method
services builds them more efficiently than the AIXBLD run-time option.

RELATED TASKS
“Coding COBOL programs to run under CICS” on page 359
Chapter 22, “Developing COBOL programs for IMS,” on page 377
“Improving VSAM performance” on page 171
Language Environment Customization

RELATED REFERENCES
Specifying run-time options (Language Environment Programming Guide)

Chapter 34. Tuning your program 593

594 Programming Guide
Chapter 35. Simplifying coding
This material provides techniques for improving your productivity. By using the
COPY statement, COBOL intrinsic functions, and Language Environment callable
services, you can avoid repetitive coding and having to code many arithmetic
calculations or other complex tasks.

If your program contains frequently used code sequences (such as blocks of

common data items, input-output routines, error routines, or even entire COBOL
programs), write the code sequences once and put them into a COBOL copy
library. Then you can use the COPY statement to retrieve these code sequences from
the library and have them included in your program at compile time. This
eliminates repetitive coding.

COBOL provides various capabilities for manipulating strings and numbers. These
capabilities can help you simplify your coding.

The Language Environment date and time callable services store dates as fullword
binary integers and timestamps as long (64-bit) floating-point values. These
formats let you do arithmetic calculations on date and time values simply and
efficiently. You do not need to write special subroutines that use services outside
the language library for your application in order to perform these calculations.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Numeric intrinsic functions” on page 48
“Math and date Language Environment services” on page 49

RELATED TASKS
“Eliminating repetitive coding”
“Converting data items (intrinsic functions)” on page 97
“Evaluating data items (intrinsic functions)” on page 99
“Using Language Environment callable services” on page 597

Eliminating repetitive coding

Use the COPY statement to include stored source statements in any part of your
program. You can code them in any program division and at every code sequence
level. You can nest COPY statements to any depth.

To specify more than one copy library, use either multiple system definitions or a
combination of multiple definitions and the IN/OF phrase (IN/OF library-name):
z/OS batch
Use JCL to concatenate data sets on your SYSLIB DD statement.
Alternatively, define multiple DD statements and use the IN/OF phrase of
the COPY statement.
TSO Use the ALLOCATE command to concatenate data sets for SYSLIB.
Alternatively, issue multiple ALLOCATE statements and use the IN/OF phrase
of the COPY statement.
UNIX Use the SYSLIB environment variable to define multiple paths to your
copybooks. Alternatively, use multiple environment variables and use the
IN/OF phrase of the COPY statement.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 595

 For example:
COPY MEMBER1 OF COPYLIB

If you omit this qualifying phrase, the default is SYSLIB.

COPY and debugging line: In order for the text copied to be treated as debug lines,
for example, as if there were a D inserted in column 7, put the D on the first line of
the COPY statement. A COPY statement itself cannot be a debugging line; if it
contains a D and WITH DEBUGGING mode is not specified, the COPY statement is
nevertheless processed.

“Example: using the COPY statement”

RELATED REFERENCES
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317

Example: using the COPY statement

Suppose the library entry CFILEA consists of the following FD entries:
BLOCK CONTAINS 20 RECORDS
RECORD CONTAINS 120 CHARACTERS
LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
DATA RECORD IS FILE-OUT.
01 FILE-OUT PIC X(120).

You can retrieve the text-name CFILEA by using the COPY statement in a source
program:
FD FILEA
COPY CFILEA.

The library entry is copied into your program, and the resulting program listing
looks like this:
FD FILEA
COPY CFILEA.
C BLOCK CONTAINS 20 RECORDS
C RECORD CONTAINS 120 CHARACTERS
C LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
C DATA RECORD IS FILE-OUT.
C 01 FILE-OUT PIC X(120).

In the compiler source listing, the COPY statement prints on a separate line. C
precedes copied lines.

Assume that a copybook with the text-name DOWORK is stored by using the
following statements:
COMPUTE QTY-ON-HAND = TOTAL-USED-NUMBER-ON-HAND
MOVE QTY-ON-HAND to PRINT-AREA

To retrieve the copybook identified as DOWORK, code:

paragraph-name.
COPY DOWORK.

The statements included in the DOWORK procedure will follow paragraph-name.

If you use the EXIT compiler option to provide a LIBEXIT module, your results
might differ from those shown here.

596 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
“Eliminating repetitive coding” on page 595

RELATED REFERENCES
Chapter 18, “Compiler-directing statements,” on page 317

Using Language Environment callable services

Language Environment callable services make many types of programming tasks
easier. Called with standard COBOL CALL statements, Language Environment
services help you with the following tasks:
v Handling conditions
The Language Environment condition-handling facilities allow COBOL
applications to react to unexpected errors. You can use language constructs or
run-time options to select the level at which you want to handle each condition.
For example, you can decide to handle a particular error in your COBOL
program, let Language Environment take care of it, or have the operating system
handle it.
In support of Language Environment condition handling, COBOL provides
procedure-pointer data items.
v Managing dynamic storage
These services enable you to get, free, and reallocate storage. In addition, you
can create your own storage pools.
v Calculating dates and times
With the date and time services, you can get the current local time and date in
several formats, and perform date and time conversions. Two callable services,
CEEQCEN and CEESCEN, provide a predictable way to handle two-digit years,
such as 91 for 1991 or 03 for 2003.
v Making math calculations
Calculations that are easy to perform with mathematical callable services include
logarithmic, exponential, trigonometric, square root, and integer functions.
COBOL also supports a set of intrinsic functions that include some of the same
mathematical and date functions as those provided by the callable services. The
Language Environment callable services and intrinsic functions provide
equivalent results, with few exceptions. You should be familiar with these
differences before deciding which to use.
v Handling messages
Message-handling services include getting, dispatching, and formatting
messages. Messages for non-CICS applications can be directed to files or
printers; CICS messages are directed to a CICS transient data queue. Language
Environment splits messages to accommodate the record length of the
destination, and presents messages in the correct national language such as
Japanese or English.
v Supporting national languages
These services make it easy for your applications to support the language
desired by application users. You can set the language and country, and obtain
default date, time, number, and currency formats. For example, you might want
dates to appear as 23 June 03 or as 6,23,03.
v General services such as starting Debug Tool and obtaining a Language
Environment formatted dump
Debug Tool provides advanced debugging functions for COBOL applications,
including both batch and interactive debugging of COBOL-CICS programs.

Chapter 35. Simplifying coding 597

 Debug Tool enables you to debug a COBOL application from the host or, in
| conjunction with the Debug Perspective of WebSphere Studio Enterprise
| Developer, from the Windows workstation.
Depending on the options that you select, the Language Environment formatted
dump might contain the names and values of data items, and information about
conditions, program tracebacks, control blocks, storage, and files. All Language
Environment dumps have a common, well-labeled, and easy-to-read format.

“Example: Language Environment callable services” on page 600

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Sample list of Language Environment callable services”
“Numeric intrinsic functions” on page 48
“Math and date Language Environment services” on page 49

RELATED TASKS
“Calling Language Environment services” on page 599
“Using procedure and function pointers” on page 407

Sample list of Language Environment callable services

The following table gives some examples of the callable services available with
Language Environment. Many more services are available than those listed.
Table 86. Language Environment callable services
Function type Service Purpose
Condition CEEHDLR To register a user condition handler
handling
CEESGL To raise or signal a condition
CEEMRCR To indicate where the program will resume running after
the condition handler has completed
Dynamic storage CEEGTST To get storage
CEECZST To change the size of a previously allocated storage block
CEEFRST To free storage
Date and time CEECBLDY To convert a string that represents a date into COBOL
integer date format, which represents a date as the
number of days since 31 December 1600
CEEQCEN, To query and set the Language Environment century
CEESCEN window, which is valuable when a program uses two
digits to express a year
CEEGMTO To calculate the difference between the local system time
and Greenwich Mean Time
CEELOCT To get the current local time in your choice of three
formats
Math CEESIABS To calculate the absolute value of an integer
CEESSNWN To calculate the nearest whole number for a
single-precision floating-point number
CEESSCOS To calculate the cosine of an angle
Message CEEMOUT To dispatch a message
handling
CEEMGET To retrieve a message

598 Programming Guide

 Table 86. Language Environment callable services (continued)
Function type Service Purpose
National CEE3LNG To change or query the current national language
language support
CEE3CTY To change or query the current national country
CEE3MCS To obtain the default currency symbol for a given
country
General CEE3DMP To obtain a Language Environment formatted dump
CEETEST To start a debugging tool, such as Debug Tool

RELATED REFERENCES
Language Environment Programming Reference

Calling Language Environment services

To invoke a Language Environment service, use a CALL statement with the correct
parameters for that particular service:
CALL “CEESSSQT” using argument, feedback-code, result

Define the variables for the CALL statement in the DATA DIVISION with the
definitions required by the function you are calling:
77 argument comp-1.
77 feedback-code pic x(12) display.
77 result comp-1.

In this example, Language Environment service CEESSSQT calculates the value of

the square root of the variable argument and returns this value in the variable
result.

You can choose whether you want to specify the feedback code parameter. If you
specify the feedback code, the value returned in feedback-code indicates whether
the service completed successfully. If you specify OMITTED instead of the feedback
code and the service is not successful, a Language Environment condition is
automatically signaled to the Language Environment condition manager. You can
handle such a condition by recovery logic implemented in a user-written condition
handler, or allow the default Language Environment processing for unhandled
conditions to occur. In any case, this avoids the requirement to write logic to check
the feedback code explicitly after each call.

When you call a Language Environment callable service and specify OMITTED for
the feedback code, the RETURN-CODE special register is set to 0 if the service is
successful. It is not altered if the service is unsuccessful. If you do not specify
OMITTED for the feedback code, the RETURN-CODE special register is always set to 0
regardless of whether the service completed successfully.

“Example: Language Environment callable services” on page 600

RELATED CONCEPTS
General callable services (Language Environment Programming Guide)

RELATED REFERENCES
General callable services (Language Environment Programming Reference)
CALL statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Chapter 35. Simplifying coding 599

 Example: Language Environment callable services
Many callable services offer you entirely new function that would require extensive
coding using previous versions of COBOL. This example shows a sample COBOL
program that uses Language Environment services CEEDAYS and CEEDATE to
format and display a date from the results of a COBOL ACCEPT statement. Using
CEEDAYS and CEEDATE reduces the code that would be required without
Language Environment.
ID DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. HOHOHO.
************************************************************
* FUNCTION: DISPLAY TODAY’S DATE IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT: *
* WWWWWWWWW, MMMMMMMM DD, YYYY *
* *
* For example: TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2003 *
* *
************************************************************
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 CHRDATE.
05 CHRDATE-LENGTH PIC S9(4) COMP VALUE 10.
05 CHRDATE-STRING PIC X(10).
01 PICSTR.
05 PICSTR-LENGTH PIC S9(4) COMP.
05 PICSTR-STRING PIC X(80).
*
77 LILIAN PIC S9(9) COMP.
77 FORMATTED-DATE PIC X(80).
*
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
***************************************************************
* USE LE DATE/TIME CALLABLE SERVICES TO PRINT OUT *
* TODAY’S DATE FROM COBOL ACCEPT STATEMENT. *
***************************************************************
ACCEPT CHRDATE-STRING FROM DATE.
*
MOVE “YYMMDD” TO PICSTR-STRING.
MOVE 6 TO PICSTR-LENGTH.
CALL “CEEDAYS” USING CHRDATE , PICSTR , LILIAN , OMITTED.
*
MOVE “ WWWWWWWWWZ, MMMMMMMMMZ DD, YYYY ” TO PICSTR-STRING.
MOVE 50 TO PICSTR-LENGTH.
CALL “CEEDATE” USING LILIAN , PICSTR , FORMATTED-DATE ,
OMITTED.
*
DISPLAY “******************************”.
DISPLAY FORMATTED-DATE.
DISPLAY “******************************”.
*
STOP RUN.

600 Programming Guide

Part 9. Appendixes

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 601

602 Programming Guide
Appendix A. Intermediate results and arithmetic precision
The compiler handles arithmetic statements as a succession of operations
performed according to operator precedence, and sets up intermediate fields to
contain the results of those operations. The compiler uses algorithms to determine
the number of integer and decimal places reserved.

Intermediate results are possible in the following cases:

v In an ADD or SUBTRACT statement that contains more than one operand
immediately following the verb
v In a COMPUTE statement that specifies a series of arithmetic operations, or
multiple result fields
v In an arithmetic expression contained in a conditional statement or in a
reference-modification specification
v In an ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, or DIVIDE statement that uses the GIVING option
and multiple result fields
v In a statement that uses an intrinsic function as an operand

“Example: calculation of intermediate results” on page 605

The precision of intermediate results depends on whether you compile using the
default option ARITH(COMPAT) (referred to as compatibility mode) or using
ARITH(EXTEND) (referred to as extended mode), as explained below.

In compatibility mode, evaluation of arithmetic operations is unchanged from that

in releases of IBM COBOL before COBOL for OS/390 & VM Version 2 Release 2:
v A maximum of 30 digits is used for fixed-point intermediate results.
v Floating-point intrinsic functions return long-precision (64-bit) floating-point
results.
v Expressions that contain floating-point operands, fractional exponents, or
floating-point intrinsic functions are evaluated as if all operands that are not in
floating point are converted to long-precision floating point and floating-point
operations are used to evaluate the expression.
v Floating-point literals and external floating-point data items are converted to
long-precision floating point for processing.

In extended mode, evaluation of arithmetic operations has the following

characteristics:
v A maximum of 31 digits is used for fixed-point intermediate results.
v Floating-point intrinsic functions return extended-precision (128-bit)
floating-point results.
v Expressions that contain floating-point operands, fractional exponents, or
floating-point intrinsic functions are evaluated as if all operands that are not in
floating point are converted to extended-precision floating point and
floating-point operations are used to evaluate the expression.
v Floating-point literals and external floating-point data items are converted to
extended-precision floating point for processing.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 603

 RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40
“Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic” on page 53

RELATED REFERENCES
“Fixed-point data and intermediate results” on page 605
“Floating-point data and intermediate results” on page 610
“Arithmetic expressions in nonarithmetic statements” on page 611
“ARITH” on page 271

Terminology used for intermediate results

In the discussion of the number of integer and decimal places that the compiler
reserves for intermediate results, the following terms are used:
i The number of integer places carried for an intermediate result. (If you use
the ROUNDED phrase, one more integer place might be carried for accuracy if
necessary.)
d The number of decimal places carried for an intermediate result. (If you
use the ROUNDED phrase, one more decimal place might be carried for
accuracy if necessary.)
dmax In a particular statement, the largest of the following:
v The number of decimal places needed for the final result field or fields
v The maximum number of decimal places defined for any operand,
except divisors or exponents
v The outer-dmax for any function operand
inner-dmax
In a reference to a function, the largest of the following:
v The number of decimal places defined for any of its elementary
arguments
v The dmax for any of its arithmetic expression arguments
v The outer-dmax for any of its embedded functions
outer-dmax
The number of decimal places that a function result contributes to
operations outside of its own evaluation (for example, if the function is an
operand in an arithmetic expression, or an argument to another function).
op1 The first operand in a generated arithmetic statement (in division, the
divisor).
op2 The second operand in a generated arithmetic statement (in division, the
dividend).
i1, i2 The number of integer places in op1 and op2, respectively.
d1, d2 The number of decimal places in op1 and op2, respectively.
ir The intermediate result when a generated arithmetic statement or
operation is performed. (Intermediate results are generated either in
registers or storage locations.)
ir1, ir2 Successive intermediate results. (Successive intermediate results might have
the same storage location.)

RELATED REFERENCES
ROUNDED phrase (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

604 Programming Guide

Example: calculation of intermediate results
The following example shows how the compiler performs an arithmetic statement
as a succession of operations, storing intermediate results as needed.
COMPUTE Y = A + B * C - D / E + F ** G

The result is calculated in the following order:

1. Exponentiate F by G yielding ir1.

2. Multiply B by C yielding ir2.
3. Divide E into D yielding ir3.
4. Add A to ir2 yielding ir4.
5. Subtract ir3 from ir4 yielding ir5.
6. Add ir5 to ir1 yielding Y.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Arithmetic expressions” on page 48

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terminology used for intermediate results” on page 604

Fixed-point data and intermediate results

The compiler determines the number of integer and decimal places in an
intermediate result as discussed in the following sections.

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

The following table shows the precision theoretically possible as the result of
addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

Operation Integer places Decimal places

+ or - (i1 or i2) + 1, whichever is greater d1 or d2, whichever is greater
* i1 + i2 d1 + d2
/ i2 + d1 (d2 - d1) or dmax, whichever is
greater

You must define the operands of any arithmetic statements with enough decimal
places to obtain the accuracy you want in the final result.

The following table shows the number of places the compiler carries for
fixed-point intermediate results of arithmetic operations involving addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division in compatibility mode (that is, when you
compile using the default compiler option ARITH(COMPAT)):

Value of i +
Value of i + d Value of d dmax Number of places carried for ir
<30 Any value Any value i integer and d decimal places
=30

Appendix A. Intermediate results and arithmetic precision 605

 Value of i +
Value of i + d Value of d dmax Number of places carried for ir
>30 <dmax Any value 30-d integer and d decimal places
=dmax
>dmax <30 i integer and 30-i decimal places
=30
>30 30-dmax integer and dmax decimal
places

The following table shows the number of places the compiler carries for
fixed-point intermediate results of arithmetic operations involving addition,
subtraction, multiplication, or division in extended mode (that is, when you compile
using option ARITH(EXTEND)):

Value of i +
Value of i + d Value of d dmax Number of places carried for ir
<31 Any value Any value i integer and d decimal places
=31
>31 <dmax Any value 31-d integer and d decimal places
=dmax
>dmax <31 i integer and 31-i decimal places
=31
>31 31-dmax integer and dmax decimal
places

Exponentiation
Exponentiation is represented by the expression op1 ** op2. Based on the
characteristics of op2, the compiler handles exponentiation of fixed-point numbers
in one of three ways:
v When op2 is expressed with decimals, floating-point instructions are used.
v When op2 is an integral literal or constant, the value d is computed as
d = d1 * |op2|
and the value i is computed based on the characteristics of op1:
– When op1 is a data-name or variable,
i = i1 * |op2|
– When op1 is a literal or constant, i is set equal to the number of integers in
the value of op1 ** |op2|.
In compatibility mode (compilation using ARITH(COMPAT)), the compiler having
calculated i and d takes the action indicated in the table below to handle the
intermediate results ir of the exponentiation.

Value of i + d Other conditions Action taken

<30 Any i integer and d decimal places are carried for ir.
=30 op1 has an odd i integer and d decimal places are carried for ir.
number of digits.
op1 has an even Same action as when op2 is an integral data-name or
number of digits. variable (shown below). Exception: for a 30-digit
integer raised to the power of literal 1, i integer and
d decimal places are carried for ir.

606 Programming Guide

 Value of i + d Other conditions Action taken
>30 Any Same action as when op2 is an integral data name or
variable (shown below)

In extended mode (compilation using ARITH(EXTEND)), the compiler having

calculated i and d takes the action indicated in the table below to handle the
intermediate results ir of the exponentiation.

Value of i + d Other conditions Action taken

<31 Any i integer and d decimal places are carried for ir.
=31 Any Same action as when op2 is an integral data-name or
>31 variable (shown below). Exception: for a 31-digit
integer raised to the power of literal 1, i integer and
d decimal places are carried for ir.

If op2 is negative, the value of 1 is then divided by the result produced by the
preliminary computation. The values of i and d that are used are calculated
following the division rules for fixed-point data already shown above.
v When op2 is an integral data-name or variable, dmax decimal places and 30-dmax
(compatibility mode) or 31-dmax (extended mode) integer places are used. op1 is
multiplied by itself (|op2| - 1) times for nonzero op2.
If op2 is equal to 0, the result is 1. Division-by-0 and exponentiation SIZE ERROR
conditions apply.

Fixed-point exponents with more than nine significant digits are always truncated
to nine digits. If the exponent is a literal or constant, an E-level compiler diagnostic
message is issued; otherwise, an informational message is issued at run time.

“Example: exponentiation in fixed-point arithmetic”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terminology used for intermediate results” on page 604
“Truncated intermediate results” on page 608
“Binary data and intermediate results” on page 608
“Floating-point data and intermediate results” on page 610
“Intrinsic functions evaluated in fixed-point arithmetic” on page 608
“ARITH” on page 271
SIZE ERROR phrases (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: exponentiation in fixed-point arithmetic

The following example shows how the compiler performs an exponentiation to a
nonzero integer power as a succession of multiplications, storing intermediate
results as needed.
COMPUTE Y = A ** B

If B is equal to 4, the result is computed as shown below. The values of i and d that
are used are calculated following the multiplication rules for fixed-point data and
intermediate results (referred to below).

1. Multiply A by A yielding ir1.

2. Multiply ir1 by A yielding ir2.
3. Multiply ir2 by A yielding ir3.
4. Move ir3 to ir4.

Appendix A. Intermediate results and arithmetic precision 607

 ir4 has dmax decimal places.

Because B is positive, ir4 is moved to Y. If B were equal to -4, however, an

additional step would be performed:

5. Divide ir4 into 1 yielding ir5.

ir5 has dmax decimal places, and would then be moved to Y.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terminology used for intermediate results” on page 604
“Fixed-point data and intermediate results” on page 605

Truncated intermediate results

Whenever the number of digits in an intermediate result exceeds 30 in
compatibility mode or 31 in extended mode, the compiler truncates to 30
(compatibility mode) or 31 (extended mode) digits as shown in the tables referred
to below, and issues a warning. If truncation occurs at run time, a message is
issued and the program continues running.

If you want to avoid the truncation of intermediate results that can occur in
fixed-point calculations, use floating-point operands (COMP-1 or COMP-2) instead.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Formats for numeric data” on page 40

RELATED REFERENCES
“Fixed-point data and intermediate results” on page 605
“ARITH” on page 271

Binary data and intermediate results

If an operation that involves binary operands requires intermediate results longer
than 18 digits, the compiler converts the operands to internal decimal before
performing the operation. If the result field is binary, the compiler converts the
result of the operation from internal decimal to binary.

You use binary operands most efficiently when the intermediate results will not
exceed nine digits.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Fixed-point data and intermediate results” on page 605
“ARITH” on page 271

Intrinsic functions evaluated in fixed-point arithmetic

The compiler determines the inner-dmax and outer-dmax values for an intrinsic
function from the characteristics of the function.

Integer functions
Integer intrinsic functions return an integer; thus their outer-dmax is always zero.
For those integer functions whose arguments must all be integers, the inner-dmax is
thus also always zero.

608 Programming Guide

 The following table summarizes the inner-dmax and the precision of the function
result.

Function Inner-dmax Digit precision of function result

DATE-OF-INTEGER 0 8
DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD 0 8
DAY-OF-INTEGER 0 7
DAY-TO-YYYYDDD 0 7
FACTORIAL 0 30 in compatibility mode, 31 in extended mode
INTEGER-OF-DATE 0 7
INTEGER-OF-DAY 0 7
LENGTH n/a 9
MOD 0 min(i1 i2)
ORD n/a 3
ORD-MAX 9
ORD-MIN 9
YEAR-TO-YYYY 0 4
INTEGER For a fixed-point argument: one more digit than in
the argument. For a floating-point argument: 30 in
compatibility mode, 31 in extended mode.
INTEGER-PART For a fixed-point argument: same number of digits
as in the argument. For a floating-point argument: 30
in compatibility mode, 31 in extended mode.

Mixed functions
A mixed intrinsic function is a function whose result type depends on the type of
its arguments. A mixed function is fixed point if all of its arguments are numeric
and none of its arguments is floating point. (If any argument of a mixed function is
floating point, the function is evaluated with floating-point instructions and returns
a floating-point result.) When a mixed function is evaluated with fixed-point
arithmetic, the result is integer if all of the arguments are integer; otherwise, the
result is fixed point.

For the mixed functions MAX, MIN, RANGE, REM, and SUM, the outer-dmax is always
equal to the inner-dmax (and both are thus zero if all the arguments are integer). To
determine the precision of the result returned for these functions, apply the rules
for fixed-point arithmetic and intermediate results (as referred to below) to each
step in the algorithm.
MAX
1. Assign the first argument to the function result.
2. For each remaining argument, do the following:
a. Compare the algebraic value of the function result with the
argument.
b. Assign the greater of the two to the function result.
MIN
1. Assign the first argument to the function result.
2. For each remaining argument, do the following:

Appendix A. Intermediate results and arithmetic precision 609

 a. Compare the algebraic value of the function result with the
argument.
b. Assign the lesser of the two to the function result.
RANGE
1. Use the steps for MAX to select the maximum argument.
2. Use the steps for MIN to select the minimum argument.
3. Subtract the minimum argument from the maximum.
4. Assign the difference to the function result.
REM
1. Divide argument one by argument two.
2. Remove all noninteger digits from the result of step 1.
3. Multiply the result of step 2 by argument two.
4. Subtract the result of step 3 from argument one.
5. Assign the difference to the function result.
SUM
1. Assign the value 0 to the function result.
2. For each argument, do the following:
a. Add the argument to the function result.
b. Assign the sum to the function result.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terminology used for intermediate results” on page 604
“Fixed-point data and intermediate results” on page 605
“Floating-point data and intermediate results”
“ARITH” on page 271

Floating-point data and intermediate results

Floating-point instructions are used to compute an arithmetic expression if any of
the following conditions is true of the expression:
v A receiver or operand is COMP-1, COMP-2, external floating point, or a
floating-point literal.
v An exponent contains decimal places.
v An exponent is an expression that contains an exponentiation or division
operator, and dmax is greater than zero.
v An intrinsic function is a floating-point function.

If any operation in an arithmetic expression is computed in floating-point

arithmetic, the entire expression is computed as if all operands were converted to
floating point and the operations were performed using floating-point instructions.

In compatibility mode, if an expression is computed in floating-point arithmetic,

the precision used to evaluate the arithmetic operations is determined as follows:
v Single precision is used if all receivers and operands are COMP-1 data items and
the expression contains no multiplication or exponentiation operations.
v In all other cases, long precision is used.

610 Programming Guide

 Whenever long-precision floating point is used for one operation in an arithmetic
expression, all operations in the expression are computed as if long floating-point
instructions were used.

In extended mode, if an expression is computed in floating-point arithmetic, the

precision used to evaluate the arithmetic operations is determined as follows:
v Single precision is used if all receivers and operands are COMP-1 data items and
the expression contains no multiplication or exponentiation operations.
v Long precision is used if all receivers and operands are COMP-1 or COMP-2 data
items, at least one receiver or operand is a COMP-2 data item, and the expression
contains no multiplication or exponentiation operations.
v In all other cases, extended precision is used.

Whenever extended-precision floating point is used for one operation in an

arithmetic expression, all operations in the expression are computed as if
extended-precision floating-point instructions were used.

Alert: If a floating-point operation has an intermediate result field in which

exponent overflow occurs, the job is abnormally terminated.

Exponentiations evaluated in floating-point arithmetic

In compatibility mode, floating-point exponentiations are always evaluated using
long floating-point arithmetic. In extended mode, floating-point exponentiations
are always evaluated using extended-precision floating-point arithmetic.

The value of a negative number raised to a fractional power is undefined in

COBOL. For example, (-2) ** 3 is equal to -8, but (-2) ** (3.000001) is undefined.
When an exponentiation is evaluated in floating point and there is a possibility
that the result is undefined, the exponent is evaluated at run time to determine if it
has an integral value. If not, a diagnostic message is issued.

Intrinsic functions evaluated in floating-point arithmetic

In compatibility mode, floating-point intrinsic functions always return a long
(64-bit) floating-point value. In extended mode, floating-point intrinsic functions
always return an extended-precision (128-bit) floating-point value.

Mixed functions with at least one floating-point argument are evaluated using
floating-point arithmetic.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terminology used for intermediate results” on page 604
“ARITH” on page 271

Arithmetic expressions in nonarithmetic statements

Arithmetic expressions can appear in contexts other than arithmetic statements. For
example, you can use an arithmetic expression with the IF or EVALUATE statement.
In such statements, the rules for intermediate results with fixed-point data and for
intermediate results with floating-point data apply, with the following changes:
v Abbreviated IF statements are handled as though the statements were not
abbreviated.
v In an explicit relation condition where at least one of the comparands is an
arithmetic expression, dmax is the maximum number of decimal places for any

Appendix A. Intermediate results and arithmetic precision 611

 operand of either comparand, excluding divisors and exponents. The rules for
floating-point arithmetic apply if any of the following conditions is true:
– Any operand in either comparand is COMP-1, COMP-2, external floating point,
or a floating-point literal.
– An exponent contains decimal places.
– An exponent is an expression that contains an exponentiation or division
operator, and dmax is greater than zero.
For example:
IF operand-1 = expression-1 THEN . . .
If operand-1 is a data-name defined to be COMP-2, the rules for floating-point
arithmetic apply to expression-1 even if it contains only fixed-point operands,
because it is being compared to a floating-point operand.
v When the comparison between an arithmetic expression and another data item
or arithmetic expression does not use a relational operator (that is, there is no
explicit relation condition), the arithmetic expression is evaluated without regard
to the attributes of its comparand. For example:
EVALUATE expression-1
WHEN expression-2 THRU expression-3
WHEN expression-4
. . .
END-EVALUATE
In the statement above, each arithmetic expression is evaluated in fixed-point or
floating-point arithmetic based on its own characteristics.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“Fixed-point versus floating-point arithmetic” on page 53

RELATED REFERENCES
“Terminology used for intermediate results” on page 604
“Fixed-point data and intermediate results” on page 605
“Floating-point data and intermediate results” on page 610
IF statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
EVALUATE statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)
Conditional expressions (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

612 Programming Guide

Appendix B. Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON
Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON (ODO) is supported as an extension to the COBOL
85 Standard.

The basic forms of complex ODO permitted by the compiler are as follows:
v Variably located item or group: A data item described by an OCCURS clause with
the DEPENDING ON phrase is followed by a nonsubordinate data item or group.
v Variably located table: A data item described by an OCCURS clause with the
DEPENDING ON phrase is followed by a nonsubordinate data item described by an
OCCURS clause.
v Table that has variable-length elements: A data item described by an OCCURS
clause contains a subordinate data item described by an OCCURS clause with the
DEPENDING ON phrase.
v Index name for a table that has variable-length elements.
v Element of a table that has variable-length elements.

Using complex ODO can make maintaining your code more difficult, and is
potentially error prone as discussed in the related tasks below.

“Example: complex ODO”

RELATED TASKS
“Preventing index errors when changing ODO object value” on page 615
“Preventing overlay when adding elements to a variable table” on page 615

RELATED REFERENCES
“Effects of change in ODO object value” on page 614
OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Example: complex ODO

The following example illustrates the possible types of occurrence of complex
ODO:
01 FIELD-A.
02 COUNTER-1 PIC S99.
02 COUNTER-2 PIC S99.
02 TABLE-1.
03 RECORD-1 OCCURS 1 TO 5 TIMES
DEPENDING ON COUNTER-1 PIC X(3).
02 EMPLOYEE-NUMBER PIC X(5). (1)
02 TABLE-2 OCCURS 5 TIMES (2)(3)
INDEXED BY INDX. (4)
03 TABLE-ITEM PIC 99. (5)
03 RECORD-2 OCCURS 1 TO 3 TIMES
DEPENDING ON COUNTER-2.
04 DATA-NUM PIC S99.

Definition: In the example, COUNTER-1 is an ODO object, that is, it is the object of
the DEPENDING ON clause of RECORD-1. RECORD-1 is said to be an ODO subject.
Similarly, COUNTER-2 is the ODO object of the corresponding ODO subject,
RECORD-2.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 613

 The types of complex ODO occurrences shown in the example above are as
follows:
(1) A variably located item: EMPLOYEE-NUMBER is a data item following, but not
subordinate to, a variable-length table in the same level-01 record.
(2) A variably located table: TABLE-2 is a table following, but not subordinate
to, a variable-length table in the same level-01 record.
(3) A table with variable-length elements: TABLE-2 is a table containing a
subordinate data item, RECORD-2, whose number of occurrences varies
depending on the content of its ODO object.
(4) An index name, INDX, for a table with variable-length elements.
(5) An element, TABLE-ITEM, of a table with variable-length elements.

How length is calculated

The length of the variable portion of each record is the product of its ODO object
and the length of its ODO subject. For example, whenever a reference is made to
one of the complex ODO items shown above, the actual length, if used, is
computed as follows:
v The length of TABLE-1 is calculated by multiplying the contents of COUNTER-1 (the
number of occurrences of RECORD-1) by 3 (the length of RECORD-1).
v The length of TABLE-2 is calculated by multiplying the contents of COUNTER-2 (the
number of occurrences of RECORD-2) by 2 (the length of RECORD-2), and adding
the length of TABLE-ITEM.
v The length of FIELD-A is calculated by adding the lengths of COUNTER-1,
COUNTER-2, TABLE-1, EMPLOYEE-NUMBER, and TABLE-2 times 5.

Setting values of ODO objects

You must set every ODO object in a group before you reference any complex ODO
item in the group. For example, before you refer to EMPLOYEE-NUMBER in the code
above, you must set COUNTER-1 and COUNTER-2 even though EMPLOYEE-NUMBER does
not directly depend on either ODO object for its value.

Restriction: An ODO object cannot be variably located.

Effects of change in ODO object value

If a data item described by an OCCURS clause with the DEPENDING ON option is
followed in the same group by one or more nonsubordinate data items (a form of
complex ODO), any change in value of the ODO object affects subsequent
references to complex ODO items in the record:
v The size of any group containing the relevant ODO clause reflects the new value
of the ODO object.
v A MOVE to a group containing the ODO subject is made based on the new value
of the ODO object.
v The location of any nonsubordinate items following the item described with the
ODO clause is affected by the new value of the ODO object. (To preserve the
contents of the nonsubordinate items, move them to a work area before the
value of the ODO object changes; then move them back.)

The value of an ODO object can change when you move data to the ODO object or
to the group in which it is contained. The value can also change if the ODO object
is contained in a record that is the target of a READ statement.

614 Programming Guide

 RELATED TASKS
“Preventing index errors when changing ODO object value”
“Preventing overlay when adding elements to a variable table”

Preventing index errors when changing ODO object value

Be careful if you reference a complex-ODO index-name, that is, an index-name for
a table with variable-length elements, after having changed the value of the ODO
object for a subordinate data item in the table. When you change the value of an
ODO object, the byte offset in an associated complex-ODO index is no longer valid
because the table length has changed. Unless you take precautions, you will obtain
unexpected results if you then code a reference to the index name such as:
v A reference to an element of the table
v A SET statement of the form SET integer-data-item TO index-name (format 1)
v A SET statement of the form SET index-name UP|DOWN BY integer (format 2)

To avoid this type of error, take these steps:

1. Save the index item in an integer data item. (Doing so causes an implicit
conversion: the integer item receives the table element occurrence number
corresponding to the offset in the index.)
2. Change the value of the ODO object.
3. Immediately restore the index item from the integer data item. (Doing so causes
an implicit conversion: the index item receives the offset corresponding to the
table element occurrence number in the integer item. The offset is computed
according to the table length then in effect.)

The following code shows how to save and restore the index-name (seen in
“Example: complex ODO” on page 613) when the ODO object COUNTER-2 changes.
77 INTEGER-DATA-ITEM-1 PIC 99.
. . .
SET INDX TO 5.
* INDX is valid at this point.
SET INTEGER-DATA-ITEM-1 TO INDX.
* INTEGER-DATA-ITEM-1 now has the
* occurrence number corresponding to INDX.
MOVE NEW-VALUE TO COUNTER-2.
* INDX is not valid at this point.
SET INDX TO INTEGER-DATA-ITEM-1.
* INDX is now valid, containing the offset
* corresponding to INTEGER-DATA-ITEM-1, and
* can be used with the expected results.

RELATED REFERENCES
SET statement (Enterprise COBOL Language Reference)

Preventing overlay when adding elements to a variable table

Be careful if you increase the number of elements in a variable-occurrence table
that is followed by one or more nonsubordinate data items in the same group.
When you increment the value of the ODO object and add an element to a table,
you can inadvertently overlay the variably located data items that follow the table.

To avoid this type of error, do the following:

1. Save the variably located data items that follow the table in another data area.
2. Increment the value of the ODO object.
3. Move data into the new table element (if needed).

Appendix B. Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON 615

 4. Restore the variably located data items from the data area where you saved
them.

In the following example, suppose you want to add an element to the table
VARY-FIELD-1, whose number of elements depends on the ODO object CONTROL-1.
VARY-FIELD-1 is followed by the nonsubordinate variably located data item
GROUP-ITEM-1, whose elements could potentially be overlaid.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 VARIABLE-REC.
05 FIELD-1 PIC X(10).
05 CONTROL-1 PIC S99.
05 CONTROL-2 PIC S99.
05 VARY-FIELD-1 OCCURS 1 TO 10 TIMES
DEPENDING ON CONTROL-1 PIC X(5).
05 GROUP-ITEM-1.
10 VARY-FIELD-2
OCCURS 1 TO 10 TIMES
DEPENDING ON CONTROL-2 PIC X(9).
01 STORE-VARY-FIELD-2.
05 GROUP-ITEM-2.
10 VARY-FLD-2
OCCURS 1 TO 10 TIMES
DEPENDING ON CONTROL-2 PIC X(9).

Each element of VARY-FIELD-1 has 5 bytes, and each element of VARY-FIELD-2 has 9
bytes. If CONTROL-1 and CONTROL-2 both contain the value 3, you can picture storage
for VARY-FIELD-1 and VARY-FIELD-2 as follows:

To add a fourth element to VARY-FIELD-1, code as follows to prevent overlaying the

first 5 bytes of VARY-FIELD-2. (GROUP-ITEM-2 serves as temporary storage for the
variably located GROUP-ITEM-1.)
MOVE GROUP-ITEM-1 TO GROUP-ITEM-2.
ADD 1 TO CONTROL-1.
MOVE five-byte-field TO
VARY-FIELD-1 (CONTROL-1).
MOVE GROUP-ITEM-2 TO GROUP-ITEM-1.

You can picture the updated storage for VARY-FIELD-1 and VARY-FIELD-2 as follows:

616 Programming Guide

Note that the fourth element of VARY-FIELD-1 did not overlay the first element of
VARY-FIELD-2.

Appendix B. Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON 617

618 Programming Guide
Appendix C. Converting double-byte character set (DBCS)
data
The Language Environment service routines IGZCA2D and IGZCD2A were
intended for use in converting alphanumeric data items that contain DBCS data to
and from pure DBCS data items in order to reliably perform operations such as
STRING, UNSTRING, and reference modification. The service routines continue to be
provided for compatibility; however, using national data items and the national
conversion operations is now recommended instead for this purpose.

Note that the service routines do not support a code page argument and are not
sensitive to the code page specified by the CODEPAGE compiler option.

The DBCS compiler option does not affect the operation of the service routines.

RELATED TASKS
“Converting national data” on page 107
“Processing alphanumeric data items that contain DBCS data” on page 112

RELATED REFERENCES
“DBCS notation”
“Alphanumeric to DBCS data conversion (IGZCA2D)”
“DBCS to alphanumeric data conversion (IGZCD2A)” on page 622
“CODEPAGE” on page 274

DBCS notation
These symbols are used in the DBCS data conversion examples to describe DBCS
items:

Symbols Meaning
< and > Shift-out (SO) and shift-in (SI), respectively
D0, D1, D2, . . ., Dn Any DBCS character except for double-byte EBCDIC
characters that correspond to single-byte EBCDIC
characters
.A, .B, .C, . . . Any double-byte EBCDIC character that corresponds
to a single-byte EBCDIC character; the period (.)
represents the value X’42’
A single letter, such as A, B, or s Any single-byte EBCDIC character

Alphanumeric to DBCS data conversion (IGZCA2D)

The Language Environment IGZCA2D service routine converts alphanumeric data
that contains double-byte characters to pure DBCS data.

IGZCA2D syntax
To use the IGZCA2D service routine, pass the following four parameters to the
routine by using the CALL statement:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 619

 parameter-1
The sending field for the conversion, handled as an alphanumeric data
item.
parameter-2
The receiving field for the conversion, handled as a DBCS data item.
You cannot use reference modification with parameter-2.
parameter-3
The number of bytes in parameter-1 to be converted.
It can be the LENGTH OF special register of parameter-1, or a 4-byte USAGE IS
BINARY data item containing the number of bytes of parameter-1 to be
converted. Shift codes count as 1 byte each.
parameter-4
The number of bytes in parameter-2 that will receive the converted data.
It can be the LENGTH OF special register of parameter-2, or a 4-byte USAGE IS
BINARY data item containing the number of bytes of parameter-2 to receive
the converted data.

Usage notes
v You can pass parameter-1, parameter-3, and parameter-4 to the routine BY
REFERENCE or BY CONTENT, but you must pass parameter-2 BY REFERENCE.
v The compiler does not perform syntax checking on these parameters. Ensure that
the parameters are correctly set and passed in the CALL statement to the
conversion routine. Otherwise, results are unpredictable.
v When creating parameter-2 from parameter-1, IGZCA2D makes these changes:
– Removes the shift codes, leaving the DBCS data unchanged
– Converts the single-byte (nonspace) EBCDIC character X’nn’ to a character
represented by X’42nn’
– Converts the single-byte space (X’40’) to DBCS space (X’4040’), instead of
X’4240’
v IGZCA2D does not change the contents of parameter-1, parameter-3, or
parameter-4.
v The valid range for the contents of parameter-3 is 1 to 16,777,215, and the valid
range for the contents of parameter-4 is 1 to 15,777,214.

“Example: IGZCA2D” on page 621

RELATED REFERENCES
“IGZCA2D return codes”

IGZCA2D return codes

IGZCA2D sets the RETURN-CODE special register to reflect the status of the conversion,
as shown in the table below.
Table 87. IGZCA2D return codes
Return code Explanation
0 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2.
2 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2.
parameter-2 was padded on the right with DBCS spaces.

620 Programming Guide

 Table 87. IGZCA2D return codes (continued)
Return code Explanation
4 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2. The
DBCS data placed in parameter-2 was truncated on the right.
6 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2. A
single-byte character in the range X’00’ to X’3F’ or X’FF’ was
encountered. The valid single-byte character has been converted into an
out-of-range DBCS character.
8 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2. A
single-byte character in the range X’00’ to X’3F’ or X’FF’ was
encountered. The valid single-byte character has been converted into an
out-of-range DBCS character.

parameter-2 was padded on the right with DBCS spaces.

10 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2. A
single-byte character in the range X’00’ to X’3F’ or X’FF’ was
encountered. The valid single-byte character has been converted into an
out-of-range DBCS character.

The DBCS data in parameter-2 was truncated on the right.

12 An odd number of bytes was found between paired shift codes in
parameter-1. No conversion occurred.
13 Unpaired or nested shift codes were found in parameter-1. No conversion
occurred.
14 parameter-1 and parameter-2 were overlapping. No conversion occurred.
15 The value provided for parameter-3 or parameter-4 was out of range. No
conversion occurred.
16 An odd number of bytes was coded in parameter-4. No conversion
occurred.

Example: IGZCA2D
The following CALL statement converts the alphanumeric data in alpha-item to
DBCS data. The results of the conversion are placed in dbcs-item.
CALL “IGZCA2D” USING BY REFERENCE alpha-item dbcs-item
BY CONTENT LENGTH OF alpha-item LENGTH OF dbcs-item

Suppose the contents of alpha-item and dbcs-item and the lengths before the
conversion are:
alpha-item = AB<D1D2D3>CD
dbcs-item = D4D5D6D7D8D9D0
LENGTH OF alpha-item = 12
LENGTH OF dbcs-item = 14

Then after the conversion, alpha-item and dbcs-item will contain:

alpha-item = AB<D1D2D3>CD
dbcs-item = .A.BD1D2D3.C.D

The content of the RETURN-CODE register is 0.

RELATED REFERENCES
“DBCS notation” on page 619

Appendix C. Converting double-byte character set (DBCS) data 621

DBCS to alphanumeric data conversion (IGZCD2A)
The Language Environment IGZCD2A routine converts pure DBCS data to
alphanumeric data that can contain double-byte characters.

IGZCD2A syntax
To use the IGZCD2A service routine, pass the following four parameters to the
routine using the CALL statement:
parameter-1
The sending field for the conversion, handled as a DBCS data item.
parameter-2
The receiving field for the conversion, handled as an alphanumeric data
item.
parameter-3
The number of bytes in parameter-1 to be converted.
It can be the LENGTH OF special register of parameter-1, or a 4-byte USAGE IS
BINARY data item containing the number of bytes of parameter-1 to be
converted.
parameter-4
The number of bytes in parameter-2 that will receive the converted data.
It can be the LENGTH OF special register of parameter-2, or a 4-byte USAGE IS
BINARY data item containing the number of bytes of parameter-2 to receive
the converted data. Shift codes count as 1 byte each.

Usage notes
v You can pass parameter-1, parameter-3, and parameter-4 to the routine BY
REFERENCE or BY CONTENT, but you must pass parameter-2 BY REFERENCE.
v The compiler does not perform syntax checking on these parameters. Ensure that
the parameters are correctly set and passed to the conversion routine. Otherwise,
results are unpredictable.
v When creating parameter-2 from parameter-1, IGZCD2A makes these changes:
– Inserts shift codes around DBCS characters that do not correspond to
single-byte EBCDIC characters
– Converts DBCS characters to single-byte characters when the DBCS characters
correspond to single-byte EBCDIC characters
– Converts the DBCS space (X’4040’) to a single-byte space (X’40’)
v IGZCD2A does not change the contents of parameter-1, parameter-3, or
parameter-4.
v If the converted data contains double-byte characters, shift codes are counted in
the length of parameter-2.
v The valid range for the contents of parameter-3 is 1 to 16,777,214, and the valid
range for the contents of parameter-4 is 1 to 15,777,215, which is the maximum
size of alphanumeric item.

“Example: IGZCD2A” on page 623

RELATED REFERENCES
“IGZCD2A return codes” on page 623

622 Programming Guide

IGZCD2A return codes
IGZCD2A sets the RETURN-CODE special register to reflect the status of the conversion,
as shown in the table below.
Table 88. IGZCD2A return codes
Return code Explanation
0 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2.
2 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2.
parameter-2 was padded on the right with single-byte spaces.
4 parameter-1 was converted and the results were placed in parameter-2.
parameter-2 was truncated on the right.1
14 parameter-1 and parameter-2 were overlapping. No conversion occurred.
15 The value of parameter-3 or parameter-4 was out of range. No conversion
occurred.
16 An odd number of bytes was coded in parameter-3. No conversion
occurred.

1. If a truncation occurs within the DBCS characters, the truncation is on an even-byte

boundary and a shift-in (SI) is inserted. If necessary, the alphanumeric data is padded
with a single-byte space after the shift-in.

Example: IGZCD2A
The following CALL statement converts the DBCS data in dbcs-item to
alphanumeric data with double-byte characters. The results of the conversion are
placed in alpha-item.
CALL “IGZCD2A” USING BY REFERENCE dbcs-item alpha-item
BY CONTENT LENGTH OF dbcs-item LENGTH OF alpha-item

Suppose the contents of dbcs-item and alpha-item and the lengths before the
conversion are:
dbcs-item = .A.BD1D2D3.C.D
alpha-item = ssssssssssss
LENGTH OF dbcs-item = 14
LENGTH OF alpha-item = 12

Then after the conversion, dbcs-item and alpha-item will contain:

dbcs-item = .A.BD1D2D3.C.D
alpha-item = AB<D1D2D3>CD

The content of the RETURN-CODE register is 0.

RELATED REFERENCES
“DBCS notation” on page 619

Appendix C. Converting double-byte character set (DBCS) data 623

624 Programming Guide
 Appendix D. XML reference material
| This information describes the XML exception codes that the XML parser and the
| XML GENERATE statement return in special register XML-CODE. This information also
documents which well-formedness constraints from the XML specification that the
parser checks.

RELATED REFERENCES
“XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation”
“XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation” on page 628
“XML GENERATE exceptions” on page 633
“XML conformance” on page 631
XML specification (www.w3c.org/XML/)

XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation

The following table shows the exception codes that are associated with the XML
EXCEPTION event and that the XML parser returns in special register XML-CODE when
the parser can continue processing the XML data. That is, the code is within one of
the following ranges:
v 1-99
v 100,001-165,535

The table describes each exception and the actions that the parser takes when you
| request that it continue after the exception. Some of the descriptions use the
| following terms:
| v Basic document encoding
| v Document encoding declaration

| For definitions of the terms, see the related task below on understanding the
| encoding of XML documents.
Table 89. XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation
Code Description Parser action on continuation
1 The parser found an invalid character The parser continues detecting errors
while scanning white space outside until it reaches the end of the document
element content. or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
2 The parser found an invalid start of a The parser continues detecting errors
processing instruction, element, until it reaches the end of the document
comment, or document type or encounters an error that does not
declaration outside element content. allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
3 The parser found a duplicate attribute The parser continues detecting errors
name. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 625

 Table 89. XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation (continued)
Code Description Parser action on continuation
4 The parser found the markup The parser continues detecting errors
character ’<’ in an attribute value. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
5 The start and end tag names of an The parser continues detecting errors
element did not match. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
6 The parser found an invalid character The parser continues detecting errors
in element content. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
7 The parser found an invalid start of an The parser continues detecting errors
element, comment, processing until it reaches the end of the document
instruction, or CDATA section in or encounters an error that does not
element content. allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
8 The parser found in element content The parser continues detecting errors
the CDATA closing character sequence until it reaches the end of the document
’]]>’ without the matching opening or encounters an error that does not
character sequence ’<![CDATA[’. allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
9 The parser found an invalid character The parser continues detecting errors
in a comment. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
10 The parser found in a comment the The parser continues detecting errors
character sequence ’—’ (two hyphens) until it reaches the end of the document
not followed by ’>’. or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
11 The parser found an invalid character The parser continues detecting errors
in a processing instruction data until it reaches the end of the document
segment. or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
12 A processing instruction target name The parser continues detecting errors
was ’xml’ in lowercase, uppercase, or until it reaches the end of the document
mixed case. or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.

626 Programming Guide

 Table 89. XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation (continued)
Code Description Parser action on continuation
13 The parser found an invalid digit in a The parser continues detecting errors
hexadecimal character reference (of the until it reaches the end of the document
form &#xdddd;). or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
14 The parser found an invalid digit in a The parser continues detecting errors
decimal character reference (of the until it reaches the end of the document
form &#dddd;). or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
15 The encoding declaration value in the The parser continues detecting errors
XML declaration did not begin with until it reaches the end of the document
lowercase or uppercase A through Z. or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
16 A character reference did not refer to a The parser continues detecting errors
legal XML character. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
17 The parser found an invalid character The parser continues detecting errors
in an entity reference name. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
18 The parser found an invalid character The parser continues detecting errors
in an attribute value. until it reaches the end of the document
or encounters an error that does not
allow continuation. The parser does not
signal any further normal events, except
for the END-OF-DOCUMENT event.
| 70 The basic document encoding was The parser uses the encoding specified
| EBCDIC, and the CODEPAGE compiler by the CODEPAGE compiler option.
| option specified a supported EBCDIC
| code page, but the document encoding
| declaration did not specify a
| supported EBCDIC code page.
| 71 The basic document encoding was The parser uses the encoding specified
| EBCDIC, and the document encoding by the document encoding declaration.
| declaration specified a supported
| EBCDIC encoding, but the CODEPAGE
| compiler option did not specify a
| supported EBCDIC code page.
| 72 The basic document encoding was The parser uses EBCDIC code page 1140
| EBCDIC, the CODEPAGE compiler option (USA, Canada, . . . Euro Country
| did not specify a supported EBCDIC Extended Code Page).
| code page, and the document did not
| contain an encoding declaration.

Appendix D. XML reference material 627

 Table 89. XML PARSE exceptions that allow continuation (continued)
Code Description Parser action on continuation
| 73 The basic document encoding was The parser uses EBCDIC code page 1140
| EBCDIC, but neither the CODEPAGE (USA, Canada, . . . Euro Country
| compiler option nor the document Extended Code Page).
| encoding declaration specified a
| supported EBCDIC code page.
| 82 The basic document encoding was The parser uses ASCII code page 819
| ASCII, but the document did not (ISO-8859-1 Latin 1/Open Systems).
| contain an encoding declaration.
| 83 The basic document encoding was The parser uses ASCII code page 819
| ASCII, but the document encoding (ISO-8859-1 Latin 1/Open Systems).
| declaration did not specify code page
| 813, 819, or 920.
| 92 The document data item was The parser uses code page 1200
| alphanumeric, but the basic document (Unicode UTF-16).
| encoding was Unicode UTF-16.
100,001 - The CODEPAGE compiler option and the If you set XML-CODE to zero before
165,535 document encoding declaration returning from the EXCEPTION event, the
specified different supported EBCDIC parser uses the encoding specified by
code pages. XML-CODE contains the the CODEPAGE compiler option. If you set
code page CCSID for the encoding XML-CODE to the CCSID for the document
declaration plus 100,000. encoding declaration (by subtracting
100,000), the parser uses this encoding.

RELATED TASKS
“Understanding the encoding of XML documents” on page 462
“Handling errors in parsing XML documents” on page 465

XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation

With these XML exceptions, no further events are returned from the parser even if
you set XML-CODE to zero and return control to the parser after processing the
| exception. Control is passed to the statement that you specify in the ON EXCEPTION
| phrase, or to the end of the XML PARSE statement if you did not code an ON
| EXCEPTION phrase.
Table 90. XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation
Code Description
100 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning the start of the
XML declaration.
101 The parser reached the end of the document while looking for the end of the
XML declaration.
102 The parser reached the end of the document while looking for the root
element.
103 The parser reached the end of the document while looking for the version
information in the XML declaration.
104 The parser reached the end of the document while looking for the version
information value in the XML declaration.
106 The parser reached the end of the document while looking for the encoding
declaration value in the XML declaration.

628 Programming Guide

Table 90. XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation (continued)
Code Description
108 The parser reached the end of the document while looking for the
standalone declaration value in the XML declaration.
109 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning an attribute
name.
110 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning an attribute
value.
111 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning a character
reference or entity reference in an attribute value.
112 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning an empty
element tag.
113 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning the root element
name.
114 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning an element
name.
115 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning character data in
element content.
116 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning a processing
instruction in element content.
117 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning a comment or
CDATA section in element content.
118 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning a comment in
element content.
119 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning a CDATA
section in element content.
120 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning a character
reference or entity reference in element content.
121 The parser reached the end of the document while scanning after the close of
the root element.
122 The parser found a possible invalid start of a document type declaration.
123 The parser found a second document type declaration.
124 The first character of the root element name was not a letter, ’_’, or ’:’.
125 The first character of the first attribute name of an element was not a letter,
’_’, or ’:’.
126 The parser found an invalid character either in or following an element
name.
127 The parser found a character other than ’=’ following an attribute name.
128 The parser found an invalid attribute value delimiter.
130 The first character of an attribute name was not a letter, ’_’, or ’:’.
131 The parser found an invalid character either in or following an attribute
name.
132 An empty element tag was not terminated by a ’>’ following the ’/’.
133 The first character of an element end tag name was not a letter, ’_’, or ’:’.
134 An element end tag name was not terminated by a ’>’.
135 The first character of an element name was not a letter, ’_’, or ’:’.

Appendix D. XML reference material 629

 Table 90. XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation (continued)
Code Description
136 The parser found an invalid start of a comment or CDATA section in element
content.
137 The parser found an invalid start of a comment.
138 The first character of a processing instruction target name was not a letter,
’_’, or ’:’.
139 The parser found an invalid character in or following a processing
instruction target name.
140 A processing instruction was not terminated by the closing character
sequence ’?>’.
141 The parser found an invalid character following ’&’ in a character reference
or entity reference.
142 The version information was not present in the XML declaration.
143 ’version’ in the XML declaration was not followed by ’=’.
144 The version declaration value in the XML declaration is either missing or
improperly delimited.
145 The version information value in the XML declaration specified a bad
character, or the start and end delimiters did not match.
146 The parser found an invalid character following the version information
value closing delimiter in the XML declaration.
147 The parser found an invalid attribute instead of the optional encoding
declaration in the XML declaration.
148 ’encoding’ in the XML declaration was not followed by ’=’.
149 The encoding declaration value in the XML declaration is either missing or
improperly delimited.
150 The encoding declaration value in the XML declaration specified a bad
character, or the start and end delimiters did not match.
151 The parser found an invalid character following the encoding declaration
value closing delimiter in the XML declaration.
152 The parser found an invalid attribute instead of the optional standalone
declaration in the XML declaration.
153 standalone in the XML declaration was not followed by =.
154 The standalone declaration value in the XML declaration is either missing or
improperly delimited.
155 The standalone declaration value was neither ’yes’ nor ’no’ only.
156 The standalone declaration value in the XML declaration specified a bad
character, or the start and end delimiters did not match.
157 The parser found an invalid character following the standalone declaration
value closing delimiter in the XML declaration.
158 The XML declaration was not terminated by the proper character sequence
’?>’, or contained an invalid attribute.
159 The parser found the start of a document type declaration after the end of
the root element.
160 The parser found the start of an element after the end of the root element.
315 The basic document encoding was UTF-16 little-endian, which the parser
does not support on this platform.
316 The basic document encoding was UCS4, which the parser does not support.

630 Programming Guide

 Table 90. XML PARSE exceptions that do not allow continuation (continued)
Code Description
317 The parser cannot determine the document encoding. The document might
be damaged.
| 320 The document data item was national, but the basic document encoding was
| EBCDIC.
| 321 The document data item was national, but the basic document encoding was
| ASCII.
| 500-599 Internal error. Please report the error to your service representative.

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in parsing XML documents” on page 465

XML conformance
The XML parser that is included in Enterprise COBOL is not a conforming XML
processor according to the definition in the XML specification. It does not validate
the XML documents that you parse. Although it does check for many
well-formedness errors, it does not perform all of the actions required of a
nonvalidating XML processor.

In particular, it does not process the internal document type definition (DTD
internal subset). Thus it does not supply default attribute values, does not
normalize attribute values, and does not include the replacement text of internal
entities except for the predefined entities. Instead, it passes the entire document
type declaration as the contents of XML-TEXT or XML-NTEXT for the
DOCUMENT-TYPE-DESCRIPTOR XML event, which allows the application to perform
these actions if required.

The parser optionally allows programs to continue processing an XML document

after some errors. The purpose of allowing processing to continue is to facilitate
the debugging of XML documents and processing procedures.

Recapitulating the definition in the XML specification, a textual object is a

well-formed XML document if:
v Taken as a whole, it conforms to the grammar for XML documents.
v It meets all the explicit well-formedness constraints given in the XML
specification.
v Each parsed entity (piece of text) that is referenced directly or indirectly within
the document is well formed.

The COBOL XML parser does check that documents conform to the XML grammar,
except for any document type declaration. The declaration is supplied in its
entirety, unchecked, to your application.

The following material is an annotation from the XML specification. The W3C is not
responsible for any content not found at the original URL (www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml). All
the annotations are non-normative and are shown in italic.

Copyright (C) 1994-2001 W3C (R) (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institut National
de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique, Keio University), All Rights Reserved.
W3C liability, trademark, document use, and software licensing rules apply.
(www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice-20000612)

Appendix D. XML reference material 631

 The XML specification also contains twelve explicit well-formedness constraints.
The constraints that the COBOL XML parser checks partly or completely are
shown in bold type:
1. Parameter Entities (PEs) in Internal Subset:
“In the internal DTD subset, parameter-entity references can occur only where
markup declarations can occur, not within markup declarations. (This does
not apply to references that occur in external parameter entities or to the
external subset.)”
The parser does not process the internal DTD subset, so it does not enforce this
constraint.
2. External Subset:
“The external subset, if any, must match the production for extSubset.”
The parser does not process the external subset, so it does not enforce this constraint.
3. Parameter Entity Between Declarations:
“The replacement text of a parameter entity reference in a DeclSep must
match the production extSubsetDecl.”
The parser does not process the internal DTD subset, so it does not enforce this
constraint.
4. Element Type Match:
“The Name in an element’s end-tag must match the element type in the
start-tag.”
The parser enforces this constraint.
5. Unique Attribute Specification:
“No attribute name may appear more than once in the same start-tag or
empty-element tag.”
The parser partly supports this constraint by checking up to 10 attribute names in a
given element for uniqueness. The application can check any attribute names beyond
this limit.
6. No External Entity References:
“Attribute values cannot contain direct or indirect entity references to external
entities.”
The parser does not enforce this constraint.
7. No ’<’ in Attribute Values:
“The replacement text of any entity referred to directly or indirectly in an
attribute value must not contain a ’<’.”
The parser does not enforce this constraint.
8. Legal Character:
“Characters referred to using character references must match the production
for Char.”
The parser enforces this constraint.
9. Entity Declared:
“In a document without any DTD, a document with only an internal DTD
subset which contains no parameter entity references, or a document with
standalone=’yes’, for an entity reference that does not occur within the
external subset or a parameter entity, the Name given in the entity reference
must match that in an entity declaration that does not occur within the
external subset or a parameter entity, except that well-formed documents need
not declare any of the following entities: amp, lt, gt, apos, quot. The
declaration of a general entity must precede any reference to it which appears
in a default value in an attribute-list declaration.

632 Programming Guide

 Note that if entities are declared in the external subset or in external
parameter entities, a non-validating processor is not obligated to read and
process their declarations; for such documents, the rule that an entity must be
declared is a well-formedness constraint only if standalone=’yes’.”
The parser does not enforce this constraint.
10. Parsed Entity:
“An entity reference must not contain the name of an unparsed entity.
Unparsed entities may be referred to only in attribute values declared to be of
type ENTITY or ENTITIES.”
The parser does not enforce this constraint.
11. No Recursion:
“A parsed entity must not contain a recursive reference to itself, either directly
or indirectly.”
The parser does not enforce this constraint.
12. In DTD:
“Parameter-entity references may only appear in the DTD.”
The parser does not enforce this constraint, because the error cannot occur.

The preceding material is an annotation from the XML specification. The W3C is not
responsible for any content not found at the original URL (www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml); all
these annotations are non-normative. This document has been reviewed by W3C Members
and other interested parties and has been endorsed by the Director as a W3C
Recommendation. It is a stable document and may be used as reference material or cited as
a normative reference from another document. The normative version of the specification is
the English version found at the W3C site; any translated document may contain errors
from the translation.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“XML parser in COBOL” on page 447

RELATED REFERENCES
XML specification (www.w3c.org/XML/)
2.8 Prolog and document type declaration (XML specification at
www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml#sec-prolog-dtd)

XML GENERATE exceptions

| The following table shows the exception codes that can occur during XML
| generation. The exception codes are returned in special register XML-CODE. If one of
| these exceptions occurs, control is passed to the statement in the ON EXCEPTION
| phrase, or to the end of the XML GENERATE statement if you did not code an ON
| EXCEPTION phrase.
Table 91. XML GENERATE exceptions
| Code Description
| 400 The receiver was too small to contain the generated XML document. The
| COUNT IN data item, if specified, contains the count of character positions that
| were actually generated.
| 401 A DBCS data-name contained a character that, when converted to Unicode,
| was not valid in an XML element name.
| 402 The first character of a DBCS data-name, when converted to Unicode, was
| not valid as the first character of an XML element name.
| 403 The value of an OCCURS DEPENDING ON variable exceeded 16,777,215.

Appendix D. XML reference material 633

 Table 91. XML GENERATE exceptions (continued)
| Code Description
| 410 The code page specified by the CODEPAGE compiler option is not supported
| for conversion to Unicode.
| 411 The code page specified by the CODEPAGE compiler option is not a supported
| single-byte EBCDIC code page.
| 600-699 Internal error. Please report the error to your service representative.

RELATED TASKS
“Handling errors in generating XML output” on page 480

634 Programming Guide

Appendix E. EXIT compiler option
Use the EXIT option to allow the compiler to accept user-supplied modules in place
of SYSIN, SYSLIB (or copy library), and SYSPRINT.

For SYSADATA, the ADEXIT suboption provides a module that will be called for
each SYSADATA record immediately after the record has been written out to the
file.

EXIT option syntax

NOEXIT





EXIT(  )
INEXIT( mod1)
str1,
NOINEXIT
LIBEXIT( mod2)
str2,
NOLIBEXIT
PRTEXIT( mod3)
str3,
NOPRTEXIT
ADEXIT( mod4)
str4,
NOADEXIT

Default is: NOEXIT

Abbreviations are: EX(INX|NOINX, LIBX|NOLIBX, PRTX|NOPRTX, ADX|NOADX)

If you specify the EXIT option without providing at least one suboption, NOEXIT
will be in effect. You can specify the suboptions in any order and separate them by
either commas or spaces. If you specify both the positive and negative form of a
suboption (INEXIT|NOINEXT, LIBEXIT|NOLIBEXIT, PRTEXIT|NOPRTEXIT, or
ADEXIT|NOADEXIT), the form specified last takes effect. If you specify the same
suboption more than once, the last one specified takes effect.

You can specify the EXIT option only at invocation in the JCL PARM field (under
TSO/E, in a command argument) or at installation time. Do not specify the EXIT
option in a PROCESS (CBL) statement.
INEXIT([’str1’,]mod1)
The compiler reads source code from a user-supplied load module (where
mod1 is the module name), instead of SYSIN.
LIBEXIT([’str2’,]mod2)
The compiler obtains copybooks from a user-supplied load module (where
mod2 is the module name), instead of library-name or SYSLIB. For use with
either COPY or BASIS statements.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 635

 PRTEXIT([’str3’,]mod3)
The compiler passes printer-destined output to the user-supplied load
module (where mod3 is the module name), instead of SYSPRINT.
ADEXIT([’str4’,]mod4)
The compiler passes the SYSADATA output to the user-supplied load
module (where mod4 is the module name).

The module names mod1, mod2, mod3, and mod4 can refer to the same module.

The suboptions str1, str2, str3, and str4 are character strings that are passed to the
load module. These strings are optional. They can be up to 64 characters in length,
and you must enclose them in single quotation marks. Any character is allowed,
but included single quotation marks must be doubled, and lowercase characters
are folded to uppercase.

If one of str1, str2, str3, or str4 is specified, the string is passed to the appropriate
user-exit module with the following format:

LL string

where LL is a halfword (on a halfword boundary) containing the length of the

string.

“Example: INEXIT user exit” on page 645

RELATED TASKS
“Using the user-exit work area”
“Calling from exit modules” on page 637
“Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and SQL statements” on page 644

RELATED REFERENCES
“Processing of INEXIT” on page 637
“Processing of LIBEXIT” on page 638
“Processing of PRTEXIT” on page 641
“Processing of ADEXIT” on page 642
“Error handling for exit modules” on page 644

Using the user-exit work area

When you use an exit, the compiler provides a user-exit work area where you can
save the address of GETMAIN storage obtained by the exit module. This work area
allows the module to be reentrant.

The user-exit work area is 4 fullwords residing on a fullword boundary. These

fullwords are initialized to binary zeros before the first exit routine is invoked. The
address of the work area is passed to the exit module in a parameter list. After
initialization, the compiler makes no further reference to the work area.

You need to establish your own conventions for using the work area if more than
one exit is active during the compilation. For example, the INEXIT module uses
the first word in the work area, the LIBEXIT module uses the second word, the
PRTEXIT module uses the third word, and the ADEXIT module uses the fourth
word.

636 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Processing of INEXIT”
“Processing of LIBEXIT” on page 638
“Processing of PRTEXIT” on page 641
“Processing of ADEXIT” on page 642

Calling from exit modules

Use COBOL standard linkage in your exit modules to call COBOL programs or
library routines. You need to be aware of these conventions in order to trace the
call chain correctly.

When a call is made to a program or to a routine, the registers are set up as

follows:
R1 Points to the parameter list passed to the called program or library routine
R13 Points to the register save area provided by the calling program or routine
R14 Holds the return address of the calling program or routine
R15 Holds the address of the called program or routine

Exit modules must have the RMODE attribute of 24 and the AMODE attribute of ANY.

Processing of INEXIT
The exit module is used to read source code from a user-supplied load module in
place of SYSIN.

The processing of INEXIT is as follows:

Table 92. INEXIT processing
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Loads the exit module (mod1) during
initialization
Calls the exit module with an OPEN Prepares its source for processing. Passes the
operation code (op code) status of the OPEN request back to the
compiler.
Calls the exit module with a GET op code Returns either the address and length of the
when a source statement is needed next statement or the end-of-data indication
(if no more source statements exist)
Calls the exit module with a CLOSE op code Releases any resources that are related to its
when the end-of-data is presented output

Parameter list for INEXIT

The compiler uses a parameter list to communicate with the exit module. The
parameter list consists of 10 fullwords containing addresses, and register 1 contains
the address of the parameter list. The return code, data length, and data
parameters are placed by the exit module for return to the compiler, and the other
items are passed from the compiler to the exit module. The following table
describes the contents of the parameter list.

Appendix E. EXIT compiler option 637

 Table 93. INEXIT parameter list
Offset Contains address of Description of item
00 User-exit type Halfword identifying which user exit is to
perform the operation.
1=INEXIT
04 Operation code Halfword indicating the type of operation.
0=OPEN; 1=CLOSE; 2=GET
08 Return code Fullword, placed by the exit module, indicating
the success of the requested operation.
0=Operation was successful
4=End-of-data
12=Operation failed
12 User-exit work area Four-fullword work area provided by the
compiler, for use by the user-exit module
16 Data length Fullword, placed by the exit module, specifying
the length of the record being returned by the
GET operation (must be 80)
20 Data Fullword, placed by the exit module, containing
the address of the record in a user-owned buffer,
or for the GET operation.

str1 str1 applies only to OPEN. The first halfword (on

a halfword boundary) contains the length of the
string, followed by the string.
24 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
28 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
32 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
36 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)

“Example: INEXIT user exit” on page 645

RELATED TASKS
“Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and SQL statements” on page 644

RELATED REFERENCES
“Processing of LIBEXIT”

Processing of LIBEXIT
The exit module is used in place of the SYSLIB, or library-name, data set. Calls are
made to the module by the compiler to obtain copybooks whenever COPY or BASIS
statements are encountered.

If LIBEXIT is specified, the LIB compiler option must be in effect.

The processing of LIBEXIT is as follows:

Table 94. LIBEXIT processing
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Loads the exit module (mod2) during
initialization

638 Programming Guide

 Table 94. LIBEXIT processing (continued)
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Calls the exit module with an OPEN Prepares the specified library-name for
operation code (op code) processing.
Passes the status of the OPEN request to the
compiler.
Calls the exit module with a FIND op code Establishes positioning at the requested
if the library-name has successfully opened text-name (or basis-name) in the specified
library-name; this place becomes the active
copybook. Passes an appropriate return code
to the compiler when positioning is
complete.
Calls the exit module with a GET op code Passes the compiler either the length and
address of the record to be copied from the
active copybook or the end-of-data indicator
Calls the exit module with a CLOSE op code Releases any resources that are related to its
when the end-of-data is presented input

Processing of LIBEXIT with nested COPY statements

Any record from the active copybook can contain a COPY statement. (However,
nested COPY statements cannot contain the REPLACING phrase, and a COPY statement
with the REPLACING phrase cannot contain nested COPY statements.)

The compiler does not allow recursive calls to text-name. That is, a copybook can
be named only once in a set of nested COPY statements until the end-of-data for
that copybook is reached.

The following table shows how the processing of LIBEXIT changes when there are
one or more valid COPY statements that are not nested:
Table 95. LIBEXIT processing with nonnested COPY statements
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Loads the exit module (mod2) during
initialization
Calls the exit module with an OPEN Prepares the specified library-name for processing.
operation code (op code) Passes the status of the OPEN request to the
compiler.
Calls the exit module with a FIND op Establishes positioning at the requested text-name
code if the library-name has successfully (or basis-name) in the specified library-name; this
opened place becomes the active copybook.
Passes an appropriate return code to the compiler
when positioning is complete.
Calls the exit module with a FIND op Reestablishes positioning at the previous active
code if the library-name has successfully copybook. Passes an appropriate return code to
opened the compiler when positioning is complete.
Calls the exit module with a GET op Passes the compiler the same record as was
code. passed previously from this copybook. After
verification, passes either the length and address
Verifies that the same record was of the record to be copied from the active
passed. copybook or the end-of-data indicator.
Calls the exit module with a CLOSE op Releases any resources that are related to its
code when the end-of-data is presented input

Appendix E. EXIT compiler option 639

 The following table shows how the processing of LIBEXIT changes when the
compiler encounters a valid nested COPY statement:
Table 96. LIBEXIT processing with nested COPY statements
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
If the requested Pushes its control information about the active copybook onto a
library-name from the stack. Completes the requested action (OPEN). The newly
nested COPY statement requested text-name (or basis-name) becomes the active copybook.
was not previously
opened, calls the exit
module with an
OPEN op code
Calls the exit module Pushes its control information about the active copybook onto a
with a FIND op code stack. Completes the requested action (FIND). The newly requested
for the requested new text-name (or basis-name) becomes the active copybook.
text-name
Calls the exit module Passes the compiler either the length and address of the record to
with a GET op code be copied from the active copybook or the end-of-data indicator. At
end-of-data, pops its control information from the stack.

Parameter list for LIBEXIT

The compiler uses a parameter list to communicate with the exit module. The
parameter list consists of 10 fullwords containing addresses, and register 1 contains
the address of the parameter list. The return code, data length, and data
parameters are placed by the exit module for return to the compiler; and the other
items are passed from the compiler to the exit module. The following table
describes the contents of the parameter list used for LIBEXIT.
Table 97. LIBEXIT parameter list
Offset Contains address of Description of item
00 User-exit type Halfword identifying which user exit is to
perform the operation.
2=LIBEXIT
04 Operation code Halfword indicating the type of operation.
0=OPEN; 1=CLOSE; 2=GET; 4=FIND
08 Return code Fullword, placed by the exit module, indicating
the success of the requested operation.
0=Operation was successful
4=End-of-data
12=Operation failed
12 User-exit work area Four-fullword work area provided by the
compiler for use by the user-exit module
16 Data length Fullword, placed by the exit module, specifying
the length of the record being returned by the
GET operation (must be 80)
20 Data Fullword, placed by the exit module, containing
the address of the record in a user-owned buffer,
or for the GET operation.

str2 str2 applies only to OPEN. The first halfword (on

a halfword boundary) contains the length of the
string, followed by the string.

640 Programming Guide

 Table 97. LIBEXIT parameter list (continued)
Offset Contains address of Description of item
24 System library-name Eight-character area containing the library-name
from the COPY statement. Processing and
conversion rules for a program-name are applied.
Padded with blanks if required. Applies to
OPEN, CLOSE, and FIND.
28 System text-name Eight-character area containing the text-name
from the COPY statement (basis-name from BASIS
statement). Processing and conversion rules for a
program name are applied. Padded with blanks if
required. Applies only to FIND.
32 Library-name Thirty-character area containing the full
library-name from the COPY statement. Padded
with blanks if required, and used as-is (not
folded to uppercase). Applies to OPEN, CLOSE,
and FIND.
36 Text-name Thirty-character area containing the full text-name
from the COPY statement. Padded with blanks if
required, and used as-is (not folded to
uppercase). Applies only to FIND.

RELATED TASKS
“Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and SQL statements” on page 644

Processing of PRTEXIT
The exit module is used in place of the SYSPRINT data set.

The processing of PRTEXIT is as follows:

Table 98. PRTEXIT processing
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Loads the exit module (mod3) during
initialization
Calls the exit module with an OPEN Prepares its output destination for
operation code (op code) processing.
Passes the status of the OPEN request to the
compiler.
Calls the exit modules with a PUT op code Passes the status of the PUT request to the
when a line is to be printed, supplying the compiler by a return code. The first byte of
address and length of the record that is to be the record to be printed contains an ANSI
printed printer control character.
Calls the exit module with a CLOSE op code Releases any resources that are related to its
when the end-of-data is presented output destination

Parameter list for PRTEXIT

The compiler uses a parameter list to communicate with the exit module. The
parameter list consists of 10 fullwords containing addresses, and register 1 contains
the address of the parameter list. The return code, data length, and data buffer
parameters are placed by the exit module for return to the compiler; and the other
items are passed from the compiler to the exit module. The following table
describes the contents of the parameter list used for PRTEXIT.
Appendix E. EXIT compiler option 641
 Table 99. PRTEXIT parameter list
Offset Contains address of Description of item
00 User-exit type Halfword identifying which user exit is to
perform the operation.
3=PRTEXIT
04 Operation code Halfword indicating the type of operation.
0=OPEN; 1=CLOSE; 3=PUT
08 Return code Fullword, placed by the exit module, indicating
the success of the requested operation.
0=Operation was successful
12=Operation failed
12 User-exit work area Four-fullword work area provided by the
compiler, for use by the user-exit module
16 Data length Fullword specifying the length of the record
being supplied by the PUT operation (the
compiler sets this value to 133)
20 Data buffer Fullword containing the address of the data
buffer where the compiler has placed the record
or to be printed by the PUT operation.

str3 str3 applies only to OPEN. The first halfword (on

a halfword boundary) contains the length of the
string, followed by the string.
24 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
28 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
32 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
36 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)

RELATED TASKS
“Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and SQL statements” on page 644

RELATED REFERENCES
“Processing of LIBEXIT” on page 638

Processing of ADEXIT
Use of the ADEXIT module requires:
v Compiler option ADATA to produce SYSADATA output
v DD statement SYSADATA

The processing of ADEXIT is as follows:

Table 100. ADEXIT processing
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Loads the exit module (mod4) during
initialization
Calls the exit module with an OPEN Prepares its output destination for
operation code (op code) processing.
Passes the status of the OPEN request to the
compiler.

642 Programming Guide

 Table 100. ADEXIT processing (continued)
Action by compiler Resulting action by exit module
Calls the exit modules with a PUT op code Passes the status of the PUT request to the
when the compiler has written a SYSADATA compiler by a return code
record, supplying the address and length of
the SYSADATA record
Calls the exit module with a CLOSE op code Releases any resources
when the end-of-data is presented

Parameter list for ADEXIT

The compiler uses a parameter list to communicate with the exit module. The
parameter list consists of 10 fullwords containing addresses, and register 1 contains
the address of the parameter list. The return code, data length, and data buffer
parameters are placed by the exit module for return to the compiler; and the other
items are passed from the compiler to the exit module. The following table
describes the contents of the parameter list used for ADEXIT.
Table 101. ADEXIT parameter list
Offset Contains address of Description of item
00 User-exit type Halfword identifying which user exit is to
perform the operation.
4=ADEXIT
04 Operation code Halfword indicating the type of operation.
0=OPEN; 1=CLOSE; 3=PUT
08 Return code Fullword, placed by the exit module, indicating
the success of the requested operation.
0=Operation was successful
12=Operation failed
12 User-exit work area Four-fullword work area provided by the
compiler, for use by the user-exit module
16 Data length Fullword specifying the length of the record
being supplied by the PUT operation
20 Data buffer Fullword containing the address of the data
buffer where the compiler has placed the record
or to be printed by the PUT operation.

str4 str4 applies only to OPEN. The first halfword (on

a halfword boundary) contains the length of the
string, followed by the string.
24 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
28 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
32 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)
36 Not used (Used only by LIBEXIT)

RELATED TASKS
“Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and SQL statements” on page 644

RELATED REFERENCES
“Processing of LIBEXIT” on page 638

Appendix E. EXIT compiler option 643

Error handling for exit modules
The compiler reports an error message whenever an exit module cannot be loaded
or an exit module returns an “operation failed” or nonzero return code.

Message IGYSI5008 is written to the operator and the compiler terminates with
return code 16 when any of the following happens:
v An exit module cannot be loaded.
v A nonzero return code is received from INEXIT during an OPEN request.
v A nonzero return code is received from PRTEXIT during an OPEN request.

The exit type and operation (OPEN or LOAD) are identified in the message.

Any other error from INEXIT or PRTEXIT causes the compiler to terminate.

The compiler detects and reports the following conditions:

5203 PUT request to SYSPRINT user exit failed with return code nn.
5204 Record address not set by exit-name user exit.
5205 GET request from SYSIN user exit failed with return code nn.
5206 Record length not set by exit-name user exit.

Using the EXIT compiler option with CICS and SQL statements
When you compile using suboptions of the EXIT compiler option and your
program contains CICS or SQL statements, the actions that you can take in the exit
modules depend on whether you translated the statements using the separate CICS
translator and DB2 precompiler, or translate them using the integrated CICS
translator and DB2 coprocessor. When you use the integrated translators, you can
process EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL statements in the exit modules.

INEXIT
When you translate the EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL statements in a program using the
separate CICS translator and DB2 precompiler, and then compile the program
using the INEXIT suboption, you can process the COBOL statements generated for
the EXEC statements in the INEXIT module. You can change the generated
statements in the INEXIT module, although doing so is not supported by IBM.

When you compile a program using the INEXIT suboption and translate the EXEC
CICS and EXEC SQL statements using the integrated CICS translator and DB2
coprocessor (enabled using the CICS and SQL compiler options, respectively), you
can process the EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL statements in the INEXIT module. The
INEXIT module does not get control for the COBOL statements generated for the
EXEC statements by the integrated translator and coprocessor.

LIBEXIT
When you compile a program using the LIBEXIT suboption and use the integrated
DB2 coprocessor, EXEC SQL INCLUDE statements in the program are processed like
COBOL COPY statements. You can process the statements brought in by the EXEC
SQL INCLUDE statements in the LIBEXIT module. (If you use the separate DB2
precompiler, you can process the input statements brought in by the EXEC SQL
INCLUDE statements only by using the INEXIT suboption.)

644 Programming Guide

 When you translate the EXEC CICS statements in a program and its copybooks
using the separate CICS translator and then compile the program using the
LIBEXIT suboption, you can process the COBOL statements generated for the EXEC
CICS statements in the LIBEXIT module.

When you compile a program using the LIBEXIT suboption and translate the EXEC
CICS statements using the integrated CICS translator, you can process the EXEC
CICS source statements in the LIBEXIT module.

PRTEXIT
When you translate the EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL statements in a program using the
separate CICS translator and DB2 precompiler, and compile the program using the
PRTEXIT suboption, you can process the COBOL SOURCE listing statements
generated for the EXEC statements in the PRTEXIT module.

When you compile a program using the PRTEXIT suboption and translate the EXEC
CICS and EXEC SQL statements using the integrated CICS translator and DB2
coprocessor, you can process the EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL source statements from
the SOURCE listing in the PRTEXIT module. The PRTEXIT module does not have
access to the COBOL source statements generated by the integrated translator and
coprocessor.

ADEXIT
When you translate the EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL statements in a program using the
separate CICS translator and DB2 precompiler, and compile the program using the
ADEXIT suboption, you can process the COBOL SYSADATA source statements
generated for the EXEC statements in the ADEXIT module.

When you compile a program using the ADEXIT suboption and translate the EXEC
CICS and EXEC SQL statements using the integrated CICS translator and DB2
coprocessor, you can process the EXEC CICS and EXEC SQL source statements in the
ADEXIT module. The ADEXIT module does not have access to the COBOL source
statements generated by the integrated translator and coprocessor.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“DB2 coprocessor” on page 375
“Integrated CICS translator” on page 364

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling with the SQL option” on page 373
“Compiling with the CICS option” on page 362

RELATED REFERENCES
“Processing of INEXIT” on page 637
“Processing of LIBEXIT” on page 638
“Processing of PRTEXIT” on page 641
“Processing of ADEXIT” on page 642

Example: INEXIT user exit

The following example shows an INEXIT user-exit module in COBOL.
***********************************************************
* *
* Name: SKELINX *
* *

Appendix E. EXIT compiler option 645

 * Function: Example of an INEXIT user exit written *
* in the COBOL language. *
* *
***********************************************************

Identification Division.
Program-ID. Skelinx.

Environment Division.

Data Division.

WORKING-STORAGE Section.

* *******************************************************
* * *
* * Local variables. *
* * *
* *******************************************************

01 Record-Variable Pic X(80).

* *******************************************************
* * *
* * Definition of the User-Exit Parameter List, which *
* * is passed from the COBOL compiler to the user exit *
* * module. *
* * *
* *******************************************************

Linkage Section.
01 Exit-Type Pic 9(4) Binary.
01 Exit-Operation Pic 9(4) Binary.
01 Exit-ReturnCode Pic 9(9) Binary.
01 Exit-WorkArea.
05 INEXIT-Slot Pic 9(9) Binary.
05 LIBEXIT-Slot Pic 9(9) Binary.
05 PRTEXIT-Slot Pic 9(9) Binary.
05 Reserved-Slot Pic 9(9) Binary.
01 Exit-DataLength Pic 9(9) Binary.
01 Exit-DataArea Pointer.
01 Exit-Open-Parm Redefines Exit-DataArea.
05 String-Len Pic 9(4) Binary.
05 Open-String Pic X(64).
01 Exit-Print-Line Redefines Exit-DataArea Pic X(133).
01 Exit-LIBEXIT Pic X(8).
01 Exit-Systext Pic X(8).
01 Exit-CBLLibrary Pic X(30).
01 Exit-CBLText Pic X(30).

***********************************************************
* *
* Begin PROCEDURE DIVISION *
* *
* Invoke the section to handle the exit. *
* *
***********************************************************

Procedure Division Using Exit-Type Exit-Operation

Exit-ReturnCode Exit-WorkArea
Exit-DataLength Exit-DataArea
Exit-LIBEXIT Exit-Systext
Exit-CBLLibrary Exit-CBLText.

Evaluate Exit-type
When (1) Perform Handle-INEXIT
When (2) Perform Handle-LIBEXIT

646 Programming Guide

 When (3) Perform Handle-PRTEXIT
End-Evaluate
Move 16 To Exit-ReturnCode
Goback.

*************************************************
* I N E X I T E X I T P R O C E S S O R *
*************************************************
Handle-INEXIT.

Evaluate Exit-Operation
When (0) Perform INEXIT-Open
When (1) Perform INEXIT-Close
When (2) Perform INEXIT-Get
End-Evaluate

Move 16 To Exit-ReturnCode
Goback.

INEXIT-Open.
* ------------------------------------------------------
* Prepare for reading source
* ------------------------------------------------------
Goback.

INEXIT-Close.
* ------------------------------------------------------
* Release resources
* ------------------------------------------------------
Goback.

INEXIT-Get.
* ------------------------------------------------------
* Retrieve next source record
* ------------------------------------------------------

* ------------------------------------------------------
* Return the address of the record to the compiler.
* ------------------------------------------------------
Set Exit-DataArea to Address of Record-Variable

* ------------------------------------------------------
* Set length of record in User-Exit Parameter List
* ------------------------------------------------------
Move 80 To Exit-DataLength

Goback.

***************************************************
* L I B E X I T P R O C E S S O R *
***************************************************
Handle-LIBEXIT.
Display “**** This module for INEXIT only”
Move 16 To Exit-ReturnCode
Goback.

*******************************************************
* P R I N T E X I T P R O C E S S O R *
*******************************************************
Handle-PRTEXIT.
Display “**** This module for INEXIT only”
Move 16 To Exit-ReturnCode
Goback.
*******************************************************

End Program Skelinx.

Appendix E. EXIT compiler option 647

648 Programming Guide
Appendix F. JNI.cpy
This listing shows the copybook JNI.cpy, which you use with OO syntax for Java
interoperability. You can use JNI.cpy to access the Java Native Interface (JNI)
services from your COBOL programs. This copybook contains:
v Sample COBOL data definitions that correspond to the Java JNI types
v The JNI environment structure JNINativeInterface, which contains function
pointers for accessing the JNI callable service functions

JNI.cpy is in the HFS in the include subdirectory of the COBOL install directory
(typically /usr/lpp/cobol/include) and is analogous to the header file jni.h that C
programmers use to access the JNI.
*****************************************************************
* COBOL declarations for Java native method interoperation *
* *
* To use the Java Native Interface callable services from a *
* COBOL program: *
* 1) Use a COPY statement to include this file into the *
* the Linkage Section of the program, e.g. *
* Linkage Section. *
* Copy JNI *
* 2) Code the following statements at the beginning of the *
* Procedure Division: *
* Set address of JNIEnv to JNIEnvPtr *
* Set address of JNINativeInterface to JNIEnv *
*****************************************************************
*
* Sample JNI type definitions in COBOL
*
*01 jboolean1 pic X.
* 88 jboolean1-true value X’01’ through X’FF’.
* 88 jboolean1-false value X’00’.
*
*01 jbyte1 pic X.
*
*01 jchar1 pic N usage national.
*
*01 jshort1 pic s9(4) comp-5.
*01 jint1 pic s9(9) comp-5.
*01 jlong1 pic s9(18) comp-5.
*
*01 jfloat1 comp-1.
*01 jdouble1 comp-2.
*
*01 jobject1 object reference.
*01 jclass1 object reference.
*01 jstring1 object reference jstring.
*01 jarray1 object reference jarray.
*
*01 jbooleanArray1 object reference jbooleanArray.
*01 jbyteArray1 object reference jbyteArray.
*01 jcharArray1 object reference jcharArray.
*01 jshortArray1 object reference jshortArray.
*01 jintArray1 object reference jintArray.
*01 jlongArray1 object reference jlongArray.
*01 floatArray1 object reference floatArray.
*01 jdoubleArray1 object reference jdoubleArray.
*01 jobjectArray1 object reference jobjectArray.

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 649

 * Possible return values for JNI functions.
01 JNI-RC pic S9(9) comp-5.
* success
88 JNI-OK value 0.
* unknown error
88 JNI-ERR value -1.
* thread detached from the VM
88 JNI-EDETACHED value -2.
* JNI version error
88 JNI-EVERSION value -3.
* not enough memory
88 JNI-ENOMEM value -4.
* VM already created
88 JNI-EEXIST value -5.
* invalid arguments
88 JNI-EINVAL value -6.

* Used in ReleaseScalarArrayElements
01 releaseMode pic s9(9) comp-5.
88 JNI-COMMIT value 1.
88 JNI-ABORT value 2.

01 JNIenv pointer.

* JNI Native Method Interface - environment structure.

01 JNINativeInterface.
02 pointer.
02 pointer.
02 pointer.
02 pointer.
02 GetVersion function-pointer.
02 DefineClass function-pointer.
02 FindClass function-pointer.
02 FromReflectedMethod function-pointer.
02 FromReflectedField function-pointer.
02 ToReflectedMethod function-pointer.
02 GetSuperclass function-pointer.
02 IsAssignableFrom function-pointer.
02 ToReflectedField function-pointer.
02 Throw function-pointer.
02 ThrowNew function-pointer.
02 ExceptionOccurred function-pointer.
02 ExceptionDescribe function-pointer.
02 ExceptionClear function-pointer.
02 FatalError function-pointer.
02 PushLocalFrame function-pointer.
02 PopLocalFrame function-pointer.
02 NewGlobalRef function-pointer.
02 DeleteGlobalRef function-pointer.
02 DeleteLocalRef function-pointer.
02 IsSameObject function-pointer.
02 NewLocalRef function-pointer.
02 EnsureLocalCapacity function-pointer.
02 AllocObject function-pointer.
02 NewObject function-pointer.
02 NewObjectV function-pointer.
02 NewObjectA function-pointer.
02 GetObjectClass function-pointer.
02 IsInstanceOf function-pointer.
02 GetMethodID function-pointer.
02 CallObjectMethod function-pointer.
02 CallObjectMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallObjectMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallBooleanMethod function-pointer.
02 CallBooleanMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallBooleanMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallByteMethod function-pointer.

650 Programming Guide

02 CallByteMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallByteMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallCharMethod function-pointer.
02 CallCharMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallCharMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallShortMethod function-pointer.
02 CallShortMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallShortMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallIntMethod function-pointer.
02 CallIntMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallIntMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallLongMethod function-pointer.
02 CallLongMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallLongMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallFloatMethod function-pointer.
02 CallFloatMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallFloatMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallDoubleMethod function-pointer.
02 CallDoubleMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallDoubleMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallVoidMethod function-pointer.
02 CallVoidMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallVoidMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualObjectMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualObjectMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualObjectMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualBooleanMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualBooleanMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualBooleanMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualByteMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualByteMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualByteMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualCharMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualCharMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualCharMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualShortMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualShortMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualShortMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualIntMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualIntMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualIntMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualLongMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualLongMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualLongMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualFloatMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualFloatMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualFloatMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualDoubleMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualDoubleMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualDoubleMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualVoidMethod function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualVoidMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallNonvirtualVoidMethodA function-pointer.
02 GetFieldID function-pointer.
02 GetObjectField function-pointer.
02 GetBooleanField function-pointer.
02 GetByteField function-pointer.
02 GetCharField function-pointer.
02 GetShortField function-pointer.
02 GetIntField function-pointer.
02 GetLongField function-pointer.
02 GetFloatField function-pointer.
02 GetDoubleField function-pointer.
02 SetObjectField function-pointer.
02 SetBooleanField function-pointer.
02 SetByteField function-pointer.
02 SetCharField function-pointer.

Appendix F. JNI.cpy 651

 02 SetShortField function-pointer.
02 SetIntField function-pointer.
02 SetLongField function-pointer.
02 SetFloatField function-pointer.
02 SetDoubleField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticMethodID function-pointer.
02 CallStaticObjectMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticObjectMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticObjectMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticBooleanMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticBooleanMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticBooleanMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticByteMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticByteMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticByteMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticCharMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticCharMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticCharMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticShortMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticShortMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticShortMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticIntMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticIntMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticIntMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticLongMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticLongMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticLongMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticFloatMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticFloatMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticFloatMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticDoubleMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticDoubleMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticDoubleMethodA function-pointer.
02 CallStaticVoidMethod function-pointer.
02 CallStaticVoidMethodV function-pointer.
02 CallStaticVoidMethodA function-pointer.
02 GetStaticFieldID function-pointer.
02 GetStaticObjectField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticBooleanField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticByteField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticCharField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticShortField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticIntField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticLongField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticFloatField function-pointer.
02 GetStaticDoubleField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticObjectField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticBooleanField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticByteField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticCharField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticShortField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticIntField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticLongField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticFloatField function-pointer.
02 SetStaticDoubleField function-pointer.
02 NewString function-pointer.
02 GetStringLength function-pointer.
02 GetStringChars function-pointer.
02 ReleaseStringChars function-pointer.
02 NewStringUTF function-pointer.
02 GetStringUTFLength function-pointer.
02 GetStringUTFChars function-pointer.
02 ReleaseStringUTFChars function-pointer.
02 GetArrayLength function-pointer.
02 NewObjectArray function-pointer.
02 GetObjectArrayElement function-pointer.
02 SetObjectArrayElement function-pointer.

652 Programming Guide

 02 NewBooleanArray function-pointer.
02 NewByteArray function-pointer.
02 NewCharArray function-pointer.
02 NewShortArray function-pointer.
02 NewIntArray function-pointer.
02 NewLongArray function-pointer.
02 NewFloatArray function-pointer.
02 NewDoubleArray function-pointer.
02 GetBooleanArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetByteArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetCharArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetShortArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetIntArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetLongArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetFloatArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetDoubleArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseBooleanArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseByteArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseCharArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseShortArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseIntArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseLongArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseFloatArrayElements function-pointer.
02 ReleaseDoubleArrayElements function-pointer.
02 GetBooleanArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetByteArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetCharArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetShortArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetIntArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetLongArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetFloatArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 GetDoubleArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetBooleanArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetByteArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetCharArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetShortArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetIntArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetLongArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetFloatArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 SetDoubleArrayRegion function-pointer.
02 RegisterNatives function-pointer.
02 UnregisterNatives function-pointer.
02 MonitorEnter function-pointer.
02 MonitorExit function-pointer.
02 GetJavaVM function-pointer.
02 GetStringRegion function-pointer.
02 GetStringUTFRegion function-pointer.
02 GetPrimitiveArrayCritical function-pointer.
02 ReleasePrimitiveArrayCritical function-pointer.
02 GetStringCritical function-pointer.
02 ReleaseStringCritical function-pointer.
02 NewWeakGlobalRef function-pointer.
02 DeleteWeakGlobalRef function-pointer.
02 ExceptionCheck function-pointer.

RELATED TASKS
“Compiling OO applications under UNIX” on page 257
“Accessing JNI services” on page 527

Appendix F. JNI.cpy 653

654 Programming Guide
Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents
When you use the ADATA compiler option, the compiler produces a file that
contains program data. Use this file (instead of the compiler listing) to extract
information about the compiled program. For example, you can extract information
regarding the compiled program for symbolic debugging tools or cross-reference
tools.

“Example: SYSADATA” on page 657

RELATED REFERENCES
“ADATA” on page 270
“Existing compiler options affecting the SYSADATA file”
“SYSADATA record types” on page 656
“SYSADATA record descriptions” on page 658

Existing compiler options affecting the SYSADATA file

The following compiler options might affect the contents of the SYSADATA file.
COMPILE
Using NOCOMPILE(W|E|S) might stop compilation prematurely, resulting in
the loss of specific messages.
EVENTS Using EVENTS will have the same result as the ADATA option (that is, with
either ADATA or EVENTS or both specified, the SYSADATA file will be
produced). (For compatibility.)
EXIT Using INEXIT will prohibit identification of the compilation source file.
LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE controls the message text (Uppercase English, Mixed-Case
English, or Japanese). Selection of Japanese could result in DBCS characters
written to Error Identification records.
NUM The NUM option will cause the compiler to use the contents of columns 1-6
in the source records for line numbering, rather than generated sequence
numbers. Any invalid (nonnumeric) or out-of-sequence numbers will be
replaced with a number one higher than that of the previous record.
The following SYSADATA fields contain line numbers whose contents
differ depending on the NUM|NONUM setting:

Type Field Record

0020 AE_LINE External Symbol record
0030 ATOK_LINE Token record
0032 AF_STMT Source Error record
0038 AS_STMT Source record
0039 AS_REP_EXP_SLIN COPY REPLACING record
0039 AS_REP_EXP_ELIN COPY REPLACING record
0042 ASY_STMT Symbol record
0044 AX_DEFN Symbol Cross Reference
record

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 655

 Type Field Record
0044 AX_STMT Symbol Cross Reference
record
0046 AN_STMT Nested Program record

The Type 0038 Source record contains two fields that relate to line numbers
and record numbers:
v AS_STMT contains the compiler line number, in both the NUM and NONUM
cases.
v AS_CUR_REC# contains the physical source record number.

These two fields can always be used to correlate the compiler line
numbers, used in all the above fields, with physical source record
numbers.
TEST The TEST option will cause additional object text records to be created that
will also affect the contents of the SYSADATA file.

The remaining compiler options have no direct effect on the SYSADATA file, but
might trigger generation of additional error messages associated with the specific
option, such as FLAGSAA, FLAGSTD, or SSRANGE.

“Example: SYSADATA” on page 657

RELATED REFERENCES
“SYSADATA record types”
“COMPILE” on page 275
“LANGUAGE” on page 287
“NUMBER” on page 292
“TEST” on page 306

SYSADATA record types

The SYSADATA file contains records classified into different record types. Each
type of record provides information about the COBOL program being compiled.
Each record consists of two parts:
v A 12-byte header section, which has the same structure for all record types
v A variable-length data section, which varies by record type

The header section contains, among other items, the record code that identifies the
type of record.

The types of record provided in the associated data file are listed in the following
table:
Table 102. SYSADATA record types
Record type What it does
“Job identification record - X’0000’” on Provides information about the environment
page 660 used to process the source data
“ADATA identification record - X’0001’” Provides common information about the
on page 661 records in the SYSADATA file
“Compilation unit start/end record - Marks the beginning and ending of
X’0002’” on page 662 compilation units in a source file

656 Programming Guide

 Table 102. SYSADATA record types (continued)
Record type What it does
“Options record - X’0010’” on page 662 Describes the compiler options used for the
compilation
“External symbol record - X’0020’” on Describes all external names in the program,
page 672 definitions and references
“Parse tree record - X’0024’” on page 673 Defines a node in the parse tree of the
program
“Token record - X’0030’” on page 687 Defines a source token
“Source error record - X’0032’” on page Describes errors in source program statements
687
“Source record - X’0038’” on page 688 Describes a single source line
“COPY REPLACING record - X’0039’” on Describes an instance of text replacement as a
page 688 result of a match of COPY. . .REPLACING
operand-1 with text in the copybook being
copied in
“Symbol record - X’0042’” on page 689 Describes a single symbol defined in the
program. There is one Symbol record for each
symbol defined in the program.
“Symbol cross-reference record - X’0044’” Describes references to a single symbol
on page 700
“Nested program record - X’0046’” on Describes the name and nesting level of a
page 701 program
“Library record - X’0060’” on page 702 Describes the library files and members used
from each library
“Statistics record - X’0090’” on page 703 Describes the statistics about the compilation
“EVENTS record - X’0120’” on page 703 EVENTS records are recorded in the
SYSADATA file to provide compatibility with
COBOL/370. The EVENTS record data format
is identical with that in COBOL/370, with the
addition of the standard ADATA header at the
beginning of the record and a field indicating
the length of the EVENTS record data.

“Example: SYSADATA”

Example: SYSADATA
The following sample shows part of the listing of a COBOL program. If this
COBOL program were compiled with the ADATA option, the records produced in
the associated data file would be in the sequence as shown below. Other programs
might produce records not shown below, which would affect the order of the
records.

The following is sample associated data output for a COBOL program:

000001 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. AD000020
000002 PROGRAM-ID. AD04202. AD000030
000003 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. AD000040
000004 DATA DIVISION. AD000050
000005 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. AD000060
000006 77 COMP3-FLD2 pic S9(3)v9. AD000070
000007 PROCEDURE DIVISION. AD000080
000008 STOP RUN.

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 657

 Type Description
X’0120’ EVENTS Timestamp record
X’0120’ EVENTS Processor record
X’0120’ EVENTS Fileid record
X’0120’ EVENTS Program record
X’0001’ ADATA Identification record
X’0000’ Job Identification record
X’0010’ Options record
X’0038’ Source record for statement 1
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 2
PROGRAM-ID. AD04202.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 3
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 4
DATA DIVISION.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 5
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 6
77 COMP3-FLD2 pic S9(3)v9.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 7
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
X’0038’ Source record for statement 8
STOP RUN.
X’0020’ External Symbol record for AD04202
X’0044’ Symbol Cross Reference record for STOP
X’0044’ Symbol Cross Reference record for COMP3-FLD2
X’0044’ Symbol Cross Reference record for AD04202
X’0042’ Symbol record for AD04202
X’0042’ Symbol record for COMP3-FLD2
X’0090’ Statistics record
X’0120’ EVENTS FileEnd record

RELATED REFERENCES
“SYSADATA record descriptions”

SYSADATA record descriptions

The formats of the records written to the associated data file are shown in the
related references below. In the fields described in each of the record types:
C Indicates character (EBCDIC or ASCII) data
H Indicates 2-byte binary integer data
F Indicates 4-byte binary integer data
A Indicates 4-byte binary integer address and offset data
X Indicates hexadecimal (bit) data or 1-byte binary integer data

No boundary alignments are implied by any data type, and the implied lengths
above might be changed by the presence of a length indicator (Ln). All integer data
is in big-endian or little-endian format depending on the indicator bit in the header
flag byte. Big-endian format means that bit 0 is always the most significant bit and
bit n is the least significant bit. Little-endian refers to “byte-reversed” integers as
seen on Intel-based hardware.

658 Programming Guide

 All undefined fields and unused values are reserved.

RELATED REFERENCES
“Common header section”
“Job identification record - X’0000’” on page 660
“ADATA identification record - X’0001’” on page 661
“Compilation unit start/end record - X’0002’” on page 662
“Options record - X’0010’” on page 662
“External symbol record - X’0020’” on page 672
“Parse tree record - X’0024’” on page 673
“Token record - X’0030’” on page 687
“Source error record - X’0032’” on page 687
“Source record - X’0038’” on page 688
“COPY REPLACING record - X’0039’” on page 688
“Symbol record - X’0042’” on page 689
“Symbol cross-reference record - X’0044’” on page 700
“Nested program record - X’0046’” on page 701
“Library record - X’0060’” on page 702
“Statistics record - X’0090’” on page 703
“EVENTS record - X’0120’” on page 703

Common header section

The header section, common for all record types. For MVS and VSE, each record is
preceded by a 4-byte RDW (record-descriptor word) that is normally used only by
access methods and stripped off by download utilities.

The header section is in the following format:

Table 103. SYSADATA common header section
Field Size Description
Language code XL1
16 High Level Assembler
17 COBOL on all platforms
40 PL/I on supported platforms

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 659

 Table 103. SYSADATA common header section (continued)
Field Size Description
Record type HL2 The record type, which can be one of the following:
X’0000’ Job Identification record1
X’0001’ ADATA Identification record
X’0002’ Compilation unit start/end record
X’0010’ Options record1
X’0020’ External Symbol record
X’0024’ Parse Tree record
X’0030’ Token record
X’0032’ Source Error record
X’0038’ Source record
X’0039’ COPY REPLACING record
X’0042’ Symbol record
X’0044’ Symbol Cross-Reference record
X’0046’ Nested Program record
X’0060’ Library record
X’0090’ Statistics record1
X’0120’ EVENTS record
Associated data XL1
3 Definition level for the header structure
architecture level
Flag XL1
.... ..1.
ADATA record integers are in little-endian
(Intel) format
.... ...1
This record is continued in the next record
1111 11..
Reserved for future use
Associated data XL1 Used to indicate a new format for a specific record type,
record edition level usually 0
Reserved CL4 Reserved for future use
Associated data field HL2 The length in bytes of the data following the header
length

1. When a batch compilation (sequence of programs) is run with the ADATA option, there
will be multiple Job Identification, Options, and Statistics records for each compile.

The mapping of the 12-byte header does not include the area used for the
variable-length record-descriptor word required by the access method on MVS and
VSE.

Job identification record - X’0000’

The following table shows the contents of the job identification record:

660 Programming Guide

 Table 104. SYSADATA job identification record
Field Size Description
Date CL8 The date of the compilation in the format YYYYMMDD
Time CL4 The time of the compilation in the format HHMM
Product number CL8 The product number of the compiler that produced the
associated data file
Product version CL8 The version number of the product that produced the
associated data file, in the form V.R.M
PTF level CL8 The PTF level number of the product that produced the
associated data file. (This field will be blank if the PTF
number is not available.)
System ID CL24 The system identification of the system on which the
compilation was run
Job name CL8 The MVS job name of the compilation job
Step name CL8 The MVS step name of the compilation step
Proc step CL8 The MVS procedure step name of the compilation
procedure step
Number of input HL2 The number of input files recorded in this record.
files1
The following group of seven fields will occur n times
depending on the value in this field.
...Input file number HL2 The assigned sequence number of the file
...Input file name HL2 The length of the following input file name
length
...Volume serial HL2 The length of the Volume serial number
number length
...Member name HL2 The length of the member name
length
...Input file name CL(n) The name of the input file for the compilation
...Volume serial CL(n) The volume serial number of the (first) volume on which
number the input file resides
...Member name CL(n) Where applicable, the name of the member in the input
file

1. Where the number of input files would exceed the record size for the associated data
file, the record will be continued on the next record. The current number of input files
(for that record) will be stored in the record and the record written to the associated
data file. The next record will contain the rest of the input files. The count of the
number of input files is a count for the current record.

ADATA identification record - X’0001’

The following table shows the contents of the ADATA identification record:

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 661

 Table 105. ADATA identification record
Field Size Description
Time (binary) XL8 Universal Time (UT) as a binary number of microseconds
since midnight Greenwich Mean Time, with the
low-order bit representing 1 microsecond. This time can
be used as a time-zone-independent time stamp.

| On the Windows and AIX compilers, only bytes 5-8 of

the field are used as a fullword binary field containing
the time.
CCSID1 XL2 Coded Character Set Identifier
Character Set flags XL1
X’80’ EBCDIC (IBM-037)
X’40’ ASCII (IBM-850)
Code Page name XL2 Length of the Code Page name that follows
length
Code Page name CL(n) Name of the Code Page

1. The appropriate CCS flag will always be set.

If the CCSID is set to nonzero, the Code Page name length will be zero. If the CCSID is
set to zero, the Code Page name length will be nonzero and the Code Page name will
be present.

Compilation unit start/end record - X’0002’

The following table shows the contents of the compilation unit start/end record:
Table 106. SYSADATA compilation unit start/end record
Field Size Description
Type HL2 Compilation unit type, which can be one of the
following:
X’0000’ Start compilation unit
X’0001’ End compilation unit
Reserved CL2 Reserved for future use
Reserved FL4 Reserved for future use

Options record - X’0010’

The following table shows the contents of the options record:
Table 107. SYSADATA options record
Field Size Description
Option byte 0 XL1
1111 1111
Reserved for future use

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 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
Option byte 1 XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = DECK, Bit 0 = NODECK
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = ADATA, Bit 0 = NOADATA
..1. ....
Bit 1 = COLLSEQ(EBCDIC),
| Bit 0 = COLLSEQ(LOCALE|BINARY)
| (Windows and AIX only)
...1 ....
Bit 1 = SEPOBJ, Bit 0 = NOSEPOBJ
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... 1...
Bit 1 = NAME, Bit 0 = NONAME
.... .1..
Bit 1 = OBJECT, Bit 0 = NOOBJECT
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = SQL, Bit 0 = NOSQL
.... ...1
Bit 1 = CICS, Bit 0 = NOCICS
Option byte 2 XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = OFFSET, Bit 0 = NOOFFSET
(host only)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = MAP, Bit 0 = NOMAP
..1. ....
Bit 1 = LIST, Bit 0 = NOLIST
...1 ....
Bit 1 = DBCSXREF, Bit 0 = NODBCSXREF
.... 1...
Bit 1 = XREF(SHORT), Bit 0 = not
XREF(SHORT). This flag should be used in
combination with the flag at bit 7. XREF(FULL)
is indicated by this flag being off and the flag at
bit 7 being on.
.... .1..
Bit 1 = SOURCE, Bit 0 = NOSOURCE
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = VBREF, Bit 0 = NOVBREF
.... ...1
Bit 1 = XREF, Bit 0 = not XREF. See also flag at
bit 4 above.

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 663

 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
Option byte 3 XL1
1... ....
| Bit 1 = FLAG imbedded diagnostics level
| specified (a value y is specified as in FLAG(x,y))
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = FLAGSTD, Bit 0 = NOFLAGSTD
..1. ....
Bit 1 = NUM, Bit 0 = NONUM
...1 ....
Bit 1 = SEQUENCE, Bit 0 = NOSEQUENCE
.... 1...
Bit 1 = SOSI, Bit 0 = NOSOSI
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = NSYMBOL(NATIONAL), Bit 0 =
NSYMBOL(DBCS)
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = PROFILE, Bit 0 = NOPROFILE
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... ...1
Bit 1 = WORD, Bit 0 = NOWORD
Option byte 4 XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = ADV, Bit 0 = NOADV
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = APOST, Bit 0 = QUOTE
..1. ....
Bit 1 = DYNAM, Bit 0 = NODYNAM
...1 ....
Bit 1 = AWO, Bit 0 = NOAWO
.... 1...
Bit 1 = RMODE specified, Bit 0 =
RMODE(AUTO)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = RENT, Bit 0 = NORENT
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = RES - this flag will always be set on for
COBOL.
.... ...1
Bit 1 = RMODE(24) Bit 0 = RMODE(ANY)

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 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
Option byte 5 XL1
1... ....
Reserved for compatibility
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = OPT, Bit 0 = NOOPT
..1. ....
Bit 1 = LIB, Bit 0 = NOLIB
...1 ....
Bit 1 = DBCS, Bit 0 = NODBCS
.... 1...
Bit 1 = OPT(FULL), Bit 0 = not OPT(FULL)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = SSRANGE, Bit 0 = NOSSRANGE
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = TEST, Bit 0 = NOTEST
.... ...1
Bit 1 = PROBE, Bit 0 = NOPROBE
(Windows only)
Option byte 6 XL1
..1. ....
Bit 1 = NUMPROC(PFD), Bit 0 =
NUMPROC(NOPFD)
...1 ....
Bit 1 = NUMCLS(ALT), Bit 0 = NUMCLS(PRIM)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = BINARY(S390), Bit 0 =
BINARY(NATIVE)
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = TRUNC(STD), Bit 0 = TRUNC(OPT)
.... ...1
Bit 1 = ZWB, Bit 0 = NOZWB
11.. 1...
Reserved for future use
Option byte 7 XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = ALOWCBL, Bit 0 = NOALOWCBL
| (Windows and AIX only)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = TERM, Bit 0 = NOTERM
..1. ....
Bit 1 = DUMP, Bit 0 = NODUMP
...1 11..
Reserved
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = CURRENCY, Bit 0 = NOCURRENCY
.... ...1
Reserved

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 665

 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
Option byte 8 XL1
1111 1111
Reserved for future use
Option byte 9 XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = DATA(24), Bit 0 = DATA(31)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = FASTSRT, Bit 0 = NOFASTSRT
..1. ....
Bit 1 = SIZE(MAX), Bit 0 = SIZE(nnnn) or
SIZE(nnnnK)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = THREAD, Bit 0 = NOTHREAD
...1 1.11
Reserved for future use
Option byte A XL1
1111 1111
Reserved for future use
Option byte B XL1
1111 1111
Reserved for future use
Option byte C XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = NCOLLSEQ(LOCALE)
(workstation only)
.1.. ....
| Reserved for future use
..1. ....
Bit 1 = INTDATE(LILIAN), Bit 0 =
INTDATE(ANSI)
...1 ....
Bit 1 = NCOLLSEQ(BINARY)
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... 1...
Bit 1 = CHAR(EBCDIC), Bit 0 =
CHAR(NATIVE)
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = FLOAT(HEX), Bit 0 = FLOAT(NATIVE)
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = COLLSEQ(BINARY)
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... ...1
Bit 1 = COLLSEQ(LOCALE)
| (Windows and AIX only)

666 Programming Guide

 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
Option byte D XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = DLL Bit 0 = NODLL
(host only)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = EXPORTALL, Bit 0 = NOEXPORTALL
(host only)
..1. ....
| Bit 1 = CODEPAGE
| (host only)
...1 ....
Bit 1 = DATEPROC, Bit 0 = NODATEPROC
.... 1...
Bit 1 = DATEPROC(FLAG), Bit 0 =
DATEPROC(NOFLAG)
.... .1..
Bit 1 = YEARWINDOW
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = WSCLEAR, Bit 0 = NOWSCLEAR
| (Windows and AIX only)
.... ...1
Bit 1 = BEOPT, Bit 0 = NOBEOPT
| (Windows and AIX only)
Option byte E XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = DATEPROC(TRIG), Bit 0 =
DATEPROC(NOTRIG)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = DIAGTRUNC, Bit 0 = NODIAGTRUNC
| .... .1..
| Bit 1 = LSTFILE(UTF-8), Bit 0 =
| LSTFILE(LOCALE)
| (Windows and AIX only)
..11 1.11
Reserved for future use
Option byte F XL1
1111 1111
Reserved for future use
Flag level XL1
X’00’ Flag(I)
X’04’ Flag(W)
X’08’ Flag(E)
X’0C’ Flag(S)
X’10’ Flag(U)
X’FF’ Noflag

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 667

 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
Imbedded diagnostic XL1
X’00’ Flag(I)
level
X’04’ Flag(W)
X’08’ Flag(E)
X’0C’ Flag(S)
X’10’ Flag(U)
X’FF’ Noflag
FLAGSTD (FIPS) XL1
1... ....
specification
Minimum
.1.. ....
Intermediate
..1. ....
High
...1 ....
| IBM extensions
.... 1...
Level-1 Segmentation
.... .1..
Level-2 Segmentation
.... ..1.
Debugging
.... ...1
Obsolete
Reserved for flagging XL1
1111 1111
Reserved for future use
Compiler mode XL1
X’00’ Unconditional Nocompile, Nocompile(I)
X’04’ Nocompile(W)
X’08’ Nocompile(E)
X’0C’ Nocompile(S)
X’FF’ Compile
Space value CL1
Data for 3-valued XL1
1... ....
options
NAME(ALIAS) specified
.1.. ....
NUMPROC(MIG) specified
..1. ....
TRUNC(BIN) specified
...1 1111
Reserved for future use

668 Programming Guide

Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
TEST(hook,sym,sep) XL1
1... ....
suboptions
TEST(ALL,x)
.1.. ....
TEST(NONE,x)
..1. ....
TEST(STMT,x)
...1 ....
TEST(PATH,x)
.... 1...
TEST(BLOCK,x)
.... .1..
TEST(x,SYM)
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = SEPARATE, Bit 0 = NOSEPARATE
.... ...1
Reserved for TEST suboptions
OUTDD name length HL2 Length of OUTDD name
RWT ID Length HL2 Length of Reserved Word Table identifier
LVLINFO CL4 User-specified LVLINFO data
PGMNAME XL1
1... ....
suboptions
Bit 1 = PGMNAME(COMPAT)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = PGMNAME(LONGUPPER)
..1. ....
Bit 1 = PGMNAME(LONGMIXED)
...1 1111
Reserved for future use
Entry interface XL1
1... ....
suboptions
Bit 1 = EntryInterface(System)
(Windows only)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = EntryInterface(OptLink)
(Windows only)
..11 1111
Reserved for future use

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 669

 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
CallInterface XL1
1... ....
suboptions
Bit 1 = CallInterface(System)
(Windows only)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = CallInterface(OptLink)
(Windows only)
| ...1 ....
| Bit 1 = CallInterface(Cdecl)
| (Windows only)
| .... 1...
| Bit 1 = CallInterface(System(Desc))
| (Windows only)
..1. .111
Reserved for future use
ARITH suboption XL1
1... ....
Bit 1 = ARITH(COMPAT)
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = ARITH(EXTEND)
11 1111
Reserved for future use
DBCS Req FL4 DBCS XREF storage requirement
DBCS ORDPGM HL2 Length of name of DBCS Ordering Program
length
DBCS ENCTBL HL2 Length of name of DBCS Encode Table
length
DBCS ORD TYPE CL2 DBCS Ordering type
Reserved CL6 Reserved for future use
Converted SO CL1 Converted SO hexadecimal value
Converted SI CL1 Converted SI hexadecimal value
Language id CL2 This field holds the two-character abbreviation (one of
EN, UE, JA, or JP) from the LANGUAGE option.
Reserved CL8 Reserved for future use
INEXIT name length HL2 Length of SYSIN user-exit name
PRTEXIT name length HL2 Length of SYSPRINT user-exit name
LIBEXIT name length HL2 Length of ’Library’ user-exit name
ADEXIT name length HL2 Length of ADATA user-exit name
CURROPT CL5 CURRENCY option value
Reserved CL1 Reserved for future use
YEARWINDOW HL2 YEARWINDOW option value
CODEPAGE HL2 CODEPAGE CCSID option value
Reserved CL50 Reserved for future use
LINECNT HL2 LINECOUNT value
Reserved CL2 Reserved for future use

670 Programming Guide

Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
BUFSIZE FL4 BUFSIZE option value
Size value FL4 SIZE option value
Reserved FL4 Reserved for future use
Phase residence bits XL1
1... ....
byte 1
Bit 1 = IGYCLIBR in user region
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = IGYCSCAN in user region
..1. ....
Bit 1 = IGYCDSCN in user region
...1 ....
Bit 1 = IGYCGROU in user region
.... 1...
Bit 1 = IGYCPSCN in user region
.... .1..
Bit 1 = IGYCPANA in user region
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = IGYCFGEN in user region
.... ...1
Bit 1 = IGYCPGEN in user region
Phase residence bits XL1
1... ....
byte 2
Bit 1 = IGYCOPTM in user region
.1.. ....
Bit 1 = IGYCLSTR in user region
..1. ....
Bit 1 = IGYCXREF in user region
...1 ....
Bit 1 = IGYCDMAP in user region
.... 1...
Bit 1 = IGYCASM1 in user region
.... .1..
Bit 1 = IGYCASM2 in user region
.... ..1.
Bit 1 = IGYCDIAG in user region
.... ...1
Reserved for future use
Phase residence bits XL2 Reserved
bytes 3 and 4
Reserved CL8 Reserved for future use
OUTDD name CL(n) OUTDD name
RWT CL(n) Reserved word table identifier
DBCS ORDPGM CL(n) DBCS Ordering program name
DBCS ENCTBL CL(n) DBCS Encode table name
INEXIT name CL(n) SYSIN user-exit name

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 671

 Table 107. SYSADATA options record (continued)
Field Size Description
PRTEXIT name CL(n) SYSPRINT user-exit name
LIBEXIT name CL(n) ’Library’ user-exit name
ADEXIT name CL(n) ADATA user-exit name

External symbol record - X’0020’

The following table shows the contents of the external symbol record:
Table 108. SYSADATA external symbol record
Field Size Description
Section type XL1
X’00’ PROGRAM-ID Name
Main entry point name
X’01’ ENTRY Name
Secondary entry point name
X’02’ External Reference
Referenced external entry point
X’04’ N/A for COBOL
X’05’ N/A for COBOL
X’06’ N/A for COBOL
X’0A’ N/A for COBOL
X’12’ Internal Reference
Referenced internal subprogram
X’C0’ External CLASS Name
OO COBOL CLASS definition
X’C1’ METHOD-ID Name
OO COBOL Method definition
X’C6’ Method Reference
OO COBOL Method reference
X’FF’ N/A for COBOL

Types X’12’, X’C0’, X’C1’ and X’C6X’ are for COBOL

only.
Flags XL1 N/A for COBOL
Reserved HL2 Reserved for future use
Symbol-id FL4 Symbol-id of program that contains the reference (only
for types x’02’ and x’12’)
Line number FL4 Line number of statement that contains the reference
(only for types x’02’ and x’12’)
Section length FL4 N/A for COBOL
LD ID FL4 N/A for COBOL
Reserved CL8 Reserved for future use
External Name length HL2 Number of characters in the external name
Alias Name length HL2 N/A for COBOL
External Name CL(n) The external name

672 Programming Guide

 Table 108. SYSADATA external symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Alias Section name CL(n) N/A for COBOL

Parse tree record - X’0024’

The following table shows the contents of the parse tree record:
Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record
Field Size Description
Node number FL4 The node number generated by the compiler, starting at
1
Node type HL2 The type of the node:
001 Program
002 Class
003 Method

101 Identification Division

102 Environment Division
103 Data Division
104 Procedure Division
105 End Program/Method/Class

201 Declaratives body

202 Nondeclaratives body

301 Section
302 Procedure section

401 Paragraph
402 Procedure paragraph

501 Sentence
502 File definition
503 Sort file definition
504 Program name
505 Program attribute
508 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION clause
509 CLASS attribute
510 METHOD attribute
511 USE statement

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 673

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description

601 Statement
602 Data description clause
603 Data entry
604 File description clause
605 Data entry name
606 Data entry level
607 EXEC entry

701 EVALUATE subject phrase

702 EVALUATE WHEN phrase
703 EVALUATE WHEN OTHER phrase
704 SEARCH WHEN phrase
705 INSPECT CONVERTING phrase
706 INSPECT REPLACING phrase
707 INSPECT TALLYING phrase
708 PERFORM UNTIL phrase
709 PERFORM VARYING phrase
710 PERFORM AFTER phrase
711 Statement block
712 Scope Terminator
713 INITIALIZE REPLACING phrase
714 EXEC CICS Command
720 DATA DIVISION phrase

801 Phrase
802 ON phrase
803 NOT phrase
804 THEN phrase
805 ELSE phrase
806 Condition
807 Expression
808 Relative indexing
809 EXEC CICS Option
810 Reserved word
811 INITIALIZE REPLACING category

674 Programming Guide

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description

901 Section or paragraph name

902 Identifier
903 Alphabet-name
904 Class-name
905 Condition-name
906 File-name
907 Index-name
908 Mnemonic-name
910 Symbolic-character
911 Literal
912 Function identifier
913 Data-name
914 Special register
915 Procedure reference
916 Arithmetic operator
917 All Procedures
918 INITIALIZE literal (no tokens)
919 ALL literal or figcon
| 920 Keyword class test name
921 Reserved word at identifier level
922 Unary operator
| 923 Relational operator

1001 Subscript
1002 Reference modification
Node subtype HL2 The subtype of the node.

For Section type:

0001 CONFIGURATION Section
0002 INPUT-OUTPUT Section
0003 FILE Section
0004 WORKING-STORAGE Section
0005 LINKAGE Section
0006 LOCAL-STORAGE Section
0007 REPOSITORY Section

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 675

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Paragraph type:
0001 PROGRAM-ID paragraph
0002 AUTHOR paragraph
0003 INSTALLATION paragraph
0004 DATE-WRITTEN paragraph
0005 SECURITY paragraph
0006 SOURCE-COMPUTER paragraph
0007 OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph
0008 SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph
0009 FILE-CONTROL paragraph
0010 I-O-CONTROL paragraph
0011 DATE-COMPILED paragraph
0012 CLASS-ID paragraph
0013 METHOD-ID paragraph
0014 REPOSITORY paragraph
For Environment Division clause type:
0001 WITH DEBUGGING MODE
0002 MEMORY-SIZE
0003 SEGMENT-LIMIT
0004 CURRENCY-SIGN
0005 DECIMAL POINT
0006 PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE
0007 ALPHABET
0008 SYMBOLIC-CHARACTER
0009 CLASS
0010 ENVIRONMENT NAME
0011 SELECT

676 Programming Guide

Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Data description clause type:
0001 BLANK WHEN ZERO
0002 DATA-NAME OR FILLER
0003 JUSTIFIED
0004 OCCURS
0005 PICTURE
0006 REDEFINES
0007 RENAMES
0008 SIGN
0009 SYNCHRONIZED
0010 USAGE
0011 VALUE
0023 GLOBAL
0024 EXTERNAL

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 677

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For File description clause type:
0001 FILE STATUS
0002 ORGANIZATION
0003 ACCESS MODE
0004 RECORD KEY
0005 ASSIGN
0006 RELATIVE KEY
0007 PASSWORD
0008 PROCESSING MODE
0009 RECORD DELIMITER
0010 PADDING CHARACTER
0011 BLOCK CONTAINS
0012 RECORD CONTAINS
0013 LABEL RECORDS
0014 VALUE OF
0015 DATA RECORDS
0016 LINAGE
0017 ALTERNATE KEY
0018 LINES AT TOP
0019 LINES AT BOTTOM
0020 CODE-SET
0021 RECORDING MODE
0022 RESERVE
0023 GLOBAL
0024 EXTERNAL
0025 LOCK

678 Programming Guide

Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Statement type:
0002 NEXT SENTENCE
0003 ACCEPT
0004 ADD
0005 ALTER
0006 CALL
0007 CANCEL
0008 CLOSE
0009 COMPUTE
0010 CONTINUE
0011 DELETE
0012 DISPLAY
0013 DIVIDE (INTO)
0113 DIVIDE (BY)
0014 ENTER
0015 ENTRY
0016 EVALUATE
0017 EXIT
0018 GO
0019 GOBACK
0020 IF
0021 INITIALIZE
0022 INSPECT

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 679

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description

0023 INVOKE
0024 MERGE
0025 MOVE
0026 MULTIPLY
0027 OPEN
0028 PERFORM
0029 READ
0030 READY
0031 RELEASE
0032 RESET
0033 RETURN
0034 REWRITE
0035 SEARCH
0036 SERVICE
0037 SET
0038 SORT
0039 START
0040 STOP
0041 STRING
0042 SUBTRACT
0043 UNSTRING
0044 EXEC SQL
0144 EXEC CICS
0045 WRITE
0046 XML

680 Programming Guide

Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Phrase type:
0001 INTO
0002 DELIMITED
0003 INITIALIZE. . .REPLACING
0004 INSPECT. . .ALL
0005 INSPECT. . .LEADING
0006 SET. . .TO
0007 SET. . .UP
0008 SET. . .DOWN
0009 PERFORM. . .TIMES
0010 DIVIDE. . .REMAINDER
0011 INSPECT. . .FIRST
0012 SEARCH. . .VARYING
0013 MORE-LABELS
0014 SEARCH ALL
0015 SEARCH. . .AT END
0016 SEARCH. . .TEST INDEX
0017 GLOBAL
0018 LABEL
0019 DEBUGGING
0020 SEQUENCE
0021 Reserved for future use
0022 Reserved for future use
0023 Reserved for future use
0024 TALLYING
0025 Reserved for future use
0026 ON SIZE ERROR
0027 ON OVERFLOW
0028 ON ERROR
0029 AT END
0030 INVALID KEY

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 681

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description

0031 END-OF-PAGE
0032 USING
0033 BEFORE
0034 AFTER
0035 EXCEPTION
0036 CORRESPONDING
0037 Reserved for future use
0038 RETURNING
0039 GIVING
0040 THROUGH
0041 KEY
0042 DELIMITER
0043 POINTER
0044 COUNT
0045 METHOD
0046 PROGRAM
0047 INPUT
0048 OUTPUT
0049 I-O
0050 EXTEND
0051 RELOAD
0052 ASCENDING
0053 DESCENDING
0054 DUPLICATES
0055 NATIVE (USAGE)
0056 INDEXED
0057 FROM
0058 FOOTING
0059 LINES AT BOTTOM
0060 LINES AT TOP

682 Programming Guide

Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Function identifier type:
0001 COS
0002 LOG
0003 MAX
0004 MIN
0005 MOD
0006 ORD
0007 REM
0008 SIN
0009 SUM
0010 TAN
0011 ACOS
0012 ASIN
0013 ATAN
0014 CHAR
0015 MEAN
0016 SQRT
0017 LOG10
0018 RANGE
0019 LENGTH
0020 MEDIAN
0021 NUMVAL
0022 RANDOM
0023 ANNUITY
0024 INTEGER
0025 ORD-MAX
0026 ORD-MIN
0027 REVERSE
0028 MIDRANGE
0029 NUMVAL-C
0030 VARIANCE
0031 FACTORIAL
0032 LOWER-CASE

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 683

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description

0033 UPPER-CASE
0034 CURRENT-DATE
0035 INTEGER-PART
0036 PRESENT-VALUE
0037 WHEN-COMPILED
0038 DAY-OF-INTEGER
0039 INTEGER-OF-DAY
0040 DATE-OF-INTEGER
0041 INTEGER-OF-DATE
0042 STANDARD-DEVIATION
0043 YEAR-TO-YYYY
0044 DAY-TO-YYYYDDD
0045 DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD
0046 UNDATE
0047 DATEVAL
0048 YEARWINDOW
0049 DISPLAY-OF
0050 NATIONAL-OF
For Special Register type:
0001 ADDRESS OF
0002 LENGTH OF
| For Keyword Class Test Name type:
0001 ALPHABETIC
0002 ALPHABETIC-LOWER
0003 ALPHABETIC-UPPER
0004 DBCS
0005 KANJI
0006 NUMERIC
0007 NEGATIVE
0008 POSITIVE
0009 ZERO
For Reserved Word type:
0001 TRUE
0002 FALSE
0003 ANY
0004 THRU

684 Programming Guide

Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Identifier, Data-name, Index-name, Condition-name
or Mnemonic-name type:
0001 REFERENCED
0002 CHANGED
0003 REFERENCED & CHANGED
For Initialize literal type:
0001 ALPHABETIC
0002 ALPHANUMERIC
0003 NUMERIC
0004 ALPHANUMERIC-EDITED
0005 NUMERIC-EDITED
0006 DBCS/EGCS
0007 NATIONAL
For Procedure name type:
0001 SECTION
0002 PARAGRAPH
For Reserved word at identifier level type:
0001 ROUNDED
0002 TRUE
0003 ON
0004 OFF
0005 SIZE
0006 DATE
0007 DAY
0008 DAY-OF-WEEK
0009 TIME
0010 WHEN-COMPILED
0011 PAGE
0012 DATE YYYYMMDD
0013 DAY YYYYDDD
For Arithmetic Operator type:
0001 PLUS
0002 MINUS
0003 TIMES
0004 DIVIDE
0005 DIVIDE REMAINDER
0006 EXPONENTIATE
0007 NEGATE

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 685

 Table 109. SYSADATA parse tree record (continued)
Field Size Description
For Relational Operator type:
0008 LESS
0009 LESS OR EQUAL
0010 EQUAL
0011 NOT EQUAL
0012 GREATER
0013 GREATER OR EQUAL
0014 AND
0015 OR
0016 CLASS CONDITION
0017 NOT CLASS CONDITION
Parent node number FL4 The node number of the parent of the node
Left sibling node FL4 The node number of the left sibling of the node, if any. If
number none, the value is zero.
Symbol Id FL4 The Symbol Id of the node, if it is a user-name of one of
the following types:
v data entry
v identifier
v file-name
v index-name
v procedure-name
v condition-name
v mnemonic-name

This value corresponds to the Symbol ID in a Symbol

(Type 42) record, except for procedure-names where it
corresponds to the Paragraph ID.

For all other node types this value is zero.

Section Symbol Id FL4 The Symbol Id of the section containing the node, if it is
a qualified paragraph-name reference. This value
corresponds to the Section ID in a Symbol (Type 42)
record.

For all other node types this value is zero.

First token number FL4 The number of the first token associated with the node
Last token number FL4 The number of the last token associated with the node
Reserved FL4 Reserved for future use
Flags CL1 Information about the node:
X’80’ Reserved
X’40’ Generated node, no tokens
Reserved CL3 Reserved for future use

686 Programming Guide

Token record - X’0030’
The following table shows the contents of the token record:
Table 110. SYSADATA token record
Field Size Description
Token number FL4 The token number within the source file generated by
the compiler, starting at 1. Any copybooks have already
been included in the source.
Token code HL2 The type of token (user-name, literal, reserved word,
etc.).

For reserved words, the compiler reserved word table

values are used.

For PICTURE strings, the special code 0000 is used.

For (other than the last) piece of a continued token, the

special code 3333 is used.
Token length HL2 The length of the token
Token column FL4 The starting column number of the token on the source
line
Token line FL4 The line number of the token
Flags CL1 Information about the token:
X’80’ Token is continued
X’40’ Last piece of continued token

Note that for PICTURE strings, even if the source token is

continued, there will be only one Token record
generated. It will have a token code of 0000, the token
column and line of the first piece, the length of the
complete string, no continuation flags set, and the token
text of the complete string.
Reserved CL7 Reserved for future use
Token text CL(n) The actual token string

Source error record - X’0032’

The following table shows the contents of the source error record:
Table 111. SYSADATA source error record
Field Size Description
Statement number FL4 The statement number of the statement in error
Error identifier CL16 The error message identifier (left-justified and padded
with blanks)
Error severity HL2 The severity of the error
Error message length HL2 The length of the error message text
Line position XL1 The line position indicator provided in FIPS messages
Reserved CL7 Reserved for future use
Error message CL(n) The error message text

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 687

Source record - X’0038’
The following table shows the contents of the source record:
Table 112. SYSADATA source record
Field Size Description
Line number FL4 The listing line number of the source record
Input record number FL4 The input source record number in the current input file
Primary file number HL2 The input file’s assigned sequence number if this record
is from the primary input file. (Refer to the Input file n
in the Job identification record).
Library file number HL2 The library input file’s assigned sequence number if this
record is from a COPY/BASIS input file. (Refer to the
Member File ID n in the Library record.)
Reserved CL8 Reserved for future use
Parent record number FL4 The parent source record number. This will be the record
number of the COPY/BASIS statement.
Parent primary file HL2 The parent file’s assigned sequence number if the parent
number of this record is from the primary input file. (Refer to the
Input file n in the Job Identification Record.)
Parent library HL2 The parent library file’s assigned sequence number if this
assigned file number record’s parent is from a COPY/BASIS input file. (Refer to
the COPY/BASIS Member File ID n in the Library record.)
Reserved CL8 Reserved for future use
Length of source HL2 The length of the actual source record following
record
Reserved CL10 Reserved for future use
Source record CL(n)

COPY REPLACING record - X’0039’

One COPY REPLACING type record will be put out for each time a REPLACING action
takes place. That is, whenever operand-1 of the REPLACING phrase is matched with
text in the copybook, a COPY REPLACING TEXT record will be written.

The following table shows the contents of the COPY REPLACING record:
Table 113. SYSADATA COPY REPLACING record
Field Size Description
Starting line number FL4 The listing line number of the start of the text that
of REPLACED string resulted from the REPLACING
Starting column FL4 The listing column number of the start of the text that
number of REPLACED resulted from the REPLACING
string
Ending line number FL4 The listing line number of the end of the text that
of REPLACED string resulted from the REPLACING
Ending column FL4 The listing column number of the end of the text that
number of REPLACED resulted from the REPLACING
string

688 Programming Guide

 Table 113. SYSADATA COPY REPLACING record (continued)
Field Size Description
Starting line number FL4 The source file line number of the start of the text that
of original string was changed by the REPLACING
Starting column FL4 The source file column number of the start of the text
number of original that was changed by the REPLACING
string
Ending line number FL4 The source file line number of the end of the text that
of original string was changed by the REPLACING
Ending column FL4 The source file column number of the end of the text that
number of original was changed by the REPLACING
string

Symbol record - X’0042’

The following table shows the contents of the symbol record:
Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record
Field Size Description
Symbol ID FL4 Unique ID of symbol
Line number FL4 The listing line number of the source record in which the
symbol is defined or declared
Level XL1 True level number of symbol (or relative level number of
a data item within a structure). For COBOL, this can be
in the range 01-49, 66 (for Renames items), 77, or 88 (for
condition items).
Qualification XL1
X’00’ Unique name; no qualification needed.
Indicator
X’01’ This data item needs qualification. The name is
not unique within the program. This field
applies only when this data item is NOT the
level-01 name.
Symbol type XL1
X’68’ Class-name (Class-ID)
X’58’ Method-name
X’40’ Data-name
X’20’ Procedure-name
X’10’ Mnemonic-name
X’08’ Program-name
X’81’ Reserved

The following are ORed into the above types, when

applicable:
X’04’ External
X’02’ Global

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 689

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Symbol attribute XL1
X’01’ Numeric
X’02’ Alphanumeric
X’03’ Group
X’04’ Pointer
X’05’ Index data item
X’06’ Index-name
X’07’ Condition
X’0F’ File
X’10’ Sort file
X’17’ Class-name (Repository)
X’18’ Object Reference

690 Programming Guide

Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Clauses XL1 Clauses specified in symbol definition.

For numeric, alphanumeric, group, and index symbols

1... ....
Value
.1.. ....
Indexed
..1. ....
Redefines
...1 ....
Renames
.... 1...
Occurs
.... .1..
Has Occurs keys
.... ..1.
Occurs Depending On
.... ...1
Occurs in parent

For both file types

1... ....
Select
.1.. ....
Assign
..1. ....
Rerun
...1 ....
Same area
.... 1...
Same record area
.... .1..
Recording mode
.... ..1.
Reserved
.... ...1
Record

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 691

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
For mnemonic-name symbols
01 CSP
02 C01
03 C02
04 C03
05 C04
06 C05
07 C06
08 C07
09 C08
10 C09
11 C10
12 C11
13 C12
14 S01
15 S02
16 S03
17 S04
18 S05
19 CONSOLE
20 SYSIN/SYSIPT
22 SYSOUT/SYSLST/SYSLIST
24 SYSPUNCH/SYSPCH
26 UPSI-0
27 UPSI-1
28 UPSI-2
29 UPSI-3
30 UPSI-4
31 UPSI-5
32 UPSI-6
33 UPSI-7
34 AFP-5A

692 Programming Guide

Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Data flags 1 XL1 For both file types, and numeric, alphanumeric, group,
and index symbols
1... ....
Redefined
.1.. ....
Renamed
..1. ....
Synchronized
...1 ....
Implicitly redefined
.... 1...
Date field
.... .1..
Implicit redefines
.... ..1.
FILLER
.... ...1
Level 77

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 693

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Data flags 2 XL1 For numeric symbols
1... ....
Binary
.1.. ....
External floating point
..1. ....
Internal floating point
...1 ....
Packed
.... 1...
Zoned
.... .1..
Scaled negative
.... ..1.
Numeric edited
.... ...1
Reserved for future use

For alphanumeric symbols (including Group items)

1... ....
Alphabetic
.1.. ....
Alphanumeric
..1. ....
Alphanumeric edited
...1 ....
Group contains its own ODO object
.... 1...
DBCS item
.... .1..
Group variable length
.... ..1.
EGCS item
.... ...1
EGCS edited

694 Programming Guide

Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
For both file types
1... ....
Object of ODO in record
.1.. ....
Subject of ODO in record
..1. ....
Sequential access
...1 ....
Random access
.... 1...
Dynamic access
.... .1..
Locate mode
.... ..1.
Record area
.... ...1
Reserved for future use

Field will be zero for all other data types.

Data flags 3 XL1 For both file types
1... ....
All records are the same length
.1.. ....
Fixed length
..1. ....
Variable length
...1 ....
Undefined
.... 1...
Spanned
.... .1..
Blocked
.... ..1.
Apply write only
.... ...1
Same sort merge area

Field will be zero for all other data types.

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 695

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
File organization XL1 For both file types
1... ....
QSAM
.1.. ....
ASCII
..1. ....
Standard label
...1 ....
User label
.... 1...
VSAM sequential
.... .1..
VSAM indexed
.... ..1.
VSAM relative
.... ...1
Line Sequential

Field will be zero for all other data types.

USAGE clause FL1
X’00’ USAGE IS DISPLAY
X’01’ USAGE IS COMP-1
X’02’ USAGE IS COMP-2
X’03’ USAGE IS PACKED-DECIMAL or USAGE IS COMP-3
X’04’ USAGE IS BINARY, USAGE IS COMP, or USAGE IS
COMP-4
X’05’ USAGE IS DISPLAY-1
X’06’ USAGE IS POINTER
X’07’ USAGE IS INDEX
X’08’ USAGE IS PROCEDURE-POINTER
X’09’ USAGE IS OBJECT-REFERENCE
X’0B’ NATIONAL
X’0A’ FUNCTION-POINTER
Sign clause FL1
X’00’ No SIGN clause
X’01’ SIGN IS LEADING
X’02’ SIGN IS LEADING SEPARATE CHARACTER
X’03’ SIGN IS TRAILING
X’04’ SIGN IS TRAILING SEPARATE CHARACTER
Indicators FL1
X’01’ Has JUSTIFIED clause. Right-justified attribute is
in effect.
X’02’ Has BLANK WHEN ZERO clause.

696 Programming Guide

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Size FL4 The size of this data item. The actual number of bytes
this item occupies in storage. If a DBCS item, the number
is in bytes, not characters. For variable-length items, this
field will reflect the maximum size of storage reserved
for this item by the compiler. Also known as the “Length
attribute.”
Precision FL1 The precision of a FIXED or FLOAT data item
Scale FL1 The scale factor of a FIXED data item. This is the number
of digits to the right of the decimal point.
Base locator type FL1 For host:
01 Base Locator File
02 Base Locator Working-Storage
03 Base Locator Linkage Section
05 Base Locator Special regs
07 Indexed by variable
09 COMREG special reg
10 UPSI switch
13 Base Locator for Varloc items
14 Base Locator for Extern data
15 Base Locator Alphanumeric FUNC
16 Base Locator Alphanumeric EVAL
17 Base Locator for Object data
19 Base Locator for Local-Storage
20 Factory Data
21 XML-TEXT

| For Windows and AIX:

01 Base Locator File
02 Base Locator Linkage Section
03 Base Locator for Varloc items
04 Base Locator for Extern data
05 Base Locator for Object data
10 Base Locator Working-Storage
11 Base Locator Special regs
12 Base Locator Alphanumeric FUNC
13 Base Locator Alphanumeric EVAL
14 Indexed by variable
16 COMREG special reg
17 UPSI switch
22 Base Locator for Local-Storage

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 697

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Date Format FL1 Date Format:
01 YY
02 YYXX
03 YYXXXX
04 YYXXX
05 YYYY
06 YYYYXX
07 YYYYXXXX
08 YYYYXXX
09 YYX
10 YYYYX
22 XXYY
23 XXXXYY
24 XXXYY
26 XXYYYY
27 XXXXYYYY
28 XXXYYYY
29 XYY
30 XYYYY
Reserved FL4 Reserved for future use
Addressing FL4 For host, the Base Locator number and displacement:
information
Bits 0-4
Unused
Bits 5-19
Base Locator (BL) number
Bits 20-31
Displacement off Base Locator

| For Windows and AIX, the W-code SymId.

Structure AL4 Offset of symbol within structure. This offset is set to 0
Displacement for variably located items.
Parent Displacement AL4 Byte offset from immediate parent of the item being
defined.
Parent ID FL4 The symbol ID of the immediate parent of the item being
defined.
Redefined ID FL4 The symbol ID of the data item that this item redefines,
if applicable.
Start-Renamed ID FL4 If this item is a 66-level item, the symbol ID of the
starting COBOL data item that this item renames. If not a
66-level item, this field is set to 0.
End-Renamed ID FL4 If this item is a 66-level item, the symbol ID of the
ending COBOL data item that this item renames. If not a
66-level item, this field is set to 0.

698 Programming Guide

Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
Program Name FL4 ID of the Program name of the Program or the Class
Symbol ID name of the Class where this symbol is defined.
OCCURS Minimum / FL4 Minimum value for OCCURS

Paragraph ID Proc-name ID for a paragraph-name

OCCURS Maximum FL4 Maximum value for OCCURS
/
Proc-name ID for a section-name
Section ID
Dimensions FL4 Number of dimensions
Reserved CL12 Reserved for future use
Value Pairs Count HL2 Count of value pairs
Symbol name length HL2 Number of characters in the symbol name
Picture data length HL2 Number of characters in the picture data—zero if symbol
for data name has no associated PICTURE clause. (Length of the PICTURE
field.) Length will represent the field as it is found in the
source input. This length does not represent the
expanded field for picture items containing a replication
factor. The maximum COBOL length for a PICTURE string
is 50 bytes. Zero in this field indicates no PICTURE
specified.
Assignment name
Number of characters in the external file name if this is a
length for file name
file name. This is the DD name part of the assignment
name. Zero if file name and ASSIGN USING specified.
Initial value length HL2 Number of characters in the symbol value—zero if
for data name symbol has no initial value.

External CLASS name Number of characters in the external CLASS name for
length for CLASS-ID CLASS-ID
ODO Symbol name FL4 If data-name, ID of the ODO symbol name—zero if ODO
ID for data-name not specified.

ID of ASSIGN date If file-name, Symbol-ID for ASSIGN USING

name if file name data-name—zero if ASSIGN TO specified
Keys Count HL2 The number of keys defined
Index Count HL2 Count of Index symbol IDs; zero if none specified
Symbol name CL(n)
Picture data string for CL(n) The PICTURE character string exactly as the user types it
data-name in. The character string includes all symbols, parentheses,
and replication factor.
Assignment-name for
file-name The external file name if this is a file name. This is the DD
name part of the assignment name.
Index ID List (n)FL4 ID of each index symbol name
Keys (n)XL8 This field contains data describing keys specified for an
array. The following three fields are repeated as many
times as specified in the Keys Count field.

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 699

 Table 114. SYSADATA symbol record (continued)
Field Size Description
...Key Sequence FL1 Ascending/Descending Indicator.
X’00’ DESCENDING
X’01’ ASCENDING
...Filler CL3 Reserved
...Key ID FL4 The symbol ID of the data item that is the key field in
the array
Initial Value data for CL(n) This field contains the data specified in the INITIAL
data-name VALUE clause for this symbol. The following four
subfields are repeated according to the count in the
Value Pairs Count field. The total length of the data in
this field is contained in the ’Initial value length’ field.
External class-name
for CLASS-ID The external class-name for CLASS-ID.
...1st value length HL2 Length of first value
...1st value data CL(n) 1st value.

This field contains the literal (or figurative constant) as it

is specified in the VALUE clause in the source file. It
includes any beginning and ending delimiters, embedded
quotation marks, and SHIFT IN and SHIFT OUT
characters. If the literal spans multiple lines, the lines are
concatenated into one long string. If a figurative constant
is specified, this field contains the actual reserved word,
not the value associated with that word.
...2nd value length HL2 Length of second value—zero if not a THRU value pair
...2nd value data CL(n) 2nd value.

This field contains the literal (or figurative constant) as it

is specified in the VALUE clause in the source file. It
includes any beginning and ending delimiters, embedded
quotation marks, and SHIFT IN and SHIFT OUT
characters. If the literal spans multiple lines, the lines are
concatenated into one long string. If a figurative constant
is specified, this field contains the actual reserved word,
not the value associated with that word.

Symbol cross-reference record - X’0044’

The following table shows the contents of the symbol cross-reference record:
Table 115. SYSADATA symbol cross-reference record
Field Size Description
Symbol length HL2 The length of the symbol
Statement definition FL4 The statement number where the symbol is defined or
declared

For VERB XREF only:

Verb count - total number of references to this verb.

Number of HL2 The number of references in this record to the symbol
references1 following

700 Programming Guide

 Table 115. SYSADATA symbol cross-reference record (continued)
Field Size Description
Cross-reference type XL1
X’01’ Program
X’02’ Procedure
X’03’ Verb
X’04’ Symbol or data-name
X’05’ Method
X’06’ Class
Reserved CL7 Reserved for future use
Symbol name CL(n) The symbol. Variable length.
...Reference flag CL1 For symbol or data-name references:
C’ ’ Blank means reference only
C’M’ Modification reference flag

For Procedure type symbol references:

C’A’ ALTER (procedure name)
C’D’ GO TO (procedure name) DEPENDING ON
C’E’ End of range of (PERFORM) through (procedure
name)
C’G’ GO TO (procedure name)
C’P’ PERFORM (procedure name)
C’T’ (ALTER) TO PROCEED TO (procedure name)
C’U’ use for debugging (procedure name)
...Statement number XL4 The statement number on which the symbol or verb is
referenced

1. The reference flag field and the statement number field occur as many times as the
number of references field dictates.
For example, if there is a value of 10 in the number of references field, there will be 10
occurrences of the reference flag and statement number pair in the case of data-name,
procedure, or program symbols, or 10 occurrences of the statement number in the case
of verbs.
Where the number of references would exceed the record size for the SYSADATA file,
the record is continued on the next record. The continuation flag is set in the common
header section of the record.

Nested program record - X’0046’

The following table shows the contents of the nested program record:
Table 116. SYSADATA nested program record
Field Size Description
Statement definition FL4 The statement number that the symbol is defined or
declared
Nesting level XL1 Program Nesting level

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 701

 Table 116. SYSADATA nested program record (continued)
Field Size Description
Program attributes XL1
1... ....
Initial
.1.. ....
Common
..1. ....
PROCEDURE DIVISION using
...1 1111
Reserved for future use
Reserved XL1 Reserved for future use
Program name length XL1 Length of the following field
Program name CL(n) The program name

Library record - X’0060’

The following table shows the contents of the library record:
Table 117. SYSADATA library record
Field Size Description
1
Number of members HL2 Count of the number of COPY/INCLUDE code members
described in this record
Library name length HL2 The length of the library name
Library volume HL2 The length of the library volume ID
length
Concatenation XL2 Concatenation number of the library
number
Library ddname HL2 The length of the library ddnam
length
Reserved CL4 Reserved for future use
Library name CL(n) The name of the library from which the COPY/INCLUDE
member was retrieved
Library volume CL(n) The volume identification of the volume where the
library resides
Library ddname CL(n) The ddname (or equivalent) used for this library
...COPY/BASIS member HL2 The library file ID of the name following
file ID2
...COPY/BASIS name HL2 The length of the name following
length
...COPY/BASIS name CL(n) The name of the COPY/BASIS member that has been used

1. If 10 COPY members are retrieved from a library, the ’Number of members’ field will
contain 10 and there will be 10 occurrences of the ’COPY/BASIS member file ID’ field, the
’COPY/BASIS name length’ field, and the ’COPY/BASIS name’ field.
2. If COPY/BASIS members are retrieved from different libraries, a library record is written
to the SYSADATA file for each unique library.

702 Programming Guide

Statistics record - X’0090’
The following table shows the contents of the statistics record:
Table 118. SYSADATA statistics record
Field Size Description
Source records FL4 The number of source records processed
DATA DIVISION FL4 The number of data division statements processed
statements
PROCEDURE FL4 The number of procedure division statements processed
DIVISION statements
Compilation number HL2 Batch compilation number
Error severity XL1 The highest error message severity
Flags XL1
1... ....
End of Job indicator
.1.. ....
Class Definition indicator
..11 1111
Reserved for future use
EOJ severity XL1 The maximum return code for the compile job
Program name length XL1 The length of the program name
Program name CL(n) Program name

EVENTS record - X’0120’

Events records are included in the ADATA file to provide compatibility with
previous levels of the compiler.

The following table shows the contents of the EVENTS record:

Table 119. SYSADATA EVENTS record
Field Size Description
Header CL12 Standard ADATA record header
Record length HL2 Length of following EVENTS record data (excluding this
halfword)
EVENTS data CL(n) The EVENTS data as previously presented in the
SYSEVENT file

Appendix G. COBOL SYSADATA file contents 703

704 Programming Guide
Appendix H. Sample programs
This material contains information about the sample programs that are included on
your product tape:
v Overview of the programs, including program charts for two of the samples
v Format and sample of the input data
v Sample of reports produced
v Information about how to run the programs
v List of the language elements and concepts that are illustrated

Pseudocode and other comments regarding these programs are included in the
program prologue, which you can obtain in a program listing.

The sample programs in this material demonstrate many language elements and
concepts of COBOL:
v IGYTCARA is an example of using QSAM files and VSAM indexed files and
shows how to use many COBOL intrinsic functions.
v IGYTCARB is an example of using IBM Interactive System Product Facility
(ISPF).
v IGYTSALE is an example of using several of the Language Environment callable
services features.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“IGYTCARA: batch application”
“IGYTCARB: interactive program” on page 709
“IGYTSALE: nested program application” on page 711

IGYTCARA: batch application

A company with several local offices wants to establish employee carpools. This
batch application needs to perform two tasks:
v Produce reports of employees who can share rides from the same home location
to the same work location.
v Update the carpool data:
– Add data for new employees.
– Change information for participating employees.
– Delete employee records.
– List update requests that are not valid.

Using QSAM files and VSAM indexed files, this program validates transaction file
entries (sequential file processing) and updates a master file (indexed file
processing).

The following diagram shows the parts of the application and how they are
organized:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 705

 RELATED TASKS
“Preparing to run IGYTCARA” on page 708

RELATED REFERENCES
“Input data for IGYTCARA”
“Report produced by IGYTCARA” on page 707
“Language elements and concepts that are illustrated” on page 720

Input data for IGYTCARA

As input to our program, the company collected information from interested
employees, coded the information, and produced an input file. Here is an example
of the format of the input file (spaces between fields are left out, as they would be
in your input file), with an explanation of each item below:

1. Transaction code
2. Shift

706 Programming Guide

 3. Home code
4. Work code
5. Commuter name
6. Home address
7. Home phone
8. Work phone
9. Home location code
10. Work location code
11. Driving status code

The sample below shows a section of the input file:

A10111ROBERTS AB1021 CRYSTAL COURTSAN FRANCISCOCA9990141555501904155551387H1W1D
A20212KAHN DE789 EMILY LANE SAN FRANCISCOCA9992141555518904155552589H2W2D
P48899 99ASDFG0005557890123ASDFGHJ T
R10111ROBERTS AB1221 CRYSTAL COURTSAN FRANCISCOCA9990141555501904155551387H1W1D
A20212KAHN DE789 EMILY LANE SAN FRANCISCOCA9992141555518904155552589H2W2D
D20212KAHN DE
D20212KAHN DE
A20212KAHN DE789 EMILY LANE SAN FRANCISCOCA9992141555518904155552589H2W2D
A10111BONNICK FD1025 FIFTH AVENUE SAN FRANCISCOCA9990541555595904155557895H8W3
A10111PETERSON SW435 THIRD AVENUE SAN FRANCISCOCA9990541555546904155553717H3W4
. . .

Report produced by IGYTCARA

The following sample shows the first page of the output report produced by
IGYTCARA. Your actual output might vary slightly in appearance, depending on
your system.

1REPORT #: IGYTCAR1 COMMUTER FILE UPDATE LIST PAGE #: 1

-PROGRAM #: IGYTCAR1 RUN TIME: 01:40 RUN DATE: 11/24/2003
-========================================================================================================================
| RE-| SHIFT | | | | |STA-|
TRANS|CORD|HOME CODE| COMMUTER | HOME | HOME PHONE | HOME LOCATION JUNCTION |TUS | TRANS. ERROR
CODE |TYPE|WORK CODE| NAME | ADDRESS | WORK PHONE | WORK LOCATION JUNCTION |CODE|
========================================================================================================================
A NEW 1 01 11 ROBERTS AB 1021 CRYSTAL COURT (415) 555-0190 RODNEY/CRYSTAL D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99901 (415) 555-1387 BAYFAIR PLAZA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A NEW 2 02 12 KAHN DE 789 EMILY LANE (415) 555-1890 COYOTE D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99921 (415) 555-2589 14TH STREET/166TH AVENUE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P 4 88 99 (000) 555-7890 HOME CODE ' ' NOT FOUND. T
99 ASDFG (123) ASD-FGHJ WORK CODE ' ' NOT FOUND. TRANSACT. CODE
SHIFT CODE
HOME LOC. CODE
WORK LOC. CODE
LAST NAME
INITIALS
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE CODE
ZIPCODE
HOME PHONE
WORK PHONE
HOME JUNCTION
WORK JUNCTION
DRIVING STATUS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
R OLD 1 01 11 ROBERTS AB 1021 CRYSTAL COURT (415) 555-0190 RODNEY/CRYSTAL D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99901 (415) 555-1387 BAYFAIR PLAZA
NEW 1 01 11 ROBERTS AB 1221 CRYSTAL COURT (415) 555-0190 RODNEY/CRYSTAL D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99901 (415) 555-1387 BAYFAIR PLAZA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A 2 02 12 KAHN DE 789 EMILY LANE (415) 555-1890 COYOTE D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99921 (415) 555-2589 14TH STREET/166TH AVENUE DUPLICATE REC.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D OLD 2 02 12 KAHN DE 789 EMILY LANE (415) 555-1890 COYOTE D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99921 (415) 555-2589 14TH STREET/166TH AVENUE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D 2 02 12 KAHN DE REC. NOT FOUND
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A NEW 2 02 12 KAHN DE 789 EMILY LANE (415) 555-1890 COYOTE D
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99921 (415) 555-2589 14TH STREET/166TH AVENUE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A NEW 1 01 11 BONNICK FD 1025 FIFTH AVENUE (415) 555-9590 RODNEY
SAN FRANCISCO CA 99905 (415) 555-7895 17TH FREEWAY SAN LEANDRO
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A NEW 1 01 11 PETERSON SW 435 THIRD AVENUE (415) 555-4690 RODNEY/THIRD AVENUE

Appendix H. Sample programs 707

 Preparing to run IGYTCARA
All the files required by the IGYTCARA program are supplied on the product
installation tape. These files (IGYTCARA, IGYTCODE, and IGYTRANX) are located
in the IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP data set.

Data set and procedure names can be changed at installation time. You should
check with your system programmer to verify these names.

Do not change these options on the CBL statement in the source file for
IGYTCARA:
NOADV
NODYNAM
NONAME
NONUMBER
QUOTE
SEQUENCE

With these options in effect, the program will not cause any diagnostic messages to
be issued. You can use the sequence number string in the source file to search for
the language elements used.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“IGYTCARA: batch application” on page 705

RELATED TASKS
“Running IGYTCARA”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Input data for IGYTCARA” on page 706
“Report produced by IGYTCARA” on page 707
“Language elements and concepts that are illustrated” on page 720

Running IGYTCARA
The procedure provided here does a combined compile, link-edit, and run of the
IGYTCARA program. If you want only to compile or only to compile and link-edit
the program, you need to change the IGYWCLG cataloged procedure.

To run IGYTCARA under z/OS, use JCL to define a VSAM cluster and compile the
program. Insert the information specific to your system and installation in the
fields that are shown in lowercase letters (accounting information, volume serial
number, unit name, cluster prefix). These examples use the name
IGYTCAR.MASTFILE; you can use another name if you want to.
1. Use this JCL to create the required VSAM cluster:
//CREATE JOB (acct-info),’IGYTCAR CREATE VSAM’,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),
// TIME=(0,29)
//CREATE EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//VOL1 DD VOL=SER=your-volume-serial,UNIT=your-unit,DISP=SHR
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=A
//SYSIN DD *
DELETE your-prefix.IGYTCAR.MASTFILE -
FILE(VOL1) -
PURGE
DEFINE CLUSTER -
(NAME(your-prefix.IGYTCAR.MASTFILE) -
VOLUME(your-volume-serial) -
FILE(VOL1) -
INDEXED -

708 Programming Guide

 RECSZ(80 80) -
KEYS(16 0) -
CYLINDERS(2))
/*
To remove any existing cluster, a DELETE is issued before the VSAM cluster is
created.
2. Use the following JCL to compile, link-edit, and run the IGYTCARA program:
//IGYTCARA JOB (acct-info),’IGYTCAR’,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),TIME=(0,29)
//TEST EXEC IGYWCLG
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP,DISP=SHR
//COBOL.SYSIN DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTCARA),DISP=SHR
//GO.SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=A
//GO.COMMUTR DD DSN=your-prefix.IGYTCAR.MASTFILE,DISP=SHR
//GO.LOCCODE DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTCODE),DISP=SHR
//GO.UPDTRANS DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTRANX),DISP=SHR
//GO.UPDPRINT DD SYSOUT=A,DCB=BLKSIZE=133
//

RELATED TASKS
Chapter 10, “Processing VSAM files,” on page 147

RELATED REFERENCES
“Compile, link-edit, and run procedure (IGYWCLG)” on page 221

IGYTCARB: interactive program

The IGYTCARB program contains an interactive program for entering the carpool
data through a screen, using IBM Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF) to
invoke Dialog Manager and Enterprise COBOL. It creates a file that could be used
as input for a carpool listing or matching program such as IGYTCARA.

The input data for IGYTCARB is the same as that for IGYTCARA. IGYTCARB lets
you append to the information in your input file by using an ISPF panel. An
example of the panel used by IGYTCARB is shown below:
--------------------------- CARPOOL DATA ENTRY -------------------------------
New Data Entry Previous Entry
Type =======> - A, R, or D A
Shift ======> - 1, 2, or 3 1
Home Code ==> -- 2 Chars 01
Work Code ==> -- 2 Chars 11
Name =======> --------- 9 Chars POPOWICH
Initials ===> -- 2 Chars AD
Address ====> ------------------ 18 Chars 134 SIXTH AVENUE
City =======> ------------- 13 Chars SAN FRANCISCO
State ======> -- 2 Chars CA
Zip Code ===> ----- 5 Chars 99903
Home Phone => ---------- 10 Chars 4155553390
Work Phone => ---------- 10 Chars 4155557855
Home Jnc code > -- 2 Chars H3
Work Jnc Code > -- 2 Chars W7
Commuter Stat > - D, R or blank

RELATED TASKS
“Preparing to run IGYTCARB”

Preparing to run IGYTCARB

Run IGYTCARB using Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF).

Appendix H. Sample programs 709

 All the files required by the IGYTCARB program are supplied on the product
installation tape. These files (IGYTCARB, IGYTRANB, and IGYTPNL) are located
in the IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP data set.

Data set and procedure names can be changed at installation time. Check with
your system programmer to verify these names.

Do not change these options on the CBL card in the source file for IGYTCARB:
NONUMBER
QUOTE
SEQUENCE

With these options in effect, the program will not cause any diagnostic messages to
be issued. You can use the sequence number string in the source file to search for
language elements.

RELATED CONCEPTS
“IGYTCARB: interactive program” on page 709

RELATED TASKS
“Running IGYTCARB”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Language elements and concepts that are illustrated” on page 720

Running IGYTCARB
The following procedure does a combined compile, link-edit, and run of the
IGYTCARB program. If you want only to compile or only to compile and link-edit
the program, you need to change the procedure.

To run IGYTCARB under z/OS, do the following steps:

1. Using the ISPF editor, change the ISPF/PDF Primary Option Panel (ISR@PRIM)
or some other panel to include the IGYTCARB invocation. Panel ISR@PRIM is
in your site’s PDF panel data set (normally ISRPLIB).
The following example shows an ISR@PRIM panel modified, in two identified
locations, to include the IGYTCARB invocation. If you add or change an option
in the upper portion of the panel definition, you must also add or change the
corresponding line on the lower portion of the panel.
%---------------------- ISPF/PDF PRIMARY OPTION PANEL ------------------------
%OPTION ===>_ZCMD +
% +USERID - &ZUSER
% 0 +ISPF PARMS - Specify terminal and user parameters +TIME - &ZTIME
% 1 +BROWSE - Display source data or output listings +TERMINAL - &ZTERM
% 2 +EDIT - Create or change source data +PF KEYS - &ZKEYS
% 3 +UTILITIES - Perform utility functions
% 4 +FOREGROUND - Invoke language processors in foreground
% 5 +BATCH - Submit to batch for language processing
% 6 +COMMAND - Enter TSO or Workstation commands
% 7 +DIALOG TEST - Perform dialog testing
% 8 +LM UTILITIES- Perform library management utility functions
% C +IGYTCARB - Run IGYTCARB UPDATE TRANSACTION PROGRAM (1)
% T +TUTORIAL - Display information about ISPF/PDF
% X +EXIT - Terminate using console, log, and list defaults
%
%
+Enter%END+command to terminate ISPF.
%
)INIT
.HELP = ISR00003

710 Programming Guide

 &ZPRIM = YES /* ALWAYS A PRIMARY OPTION MENU */
&ZHTOP = ISR00003 /* TUTORIAL TABLE OF CONTENTS */
&ZHINDEX = ISR91000 /* TUTORIAL INDEX - 1ST PAGE */
VPUT (ZHTOP,ZHINDEX) PROFILE
)PROC
&Z1 = TRUNC(&ZCMD,1)
IF (&Z1 &notsym.= ’.’)
&ZSEL = TRANS( TRUNC (&ZCMD,’.’)
0,’PANEL(ISPOPTA)’
1,’PGM(ISRBRO) PARM(ISRBRO01)’
2,’PGM(ISREDIT) PARM(P,ISREDM01)’
3,’PANEL(ISRUTIL)’
4,’PANEL(ISRFPA)’
5,’PGM(ISRJB1) PARM(ISRJPA) NOCHECK’
6,’PGM(ISRPCC)’
7,’PGM(ISRYXDR) NOCHECK’
8,’PANEL(ISRLPRIM)’
C,’PGM(IGYTCARB)’ (2)
T,’PGM(ISPTUTOR) PARM(ISR00000)’
’ ’,’ ’
X,’EXIT’
*,’?’ )
&ZTRAIL = .TRAIL
IF (&Z1 = ’.’) .msg = ISPD141
)END
As indicated by (1) in this example, you add IGYTCARB to the upper portion
of the panel by entering:
% C +IGYTCARB - Run IGYTCARB UPDATE TRANSACTION PROGRAM
You add the corresponding line on the lower portion of the panel, indicated by
(2), by entering:
C,’PGM(IGYTCARB)’
2. Place ISR@PRIM (or your other modified panel) and IGYTPNL in a library and
make this library the first library in the ISPPLIB concatenation.
3. Comment sequence line IB2200 and uncomment sequence line IB2210 in
IGYTCARB. (The OPEN EXTEND verb is supported under z/OS.)
4. Compile and link-edit IGYTCARB and place the resulting load module in your
LOADLIB.
5. Allocate ISPLLIB using the following command:
ALLOCATE FILE(ISPLLIB) DATASET(DSN1, SYS1.COBLIB, DSN2) SHR REUSE
Here DSN1 is the library name of the LOADLIB from step 4. DSN2 is your
installed ISPLLIB.
6. Allocate the input and output data sets using the following command:
ALLOCATE FILE(UPDTRANS) DA(’IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTRANB)) SHR REUSE
7. Allocate ISPPLIB using the following command:
ALLOCATE FILE(ISPPLIB) DATASET(DSN3, DSN4) SHR REUSE
Here DSN3 is the library containing the modified panels. DSN4 is the ISPF panel
library.
8. Invoke IGYTCARB using your modified panel.

RELATED REFERENCES
ISPF Dialog Developer’s Guide and Reference

IGYTSALE: nested program application

A sporting goods distributor wants to track product sales and sales commissions.
This nested program application needs to perform the following tasks:

Appendix H. Sample programs 711

 1. Keep a record of the product line, customers, and number of salespeople. This
data is stored in a file called IGYTABLE.
2. Maintain a file that records valid transactions and transaction errors. All
transactions that are not valid are flagged, and the results are printed in a
report. Transactions to be processed are in a file called IGYTRANA.
3. Process transactions and report sales by location.
4. Record an individual’s sales performance and commission and print the results
in a report.
5. Report the sale and shipment dates in local time and UTC (Universal Time
Coordinate), respectively, and calculate the response time.

The following diagram shows the parts of the application as a hierarchy:

The following diagram shows how the parts are nested:

RELATED TASKS
“Preparing to run IGYTSALE” on page 719

712 Programming Guide

 RELATED REFERENCES
“Input data for IGYTSALE”
“Reports produced by IGYTSALE” on page 715
“Language elements and concepts that are illustrated” on page 720

Input data for IGYTSALE

As input to our program, the distributor collected information about its customers,
salespeople, and products, coded the information, and produced an input file. This
input file, called IGYTABLE, is loaded into three separate tables for use during
transaction processing. The format of the file is as follows, with an explanation of
the items below:

1. Record type
2. Customer code
3. Customer name
4. Product code
5. Product description
6. Product unit price
7. Salesperson number
8. Salesperson name
9. Date of hire
10. Commission rate

The value of field 1 (C, P, or S) determines the format of the input record. The
following sample shows a section of IGYTABLE:
S1111Edyth Phillips 062484042327
S1122Chuck Morgan 052780084425
S1133Art Tung 022882061728
S1144Billy Jim Bob 010272121150
S1155Chris Preston 122083053377
S1166Al Willie Roz 111276100000
P01Footballs 0000620
P02Football Equipment 0032080
P03Football Uniform 0004910
P04Basketballs 0002220
P05Basketball Rim/Board0008830
P06Basketball Uniform 0004220
C01L. A. Sports
C02Gear Up
C03Play Outdoors
C04Sports 4 You
C05Sports R US

Appendix H. Sample programs 713

 C06Stay Active
C07Sport Shop
C08Stay Sporty
C09Hot Sports
C10The Sportsman
C11Playing Ball
C12Sports Play
. . .

In addition, the distributor collected information about sales transactions. Each

transaction represents an individual salesperson’s sales to a particular customer.
The customer can purchase from one to five items during each transaction. The
transaction information is coded and put into an input file, called IGYTRANA. The
format of this file is as follows, with an explanation of the items below:

1. Sales order number

2. Invoiced items (number of different items ordered)
3. Date of sale (year month day hour minutes seconds)
4. Sales area
5. Salesperson number
6. Customer code
7. Date of shipment (year month day hour minutes seconds)
8. Product code
9. Quantity sold

Fields 8 and 9 occur one to eight times depending on the number of different items
ordered (field 2). The following sample shows a section of IGYTRANA:
A00001119900227010101CNTRL VALLEY11442019900228259999
A00004119900310100530CNTRL VALLEY11441019900403150099
A00005119900418222409CNTRL VALLEY11441219900419059900
A00006119900523151010CNTRL VALLEY11442019900623250004
419990324591515SAN DIEGO 11615 60200132200110522045100
B11114419901111003301SAN DIEGO 11661519901114260200132200110522041100
A00007119901115003205CNTRL VALLEY11332019901117120023
C00125419900118101527SF BAY AREA 11331519900120160200112200250522145111
B11116419901201132013SF BAY AREA 11331519901203060200102200110522045102
B11117319901201070833SAN Diego 1165661990120333020o132200120522041100
B11118419901221191544SAN DIEGO 11661419901223160200142200130522040300
B11119419901210211544SAN DIEGO 11221219901214060200152200160522050500
B11120419901212000816SAN DIEGO 11220419901213150200052200160522040100
B11121419901201131544SAN DIEGO 11330219901203120200112200140522250100
B11122419901112073312SAN DIEGO 11221019901113100200162200260522250100
B11123919901110123314SAN DIEGO 11660919901114260200270500110522250100140010
B11124219901313510000SAN DIEGO 116611 1 0200042200120a22141100
B11125419901215012510SAN DIEGO 11661519901216110200162200130522141111
B11126119901111000034SAN DIEGO 11331619901113260022
B11127119901110154100SAN DIEGO 11221219901113122000
B11128419901110175001SAN DIEGO 11661519901113260200132200160521041104
. . .

714 Programming Guide

Reports produced by IGYTSALE
The following figures are samples of IGYTSALE output. The program records the
following data in reports:
v Transaction errors
v Sales by product and area
v Individual sales performance and commissions
v Response time between the sale date and the date the sold products are shipped

Your output might vary slightly in appearance, depending on your system.

“Example: IGYTSALE transaction errors” on page 716

“Example: IGYTSALE sales analysis by product by area” on page 717
“Example: IGYTSALE sales and commissions” on page 718
“Example: IGYTSALE response time from sale to ship” on page 719

Appendix H. Sample programs 715

 Example: IGYTSALE transaction errors
The following sample of IGYTSALE output shows transaction errors in the last
column.

Day of Report: Monday C O B O L S P O R T S 11/24/2003 03:12 Page: 1

Invalid Edited Transactions
Sales Inv. Sales Sales Sales Cust. Product And Quantity Sold Ship
Order Items Time Stamp Area Pers Code Date Stamp
----- ----- -------------- ----------- ----- ----- ------------------------- ------------
4 19990324591515 SAN DIEGO 116 15 60200132200110522045100 Error Descriptions
-Sales order number is missing
-Date of sale time stamp is invalid
-Salesperson number not numeric
-Product code not in product-table
-Date of ship time stamp is invalid
B11117 3 19901201070833 SAN Diego 1165 66 33020o132200120522041100 19901203 Error Descriptions
-Sales area not in area-table
-Salesperson not in sales-per-table
-Customer code not in customer-table
-Product code not in product-table
-Quantity sold not numeric
B11123 9 19901110123314 SAN DIEGO 1166 09 260200270500110522250100140010 19901114 Error Descriptions
-Invoiced items is invalid
-Product and quantity not checked
-Date of ship time stamp is invalid
B11124 2 19901313510000 SAN DIEGO 1166 11 1 0200042200120a22141100 Error Descriptions
-Date of sale time stamp is invalid
-Product code is invalid
-Date of ship time stamp is invalid
133 81119110000 LOS ANGELES 1166 10 040112110210160321251104 Error Descriptions
-Sales order number is invalid
-Invoiced items is invalid
-Date of sale time stamp is invalid
-Product and quantity not checked
-Date of ship time stamp is invalid
C11133 4 1990111944 1166 10 040112110210160321251104 Error Descriptions
-Date of sale time stamp is invalid
-Sales area is missing
-Date of ship time stamp is invalid
C11138 4 19901117091530 LOS ANGELES 1155 113200102010260321250004 19901119 Error Descriptions
-Customer code is invalid
D00009 9 19901201222222 CNTRL COAST 115 19 141 1131221 19901202 Error Descriptions
-Invoiced items is invalid

716 Programming Guide

Example: IGYTSALE sales analysis by product by area
The following sample of IGYTSALE output shows sales by product and area.

Day of Report: Monday C O B O L S P O R T S 11/24/2003 03:12 Page: 1

Sales Analysis By Product By Area
Areas of Sale
| | CNTRL COAST | CNTRL VALLEY | LOS ANGELES | NORTH COAST | SAN DIEGO | SF BAY AREA | |
| Product Codes | | | | | | | Product Totals |
==================================================================================================================================
|Product Number 04 | | | | | | | |
|Basketballs | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | | | 433 | | 2604 | 5102 | 8139 |
| Unit Price | | | 22.20 | | 22.20 | 22.20 | |
| Amount of Sale | | | $9,612.60 | | $57,808.80 | $113,264.40 | $180,685.80 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 05 | | | | | | | |
|Basketball Rim/Board| | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | | 9900 | 2120 | 11 | 2700 | | 14731 |
| Unit Price | | 88.30 | 88.30 | 88.30 | 88.30 | | |
| Amount of Sale | | $874,170.00 | $187,196.00 | $971.30 | $238,410.00 | | $1,300,747.30 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 06 | | | | | | | |
|Basketball Uniform | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | | | | 990 | 200 | 200 | 1390 |
| Unit Price | | | | 42.20 | 42.20 | 42.20 | |
| Amount of Sale | | | | $41,778.00 | $8,440.00 | $8,440.00 | $58,658.00 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 10 | | | | | | | |
|Baseball Cage | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 45 | | 3450 | 16 | 200 | 3320 | 7031 |
| Unit Price | 890.00 | | 890.00 | 890.00 | 890.00 | 890.00 | |
| Amount of Sale | $40,050.00 | |$3,070,500.00 | $14,240.00 | $178,000.00 |$2,954,800.00 | $6,257,590.00 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 11 | | | | | | | |
|Baseball Uniform | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 10003 | | 3578 | | 2922 | 2746 | 19249 |
| Unit Price | 45.70 | | 45.70 | | 45.70 | 45.70 | |
| Amount of Sale | $457,137.10 | | $163,514.60 | | $133,535.40 | $125,492.20 | $879,679.30 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 12 | | | | | | | |
|Softballs | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 10 | 137 | 2564 | 13 | 2200 | 22 | 4946 |
| Unit Price | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.40 | |
| Amount of Sale | $14.00 | $191.80 | $3,589.60 | $18.20 | $3,080.00 | $30.80 | $6,924.40 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 13 | | | | | | | |
|Softball Bats | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 3227 | | 3300 | 1998 | 5444 | 99 | 14068 |
| Unit Price | 12.60 | | 12.60 | 12.60 | 12.60 | 12.60 | |
| Amount of Sale | $40,660.20 | | $41,580.00 | $25,174.80 | $68,594.40 | $1,247.40 | $177,256.80 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 14 | | | | | | | |
|Softball Gloves | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 1155 | | 136 | 3119 | 3833 | 5152 | 13395 |
| Unit Price | 12.00 | | 12.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 | |
| Amount of Sale | $13,860.00 | | $1,632.00 | $37,428.00 | $45,996.00 | $61,824.00 | $160,740.00 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 15 | | | | | | | |
|Softball Cage | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 997 | 99 | 2000 | | 2400 | | 5496 |
| Unit Price | 890.00 | 890.00 | 890.00 | | 890.00 | | |
| Amount of Sale | $887,330.00 | $88,110.00 |$1,780,000.00 | |$2,136,000.00 | | $4,891,440.00 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 16 | | | | | | | |
|Softball Uniform | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 44 | | 465 | 16 | 6165 | 200 | 6890 |
| Unit Price | 45.70 | | 45.70 | 45.70 | 45.70 | 45.70 | |
| Amount of Sale | $2,010.80 | | $21,250.50 | $731.20 | $281,740.50 | $9,140.00 | $314,873.00 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 25 | | | | | | | |
|RacketBalls | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 1001 | 10003 | 1108 | 8989 | 200 | 522 | 21823 |
| Unit Price | 0.60 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 0.60 | |
| Amount of Sale | $600.60 | $6,001.80 | $664.80 | $5,393.40 | $120.00 | $313.20 | $13,093.80 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Product Number 26 | | | | | | | |
|Racketball Rackets | | | | | | | |
| Units Sold | 21 | | 862 | 194 | 944 | 31 | 2052 |
| Unit Price | 12.70 | | 12.70 | 12.70 | 12.70 | 12.70 | |
| Amount of Sale | $266.70 | | $10,947.40 | $2,463.80 | $11,988.80 | $393.70 | $26,060.40 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==================================================================================================================================
| Total Units Sold | 16503 | 20139 | 20016 | 15346 | 29812 | 17394 * 119210 *
| Total Sales |$1,441,929.40 | $968,473.60 |$5,290,487.50 | $128,198.70 |$3,163,713.90 |$3,274,945.70 * $14,267,748.80 *

Appendix H. Sample programs 717

 Example: IGYTSALE sales and commissions
The following sample of IGYTSALE output shows sales performance and
commissions by salesperson.

Day of Report: Monday C O B O L S P O R T S 11/24/2003 03:12 Page: 1

Sales and Commission Report
Salesperson: Billy Jim Bob
Customers: Number of Products Total for Discount Discount Commission
Orders Ordered Order (if any) Amount Earned
-------------------- --------- -------- -------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Sports Stop 3 10117 $6,161.40 2.25% $138.63 $746.45
The Sportsman 1 99 $88,110.00 5.06% $4,458.36 $10,674.52
Sports Play 1 9900 $874,170.00 7.59% $66,349.50 $105,905.69
--------- -------- -------------- ----------- -----------
Totals: 5 20116 $968,441.40 $70,946.49 $117,326.66
Salesperson: Willie Al Roz
Customers: Number of Products Total for Discount Discount Commission
Orders Ordered Order (if any) Amount Earned
-------------------- --------- -------- -------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Winners Club 4 13998 $1,572,775.90 7.59% $119,373.69 $157,277.59
Winning Sports 1 3222 $48,777.20 3.38% $1,648.66 $4,877.72
The Sportsman 1 1747 $27,415.50 3.38% $926.64 $2,741.55
Play Outdoors 1 2510 $18,579.60 3.38% $627.99 $1,857.96
--------- -------- -------------- ----------- -----------
Totals: 7 21477 $1,667,548.20 $122,576.98 $166,754.82
Salesperson: Art Tung
Customers: Number of Products Total for Discount Discount Commission
Orders Ordered Order (if any) Amount Earned
-------------------- --------- -------- -------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Sports Stop 1 23 $32.20 2.25% $.72 $1.98
Winners Club 2 16057 $2,274,885.00 7.59% $172,663.77 $140,424.10
Gear Up 1 3022 $107,144.00 7.59% $8,132.22 $6,613.78
Sports Club 1 22 $279.40 2.25% $6.28 $17.24
Sports Fans Shop 1 1044 $20,447.30 3.38% $691.11 $1,262.17
L. A. Sports 1 1163 $979,198.10 7.59% $74,321.13 $60,443.94
--------- -------- -------------- ----------- -----------
Totals: 7 21331 $3,381,986.00 $255,815.23 $208,763.21
Salesperson: Chuck Morgan
Customers: Number of Products Total for Discount Discount Commission
Orders Ordered Order (if any) Amount Earned
-------------------- --------- -------- -------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Sports Play 3 7422 $3,817,245.40 7.59% $289,728.92 $322,270.94
Sports 4 You 1 3022 $398,335.40 7.59% $30,233.65 $33,629.46
The Sportsman 1 3022 $285,229.40 7.59% $21,648.91 $24,080.49
Sports 4 Winners 1 1100 $68,509.40 5.06% $3,466.57 $5,783.90
Sports Club 1 12027 $1,324,256.10 7.59% $100,511.03 $111,800.32
--------- -------- -------------- ----------- -----------
Totals: 7 26593 $5,893,575.70 $445,589.08 $497,565.11
Salesperson: Chris Preston
Customers: Number of Products Total for Discount Discount Commission
Orders Ordered Order (if any) Amount Earned
-------------------- --------- -------- -------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Playing Ball 1 5535 $1,939,219.10 7.59% $147,186.72 $103,509.69
Play Sports 1 5675 $225,130.80 7.59% $17,087.42 $12,016.80
Winners Club 1 631 $14,069.70 2.25% $316.56 $750.99
The Jock Shop 1 2332 $28,716.60 3.38% $970.62 $1,532.80
--------- -------- -------------- ----------- -----------
Totals: 4 14173 $2,207,136.20 $165,561.32 $117,810.28
Salesperson: Edyth Phillips
Customers: Number of Products Total for Discount Discount Commission
Orders Ordered Order (if any) Amount Earned
-------------------- --------- -------- -------------- -------- ----------- -----------
Sports Play 2 3575 $92,409.90 5.06% $4,675.94 $3,911.43
Winning Sports 1 11945 $56,651.40 5.06% $2,866.56 $2,397.88
--------- -------- -------------- ----------- -----------
Totals: 3 15520 $149,061.30 $7,542.50 $6,309.31
Grand Totals: 33 119210 $14,267,748.80 $1,068,031.60 $1,114,529.39

718 Programming Guide

 Example: IGYTSALE response time from sale to ship
The following sample of IGYTSALE output shows response time between the sale
date in the United States and the date the sold products are shipped to Europe.
Day of Report: Monday COBOL SPORTS 11/24/2003 03:12 Page: 1
Response Time from USA Sale to European Ship
Prod Units Sale Date/Time(PST) Ship Date Ship Response Time
Code Sold YYYYMMDD HHMMSS YYYYMMDD Day Days
---- ----- -------- ------ -------- ---- -------------
25 9999 19900226 010101 19900228 WED .95
15 99 19900310 100530 19900403 TUE 23.57
05 9900 19900418 222409 19900419 THU .06
25 4 19900523 151010 19900623 SAT 30.36
04 1100 19901110 003301 19901114 WED 2.97
12 23 19901114 003205 19901117 SAT 1.97
14 5111 19900118 101527 19900120 SAT 1.57
04 5102 19901201 132013 19901203 MON 1.44
04 300 19901221 191544 19901223 SUN 1.19
05 500 19901210 211544 19901214 FRI 3.11
04 100 19901211 000816 19901213 THU .99
25 100 19901201 131544 19901203 MON 1.44
25 100 19901112 073312 19901113 TUE .68
14 1111 19901214 012510 19901216 SUN .94
26 22 19901110 000034 19901113 TUE 1.99
12 2000 19901110 154100 19901113 TUE 2.34
04 1104 19901110 175001 19901113 TUE 2.25
12 114 19901229 115522 19901230 SUN .50
15 2000 19901110 190113 19901114 WED 3.20
10 1440 19901112 001500 19901115 THU 1.98
25 1104 19901118 120101 19901119 MON .49
25 4 19901118 110030 19901119 MON .54
12 144 19901114 010510 19901119 MON 3.95
14 112 19901119 010101 19901122 THU 1.95
26 321 19901117 173945 19901119 MON 1.26
13 1221 19901101 135133 19901102 FRI .42
10 22 19901029 210000 19901030 TUE .12
14 35 19901130 160500 19901201 SAT .32
11 9005 19901211 050505 19901212 WED .78
06 990 19900511 214409 19900515 TUE 3.09
13 1998 19900712 150100 19900716 MON 3.37
26 31 19901010 185559 19901011 THU .21
14 30 19901210 195500 19901212 WED 1.17

Preparing to run IGYTSALE

All the files required by the IGYTSALE program are supplied on the product
installation tape. These files (IGYTSALE, IGYTCRC, IGYTPRC, IGYTSRC,
IGYTABLE, IGYTRANA) are located in the IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP data set.

Data set and procedure names can be changed at installation time. Check with
your system programmer to verify these names.

Do not change these options on the CBL card in the source file for IGYTSALE:
LIB
NONUMBER
SEQUENCE
NONUMBER
QUOTE

With these options in effect, the program might not cause any diagnostic messages
to be issued. You can use the sequence number string in the source file to search
for the language elements used.

Appendix H. Sample programs 719

 When you run IGYTSALE, the following messages are printed to the SYSOUT data
set:
Program IGYTSALE Begins
There were 00041 records processed in this program
Program IGYTSALE Normal End

RELATED CONCEPTS
“IGYTSALE: nested program application” on page 711

RELATED TASKS
“Running IGYTSALE”

RELATED REFERENCES
“Input data for IGYTSALE” on page 713
“Reports produced by IGYTSALE” on page 715
“Language elements and concepts that are illustrated”

Running IGYTSALE
The following procedure does a combined compile, link-edit, and run of the
IGYTSALE program. If you want only to compile or only to compile and link-edit
the program, you need to change the IGYWCLG cataloged procedure.

Use the following JCL to compile, link-edit, and run the IGYTSALE program.
Insert the information for your system or installation in the fields that are shown
in lowercase letters (accounting information).
//IGYTSALE JOB (acct-info),’IGYTSALE’,MSGLEVEL=(1,1),TIME=(0,29)
//TEST EXEC IGYWCLG
//COBOL.SYSLIB DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP,DISP=SHR
//COBOL.SYSIN DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTSALE),DISP=SHR
//GO.SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=A
//GO.IGYTABLE DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTABLE),DISP=SHR
//GO.IGYTRANS DD DSN=IGY.V3R3M0.SIGYSAMP(IGYTRANA),DISP=SHR
//GO.IGYPRINT DD SYSOUT=A,DCB=BLKSIZE=133
//GO.IGYPRT2 DD SYSOUT=A,DCB=BLKSIZE=133
//

Language elements and concepts that are illustrated

To find the applicable language element for a sample program, locate the
abbreviation for that program in the sequence string:

Sample program Abbreviation

IGYTCARA IA
IGYTCARB IB
IGYTSALE IS

The following table lists the language elements and programming concepts that the
sample programs illustrate. The language element or concept is described, and the
sequence string is shown. The sequence string is the special character string that
appears in the sequence field of the source file. You can use this string as a search
argument for locating the elements in the listing.

Language element or concept Sequence string

ACCEPT . . . FROM DAY-OF-WEEK IS0900
ACCEPT . . . FROM DATE IS0901
ACCEPT . . . FROM TIME IS0902

720 Programming Guide

Language element or concept Sequence string
ADD . . . TO IS4550
AFTER ADVANCING IS2700
AFTER PAGE IS2600
ALL IS4200
ASSIGN IS1101
AUTHOR IA0040
CALL IS0800
Callable services (Language Environment)
CEEDATM - format date or time output IS0875, IS2575
CEEDCOD - feedback code check from service call IS0905
CEEGMTO - UTC offset from local time IS0904
CEELOCT - local date and time IS0850
CEESECS - convert timestamp to seconds IS2350, IS2550
CLOSE files IS1900
Comma, semicolon, and space interchangeable IS3500, IS3600
COMMON statement for nested programs IS4600
Complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON IS0700, IS3700
COMPUTE IS4501
COMPUTE ROUNDED IS4500
CONFIGURATION SECTION IA0970
CONFIGURATION SECTION (optional) IS0200
CONTINUE statement IA5310, IA5380
COPY statement IS0500
DATA DIVISION (optional) IS5100
Data validation IA5130-6190
Do-until (PERFORM . . . TEST AFTER) IA4900-5010, IA7690-7770
Do-while (PERFORM . . . TEST BEFORE) IS1660
END-ADD IS2900
END-COMPUTE IS4510
END-EVALUATE IA6590, IS2450
END-IF IS1680
END-MULTIPLY IS3100
END-PERFORM IS1700
END PROGRAM IA9990
END-READ IS1800
END-SEARCH IS3400
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION (optional) IS0200
Error handling, termination of program IA4620, IA5080, IA7800-7980
EVALUATE statement IA6270-6590
EVALUATE . . . ALSO IS2400
EXIT PROGRAM not only statement in paragraph IS2000
Exponentiation IS4500

Appendix H. Sample programs 721

 Language element or concept Sequence string
EXTERNAL clause IS1200
FILE-CONTROL entry for sequential file IA1190-1300
FILE-CONTROL entry for VSAM indexed file IA1070-1180
FILE SECTION (optional) IS0200
FILE STATUS code check IA4600-4630, IA4760-4790
FILLER (optional) IS0400
Flags, level-88, definition IA1730-1800, IA2440-2480, IA2710
Flags, level-88, testing IA4430, IA5200-5250
FLOATING POINT IS4400
GLOBAL statement IS0300
INITIAL statement for nested programs IS2300
INITIALIZE IS2500
Initializing a table in the DATA DIVISION IA2920-4260
Inline PERFORM statement IA4410-4520
I-O-CONTROL paragraphs (optional) IS0200
INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION (optional) IS0200
Intrinsic functions:
CURRENT-DATE IA9005
MAX IA9235
MEAN IA9215
MEDIAN IA9220
MIN IA9240
STANDARD-DEVIATION IA9230
UPPER-CASE IA9015
VARIANCE IA9225
WHEN-COMPILED IA9000
IS (optional in all clauses) IS0700
LABEL RECORDS (optional) IS1150
LINKAGE SECTION IS4900
Mixing of indexes and subscripts IS3500
Mnemonic names IA1000
MOVE IS0903
MOVE CORRESPONDING statement IA4810, IA4830
MULTIPLY . . . GIVING IS3000
Nested IF statement, using END-IF IA5460-5830
Nested program IS1000
NEXT SENTENCE IS4300
NOT AT END IS1600
NULL IS4800
OBJECT-COMPUTER (optional) IS0200
OCCURS DEPENDING ON IS0710
ODO uses maximum length for receiving item IS1550
OPEN EXTEND IB2210

722 Programming Guide

Language element or concept Sequence string
OPEN INPUT IS1400
OPEN OUTPUT IS1500
ORGANIZATION (optional) IS1100
Page eject IA7180-7210
Parenthesis in abbreviated conditions IS4850
PERFORM . . . WITH TEST AFTER (Do-until) IA4900-5010, IA7690-7770
PERFORM . . . WITH TEST BEFORE (Do-while) IS1660
PERFORM . . . UNTIL IS5000
PERFORM . . . VARYING statement IA7690-7770
POINTER function IS4700
Print file FD entry IA1570-1620
Print report IA7100-7360
PROCEDURE DIVISION . . . USING IB1320-IB1650
PROGRAM-ID (30 characters allowed) IS0120
READ . . . INTO . . . AT END IS1550
REDEFINES statement IA1940, IA2060, IA2890, IA3320
Reference modification IS2425
Relational operator <= (less than or equal) IS4400
Relational operator >= (greater than or equal) IS2425
Relative subscripting IS4000
REPLACE IS4100
SEARCH statement IS3300
SELECT IS1100
Sequence number can contain any character IA, IB, IS
Sequential file processing IA4480-4510, IA4840-4870
Sequential table search, using PERFORM IA7690-7770
Sequential table search, using SEARCH IA5270-5320, IA5340-5390
SET INDEX IS3200
SET . . . TO TRUE statement IA4390, IA4500, IA4860, IA4980
SOURCE-COMPUTER (optional) IS0200
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph (optional) IS0200
STRING statement IA6950, IA7050
Support for lowercase letters IS0100
TALLY IS1650
TITLE statement for nested programs IS0100
Update commuter record IA6200-6610
Update transaction work value spaces IB0790-IB1000
USAGE BINARY IS1300
USAGE PACKED-DECIMAL IS1301
Validate elements IB0810, IB0860, IB1000
VALUE with OCCURS IS0600

Appendix H. Sample programs 723

 Language element or concept Sequence string
VALUE SPACE (S) IS0601
VALUE ZERO (S) (ES) IS0600
Variable-length table control variable IA5100
Variable-length table definition IA2090-2210
Variable-length table loading IA4840-4990
VSAM indexed file key definition IA1170
VSAM return-code display IA7800-7900
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION IS0250

724 Programming Guide

Notices
This information was developed for products and services offered in the U.S.A.
IBM may not offer the products, services, or features discussed in this document in
other countries. Consult your local IBM representative for information on the
products and services currently available in your area. Any reference to an IBM
product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only that IBM
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be used instead. However, it is the user’s responsibility to evaluate and verify the
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IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter
described in this document. The furnishing of this document does not give you
any license to these patents. You can send license inquiries, in writing, to:
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Licensing
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Changes are periodically made to the information herein; these changes will be
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© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 725

Trademarks
The following terms are trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation in the United States, or other countries, or both:

AIX
BookManager
CICS
CICS/ESA
COBOL/370
DB2
DFSMS
DFSORT
IBM
IMS
IMS/ESA
Language Environment
MVS
OS/390
RACF
System/390
WebSphere
zSeries
z/OS

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and/or

other countries.

Java and all Java-based trademarks are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the
United States, other countries, or both.

Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in

the United States and/or other countries.

Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and/or

other countries.

Unicode™ is a trademark of the Unicode® Consortium.

UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the United States and other
countries.

Other company, product or service names may be the trademarks or service marks
of others.

726 Programming Guide

Glossary
The terms in this glossary are defined in * alphabet-name. A user-defined word, in the
accordance with their meaning in COBOL. These SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION,
terms might or might not have the same meaning that assigns a name to a specific character set or
in other languages. collating sequence or both.

* alphabetic character. A letter or a space character.

This glossary includes terms and definitions from
the following publications: * alphanumeric character. Any character in the
v ANSI INCITS 23-1985, Programming languages - character set of the computer.
COBOL, as amended by ANSI INCITS 23a-1989, * alphanumeric function. A function whose value is
Programming Languages - COBOL - Intrinsic composed of a string of one or more characters from
Function Module for COBOL, and ANSI INCITS the character set of the computer.
23b-1993, Programming Languages - Correction
Amendment for COBOL alphanumeric item. A data item that is described with
USAGE DISPLAY and a PICTURE character-string that
v ANSI X3.172-2002, American National Standard
includes the symbol X.
Dictionary for Information Systems
alphanumeric literal. A literal that has an opening
American National Standard definitions are delimiter from the following set: ’, “, X’, X”, Z’, or Z“.
preceded by an asterisk (*). The string of characters can include any character in
the character set of the computer.
This glossary includes definitions developed by
* alternate record key. A key, other than the prime
Sun Microsystems, Inc. for their Java and J2EE
record key, whose contents identify a record within an
glossaries. When Sun is the source of a definition, indexed file.
that is indicated.
ANSI (American National Standards Institute). An
A organization that consists of producers, consumers, and
general-interest groups and establishes the procedures
by which accredited organizations create and maintain
* abbreviated combined relation condition. The
voluntary industry standards in the United States.
combined condition that results from the explicit
omission of a common subject or a common subject argument. (1) An identifier, a literal, an arithmetic
and common relational operator in a consecutive expression, or a function-identifier that specifies a value
sequence of relation conditions. to be used in the evaluation of a function. (2) An
operand of the USING phrase of a CALL or INVOKE
abend. Abnormal termination of a program.
statement, used for passing values to a called program
above the 16-MB line. Storage above the so-called or an invoked method.
16-MB line (or boundary) but below the 2-GB bar. This
* arithmetic expression. An identifier of a numeric
storage is addressable only in 31-bit mode. Before IBM
elementary item, a numeric literal, such identifiers and
introduced the MVS/XA architecture in the 1980s, the
literals separated by arithmetic operators, two
virtual storage for a program was limited to 16 MB.
arithmetic expressions separated by an arithmetic
Programs that have been compiled with a 24-bit mode
operator, or an arithmetic expression enclosed in
can address only 16 MB of space, as though they were
parentheses.
kept under an imaginary storage line. Since VS COBOL
II, a program that has been compiled with a 31-bit * arithmetic operation. The process caused by the
mode can be above the 16-MB line. execution of an arithmetic statement, or the evaluation
of an arithmetic expression, that results in a
* access mode. The manner in which records are to be
mathematically correct solution to the arguments
operated upon within a file.
presented.
* actual decimal point. The physical representation,
* arithmetic operator. A single character, or a fixed
using the decimal point characters period (.) or comma
two-character combination that belongs to the following
(,), of the decimal point position in a data item.
set:

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 727

Character Meaning B
+ Addition
- Subtraction basic document encoding. For an XML document, one
* Multiplication of the following encoding categories that the XML
/ Division parser determines by examining the first few bytes of
** Exponentiation the document:
v ASCII
v EBCDIC
* arithmetic statement. A statement that causes an
arithmetic operation to be executed. The arithmetic v Unicode UTF-16, either big-endian or little-endian
statements are ADD, COMPUTE, DIVIDE, MULTIPLY, and v Other unsupported encoding
SUBTRACT. v No recognizable encoding
array. An aggregate that consists of data objects, each big-endian. The default format that the mainframe
of which can be uniquely referenced by subscripting. and the AIX workstation use to store binary data. In
An array is roughly analogous to a COBOL table. this format, the least significant digit of binary data is
at the highest address. Compare with little-endian.
* ascending key. A key upon the values of which data
is ordered, starting with the lowest value of the key up binary item. A numeric data item that is represented
to the highest value of the key, in accordance with the in binary notation (on the base 2 numbering system).
rules for comparing data items. The decimal equivalent consists of the decimal digits 0
through 9, plus an operational sign. The leftmost bit of
ASCII. American National Standard Code for
the item is the operational sign.
Information Interchange. The standard code uses a
coded character set that is based on 7-bit coded binary search. A dichotomizing search in which, at
characters (8 bits including parity check). The standard each step of the search, the set of data elements is
is used for information interchange between data divided by two; some appropriate action is taken in the
processing systems, data communication systems, and case of an odd number.
associated equipment. The ASCII set consists of control
characters and graphic characters. * block. A physical unit of data that is normally
Extension: IBM has defined an extension to ASCII code composed of one or more logical records. For mass
(characters 128-255). storage files, a block can contain a portion of a logical
record. The size of a block has no direct relationship to
assignment-name. A name that identifies the the size of the file within which the block is contained
organization of a COBOL file and the name by which it or to the size of the logical records that are either
is known to the system. contained within the block or that overlap the block.
Synonymous with physical record.
* assumed decimal point. A decimal point position
that does not involve the existence of an actual breakpoint. A place in a computer program, usually
character in a data item. The assumed decimal point specified by an instruction, where external intervention
has logical meaning but no physical representation. or a monitor program can interrupt the program as it
runs.
* AT END condition. A condition that is caused during
the execution of a READ, RETURN, or SEARCH statement Btrieve file system. A key-indexed record
under certain conditions: management system that allows applications to manage
v A READ statement runs on a sequentially accessed file records by key value, sequential access method, or
when no next logical record exists in the file, or random access method. IBM COBOL supports COBOL
when the number of significant digits in the relative sequential and indexed file input-output language
record number is larger than the size of the relative through Btrieve (available from Pervasive Software).
key data item, or when an optional input file is not You can use the Btrieve file system to access files
present. created by CICS Transaction Server for Windows.
v A RETURN statement runs when no next logical record buffer. A portion of storage that is used to hold input
exists for the associated sort or merge file. or output data temporarily.
v A SEARCH statement runs when the search operation
terminates without satisfying the condition specified built-in function. See intrinsic function.
in any of the associated WHEN phrases.
business method. A method of an enterprise bean that
implements the business logic or rules of an
application. (Sun)

728 Programming Guide

byte. A string that consists of a certain number of bits, For USAGE DISPLAY, a character encoding unit
usually eight, treated as a unit, and representing a corresponds to a byte.
character or a control function. For USAGE DISPLAY-1, a character encoding unit
corresponds to a 2-byte code point in the DBCS
byte order mark (BOM). A Unicode character that can
character set.
be used at the start of UTF-16 or UTF-32 text to
indicate the byte order of subsequent text; the byte character position. The amount of physical storage or
order can be either big-endian or little-endian. presentation space required to hold or present one
character. The term applies to any class of character.
bytecode. Machine-independent code that is generated
For specific classes of characters, the following terms
by the Java compiler and executed by the Java
apply:
interpreter. (Sun)
v Alphanumeric character position, for characters
represented in usage DISPLAY
C v DBCS character position, for DBCS characters
represented in usage DISPLAY-1
callable services. In Language Environment, a set of
services that a COBOL program can invoke by using v National character position, for characters represented
the conventional Language Environment-defined call in usage NATIONAL; synonymous with character
interface. All programs that share the Language encoding unit for UTF-16
Environment conventions can use these services.
character set. A collection of elements that are used to
called program. A program that is the object of a CALL represent textual information, but for which no coded
statement. At run time the called program and calling representation is assumed. See also coded character set.
program are combined to produce a run unit.
character string. A sequence of contiguous characters
* calling program. A program that executes a CALL to that form a COBOL word, a literal, a PICTURE character
another program. string, or a comment-entry. A character string must be
delimited by separators.
case structure. A program-processing logic in which a
series of conditions is tested in order to choose between checkpoint. A point at which information about the
a number of resulting actions. status of a job and the system can be recorded so that
the job step can be restarted later.
cataloged procedure. A set of job control statements
that are placed in a partitioned data set called the * class. The entity that defines common behavior and
procedure library (SYS1.PROCLIB). You can use implementation for zero, one, or more objects. The
cataloged procedures to save time and reduce errors in objects that share the same implementation are
coding JCL. considered to be objects of the same class. Classes can
be defined hierarchically, allowing one class to inherit
CCSID. See coded character set identifier. from another.

century window. A 100-year interval within which * class condition. The proposition (for which a truth
any two-digit year is unique. Several types of century value can be determined) that the content of an item is
window are available to COBOL programmers: wholly alphabetic, is wholly numeric, is wholly DBCS,
v For windowed date fields, you use the YEARWINDOW is wholly Kanji, or consists exclusively of the characters
compiler option. that are listed in the definition of a class-name.
v For the windowing intrinsic functions * class definition. The COBOL source unit that
DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD, DAY-TO-YYYYDDD, and defines a class.
YEAR-TO-YYYY, you specify the century window with
argument-2. class hierarchy. A tree-like structure that shows
v For Language Environment callable services, you relationships among object classes. It places one class at
specify the century window in CEESCEN. the top and one or more layers of classes below it.
Synonymous with inheritance hierarchy.
* character. The basic indivisible unit of the language.
* class identification entry. An entry in the CLASS-ID
character encoding unit. A unit of data that paragraph of the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION; this entry
corresponds to one code point in a coded character set. contains clauses that specify the class-name and assign
One or more character encoding units are used to selected attributes to the class definition.
represent a character in a coded character set. Also
known as encoding unit. class-name (object-oriented). The name of an
object-oriented COBOL class definition.
For USAGE NATIONAL, a character encoding unit
corresponds to one 2-byte code point of UTF-16.

Glossary 729
* class-name (of data). A user-defined word that is coded character set. A set of unambiguous rules that
defined in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the establish a character set and the relationship between
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION; this word assigns a name to the the characters of the set and their coded representation.
proposition (for which a truth value can be defined) Examples of coded character sets are the character sets
that the content of a data item consists exclusively of as represented by ASCII or EBCDIC code pages or by
the characters that are listed in the definition of the the UTF-16 encoding scheme for Unicode.
class-name.
coded character set identifier (CCSID). A number in
class object. The run-time object that represents a the range 1 to 65,535 that includes a specific set of
class. identifiers for the encoding scheme, character set, and
code page, and other information that uniquely
* clause. An ordered set of consecutive COBOL identifies the coded graphic character representation.
character strings whose purpose is to specify an
attribute of an entry. * collating sequence. The sequence in which the
characters that are acceptable to a computer are
client. In object-oriented programming, a program or ordered for purposes of sorting, merging, comparing,
method that requests services from one or more and for processing indexed files sequentially.
methods in a class.
* column. A byte position within a print line or within
* COBOL character set. The set of characters used in a reference format line. The columns are numbered
writing COBOL syntax. The complete COBOL character from 1, by 1, starting at the leftmost position of the line
set consists of the characters listed below: and extending to the rightmost position of the line. A
column holds one single-byte character.
Character Meaning
0,1, . . . ,9 Digit * combined condition. A condition that is the result of
A,B, . . . ,Z Uppercase letter connecting two or more conditions with the AND or the
a,b, . . . ,z Lowercase letter OR logical operator. See also condition and negated
Space combined condition.
+ Plus sign
* comment-entry. An entry in the IDENTIFICATION
- Minus sign (hyphen)
DIVISION that can be any combination of characters
* Asterisk from the character set of the computer.
/ Slant (virgule, slash)
= Equal sign * comment line. A source program line represented by
$ Currency sign an asterisk (*) in the indicator area of the line and any
, Comma (decimal point) characters from the character set of the computer in
; Semicolon area A and area B of that line. The comment line serves
. Period (decimal point, full stop) only for documentation. A special form of comment
line represented by a slant (/) in the indicator area of
” Quotation mark
the line and any characters from the character set of the
( Left parenthesis
computer in area A and area B of that line causes page
) Right parenthesis ejection before printing the comment.
> Greater than symbol
< Less than symbol * common program. A program that, despite being
: Colon directly contained within another program, can be
called from any program directly or indirectly
contained in that other program.
* COBOL word. See word.
compatible date field. The meaning of the term
code page. An assignment of graphic characters and compatible, when applied to date fields, depends on the
control function meanings to all code points. For COBOL division in which the usage occurs:
example, one code page could assign characters and v DATA DIVISION
meanings to 256 code points for 8-bit code, and another Two date fields are compatible if they have identical
code page could assign characters and meanings to 128 USAGE and meet at least one of the following
code points for 7-bit code. For example, one of the IBM conditions:
code pages for English on the workstation is IBM-850
and on the host is IBM-1047. A coded character set. – They have the same date format.
– Both are windowed date fields, where one consists
code point. A unique bit pattern that is defined in a only of a windowed year, DATE FORMAT YY.
coded character set (code page). Code points are – Both are expanded date fields, where one consists
assigned to graphic characters in a coded character set. only of an expanded year, DATE FORMAT YYYY.

730 Programming Guide

 – One has DATE FORMAT YYXXXX, and the other has v Variably located item or group: A data item
YYXX. described by an OCCURS clause with the DEPENDING ON
– One has DATE FORMAT YYYYXXXX, and the other has option is followed by a nonsubordinate data item or
YYYYXX. group.
A windowed date field can be subordinate to a data v Variably located table: A data item described by an
item that is an expanded date group. The two date OCCURS clause with the DEPENDING ON option is
fields are compatible if the subordinate date field has followed by a nonsubordinate data item described by
USAGE DISPLAY, starts two bytes after the start of the an OCCURS clause.
group expanded date field, and the two fields meet v Table with variable-length elements: A data item
at least one of the following conditions: described by an OCCURS clause contains a subordinate
– The subordinate date field has a DATE FORMAT data item described by an OCCURS clause with the
pattern with the same number of Xs as the DATE DEPENDING ON option.
FORMAT pattern of the group date field. v Index name for a table with variable-length elements.
– The subordinate date field has DATE FORMAT YY. v Element of a table with variable-length elements.
– The group date field has DATE FORMAT YYYYXXXX
component. (1) A functional grouping of related files.
and the subordinate date field has DATE FORMAT
(2)In object-oriented programming, a reusable object or
YYXX.
program that performs a specific function and is
v PROCEDURE DIVISION designed to work with other components and
Two date fields are compatible if they have the same applications. JavaBeans is Sun Microsystems, Inc.’s
date format except for the year part, which can be architecture for creating components.
windowed or expanded. For example, a windowed
date field with DATE FORMAT YYXXX is compatible * computer-name. A system-name that identifies the
with: computer where the program is to be compiled or run.
– Another windowed date field with DATE FORMAT
YYXXX condition. An exception that has been enabled, or
recognized, by Language Environment and thus is
– An expanded date field with DATE FORMAT YYYYXXX eligible to activate user and language condition
handlers. Any alteration to the normal programmed
* compile. (1) To translate a program expressed in a
flow of an application. Conditions can be detected by
high-level language into a program expressed in an
the hardware or the operating system and result in an
intermediate language, assembly language, or a
interrupt. They can also be detected by
computer language. (2) To prepare a machine-language
language-specific generated code or language library
program from a computer program written in another
code.
programming language by making use of the overall
logic structure of the program, or generating more than * condition. A status of a program at run time for
one computer instruction for each symbolic statement, which a truth value can be determined. When used in
or both, as well as performing the function of an these language specifications in or in reference to
assembler. ’condition’ (condition-1, condition-2,. . .) of a general
format, the term refers to a conditional expression that
* compile time. The time at which COBOL source
consists of either a simple condition optionally
code is translated, by a COBOL compiler, to a COBOL
parenthesized or a combined condition (consisting of
object program.
the syntactically correct combination of simple
compiler. A program that translates source code conditions, logical operators, and parentheses) for
written in a higher-level language into which a truth value can be determined. See also simple
machine-language object code. condition, complex condition, negated simple condition,
combined condition, and negated combined condition.
compiler-directing statement. A statement that causes
the compiler to take a specific action during * conditional expression. A simple condition or a
compilation. The compiler-directing statements are COPY complex condition specified in an EVALUATE, IF,
and REPLACE. PERFORM, or SEARCH statement. See also simple condition
and complex condition.
compiler-directive.
* conditional phrase. A phrase that specifies the
* complex condition. A condition in which one or action to be taken upon determination of the truth
more logical operators act upon one or more value of a condition that results from the execution of a
conditions. See also condition, negated simple condition, conditional statement.
and negated combined condition.
* conditional statement. A statement that specifies
complex ODO. Certain forms of the OCCURS DEPENDING that the truth value of a condition is to be determined
ON clause:

Glossary 731
and that the subsequent action of the object program not specified and the NOCURRENCY compiler option is in
depends on this truth value. effect, the dollar sign ($) is used as the default currency
sign value and currency symbol. Multiple currency
* conditional variable. A data item one or more symbols and currency sign values can be defined. See
values of which has a condition-name assigned to it. also currency sign value.
* condition-name. A user-defined word that assigns a * current record. In file processing, the record that is
name to a subset of values that a conditional variable available in the record area associated with a file.
can assume; or a user-defined word assigned to a status
of an implementor-defined switch or device. * current volume pointer. A conceptual entity that
points to the current volume of a sequential file.
* condition-name condition. The proposition (for
which a truth value can be determined) that the value
of a conditional variable is a member of the set of D
values attributed to a condition-name associated with
the conditional variable. * data clause. A clause, appearing in a data
description entry in the DATA DIVISION of a COBOL
* CONFIGURATION SECTION. A section of the ENVIRONMENT program, that provides information describing a
DIVISION that describes overall specifications of source particular attribute of a data item.
and object programs and class definitions.
* data description entry. An entry in the DATA
CONSOLE. A COBOL environment-name associated DIVISION of a COBOL program that is composed of a
with the operator console. level-number followed by a data-name, if required, and
then followed by a set of data clauses, as required.
* contiguous items. Items that are described by
consecutive entries in the DATA DIVISION, and that bear DATA DIVISION. The division of a COBOL program or
a definite hierarchic relationship to each other. method that describes the data to be processed by the
program or method: the files to be used and the
copybook. A file or library member that contains a records contained within them; internal
sequence of code that is included in the source working-storage records that will be needed; data to be
program at compile time using the COPY statement. The made available in more than one program in the
file can be created by the user, supplied by COBOL, or COBOL run unit.
supplied by another product. Synonymous with copy
file. * data item. A unit of data (excluding literals) defined
by a COBOL program or by the rules for function
* counter. A data item used for storing numbers or evaluation.
number representations in a manner that permits these
numbers to be increased or decreased by the value of * data-name. A user-defined word that names a data
another number, or to be changed or reset to zero or to item described in a data description entry. When used
an arbitrary positive or negative value. in the general formats, data-name represents a word
that must not be reference-modified, subscripted, or
cross-reference listing. The portion of the compiler qualified unless specifically permitted by the rules for
listing that contains information on where files, fields, the format.
and indicators are defined, referenced, and modified in
a program. date field. Any of the following:
v A data item whose data description entry includes a
currency-sign value. A character string that identifies DATE FORMAT clause.
the monetary units stored in a numeric-edited item.
Typical examples are $, USD, and EUR. A currency-sign v A value returned by one of the following intrinsic
value can be defined by either the CURRENCY compiler functions:
option or the CURRENCY SIGN clause in the
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. DATE-OF-INTEGER
If the CURRENCY SIGN clause is not specified and the DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD
NOCURRENCY compiler option is in effect, the dollar sign DATEVAL
($) is used as the default currency-sign value. See also DAY-OF-INTEGER
currency symbol. DAY-TO-YYYYDDD
YEAR-TO-YYYY
currency symbol. A character used in a PICTURE clause YEARWINDOW
to indicate the position of a currency sign value in a v The conceptual data items DATE, DATE
numeric-edited item. A currency symbol can be defined YYYYMMDD, DAY, and DAY YYYYDDD of the
by either the CURRENCY compiler option or the CURRENCY ACCEPT statement.
SIGN clause in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. If the CURRENCY SIGN clause is

732 Programming Guide

v The result of certain arithmetic operations (for * descending key. A key upon the values of which
details, see Arithmetic with date fields in Enterprise data is ordered starting with the highest value of key
COBOL Language Reference). down to the lowest value of key, in accordance with the
rules for comparing data items.
The term date field refers to both expanded date field and
windowed date field. See also nondate. digit. Any of the numerals from 0 through 9. In
COBOL, the term is not used to refer to any other
date format. The date pattern of a date field, specified symbol.
in either of the following ways:
* digit position. The amount of physical storage
v Explicitly, by the DATE FORMAT clause or DATEVAL
required to store a single digit. This amount can vary
intrinsic function argument-2
depending on the usage specified in the data
v Implicitly, by statements and intrinsic functions that description entry that defines the data item.
return date fields (for details, see Date field in
Enterprise COBOL Language Reference) * direct access. The facility to obtain data from storage
devices or to enter data into a storage device in such a
DBCS. See double-byte character set (DBCS). way that the process depends only on the location of
that data and not on a reference to data previously
Debug Perspective. A view within WebSphere Studio accessed.
Enterprise Developer that enables you to detect and
diagnose errors in programs that run on systems * division. A collection of zero, one, or more sections
accessible through a network connection or that run on or paragraphs, called the division body, that are formed
your workstation. The Debug Perspective uses a and combined in accordance with a specific set of rules.
graphical user interface where you can issue commands Each division consists of the division header and the
to control the execution (remote or local) of your related division body. There are four divisions in a
program. COBOL program: Identification, Environment, Data,
and Procedure.
* debugging line. Any line with a D in the indicator
area of the line. * division header. A combination of words followed
by a separator period that indicates the beginning of a
* debugging section. A section that contains a USE FOR division. The division headers are:
DEBUGGING statement.
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
* declarative sentence. A compiler-directing sentence ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
that consists of a single USE statement terminated by DATA DIVISION.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
the separator period.
DLL. See dynamic link library (DLL).
* declaratives. A set of one or more special-purpose
sections, written at the beginning of the PROCEDURE DLL application. An application that references
DIVISION, the first of which is preceded by the key imported programs, functions, or variables.
word DECLARATIVE and the last of which is followed by
the key words END DECLARATIVES. A declarative is DLL linkage. A CALL in a program that has been
composed of a section header, followed by a USE compiled with the DLL and NODYNAM options; the CALL
compiler-directing sentence, followed by a set of zero, resolves to an exported name in a separate module, or
one, or more associated paragraphs. to an INVOKE of a method that is defined in a separate
module.
* de-edit. The logical removal of all editing characters
from a numeric-edited data item in order to determine do construct. In structured programming, a DO
the unedited numeric value of the item. statement is used to group a number of statements in a
procedure. In COBOL, an inline PERFORM statement
* delimited scope statement. Any statement that functions in the same way.
includes its explicit scope terminator.
do-until. In structured programming, a do-until loop
* delimiter. A character or a sequence of contiguous will be executed at least once, and until a given
characters that identify the end of a string of characters condition is true. In COBOL, a TEST AFTER phrase used
and separate that string of characters from the with the PERFORM statement functions in the same way.
following string of characters. A delimiter is not part of
the string of characters that it delimits. do-while. In structured programming, a do-while loop
will be executed if, and while, a given condition is true.
dependent region. In IMS, the MVS virtual storage In COBOL, a TEST BEFORE phrase used with the
region that contains message-driven programs, batch PERFORM statement functions in the same way.
programs, or online utilities.

Glossary 733
document type definition (DTD). The grammar for a Character Meaning
class of XML documents. See XML type definition. + Plus
double-byte character set (DBCS). A set of characters - Minus
in which each character is represented by 2 bytes. CR Credit
Languages such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, DB Debit
which contain more symbols than can be represented Z Zero suppress
by 256 code points, require double-byte character sets. * Check protect
Because each character requires 2 bytes, entering, $ Currency sign
displaying, and printing DBCS characters requires , Comma (decimal point)
hardware and supporting software that are . Period (decimal point)
DBCS-capable. / Slant (virgule, slash)
* dynamic access. An access mode in which specific
logical records can be obtained from or placed into a EJB. See Enterprise JavaBeans.
mass storage file in a nonsequential manner and
obtained from a file in a sequential manner during the EJB container. A container that implements the EJB
scope of the same OPEN statement. component contract of the J2EE architecture. This
contract specifies a run-time environment for enterprise
dynamic CALL. A CALL literal statement in a program beans that includes security, concurrency, life cycle
that has been compiled with the DYNAM and NODLL management, transaction, deployment, and other
options, or a CALL identifier statement in a program that services. An EJB container is provided by an EJB or
has been compiled with the NODLL option. J2EE server. (Sun)
dynamic link library (DLL). A file that contains EJB server. Software that provides services to an EJB
executable code and data that are bound to a program container. An EJB server can host one or more EJB
at load time or run time, rather than during linking. containers. (Sun)
Several applications can share the code and data in a
DLL simultaneously. Although a DLL is not part of the element (text element). One logical unit of a string of
executable (.EXE) file for a program, it can be required text, such as the description of a single data item or
for an .EXE file to run properly. verb, preceded by a unique code identifying the
element type.
dynamic storage area (DSA). Dynamically acquired
storage composed of a register save area and an area * elementary item. A data item that is described as
available for dynamic storage allocation (such as not being further logically subdivided.
program variables). A DSA is allocated upon invocation
of a program or function and persists for the duration encapsulation. In object-oriented programming, the
of the invocation instance. DSAs are generally allocated technique that is used to hide the inherent details of an
within stack segments managed by Language object. The object provides an interface that queries and
Environment. manipulates the data without exposing its underlying
structure. Synonymous with information hiding.
E enclave. When running under Language Environment,
an enclave is analogous to a run unit. An enclave can
* EBCDIC (Extended Binary-Coded Decimal create other enclaves by a LINK and the use of the
Interchange Code). A coded character set based on system() function of C.
8-bit coded characters.
encoding unit. See character encoding unit.
EBCDIC character. Any one of the symbols included
in the EBCDIC (Extended Binary-Coded-Decimal end class marker. A combination of words, followed
Interchange Code) set. by a separator period, that indicates the end of a
COBOL class definition. The end class marker is:
edited data item. A data item that has been modified
END CLASS class-name.
by suppressing zeros or inserting editing characters or
both. end method marker. A combination of words,
followed by a separator period, that indicates the end
* editing character. A single character or a fixed
of a COBOL method definition. The end method
two-character combination belonging to the following
marker is:
set:
END METHOD method-name.
Character Meaning
Space
0 Zero

734 Programming Guide

* end of PROCEDURE DIVISION. The physical position of expanded year. A date field that consists only of a
a COBOL source program after which no further four-digit year. Its value includes the century: for
procedures appear. example, 1998. Compare with windowed year.

* end program marker. A combination of words, * explicit scope terminator. A reserved word that
followed by a separator period, that indicates the end terminates the scope of a particular PROCEDURE DIVISION
of a COBOL source program. The end program marker statement.
is:
exponent. A number that indicates the power to
END PROGRAM program-name.
which another number (the base) is to be raised.
enterprise bean. A component that implements a Positive exponents denote multiplication; negative
business task and resides in an EJB container. (Sun) exponents denote division; and fractional exponents
denote a root of a quantity. In COBOL, an exponential
Enterprise JavaBeans. A component architecture expression is indicated with the symbol ** followed by
defined by Sun Microsystems, Inc. for the development the exponent.
and deployment of object-oriented, distributed,
enterprise-level applications. * expression. An arithmetic or conditional expression.

* entry. Any descriptive set of consecutive clauses * extend mode. The state of a file after execution of an
terminated by a separator period and written in the OPEN statement, with the EXTEND phrase specified for
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION, ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, or that file, and before the execution of a CLOSE statement,
DATA DIVISION of a COBOL program. without the REEL or UNIT phrase for that file.

* environment clause. A clause that appears as part of Extensible Markup Language. See XML.
an ENVIRONMENT DIVISION entry.
extensions. COBOL syntax and semantics supported
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. One of the four main by IBM compilers in addition to those described in
component parts of a COBOL program, class definition, Standard COBOL 85.
or method definition. The ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
external code page. For XML documents, the value
describes the computers where the source program is
specified by the CODEPAGE compiler option.
compiled and those where the object program is run. It
provides a linkage between the logical concept of files * external data. The data that is described in a
and their records, and the physical aspects of the program as external data items and external file
devices on which files are stored. connectors.
environment-name. A name, specified by IBM, that * external data item. A data item that is described as
identifies system logical units, printer and card punch part of an external record in one or more programs of a
control characters, report codes, program switches or run unit and that can be referenced from any program
all of these. When an environment-name is associated in which it is described.
with a mnemonic-name in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION,
the mnemonic-name can be substituted in any format * external data record. A logical record that is
in which such substitution is valid. described in one or more programs of a run unit and
whose constituent data items can be referenced from
environment variable. Any of a number of variables any program in which they are described.
that define some aspect of the computing environment,
and are accessible to programs that operate in that external decimal item. A format for representing
environment. Environment variables can affect the numbers in which the digit is contained in bits 4
behavior of programs that are sensitive to the through 7 and the sign is contained in bits 0 through 3
environment in which they operate. of the rightmost byte. Bits 0 through 3 of all other bytes
contain 1 (hex F). For example, the decimal value of
EXE. See executable file (EXE). +123 is represented as 1111 0001 1111 0010 1111 0011.
Synonymous with zoned decimal item.
executable file (EXE). A file that contains programs or
commands that perform operations or actions to be * external file connector. A file connector that is
taken. accessible to one or more object programs in the run
unit.
execution time. See run time.
external floating-point item. A format for
execution-time environment. See run-time environment.
representing numbers in which a real number is
expanded date field. A date field containing an represented by a pair of distinct numerals. In a
expanded (four-digit) year. See also date field and floating-point representation, the real number is the
expanded year. product of the fixed-point part (the first numeral), and

Glossary 735
a value obtained by raising the implicit floating-point * file-name. A user-defined word that names a file
base to a power denoted by the exponent (the second connector described in a file description entry or a
numeral). For example, a floating-point representation sort-merge file description entry within the FILE
of the number 0.0001234 is: 0.1234 -3, where 0.1234 is SECTION of the DATA DIVISION.
the mantissa and -3 is the exponent.
* file organization. The permanent logical file
external program. The outermost program. A program structure established at the time that a file is created.
that is not nested.
*file position indicator. A conceptual entity that
* external switch. A hardware or software device, contains the value of the current key within the key of
defined and named by the implementor, which is used reference for an indexed file, or the record number of
to indicate that one of two alternate states exists. the current record for a sequential file, or the relative
record number of the current record for a relative file,
or indicates that no next logical record exists, or that an
F optional input file is not present, or that the AT END
condition already exists, or that no valid next record
factory data. Data that is allocated once for a class and
has been established.
shared by all instances of the class. Factory data is
declared in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of the DATA * FILE SECTION. The section of the DATA DIVISION that
DIVISION in the FACTORY paragraph of the class contains file description entries and sort-merge file
definition, and is equivalent to Java private static data. description entries together with their associated record
descriptions.
factory method. A method that is supported by a class
independently of an object instance. Factory methods file system. The collection of files that conform to a
are declared in the FACTORY paragraph of the class specific set of data-record and file-description protocols,
definition, and are equivalent to Java public static and a set of programs that manage these files.
methods. They are typically used to customize the
creation of objects. * fixed file attributes. Information about a file that is
established when a file is created and that cannot
* figurative constant. A compiler-generated value subsequently be changed during the existence of the
referenced through the use of certain reserved words. file. These attributes include the organization of the file
(sequential, relative, or indexed), the prime record key,
* file. A collection of logical records.
the alternate record keys, the code set, the minimum
* file attribute conflict condition. An unsuccessful and maximum record size, the record type (fixed or
attempt has been made to execute an input-output variable), the collating sequence of the keys for indexed
operation on a file and the file attributes, as specified files, the blocking factor, the padding character, and the
for that file in the program, do not match the fixed record delimiter.
attributes for that file.
* fixed-length record. A record associated with a file
* file clause. A clause that appears as part of any of whose file description or sort-merge description entry
the following DATA DIVISION entries: file description requires that all records contain the same number of
entry (FD entry) and sort-merge file description entry bytes.
(SD entry).
fixed-point item. A numeric data item defined with a
* file connector. A storage area that contains PICTURE clause that specifies the location of an optional
information about a file and is used as the linkage sign, the number of digits it contains, and the location
between a file-name and a physical file and between a of an optional decimal point. The format can be either
file-name and its associated record area. binary, packed decimal, or external decimal.

FILE-CONTROL paragraph. A paragraph in the floating-point item. A numeric data item that contains
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION in which the data files for a a fraction and an exponent. Its value is obtained by
given source unit are declared. multiplying the fraction by the base of the numeric
data item raised to the power that the exponent
* file control entry. A SELECT clause and all its specifies.
subordinate clauses that declare the relevant physical
attributes of a file. * format. A specific arrangement of a set of data.

* file description entry. An entry in the FILE SECTION * function. A temporary data item whose value is
of the DATA DIVISION that is composed of the level determined at the time the function is referenced
indicator FD, followed by a file-name, and then during the execution of a statement.
followed by a set of file clauses as required.
* function-identifier. A syntactically correct
combination of character strings and separators that

736 Programming Guide

references a function. The data item represented by a
function is uniquely identified by a function-name with
I
its arguments, if any. A function-identifier can include a
IBM COBOL extension. COBOL syntax and semantics
reference-modifier. A function-identifier that references
supported by IBM compilers in addition to those
an alphanumeric function can be specified anywhere in
described in Standard COBOL 85.
the general formats that an identifier can be specified,
subject to certain restrictions. A function-identifier that ICU. See International Components for Unicode (ICU).
references an integer or numeric function can be
referenced anywhere in the general formats that an IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. One of the four main
arithmetic expression can be specified. component parts of a COBOL program, class definition,
or method definition. The IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
function-name. A word that names the mechanism identifies the program name, class name, or method
whose invocation, along with required arguments, name. The IDENTIFICATION DIVISION can include the
determines the value of a function. following documentation: author name, installation, or
date.
function-pointer data item. A data item in which a
pointer to an entry point can be stored. A data item * identifier. A syntactically correct combination of
defined with the USAGE IS FUNCTION-POINTER clause character strings and separators that names a data item.
contains the address of a function entry point. Typically When referencing a data item that is not a function, an
used to communicate with C and Java programs. identifier consists of a data-name, together with its
qualifiers, subscripts, and reference-modifier, as
G required for uniqueness of reference. When referencing
a data item that is a function, a function-identifier is
garbage collection. The automatic freeing by the Java used.
run-time system of the memory for objects that are no
IGZCBSO. The Enterprise COBOL bootstrap routine.
longer referenced.
It must be link-edited with any module that contains a
* global name. A name that is declared in only one Enterprise COBOL program.
program but that can be referenced from the program
* imperative statement. A statement that either begins
and from any program contained within the program.
with an imperative verb and specifies an unconditional
Condition-names, data-names, file-names,
action to be taken or is a conditional statement that is
record-names, report-names, and some special registers
delimited by its explicit scope terminator (delimited
can be global names.
scope statement). An imperative statement can consist
global reference. A reference to an object that is of a sequence of imperative statements.
outside the scope of a method.
* implicit scope terminator. A separator period that
* group item. A data item that is composed of terminates the scope of any preceding unterminated
subordinate data items. statement, or a phrase of a statement that by its
occurrence indicates the end of the scope of any
statement contained within the preceding phrase.
H
* index. A computer storage area or register, the
header label. (1) A file label or data set label that content of which represents the identification of a
precedes the data records on a unit of recording media. particular element in a table.
(2) Synonym for beginning-of-file label.
* index data item. A data item in which the values
hide. To redefine a factory or static method (inherited associated with an index-name can be stored in a form
from a parent class) in a subclass. specified by the implementor.

hierarchical file system. A collection of files and indexed data-name. An identifier that is composed of
directories that are organized in a hierarchical structure a data-name, followed by one or more index-names
and can be accessed by using UNIX System Services. enclosed in parentheses.

* high-order end. The leftmost character of a string of * indexed file. A file with indexed organization.
characters.
* indexed organization. The permanent logical file
hiperspace. In a z/OS environment, a range of up to 2 structure in which each record is identified by the
GB of contiguous virtual storage addresses that a value of one or more keys within that record.
program can use as a buffer.
indexing. Synonymous with subscripting using
index-names.

Glossary 737
* index-name. A user-defined word that names an does not include any digit positions to the right of the
index associated with a specific table. decimal point. (3) A numeric function whose definition
provides that all digits to the right of the decimal point
inheritance. A mechanism for using the are zero in the returned value for any possible
implementation of a class as the basis for another class. evaluation of the function.
By definition, the inheriting class conforms to the
inherited classes. Enterprise COBOL does not support integer function. A function whose category is
multiple inheritance; a subclass has exactly one numeric and whose definition does not include any
immediate superclass. digit positions to the right of the decimal point.

inheritance hierarchy. See class hierarchy. Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF). An
IBM software product that provides a menu-driven
* initial program. A program that is placed into an interface for the TSO or VM user. ISPF includes library
initial state every time the program is called in a run utilities, a powerful editor, and dialog management.
unit.
interlanguage communication (ILC). The ability of
* initial state. The state of a program when it is first routines written in different programming languages to
called in a run unit. communicate. ILC support allows the application
developer to readily build applications from component
inline. In a program, instructions that are executed routines written in a variety of languages.
sequentially, without branching to routines,
subroutines, or other programs. intermediate result. An intermediate field that
contains the results of a succession of arithmetic
* input file. A file that is opened in the input mode. operations.
* input mode. The state of a file after execution of an * internal data. The data that is described in a
OPEN statement, with the INPUT phrase specified, for program and excludes all external data items and
that file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement, external file connectors. Items described in the LINKAGE
without the REEL or UNIT phrase for that file. SECTION of a program are treated as internal data.
* input-output file. A file that is opened in the I-O * internal data item. A data item that is described in
mode. one program in a run unit. An internal data item can
have a global name.
* INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION. The section of the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION that names the files and the internal decimal item. A format in which each byte in
external media required by an object program or a field except the rightmost byte represents two
method and that provides information required for numeric digits. The rightmost byte contains one digit
transmission and handling of data at run time. and the sign. For example, the decimal value +123 is
represented as 0001 0010 0011 1111. Synonymous with
* input-output statement. A statement that causes files
packed decimal item.
to be processed by performing operations on individual
records or on the file as a unit. The input-output * internal file connector. A file connector that is
statements are ACCEPT (with the identifier phrase), accessible to only one object program in the run unit.
CLOSE, DELETE, DISPLAY, OPEN, READ, REWRITE, SET (with
the TO ON or TO OFF phrase), START, and WRITE. International Components for Unicode (ICU). An
open source development project sponsored, supported,
* input procedure. A set of statements, to which and used by IBM. ICU libraries provide robust and
control is given during the execution of a SORT full-featured Unicode services on a wide variety of
statement, for the purpose of controlling the release of platforms, including
specified records to be sorted.
* intrarecord data structure. The entire collection of
instance data. Data that defines the state of an object. groups and elementary data items from a logical record
The instance data introduced by a class is defined in that a contiguous subset of the data description entries
the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION in defines. These data description entries include all
the OBJECT paragraph of the class definition. The state entries whose level-number is greater than the
of an object also includes the state of the instance level-number of the first data description entry
variables introduced by classes that are inherited by the describing the intra-record data structure.
current class. A separate copy of the instance data is
created for each object instance. intrinsic function. A predefined function, such as a
commonly used arithmetic function, called by a built-in
* integer. (1) A numeric literal that does not include function reference.
any digit positions to the right of the decimal point. (2)
A numeric data item defined in the DATA DIVISION that

738 Programming Guide

* invalid key condition. A condition, at run time, Java message-processing program (JMP). An IMS
caused when a specific value of the key associated with Java application program that is driven by transactions
an indexed or relative file is determined to be not valid. and has access to online IMS databases and message
queues.
* I-O-CONTROL. The name of an ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
paragraph in which object program requirements for Java message-processing region. An IMS dependent
rerun points, sharing of same areas by several data region in which only Java message-processing
files, and multiple file storage on a single input-output programs are scheduled.
device are specified.
Java Native Interface (JNI). A programming interface
* I-O-CONTROL entry. An entry in the I-O-CONTROL that allows Java code that runs inside a Java virtual
paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION; this entry machine (JVM) to interoperate with applications and
contains clauses that provide information required for libraries written in other programming languages.
the transmission and handling of data on named files
during the execution of a program. Java virtual machine (JVM). A software
implementation of a central processing unit that runs
* I-O mode. The state of a file after execution of an compiled Java programs.
OPEN statement, with the I-O phrase specified, for that
file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement JavaBeans. A portable, platform-independent, reusable
without the REEL or UNIT phase for that file. component model. (Sun)

* I-O status. A conceptual entity that contains the JBP. See Java batch-processing program (JBP).
two-character value indicating the resulting status of an
input-output operation. This value is made available to JDBC. See Java Database Connectivity (JDBC).
the program through the use of the FILE STATUS clause
JMP. See Java message-processing program (JMP).
in the file control entry for the file.
job control language (JCL). A control language used
is-a. A relationship that characterizes classes and
to identify a job to an operating system and to describe
subclasses in an inheritance hierarchy. Subclasses that
the job’s requirements.
have an is-a relationship to a class inherit from that
class. JVM. See Java virtual machine (JVM).
ISPF. See Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF).
K
iteration structure. A program processing logic in
which a series of statements is repeated while a K. When referring to storage capacity, two to the tenth
condition is true or until a condition is true. power; 1024 in decimal notation.

* key. A data item that identifies the location of a

J record, or a set of data items that serve to identify the
ordering of data.
J2EE. See Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE).
* key of reference. The key, either prime or alternate,
Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE). An
currently being used to access records within an
environment for developing and deploying enterprise
indexed file.
applications, defined by Sun Microsystems, Inc. The
J2EE platform consists of a set of services, application * keyword. A reserved word or function-name whose
programming interfaces (APIs), and protocols that presence is required when the format in which the
provide the functionality for developing multitiered, word appears is used in a source program.
Web-based applications. (Sun)
kilobyte (KB). One kilobyte equals 1024 bytes.
Java batch-processing program (JBP). An IMS
batch-processing program that has access to online
databases and output message queues. JBPs run online, L
but like programs in a batch environment, they are
started with JCL or in a TSO session. * language-name. A system-name that specifies a
particular programming language.
Java batch-processing region. An IMS dependent
region in which only Java batch-processing programs Language Environment-conforming. A characteristic
are scheduled. of compiler products (such as Enterprise COBOL,
COBOL for OS/390 & VM, COBOL for MVS & VM,
Java Database Connectivity (JDBC). A specification C/C++ for MVS & VM, PL/I for MVS & VM) that
from Sun Microsystems that defines an API that produce object code conforming to the Language
enables Java programs to access databases. Environment conventions.

Glossary 739
last-used state. A state that a program is in if its literal. A character string whose value is specified
internal values remain the same as when the program either by the ordered set of characters comprising the
was exited (the values are not reset to their initial string or by the use of a figurative constant.
values).
little-endian. The default format that Intel hardware
* letter. A character belonging to one of the following uses to store binary data. In this format, the most
two sets: significant digit is at the highest address. Compare with
1. Uppercase letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, big-endian.
M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
local reference. A reference to an object that is within
2. Lowercase letters: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, the scope of your method.
o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z
locale. A set of attributes for a program execution
* level indicator. Two alphabetic characters that environment that indicates culturally sensitive
identify a specific type of file or a position in a considerations, such as character code page, collating
hierarchy. The level indicators in the DATA DIVISION are: sequence, date and time format, monetary value
CD, FD, and SD. representation, numeric value representation, or
language.
* level-number. A user-defined word (expressed as a
two-digit number) that indicates the hierarchical * LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION. The section of the DATA
position of a data item or the special properties of a DIVISION that defines storage that is allocated and freed
data description entry. Level-numbers in the range from on a per-invocation basis, depending on the value
1 through 49 indicate the position of a data item in the assigned in the VALUE clauses.
hierarchical structure of a logical record. Level-numbers
in the range 1 through 9 can be written either as a * logical operator. One of the reserved words AND,
single digit or as a zero followed by a significant digit. OR, or NOT. In the formation of a condition, either
Level-numbers 66, 77, and 88 identify special properties AND, or OR, or both can be used as logical
of a data description entry. connectives. NOT can be used for logical negation.

* library-name. A user-defined word that names a * logical record. The most inclusive data item. The
COBOL library that the compiler is to use for level-number for a record is 01. A record can be either
compiling a given source program. an elementary item or a group of items. Synonymous
with record.
* library text. A sequence of text words, comment
lines, the separator space, or the separator pseudo-text * low-order end. The rightmost character of a string of
delimiter in a COBOL library. characters.

Lilian date. The number of days since the beginning

of the Gregorian calendar. Day one is Friday, October M
15, 1582. The Lilian date format is named in honor of
Luigi Lilio, the creator of the Gregorian calendar. main program. In a hierarchy of programs and
subroutines, the first program that receives control
* linage-counter. A special register whose value points when the programs are run within a process.
to the current position within the page body.
makefile. A text file that contains a list of the files for
link. (1) The combination of the link connection (the your application. The make utility uses this file to
transmission medium) and two link stations, one at update the target files with the latest changes.
each end of the link connection. A link can be shared
among multiple links in a multipoint or token-ring * mass storage. A storage medium in which data can
configuration. (2) To interconnect items of data or be organized and maintained in both a sequential
portions of one or more computer programs; for manner and a nonsequential manner.
example, linking object programs by a linkage editor to
produce an executable file. * mass storage device. A device that has a large
storage capacity, such as a magnetic disk.
LINKAGE SECTION. The section in the DATA DIVISION of
the called program or invoked method that describes * mass storage file. A collection of records that is
data items available from the calling program or stored in a mass storage medium.
invoking method. Both the calling program or invoking
MBCS. See multibyte character set (MBCS).
method and the called program or invoked method can
refer to these data items * megabyte (MB). One megabyte equals 1,048,576
bytes.
linker. A term that refers to either the DFSMS linkage
editor or the DFSMS binder.

740 Programming Guide

* merge file. A collection of records to be merged by a national character. An encoding unit of UTF-16 or a
MERGE statement. The merge file is created and can be character represented in one encoding unit of UTF-16.
used only by the merge function.
national data item. A data item that is described
message-processing program (MPP). An IMS implicitly or explicitly as USAGE NATIONAL.
application program that is driven by transactions and
has access to online IMS databases and message * native character set. The implementor-defined
queues. character set associated with the computer specified in
the OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph.
message queue. The data set on which messages are
queued before being processed by an application * native collating sequence. The implementor-defined
program or sent to a terminal. collating sequence associated with the computer
specified in the OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph.
method. Procedural code that defines an operation
supported by an object and that is executed by an native method. A Java method with an
INVOKE statement on that object. implementation that is written in another programming
language, such as COBOL.
* method definition. The COBOL source code that
defines a method. * negated combined condition. The NOT logical
operator immediately followed by a parenthesized
* method identification entry. An entry in the combined condition. See also condition and combined
METHOD-ID paragraph of the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION; condition.
this entry contains a clause that specifies the
method-name. * negated simple condition. The NOT logical operator
immediately followed by a simple condition. See also
method invocation. A communication from one object condition and simple condition.
to another that requests the receiving object to execute
a method. nested program. A program that is directly contained
within another program.
method-name. The name of an object-oriented
operation. When used to invoke the method, the name * next executable sentence. The next sentence to
can be a literal or a data item. When used in the which control will be transferred after execution of the
METHOD-ID paragraph to define the method, the name current statement is complete.
must be a literal.
* next executable statement. The next statement to
* mnemonic-name. A user-defined word that is which control will be transferred after execution of the
associated in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION with a specified current statement is complete.
implementor-name.
* next record. The record that logically follows the
module definition file. A file that describes the code current record of a file.
segments within a load module.
* noncontiguous items. Elementary data items in the
MPP. See message-processing program (MPP). WORKING-STORAGE SECTION and LINKAGE SECTION that
bear no hierarchic relationship to other data items.
multibyte character set (MBCS). A coded character set
that is composed of characters represented in a varying nondate. Any of the following:
number of bytes. Examples are: EUC (Extended Unix v A data item whose date description entry does not
Code), UTF-8, and character sets composed of a include the DATE FORMAT clause
mixture of single-byte and double-byte EBCDIC or v A literal
ASCII characters.
v A date field that has been converted using the UNDATE
multitasking. A mode of operation that provides for function
the concurrent, or interleaved, execution of two or v A reference-modified date field
more tasks. v The result of certain arithmetic operations that can
include date field operands; for example, the
multithreading. Concurrent operation of more than
difference between two compatible date fields
one path of execution within a computer. Synonymous
with multiprocessing. null. A figurative constant that is used to assign, to
pointer data items, the value of an address that is not
N valid. NULLS can be used wherever NULL can be used.

name. A word (composed of not more than 30 * numeric character. A character that belongs to the
characters) that defines a COBOL operand. following set of digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Glossary 741
numeric-edited item. A data item that contains on the data objects that comprise the problem and how
numeric data in a form suitable for use in printed they are manipulated, not on how something is
output. It can consist of external decimal digits from 0 accomplished.
through 9, the decimal separator, commas, the currency
sign, sign control characters, and other editing object program. A set or group of executable
characters. machine-language instructions and other material
designed to interact with data to provide problem
* numeric function. A function whose class and solutions. In this context, an object program is generally
category are numeric but that for some possible the machine language result of the operation of a
evaluation does not satisfy the requirements of integer COBOL compiler on a source program or class
functions. definition. Where there is no danger of ambiguity, the
word program can be used in place of object program.
* numeric item. A data item whose description
restricts its content to a value represented by characters object reference. A value that identifies an instance of
chosen from the digits 0 through 9. If signed, the item a class. If the class is not specified, the object reference
can also contain a +, -, or other representation of an is universal and can apply to instances of any class.
operational sign.
* object time. The time at which an object program is
* numeric literal. A literal composed of one or more executed. Synonymous with run time.
numeric characters that can contain a decimal point or
an algebraic sign, or both. The decimal point must not * obsolete element. A COBOL language element in
be the rightmost character. The algebraic sign, if Standard COBOL 85 that was deleted from Standard
present, must be the leftmost character. COBOL 2002.

ODO object. In the example below, X is the object of

O the OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause (ODO object).
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
object. An entity that has state (its data values) and 01 TABLE-1.
operations (its methods). An object is a way to 05 X PICS9.
encapsulate state and behavior. Each object in the class 05 Y OCCURS 3 TIMES
is said to be an instance of the class. DEPENDING ON X PIC X.

object code. Output from a compiler or assembler that The value of the ODO object determines how many of
is itself executable machine code or is suitable for the ODO subject appear in the table.
processing to produce executable machine code.
ODO subject. In the example above, Y is the subject
* OBJECT-COMPUTER. The name of an ENVIRONMENT of the OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause (ODO subject). The
DIVISION paragraph in which the computer number of Y ODO subjects that appear in the table
environment, where the object program is run, is depends on the value of X.
described.
* open mode. The state of a file after execution of an
* object computer entry. An entry in the OPEN statement for that file and before the execution of
OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT a CLOSE statement without the REEL or UNIT phrase for
DIVISION; this entry contains clauses that describe the that file. The particular open mode is specified in the
computer environment in which the object program is OPEN statement as either INPUT, OUTPUT, I-O, or EXTEND.
to be executed.
* operand. (1) The general definition of operand is
object deck. A portion of an object program suitable “the component that is operated upon.” (2) For the
as input to a linkage editor. Synonymous with object purposes of this document, any lowercase word (or
module and text deck. words) that appears in a statement or entry format can
be considered to be an operand and, as such, is an
object instance. See object.
implied reference to the data indicated by the operand.
object module. Synonym for object deck or text deck.
operation. A service that can be requested of an
* object of entry. A set of operands and reserved object.
words, within a DATA DIVISION entry of a COBOL
* operational sign. An algebraic sign that is associated
program, that immediately follows the subject of the
with a numeric data item or a numeric literal, to
entry.
indicate whether its value is positive or negative.
object-oriented programming. A programming
* optional file. A file that is declared as being not
approach based on the concepts of encapsulation and
necessarily present each time the object program is run.
inheritance. Unlike procedural programming
techniques, object-oriented programming concentrates

742 Programming Guide

The object program causes an interrogation for the paragraph in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION and
presence or absence of the file. ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. The permissible paragraph
headers in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION are:
* optional word. A reserved word that is included in
PROGRAM-ID. (Program IDENTIFICATION DIVISION)
a specific format only to improve the readability of the CLASS-ID. (Class IDENTIFICATION DIVISION)
language. Its presence is optional to the user when the METHOD-ID. (Method IDENTIFICATION DIVISION)
format in which the word appears is used in a source AUTHOR.
unit. INSTALLATION.
DATE-WRITTEN.
* output file. A file that is opened in either output DATE-COMPILED.
mode or extend mode. SECURITY.

* output mode. The state of a file after execution of an The permissible paragraph headers in the ENVIRONMENT
OPEN statement, with the OUTPUT or EXTEND phrase DIVISION are:
specified, for that file and before the execution of a
SOURCE-COMPUTER.
CLOSE statement without the REEL or UNIT phrase for
OBJECT-COMPUTER.
that file. SPECIAL-NAMES.
REPOSITORY. (Program or Class
* output procedure. A set of statements to which CONFIGURATION SECTION)
control is given during execution of a SORT statement FILE-CONTROL.
after the sort function is completed, or during I-O-CONTROL.
execution of a MERGE statement after the merge function
reaches a point at which it can select the next record in * paragraph-name. A user-defined word that identifies
merged order when requested. and begins a paragraph in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.

overflow condition. A condition that occurs when a parameter. (1) Data passed between a calling program
portion of the result of an operation exceeds the and a called program. (2) A data element in the USING
capacity of the intended unit of storage. phrase of a method invocation. Arguments provide
additional information that the invoked method can
overload. To define a method with the same name as use to perform the requested operation.
another method that is available in the same class, but
with a different signature. See also signature. Persistent Reusable JVM. A JVM that can be serially
reused for transaction processing by resetting the JVM
override. To redefine an instance method (inherited between transactions. The reset phase restores the JVM
from a parent class) in a subclass. to a known initialization state.

* phrase. An ordered set of one or more consecutive

P COBOL character strings that form a portion of a
COBOL procedural statement or of a COBOL clause.
package. A group of related Java classes, which can be
imported individually or as a whole. * physical record. See block.
packed-decimal item. See internal decimal item. pointer data item. A data item in which address
values can be stored. Data items are explicitly defined
* padding character. An alphanumeric character that
as pointers with the USAGE IS POINTER clause. ADDRESS
is used to fill the unused character positions in a
OF special registers are implicitly defined as pointer
physical record.
data items. Pointer data items can be compared for
page. A vertical division of output data that represents equality or moved to other pointer data items.
a physical separation of the data. The separation is
port. (1) To modify a computer program to enable it to
based on internal logical requirements or external
run on a different platform. (2) In the Internet suite of
characteristics of the output medium or both.
protocols, a specific logical connector between the
* page body. That part of the logical page in which Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or the User
lines can be written or spaced or both. Datagram Protocol (UDP) and a higher-level protocol
or application. A port is identified by a port number.
* paragraph. In the PROCEDURE DIVISION, a
paragraph-name followed by a n period and by zero, portability. The ability to transfer an application
one, or more sentences. In the IDENTIFICATION program from one application platform to another with
DIVISION and ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, a paragraph relatively few changes to the source program.
header followed by zero, one, or more entries.
preinitialization. The initialization of the COBOL
* paragraph header. A reserved word, followed by the run-time environment in preparation for multiple calls
separator period, that indicates the beginning of a

Glossary 743
from programs, especially non-COBOL programs. The use of a compiler to prepare the program for execution,
environment is not terminated until an explicit as well as a run-time environment to execute it. (2) A
termination. logical assembly of one or more interrelated modules.
Multiple copies of the same program can be run in
* prime record key. A key whose contents uniquely different processes.
identify a record within an indexed file.
* program identification entry. In the PROGRAM-ID
* priority-number. A user-defined word that classifies paragraph of the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION, an entry
sections in the PROCEDURE DIVISION for purposes of that contains clauses that specify the program-name
segmentation. Segment numbers can contain only the and assign selected program attributes to the program.
characters 0 through 9. A segment number can be
expressed as either one or two digits. * program-name. In the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION and
the end program marker, a user-defined word or
private. As applied to factory data or instance data, alphanumeric literal that identifies a COBOL source
accessible only by methods of the class that defines the program.
data.
project environment. The central location where you
* procedure. A paragraph or group of logically launch your COBOL tools such as the editor and job
successive paragraphs, or a section or group of monitor and work with COBOL files or data sets.
logically successive sections, within the PROCEDURE
DIVISION. * pseudo-text. A sequence of text words, comment
lines, or the separator space in a source program or
* procedure branching statement. A statement that COBOL library bounded by, but not including,
causes the explicit transfer of control to a statement pseudo-text delimiters.
other than the next executable statement in the
sequence in which the statements are written in the * pseudo-text delimiter. Two contiguous equal sign
source code. The procedure branching statements are: characters (==) used to delimit pseudo-text.
ALTER, CALL, EXIT, EXIT PROGRAM, GO TO, MERGE (with the
OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrase), PERFORM and SORT (with the * punctuation character. A character that belongs to
INPUT PROCEDURE or OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrase), XML the following set:
PARSE.
Character Meaning
PROCEDURE DIVISION. The COBOL division that , Comma
contains instructions for solving a problem. ; Semicolon
: Colon
procedure integration. One of the functions of the . Period (full stop)
COBOL optimizer is to simplify calls to performed
“ Quotation mark
procedures or contained programs.
( Left parenthesis
PERFORM procedure integration is the process whereby a ) Right parenthesis
PERFORM statement is replaced by its performed Space
procedures. Contained program procedure integration
= Equal sign
is the process where a call to a contained program is
replaced by the program code.

* procedure-name. A user-defined word that is used Q

to name a paragraph or section in the PROCEDURE
DIVISION. It consists of a paragraph-name (which can QSAM (queued sequential access method). An
be qualified) or a section-name. extended version of the basic sequential access method
(BSAM). When this method is used, a queue is formed
procedure-pointer data item. A data item in which a of input data blocks that are awaiting processing or of
pointer to an entry point can be stored. A data item output data blocks that have been processed and are
defined with the USAGE IS PROCEDURE-POINTER clause awaiting transfer to auxiliary storage or to an output
contains the address of a procedure entry point. device.
Typically used to communicate with COBOL and
Language Environment programs. * qualified data-name. An identifier that is composed
of a data-name followed by one or more sets of either
process. The course of events that occurs during the of the connectives OF and IN followed by a data-name
execution of all or part of a program. Multiple qualifier.
processes can run concurrently, and programs that run
within a process can share resources. * qualifier. (1) A data-name or a name associated with
a level indicator that is used in a reference either
program. (1) A sequence of instructions suitable for together with another data-name (which is the name of
processing by a computer. Processing may include the

744 Programming Guide

an item that is subordinate to the qualifier) or together reference modification. A method of defining a new
with a condition-name. (2) A section-name that is used alphanumeric data item by specifying the leftmost
in a reference together with a paragraph-name specified character and length relative to the leftmost character
in that section. (3) A library-name that is used in a of another alphanumeric data item.
reference together with a text-name associated with that
library. * reference-modifier. A syntactically correct
combination of character strings and separators that
defines a unique data item. It includes a delimiting left
R parenthesis separator, the leftmost character position, a
colon separator, optionally a length, and a delimiting
* random access. An access mode in which the right parenthesis separator.
program-specified value of a key data item identifies
the logical record that is obtained from, deleted from, * relation. See relational operator or relation condition.
or placed into a relative or indexed file.
* relation character. A character that belongs to the
* record. See logical record. following set:

* record area. A storage area allocated for the purpose Character Meaning
of processing the record described in a record > Greater than
description entry in the FILE SECTION of the DATA < Less than
DIVISION. In the FILE SECTION, the current number of = Equal to
character positions in the record area is determined by
the explicit or implicit RECORD clause.
* relation condition. The proposition (for which a
* record description. See record description entry. truth value can be determined) that the value of an
arithmetic expression, data item, nonnumeric literal, or
* record description entry. The total set of data
index-name has a specific relationship to the value of
description entries associated with a particular record.
another arithmetic expression, data item, nonnumeric
Synonymous with record description.
literal, or index name. See also relational operator.
record key. A key whose contents identify a record
* relational operator. A reserved word, a relation
within an indexed file.
character, a group of consecutive reserved words, or a
* record-name. A user-defined word that names a group of consecutive reserved words and relation
record described in a record description entry in the characters used in the construction of a relation
DATA DIVISION of a COBOL program. condition. The permissible operators and their
meanings are:
* record number. The ordinal number of a record in
the file whose organization is sequential. Character Meaning
IS GREATER THAN Greater than
recording mode. The format of the logical records in a IS > Greater than
file. Recording mode can be F (fixed length), V IS NOT GREATER THAN Not greater than
(variable length), S (spanned), or U (undefined). IS NOT > Not greater than
recursion. A program calling itself or being directly or
indirectly called by a one of its called programs. IS LESS THAN Less than
IS < Less than
recursively capable. A program is recursively capable IS NOT LESS THAN Not less than
(can be called recursively) if the RECURSIVE attribute is IS NOT < Not less than
on the PROGRAM-ID statement.
IS EQUAL TO Equal to
reel. A discrete portion of a storage medium, the
IS = Equal to
dimensions of which are determined by each
implementor that contains part of a file, all of a file, or IS NOT EQUAL TO Not equal to
any number of files. Synonymous with unit and volume. IS NOT = Not equal to

reentrant. The attribute of a program or routine that IS GREATER THAN OR EQUAL Greater than or equal to
allows more than one user to share a single copy of a TO
load module. IS >= Greater than or equal to

* reference format. A format that provides a standard

IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO Less than or equal to
method for describing COBOL source programs.
IS <= Less than or equal to

Glossary 745
* relative file. A file with relative organization. * section. A set of zero, one or more paragraphs or
entities, called a section body, the first of which is
* relative key. A key whose contents identify a logical preceded by a section header. Each section consists of
record in a relative file. the section header and the related section body.
* relative organization. The permanent logical file * section header. A combination of words followed by
structure in which each record is uniquely identified by a separator period that indicates the beginning of a
an integer value greater than zero, which specifies the section in any of these divisions: ENVIRONMENT, DATA, or
logical ordinal position of the record in the file. PROCEDURE. In the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and DATA
DIVISION, a section header is composed of reserved
* relative record number. The ordinal number of a words followed by a separator period. The permissible
record in a file whose organization is relative. This section headers in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION are:
number is treated as a numeric literal that is an integer.
CONFIGURATION SECTION.
* reserved word. A COBOL word that is specified in INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
the list of words that can be used in a COBOL source
program, but that must not appear in the program as a The permissible section headers in the DATA DIVISION
user-defined word or system-name. are:
FILE SECTION.
* resource. A facility or service, controlled by the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
operating system, that an executing program can use. LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION.
LINKAGE SECTION.
* resultant identifier. A user-defined data item that is
to contain the result of an arithmetic operation. In the PROCEDURE DIVISION, a section header is
composed of a section-name, followed by the reserved
reusable environment. A reusable environment is
word SECTION, followed by a separator period.
created when you establish an assembler program as
the main program by using either the old COBOL * section-name. A user-defined word that names a
interfaces for preinitialization (functions ILBOSTP0 and section in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
IGZERRE, and the RTEREUS run-time option), or the
Language Environment interface, CEEPIPI. selection structure. A program processing logic in
which one or another series of statements is executed,
ring. In the COBOL editor, a set of files that are depending on whether a condition is true or false.
available for editing so that you can easily move
between them. * sentence. A sequence of one or more statements, the
last of which is terminated by a separator period.
routine. A set of statements in a COBOL program that
causes the computer to perform an operation or series * separately compiled program. A program that,
of related operations. In Language Environment, refers together with its contained programs, is compiled
to either a procedure, function, or subroutine. separately from all other programs.

* routine-name. A user-defined word that identifies a * separator. A character or two or more contiguous
procedure written in a language other than COBOL. characters used to delimit character strings.

* run time. The time at which an object program is * separator comma. A comma (,) followed by a space
executed. Synonymous with object time. used to delimit character strings.

run-time environment. The environment in which a * separator period. A period (.) followed by a space
COBOL program executes. used to delimit character strings.

* run unit. A stand-alone object program, or several * separator semicolon. A semicolon (;) followed by a
object programs, that interact via COBOL CALL or space used to delimit character strings.
INVOKE statements and function at run time as an entity.
sequence structure. A program processing logic in
which a series of statements is executed in sequential
S order.
SBCS. See single-byte character set (SBCS). * sequential access. An access mode in which logical
records are obtained from or placed into a file in a
scope terminator. A COBOL reserved word that marks consecutive predecessor-to-successor logical record
the end of certain PROCEDURE DIVISION statements. It sequence determined by the order of records in the file.
can be either explicit (END-ADD, for example) or implicit
(separator period). * sequential file. A file with sequential organization.

746 Programming Guide

* sequential organization. The permanent logical file * SOURCE-COMPUTER. The name of an ENVIRONMENT
structure in which a record is identified by a DIVISION paragraph in which the computer
predecessor-successor relationship established when the environment, where the source program is compiled, is
record is placed into the file. described.

serial search. A search in which the members of a set * source computer entry. An entry in the
are consecutively examined, beginning with the first SOURCE-COMPUTER paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT
member and ending with the last. DIVISION; this entry contains clauses that describe the
computer environment in which the source program is
session bean. In EJB, an enterprise bean that is created to be compiled.
by a client and that usually exists only for the duration
of a single client/server session. (Sun) * source item. An identifier designated by a SOURCE
clause that provides the value of a printable item.
* 77-level-description-entry. A data description entry
that describes a noncontiguous data item with the source program. Although a source program can be
level-number 77. represented by other forms and symbols, in this
document the term always refers to a syntactically
* sign condition. The proposition (for which a truth correct set of COBOL statements. A COBOL source
value can be determined) that the algebraic value of a program commences with the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
data item or an arithmetic expression is either less than, or a COPY statement and terminates with the end
greater than, or equal to zero. program marker, if specified, or with the absence of
additional source program lines.
signature. (1) The name of an operation and its
parameters. (2) The name of a method and the number source unit. A unit of COBOL source code that can be
and types of its formal parameters. separately compiled: a program or a class definition.
Also known as a compilation unit.
* simple condition. Any single condition chosen from
the set: * special character. A character that belongs to the
following set:
Relation condition
Class condition Character Meaning
Condition-name condition + Plus sign
Switch-status condition - Minus sign (hyphen)
Sign condition * Asterisk
/ Slant (virgule, slash)
See also condition and negated simple condition. = Equal sign
$ Currency sign
single-byte character set (SBCS). A set of characters
in which each character is represented by a single byte. , Comma (decimal point)
See also ASCII and EBCDIC (Extended Binary-Coded ; Semicolon
Decimal Interchange Code). . Period (decimal point, full stop)
” Quotation mark
slack bytes. Bytes inserted between data items or ( Left parenthesis
records to ensure correct alignment of some numeric ) Right parenthesis
items. Slack bytes contain no meaningful data. In some > Greater than symbol
cases, they are inserted by the compiler; in others, it is
< Less than symbol
the responsibility of the programmer to insert them.
: Colon
The SYNCHRONIZED clause instructs the compiler to insert
slack bytes when they are needed for proper alignment.
Slack bytes between records are inserted by the SPECIAL-NAMES. The name of an ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
programmer. paragraph in which environment-names are related to
user-specified mnemonic-names.
* sort file. A collection of records to be sorted by a
SORT statement. The sort file is created and can be used * special names entry. An entry in the SPECIAL-NAMES
by the sort function only. paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION; this entry
provides means for specifying the currency sign;
* sort-merge file description entry. An entry in the
choosing the decimal point; specifying symbolic
FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION that is composed of
characters; relating implementor-names to
the level indicator SD, followed by a file-name, and
user-specified mnemonic-names; relating
then followed by a set of file clauses as required.
alphabet-names to character sets or collating sequences;
and relating class-names to sets of characters.

Glossary 747
* special registers. Certain compiler-generated storage Unicode character. The first unit of the pair is called a
areas whose primary use is to store information high surrogate and the second a low surrogate. The code
produced in conjunction with the use of a specific value of a high surrogate is in the range X’D800’
COBOL feature. through X’DBFF’. The code value of a low surrogate is
in the range X’DC00’ through X’DFFF’. Surrogate pairs
Standard COBOL 85. The COBOL language defined provide for more characters than the 65,536 characters
by the following standards: that fit in the Unicode 16-bit coded character set.
v ANSI INCITS 23-1985, Programming languages -
COBOL, as amended by ANSI INCITS 23a-1989, switch-status condition. The proposition (for which a
Programming Languages - COBOL - Intrinsic Function truth value can be determined) that an UPSI switch,
Module for COBOL and ANSI INCITS 23b-1993, capable of being set to an on or off status, has been set
Programming Languages - Correction Amendment for to a specific status.
COBOL
* symbolic-character. A user-defined word that
v ISO 1989:1985, Programming languages - COBOL, as specifies a user-defined figurative constant.
amended by ISO/IEC 1989/AMD1:1992, Programming
languages - COBOL: Intrinsic function module and syntax. (1) The relationship among characters or
ISO/IEC 1989/AMD2:1994, Programming languages - groups of characters, independent of their meanings or
Correction and clarification amendment for COBOL the manner of their interpretation and use. (2) The
structure of expressions in a language. (3) The rules
* statement. A syntactically valid combination of governing the structure of a language. (4) The
words, literals, and separators, beginning with a verb, relationship among symbols. (5) The rules for the
written in a COBOL source program. construction of a statement.
structured programming. A technique for organizing * system-name. A COBOL word that is used to
and coding a computer program in which the program communicate with the operating environment.
comprises a hierarchy of segments, each segment
having a single entry point and a single exit point.
Control is passed downward through the structure T
without unconditional branches to higher levels of the
hierarchy. * table. A set of logically consecutive items of data
that are defined in the DATA DIVISION by means of the
* subclass. A class that inherits from another class. OCCURS clause.
When two classes in an inheritance relationship are
considered together, the subclass is the inheritor or * table element. A data item that belongs to the set of
inheriting class; the superclass is the inheritee or repeated items comprising a table.
inherited class.
text deck. Synonym for object deck or object module.
* subject of entry. An operand or reserved word that
appears immediately following the level indicator or * text-name. A user-defined word that identifies
the level-number in a DATA DIVISION entry. library text.

* subprogram. See called program. * text word. A character or a sequence of contiguous

characters between margin A and margin R in a
* subscript. An occurrence number that is represented COBOL library, source program, or pseudo-text that is
by either an integer, a data-name optionally followed any of the following characters:
by an integer with the operator + or -, or an v A separator, except for space; a pseudo-text delimiter;
index-name optionally followed by an integer with the and the opening and closing delimiters for
operator + or -, that identifies a particular element in a nonnumeric literals. The right parenthesis and left
table. A subscript can be the word ALL when the parenthesis characters, regardless of context within
subscripted identifier is used as a function argument the library, source program, or pseudo-text, are
for a function allowing a variable number of always considered text words.
arguments. v A literal including, in the case of nonnumeric literals,
the opening quotation mark and the closing
* subscripted data-name. An identifier that is
quotation mark that bound the literal.
composed of a data-name followed by one or more
subscripts enclosed in parentheses. v Any other sequence of contiguous COBOL characters
except comment lines and the word COPY bounded
* superclass. A class that is inherited by another class. by separators that are neither a separator nor a
See also subclass. literal.

surrogate pair. In the UTF-16 format of Unicode, a

pair of encoding units that together represents a single

748 Programming Guide

thread. A stream of computer instructions (initiated by UPSI switch. A program switch that performs the
an application within a process) that is in control of a functions of a hardware switch. Eight are provided:
process. UPSI-0 through UPSI-7.

token. In the COBOL editor, a unit of meaning in a * user-defined word. A COBOL word that must be
program. A token can contain data, a language supplied by the user to satisfy the format of a clause or
keyword, an identifier, or other part of the language statement.
syntax.

top-down design. The design of a computer program V

using a hierarchic structure in which related functions
are performed at each level of the structure. * variable. A data item whose value can be changed
by execution of the object program. A variable used in
top-down development. See structured programming. an arithmetic expression must be a numeric elementary
item.
trailer-label. (1) A file or data set label that follows the
data records on a unit of recording medium. (2) * variable-length record. A record associated with a
Synonym for end-of-file label. file whose file description or sort-merge description
entry permits records to contain a varying number of
troubleshoot. To detect, locate, and eliminate character positions.
problems in using computer software.
* variable-occurrence data item. A variable-occurrence
* truth value. The representation of the result of the data item is a table element that is repeated a variable
evaluation of a condition in terms of one of two values: number of times. Such an item must contain an OCCURS
true or false. DEPENDING ON clause in its data description entry or be
subordinate to such an item.
typed object reference. A data-name that can refer
only to an object of a specified class or any of its * variably located group. A group item following, and
subclasses. not subordinate to, a variable-length table in the same
record.
U * variably located item. A data item following, and
not subordinate to, a variable-length table in the same
* unary operator. A plus (+) or a minus (-) sign that record.
precedes a variable or a left parenthesis in an
arithmetic expression and that has the effect of * verb. A word that expresses an action to be taken by
multiplying the expression by +1 or -1, respectively. a COBOL compiler or object program.
Unicode. A universal character encoding standard that VSAM file system. A file system that supports
supports the interchange, processing, and display of COBOL sequential, relative, and indexed organizations.
text that is written in any of the languages of the
modern world. There are multiple encoding schemes to volume. A module of external storage. For tape
represent Unicode, including UTF-8, UTF-16, and devices it is a reel; for direct-access devices it is a unit.
UTF-32. Enterprise COBOL supports Unicode using
UTF-16 in big-endian format as the representation for volume switch procedures. System-specific
the national data type. procedures that are executed automatically when the
end of a unit or reel has been reached before end-of-file
unit. A module of direct access, the dimensions of has been reached.
which are determined by IBM.

universal object reference. A data-name that can refer W

to an object of any class.
Web service. A modular application that performs
unrestricted storage. Storage below the 2-GB bar. It specific tasks and is accessible through open protocols
can be above or below the 16-MB line. If it is above the like HTTP and SOAP.
16-MB line, it is addressable only in 31-bit mode.
white space. Characters that introduce space into a
* unsuccessful execution. The attempted execution of document. They are:
a statement that does not result in the execution of all v Space
the operations specified by that statement. The
v Horizontal tabulation
unsuccessful execution of a statement does not affect
any data referenced by that statement, but can affect v Carriage return
status indicators. v Line feed

Glossary 749
v Next line XML document. A data object that is well formed as
defined by the W3C XML specification.
as named in the Unicode Standard.
XML type definition. An XML element that contains
windowed date field. A date field containing a or points to markup declarations that provide a
windowed (two-digit) year. See also date field and grammar for a class of documents. This grammar is
windowed year. known as a document type definition, or DTD.

windowed year. A date field that consists only of a

two-digit year. This two-digit year can be interpreted Y
using a century window. For example, 05 could be
interpreted as 2005. See also century window. Compare year field expansion. Explicitly expanding date fields
with expanded year. that contain two-digit years to contain four-digit years
in files and databases and then using these fields in
* word. A character string of not more than 30 expanded form in programs. This is the only method
characters that forms a user-defined word, a for assuring reliable date processing for applications
system-name, a reserved word, or a function-name. that have used two-digit years.

* WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. The section of the DATA

DIVISION that describes working-storage data items,
Z
composed either of noncontiguous items or
zoned decimal item. See external decimal item.
working-storage records or of both.

workstation. A generic term for computers used by

end users including personal computers, 3270
terminals, intelligent workstations, and UNIX terminals.
Often a workstation is connected to a mainframe or to
a network.

wrapper. An object that provides an interface between

object-oriented code and procedure-oriented code.
Using wrappers allows programs to be reused and
accessed by other systems.

X
x. The symbol in a PICTURE clause that can hold any
character in the character set of the computer.

XML. Extensible Markup Language. A standard

metalanguage for defining markup languages that was
derived from and is a subset of SGML. XML omits the
more complex and less-used parts of SGML and makes
it much easier to write applications to handle
document types, author and manage structured
information, and transmit and share structured
information across diverse computing systems. The use
of XML does not require the robust applications and
processing that is necessary for SGML. XML is
developed under the auspices of the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C).

XML data. Data that is organized into a hierarchical

structure with XML elements. The data definitions are
defined in XML element type declarations.

XML declaration. XML text that specifies

characteristics of the XML document such as the
version of XML being used and the encoding of the
document.

750 Programming Guide

List of resources
Program Management, SC27-1130
Enterprise COBOL for z/OS
Compiler and Run-Time Migration Guide, GC27-1409 Using Data Sets, SC26-7410

Customization Guide, GC27-1410 Utilities, SC26-7414

Debug Tool Reference and Messages, SC18-9010 DFSORT

Debug Tool User’s Guide, SC18-9012 Application Programming Guide, SC33-4035

Fact Sheet, GC27-1407 Installation and Customization, SC33-4034

Language Reference, SC27-1408 IMS

Licensed Program Specifications, GC27-1411 Application Programming: Database Manager,

SC27-1286
Programming Guide, SC27-1412
Application Programming: Design Guide, SC27-1287
Related publications Application Programming: EXEC DLI Commands for
CICS Transaction Server for z/OS CICS and IMS, SC27-1288

Application Programming Guide, SC34-5993 Application Programming: Transaction Manager,

SC27-1289
Application Programming Reference, SC34-5994
IMS Connect Guide and Reference, SC27-0946
Customization Guide, SC34-5989
IMS Java User’s Guide, SC27-1296
External Interfaces Guide, SC34-6006
z/OS ISPF
z/OS C/C++
Dialog Developer’s Guide and Reference, SC34-4821
Programming Guide, SC09-4765
User’s Guide Vol. 1, SC34-4822
Run-Time Library Reference, SA22-7821
User’s Guide Vol. 2, SC34-4823
DB2 UDB for z/OS and OS/390
z/OS Language Environment
Application Programming and SQL Guide, SC26-9933
Concepts Guide, SA22-7567
Command Reference, SC26-9934
Customization, SA22-7564
SQL Reference, SC26-9944
Debugging Guide, GA22-7560
z/OS DFSMS
Programming Guide, SA22-7561
Access Method Services for Catalogs, SC26-7394
Programming Reference, SA22-7562
Checkpoint/Restart, SC26-7401
Run-Time Messages, SA22-7566
Macro Instructions for Data Sets, SC26-7408

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 751

Run-Time Migration Guide, GA22-7565 The Java Native Interface, java.sun.com/j2se/
1.3/docs/guide/jni/index.html
Writing Interlanguage Communication Applications,
SA22-7563 Java 2 on the OS/390 and z/OS Platforms,
www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/zseries/
z/OS MVS software/java/

JCL Reference, SA22-7597 The Java 2 Enterprise Edition Developer’s Guide,

java.sun.com/j2ee/j2sdkee/devguide1_2_1.pdf
JCL User’s Guide, SA22-7598
New IBM Technology featuring Persistent Reusable
System Commands, SA22-7627 Java Virtual Machines, www.ibm.com/servers/
eserver/zseries/software/java/pdf/jtc0a100.pdf
z/OS TSO/E
WebSphere Application Server for z/OS
Command Reference, SA22-7782
Assembling J2EE Applications, SA22-7836
Primer, SA22-7787
XML
User’s Guide, SA22-7794
XML specification, www.w3c.org/XML/
z/OS UNIX System Services

Command Reference, SA22-7802

Programming: Assembler Callable Services Reference,

SA22-7803

User’s Guide, SA22-7801

z/Architecture

Principles of Operation, SA22-7832

Softcopy publications for z/OS

The following collection kit contains z/OS and

related product publications:

z/OS CD Collection Kit, SK3T-4269

Unicode and character representation

Unicode, www.unicode.org/

Character Data Representation Architecture Reference

and Registry, SC09-2190

z/OS Support for Unicode: Using Conversion Services,

SA22-7649

Java

The Java Language Specification, Second Edition, by

Gosling et al., java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/
second_edition/html/j.title.doc.html

752 Programming Guide

Index
Special characters access method services
build alternate indexes in
alternate index
creating 167
_BPX_SHAREAS environment advance 171 example of 168
variable 387 defining VSAM data sets, z/OS 166 password for 165
_CEE_ENVFILE environment loading a VSAM data set 159 path 167, 168
variable 263, 385 accessibility performance considerations 171
_CEE_RUNOPTS environment of Enterprise COBOL xv ALTERNATE RECORD KEY 167
variable 383, 385 of this book xv alternate reserved-word table
_IGZ_SYSOUT environment variable using z/OS xv CICS 366
setting 385 ADATA compiler option 271 specifying 313
writing to stdout/stderr 31 adding records AMODE
-# cob2 option 254 to line-sequential files 179 assigned for EXIT modules 637
-b cob2 option 253 to QSAM files 131 description 34
-c cob2 command 253 to VSAM files 162 switching 399
-comprc_ok cob2 option 253 ADDRESS special register, CALL AMP parameter 169
-e cob2 option statement 412 ANNUITY intrinsic function 52
specifying entry point 253 addresses ANSI85 translator option 365
-g cob2 option incrementing 417 APIs, UNIX and POSIX
TEST option 253 NULL value 416 calling 386
-I cob2 option passing between programs 416 APOST compiler option 299
searching copybooks 253 passing entry point addresses 407 APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause 12
-l cob2 option addressing mode 34 arguments
specifying archive library name 254 ADEXIT suboption of EXIT compiler describing in calling program 413
-L cob2 option option 636, 642 specifying OMITTED 414
specifying archive library path 254 ADMODE attribute testing for OMITTED 414
-o cob2 option with multithreading 443 testing for OMITTED arguments 414
specifying output file 254 adt extension with cob2 254 ARITH compiler option 271
-q cob2 option ADV compiler option 271 arithmetic
specifying compiler options 254 AIXBLD run-time option COMPUTE statement simpler to
-v cob2 option 254 affect on performance 593 code 47
! character, hexadecimal values 464 ALL subscript 49, 73 error handling 203
.adt file 270 ALL31 run-time option with intrinsic functions 48
.asm file 289 AMODE switching 399 arithmetic comparisons 54
.wlist file 289 multioption interaction 34 arithmetic evaluation
*CBL statement 317 ALLOCATE command (TSO) data format conversion 43
*CONTROL statement 317 compiler data sets 229 examples 53, 55
[ character, hexadecimal values 464 with HFS files 230 fixed-point versus floating-point 53
] character, hexadecimal values 464 allocating data sets under TSO 229 intermediate results 603
| character, hexadecimal values 464 allocation of files performance tips 581
# character, hexadecimal values 464 description 117 precedence 48, 605
line-sequential 177 precision 603
QSAM 134 arithmetic expression
Numerics VSAM 169 as reference modifier 94
16-MB line ALPHABET clause, establishing collating description of 48
IMS programs 362 sequence 8 in nonarithmetic statement 611
performance options 589 alphabetic data in parentheses 48
24-bit addressing mode 34 comparing to national 111 with MLE 569
31-bit addressing mode 34 alphanumeric data arithmetic operation
dynamic call 399 comparing to national 111 with MLE 565, 569
5203 - 5206 conditions 644 alphanumeric date fields, arrays
64-bit addressing contracting 574 in COBOL 33
no support 34 alphanumeric literal Java 532
alphanumeric to DBCS ASCII
conversion 619 alphabet, QSAM 144
A conversion of mixed
DBCS/EBCDIC 619
converting to EBCDIC 98
file labels 145
a extension with cob2 254 DBCS to alphanumeric job control language (JCL) 144
a.out file from cob2 254 conversion 622 record formats, QSAM 144
abends, compile-time 281 with double-byte characters 619 standard labels 145
ACCEPT statement alternate collating sequence 9, 190 tape files, QSAM 144
assigning input 29 alternate entry point 409 user labels 145
reading from stdin 29

© Copyright IBM Corp. 1991, 2004 753

ASCII files BLOCK CONTAINS clause calls (continued)
CODE-SET clause 14 FILE SECTION entry 14 CICS restrictions 361
OPTCD= parameter in DCB 14 no meaning for VSAM files 154 dynamic 397
asm file 289 QSAM files 121, 127 dynamic performance 401
assembler block size exception condition 213
expansion of PROCEDURE ASCII files 144 interlanguage 393
DIVISION 340 QSAM files 127 LINKAGE SECTION 414
from LIST option 586 fixed length 121 overflow condition 213
programs record layout 123 passing arguments 413
calls from (in CICS) 361 using DCB 135 passing data 411
compiling from 231 variable length 122 receiving parameters 413
listing of 289, 586 system determined 127 recursive 407
ASSIGN clause system-determined 235 specifying OMITTED arguments 414
corresponds to ddname 10 blocking factor 121 static 397
QSAM files 120 blocking QSAM files 127 static performance 401
assigning values 25 blocking records 127 to JNI services 527
assistive technologies xv BPXBATCH utility to Language Environment callable
Associated Data File calling UNIX programs 384 services 599
creating 237 running OO applications 262 CANCEL statement
assumed century window for branch, implicit 83 handling of programs name in 297
nondates 564 buffer, best use of 12 with dynamic CALL 398
asynchronous signals buffers, obtaining for QSAM 140 case structure 77
with multithreading 443 BUFOFF= 144 cataloged procedure
AT END (end-of-file) 206 BUFSIZE compiler option 273 JCL for compiling 218
ATTACH macro 231 byte order mark 105 to compile (IGYWC) 219
attribute methods 499 byte-stream files to compile and link-edit
ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTER XML processing with QSAM 140 (IGYWCL) 220
event 453 to compile, link-edit, run
ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTERS XML (IGYWCLG) 221
event 452
ATTRIBUTE-NAME XML event 452
C to compile, load, run (IGYWCG) 222
to compile, prelink, link-edit
C/C++ programs
ATTRIBUTE-NATIONAL-CHARACTER (IGYWCPL) 223
with COBOL DLLs 434
XML event 453 to compile, prelink, link-edit, run
CALL command (TSO) 229
automatic restart 549 (IGYWCPLG) 224
CALL identifier
avoiding coding errors 579 to compile, prelink, load, run
making from DLLs 429
AWO compiler option (IGYWCPG) 226
CALL statement
APPLY-WRITE ONLY clause to prelink and link-edit
AMODE processing 399
performance 12 (IGYWPL) 226
BY CONTENT 411
description 272 cbl extension with cob2 254
BY REFERENCE 412
performance considerations 589 CBL statement 238, 317
BY VALUE 411
CBLPSHPOP run-time option 367
CICS restrictions 361
CBLQDA run-time option 130
effect of DYNAM compiler
B option 282
CCSID
conflict 469
backward branches 580 effect of EXIT option on registers 637
definition 105
Base class exception condition 213
of PARSE statement 449
equating to java.lang.Object 491 for error handling 213
of XML document 449, 463
using for java.lang.Object 490 function-pointer 408
of XML documents 463
base cluster name 168 handling of programs name in 297
century window
base locator 336, 337 identifier 399
assumed for nondates 564
basic document encoding 463 overflow condition 213
fixed 556
basis libraries 235 to alternate entry points 409
sliding 556
BASIS statement 317 to invoke Language Environment
chained list processing 416, 417
batch compilation callable services 599
changing
description 241 USING 413
characters to numbers 97
LANGUAGE option using DYNAM compiler option 399
file-name 11
example 244 using NODYNAM compiler
title on source listing 7
precedence of options option 399
CHAR intrinsic function 99
example 243 with CANCEL 398
character set 105
big-endian 105 with ON EXCEPTION 213
CHECK(OFF) run-time option 589
binary data item with ON OVERFLOW 20, 213
checking for valid data
general description 41 calls
conditional expressions 79
intermediate results 608 31-bit addressing mode 399
numeric 46
synonyms 39 AMODE switching for 24-bit
checkpoint
using efficiently 41, 581 programs 399
COBOL 85 Standard 546
binary search of a table 72 between COBOL and non-COBOL
designing 546
binding OO applications 262 programs 393
messages generated during 548
example 263 between COBOL programs 393, 396

754 Programming Guide

checkpoint (continued) class (continued) code (continued)
methods 545 obtaining reference with JNI 528 optimized 586, 588
multiple 546, 548 class condition code page
record data set 547 coding 79 conflict 469
restart data sets 551 numeric 46 definition of 105
restart during DFSORT 198 test 79, 323 euro currency support 56
restart job control sample 551 CLASSPATH environment variable 260, hexadecimal values of special
restrictions 546 262, 385 characters 464
single 546 client of XML document 469
disk 547 defining 502 specifying 274, 464
tape 547 definition of 502 code point 105
Chinese GB 18030 data CLOSE statement CODE-SET clause 14
converting 110 line-sequential files 177 coded characters sets
processing 110 QSAM 129 XML documents 463
CHKPT keyword 198 VSAM 155 CODEPAGE compiler option
CICS closing files description 274
CALL statement 361 line-sequential 179 for national literals 107
calls 361 multithreading serialization 440 with conversions 108
CICS HANDLE 367 QSAM 132 coding
example 368 multithreading 133 class definition 488
LABEL value 367 VSAM 163 clients 502
CICS option 362 multithreading 163 condition tests 80
COBOL 85 Standard closing files, automatic constructor methods 516
considerations 365 line-sequential 179 DATA DIVISION 12
coding input 360 QSAM 132 decisions 75
coding output 360 VSAM 163 efficiently 579
coding programs to run under 359 cluster, VSAM 166 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION 7
coding restrictions 359 cob2 command EVALUATE statement 77
command-level interface 359 compiling and linking with 251 factory definition 514
commands and the PROCEDURE examples 252 factory methods 516
DIVISION 359 description 253 file input/output (overview) 113
compiler restrictions 359, 364 examples 252 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION 5
compiling under integrated input and output 254 IF statement 75
translator 364 options 253 input 360
compiling under separate with Java and OO 257 input/output overview 116
translator 365 COBJVMINITOPTIONS environment input/output statements
developing programs for 359 variable 260, 385 for line-sequential files 177
in a multithreaded environment 442 COBOL for QSAM files 129
integrated translator 364 and Java 527 for VSAM files 155
macro-level interface 359 binding 262 instance methods 493, 513
performance considerations 592 compiling under UNIX 257 interoperable data types 532
reserved-word table 366 compiling using JCL or loops 83
restrictions TSO/E 261 OO programs 485
OO programs 485 linking 258 output 360
under z/OS 362 running 259, 263 PROCEDURE DIVISION 18
sorting 199 structuring applications 524 programs to run under IMS 377
statements under IMS 378 restrictions for programs for
EXIT compiler option and 644 object-oriented CICS 359
system date 360 binding 262 restrictions for programs for IMS 377
CICS compiler option compiling under UNIX 257 subclass definition 510
description 273 compiling using JCL or tables 59
multioption interaction 269 TSO/E 261 techniques 12, 579
restriction in OO programs 485 linking 258 test conditions 80
CICS ECI under IMS 378 collating sequence
return code 362 COBOL 85 Standard alternate 9
CISZ (control interval size), performance checkpoints 546 ASCII 8
considerations 171, 593 considerations for CICS 365 EBCDIC 8
CKPT keyword 198 required compiler options 269 HIGH-VALUE 8
class required run-time options 269 ISO 7-bit code 8
defining 488 COBOL client, example 518 LOW-VALUE 8
definition of 485 COBOL DLL programs, calling 432 MERGE 8
factory data 515 COBOL language usage with SQL NATIVE 8
instance data 492 statements 372, 373 nonnumeric comparisons 8
name COBOL terms 23 SEARCH ALL 8
external 491, 503 COBOPT environment variable 249 SORT 8
in a program 490 code specifying 8
object 514 copy 595 symbolic characters in the 10

Index 755
collating sequence (continued) compiler error messages compiler options (continued)
the ordinal position of a character 99 from exit modules 644 SIZE 302
columns in tables 59 sending to terminal 236 SOURCE 302, 331
COMMENT XML event 452 compiler listings SPACE 303
COMMON attribute 6, 403 getting 331 specifying 238
COMP (COMPUTATIONAL) 41 compiler messages PROCESS (CBL) statement 238
COMP-1 (COMPUTATIONAL-1) 42, 582 analyzing 572 specifying under TSO 239
COMP-2 (COMPUTATIONAL-2) 42, 582 compiler options specifying under UNIX 250
COMP-3 (COMPUTATIONAL-3) 42 ADATA 271 specifying under z/OS 239
COMP-4 (COMPUTATIONAL-4) 41 APOST 299 SQL 303, 373
COMP-5 (COMPUTATIONAL-5) 41 ARITH 271 SSRANGE 304, 327, 589
comparing AWO 272 status 334
national and alphabetic or AWO and performance 589 TERMINAL 305
alphanumeric 111 BUFSIZE 273 TEST 306, 334, 355, 589
national and group 111 CICS 273 THREAD 309
national and numeric 111 CODEPAGE 274 TRUNC 310, 589
national data 111 COMPILE 275 under CICS 362
object references 505 conflicting 269 under IMS and CICS 362
of date fields 560 CURRENCY 276 VBREF 313, 331
COMPAT suboption of PGMNAME 297 DATA 277 WORD 313
compatibility mode 37, 603 DATEPROC 278 XREF 314, 329
compatible dates DBCS 279 YEARWINDOW 315
in comparisons 560 DECK 279 ZWB 316
with MLE 561 DIAGTRUNC 280 compiler-directing statements
compilation DLL 281 description 317
COBOL 85 Standard 269 DUMP 281 list 20
results 239 DYNAM 282, 589 overview 20
statistics 334 EXIT 283, 635 compiling
with HFS files 220 EXPORTALL 283 batch 241
COMPILE compiler option FASTSRT 193, 284, 589 control of 238
description 275 FLAG 284, 328 data sets for 233
use NOCOMPILE to find syntax FLAGSTD 285 from an assembler program 231
errors 326 for debugging 325 OO applications
compile-time considerations IMS, recommended for 377 example 259, 263
compiler directed errors 246 in effect 343 under UNIX 257
display compile and link steps 254 INTDATE 287 using JCL or TSO/E 261
error message severity 247 LANGUAGE 287 under TSO 229
executing compile and link steps after example in batch compilation 244 under UNIX 249
display 254 LIB 288 under z/OS 217
compile-time dump, generating 281 LINECOUNT 289 using shell script 255
compile-time error messages LIST 289, 331, 334 using the cob2 command 251
choosing severity to be flagged 328 MAP 290, 330, 331, 334 examples 252
determining what severity level to NAME 291 with cataloged procedures 218
produce 284 NOCOMPILE 326 compile 219
embedding in source listing 328 NOFASTSRT 195 compile and link-edit 220
compiler NSYMBOL 291 compile, link-edit, run 221
calculation of intermediate NUMBER 292, 332 compile, load, run 222
results 604 NUMPROC 293 compile, prelink, link-edit 223
generating list of error messages 246 NUMPROC(PFD) 589 compile, prelink, link-edit,
invoking in the UNIX shell 251 NUMPROC(PFD|NOPFD|MIG) 45 run 224
examples 252 OBJECT 294 compile, prelink, load, run 226
limits 12 OFFSET 294, 334 with JCL (job control language) 217
compiler data sets on compiler invocation 334 compiling and linking in the UNIX
in the HFS 218, 228 OPTIMIZE 295, 586, 589 shell 251
input and output 233 OUTDD 296 examples 252
required for compilation 233 performance considerations 589 OO applications
SYSADATA (ADATA records) 237 PGMNAME 297 example 259
SYSDEBUG (debug records) 237 precedence in batch compilation completion code, sort 192
SYSIN (source code) 235 example 243 complex OCCURS DEPENDING ON
SYSJAVA 237 precedence of 238 basic forms of 613
SYSLIB (libraries) 235 QUOTE 299 complex ODO item 613
SYSLIN (object code) 236 RENT 299, 589 variably located data item 614
SYSOUT (listing) 236 RMODE 300 variably located group 614
SYSPUNCH (object code) 236 RMODE and performance 589 computation
SYSTERM (messages) 236 SEQUENCE 301, 327 arithmetic data items 581
with cob2 254 settings for COBOL 85 Standard 269 constant data items 580
signature bytes 343 duplicate 581

756 Programming Guide

computation (continued) converting data items (continued) data
subscript 584 national data (continued) concatenating 87
COMPUTATIONAL (COMP) 41 with DISPLAY 30 converting, alphanumeric to
COMPUTATIONAL-1 (COMP-1) 42, 582 with DISPLAY-OF 108 DBCS 619
COMPUTATIONAL-2 (COMP-2) 42, 582 with MOVE 107 converting, DBCS to
COMPUTATIONAL-3 (COMP-3) with NATIONAL-OF 108 alphanumeric 619
date fields, potential problems 574 reversing order of characters 97 efficient execution 579
description 42 to integers 95 format conversion 43
COMPUTATIONAL-4 (COMP-4) 41 to uppercase or lowercase 97 format, numeric types 39
COMPUTATIONAL-5 (COMP-5) 41 UTF-8 109 grouping 415
computer, describing 7 with intrinsic functions 97 incompatible 46
concatenating data items 87 converting files to expanded date form, joining 87
condition handling 132, 163, 597 example 559 naming 14
in input or output procedures 187 coprocessor, DB2 375 numeric 37
condition testing 80 copy libraries passing 411
condition-name 563 COPY statement 317 record size 14
conditional expression data set 233 splitting 89
EVALUATE statement 76 example 596 validating 46
IF statement 75 search order 318 data and procedure name cross-reference,
PERFORM statement 84 specifying 235 description 329
conditional statement SYSLIB 235 data areas, dynamic 282
in EVALUATE statement 76 UNIX search order 250, 253 DATA compiler option
list of 19 COPY statement description 277
overview 19 example 596 influencing data location 35
with NOT phrase 20 nested 595, 639 multioption interaction 34
with object references 505 UNIX considerations 318 performance considerations 589
CONFIGURATION SECTION 7 z/OS considerations 235 when passing data 35
conflicting compiler options 269 copybook data definition 336
conformance requirements description 317 data description entry 13
RETURNING phrase 507 obtaining from user-supplied DATA DIVISION
USING phrase 507 module 635 client 504
conformance to COBOL 85 Standard searching for 253, 318 coding 12
required compiler options 269 using 595 description 12
constants COUNT IN phrase 481 entries for line-sequential files 176
computations 580 counting entries for QSAM files 120
data items 580 data items 95 entries for VSAM files 154
description 24 generated XML characters 472 factory data 515
figurative 25 counting data items 95 factory method 516
contained program integration 587 creating FD entry 12
CONTENT-CHARACTER XML Associated Data File 237 FILE SECTION 12
event 454 line-sequential files, z/OS 177 instance data 492, 512
CONTENT-CHARACTERS XML object code 236 instance method 495
event 454 objects 508 items present in 345
CONTENT-NATIONAL-CHARACTER QSAM files, z/OS 134, 135 limits 12
XML event 454 SYSJAVA data set 237 LINKAGE SECTION 17
continuation cross-reference listing 331
entry 197 data and procedure names 329 mapping of items 290, 331
of program 204 embedded 331 OCCURS clause 59
syntax checking 275 list 314 restrictions 12
CONTINUE statement 76 program-name 353 signature bytes 345
contracting alphanumeric dates 574 special definition symbols 354 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION 12
control verb list 313 data item
in nested programs 403 verbs 331 alphanumeric with double-byte
program flow 75 CRP (file position indicator) 157, 160 characters 619
transfer 394 CURRENCY compiler option 276 coding Java types 531
control interval size (CISZ), performance currency signs common, in subprogram linkage 413
considerations 171, 593 euro 56 concatenating 87
CONTROL statement 317 hexadecimal literals 56 converting characters to numbers 97
converting data items multiple-character 55 converting to uppercase or
between code pages 98 using 55 lowercase 97
characters to numbers 97 CURRENT-DATE intrinsic function 52 converting with INSPECT 95
Chinese GB 18030 110 converting with intrinsic
data formats 43 functions 97
INSPECT statement 95
national data
D counting 95
DBCS 619
D format record 122, 123
exceptions 108 evaluating with intrinsic functions 99
DASD (direct-access storage device) 171
with ACCEPT 30

Index 757
data item (continued) date windowing (continued) debugging (continued)
finding the smallest or largest in MLE approach 556 using COBOL language features 322
group 99 when not supported 562 debugging, language features
index 62 DATE-COMPILED paragraph 5 class test 323
map 239 DATE-OF-INTEGER intrinsic debugging declaratives 324
numeric 37 function 52 file status keys 323
reference modification 93 DATEPROC compiler option INITIALIZE statements 323
referencing substrings 93 analyzing warning-level diagnostic scope terminators 322
replacing 95 messages 572 SET statements 323
reversing characters 97 description 278 DECK compiler option 279
splitting 89 DATEVAL intrinsic function 571 declarative procedures
unused 295, 337 DB2 EXCEPTION/ERROR 207
variably located 614 COBOL language usage with SQL with multithreading 207
data manipulation statements 372, 373 LABEL 142
DBCS data 619 coding considerations 371 USE FOR DEBUGGING 324
nonnumeric data 87 coprocessor 375 deferred restart 549
DATA RECORDS clause 14 options 373 defining
data set return codes 373 debug data set 237
alternate data set names 231 SQL DECLARE statement 372 files, overview 10, 113
checkpoint record 547 SQL INCLUDE statement 371 libraries 235
checkpoint/restart 551 SQL statements 371 line-sequential files
defining with environment DBCS to z/OS 177
variable 117 comparison 79 QSAM files
JAVAERR 263 compiler option 269, 279 to z/OS 134, 135
JAVAIN 263 converting 112, 619 sort files
JAVAOUT 263 encoding 107 under z/OS 187
names, alternate 232 user-defined words in XREF VSAM files 166
output 236 output 329 to z/OS 166
source code 235 DBCS compiler option DELETE statement
SYSADATA 237 for Java interoperability 257, 261 compiler-directing 317
SYSDEBUG 237 for OO COBOL 257, 261 multithreading serialization 440
SYSIN 235 DBCSXREF 330 VSAM, coding 155
SYSJAVA 237 dbg extension with cob2 254 deleting records from VSAM file 163
SYSLIB 235 DCB 129 delimited scope statement
SYSLIN 236 DD control statement description of 19
SYSPRINT 236 AMP parameter 169 nested 21
SYSPUNCH 236 ASCII tape files 144 DEPENDING ON option 122, 155
SYSTERM 236 creating line-sequential files 177 depth in tables 60
used interchangeably for file 7 creating QSAM files 134, 135 developing programs for CICS 359
data sets DCB overrides data set label 135 device
required for compilation, z/OS 233 define file 10 classes 233
used for compilation 233 defining sort data sets 187 requirements 233
data-definition attribute codes 336 JAVAERR 263 DFCOMMAREA parameter for
data-name JAVAIN 263 CALL 361
cross-reference 352 JAVAOUT 263 DFHEIBLK parameter for CALL 361
cross-reference list 239 RLS parameter 170 DFSORT
in MAP listing 336 SYSADATA 237 using 187
OMITTED 14 SYSDEBUG 237 diagnostic messages
password for VSAM files 164 SYSIN 235 from millennium language
date and time operations SYSJAVA 237 extensions 572
Language Environment callable SYSLIB 235 diagnostics, program 334
services 597 SYSLIN 236 DIAGTRUNC compiler option 280
date arithmetic 569 SYSPRINT 236 direct-access
date comparisons 560 SYSPUNCH 236 direct indexing 63
date field expansion ddname definition 10 file organization 114
advantages 556 deadlock storage device (DASD) 171
description 558 in I/O error declarative 207 directories
date fields Debug Tool adding a path to 253
potential problems 574 compiler options for maximum where error listing file is written 246
date operations support 355 DISK compiler option 267
intrinsic functions 33 description 321 DISPLAY (USAGE IS)
date processing with internal bridges debugging encoding 107
advantages 556 and performance 307 external decimal 40
date windowing approaches 321 DISPLAY statement
advantages 556 defining data set 237 directing output 296
example 562 dynamic 308 displaying data values 30
how to control 571 useful compiler options 325 interaction with OUTDD 31

758 Programming Guide

DISPLAY statement (continued) EBCDIC environment variables (continued)
using in debugging 322 code pages supported in XML defining QSAM files 134
writing to stdout/stderr 31 documents 463 example of setting and accessing 385
DISPLAY-OF intrinsic function converting to ASCII 98 LIBPATH 260, 262, 385
using 108 JNI services 537 library-name 250, 317
with XML document 464 ECI calls and register 15 362 PATH 262, 385
DLL compiler option efficiency of coding 579 setting and accessing 384
description 281 EJECT statement 317 setting for the compiler 249
for Java interoperability 257, 261 embedded cross-reference STEPLIB 251, 385
for OO COBOL 257, 261 description 331 SYSLIB 250, 257
multioption interaction 269 example 353 text-name 250, 317
DLL igzcjava.x embedded error messages 328 using to allocate files 117
binding with 262 embedded MAP summary 330, 337 environment-name 7
example 263 empty VSAM file, opening 158 ERRMSG, for generating list of error
linking with 258 enclave 393 messages 246
example 259 encoding error
DLL libjvm.x description 107 arithmetic 203
binding with 262 language characters 105 compiler options, conflicting 269
example 263 XML documents 462 handling 201
linking with 258 XML output 480 handling for input-output 118
example 259 encoding declaration listing 239
with EBCDIC services 538 preferable to omit 464 message table, example 66
DLLs (see dynamic link libraries) 425 specifying 465 messages, compiler 246
do loop 84 ENCODING-DECLARATION XML choosing severity to be
do-until 84 event 451 flagged 328
do-while 84 END-OF-CDATA-SECTION XML embedding in source listing 328
document encoding declaration 463 event 455 sending to terminal 236
DOCUMENT-TYPE-DECLARATION END-OF-DOCUMENT XML event 456 processing, line-sequential files 180
XML event 451 END-OF-ELEMENT XML event 453 processing, QSAM files 133
documentation of program 7 end-of-file phrase (AT END) 206 processing, VSAM files 164
DSA memory map 340 enhancing XML output 476 error messages
dump example 477 compiler-directed 246
with DUMP compiler option 239 ENTER statement 317 correcting 245
DUMP compiler option entry point determining what severity level to
description 281 alternate 409 produce 284
multioption interaction 269 ENTRY label 394, 409 format 246
output 239 passing entry addresses of 407 from exit modules 644
duplicate computations 581 procedure-pointer data item 407 generating a list of 246
DYNAM compiler option ENTRY statement location in listing 246
description 282 handling of programs name in 297 severity levels 247
performance considerations 589 ENVAR run-time option 263 ESDS (entry-sequenced data sets)
dynamic calls ENVIRONMENT DIVISION file access mode 153
using with DLL linkage 430 class 490 euro currency sign 56
dynamic data areas, allocating client 503 EVALUATE statement
storage 35 collating sequence coding 8 case structure 76, 77
dynamic debugging 308 CONFIGURATION SECTION 7 structured programming 579
dynamic file allocation 117, 130 description 7 evaluating data item contents
dynamic link libraries entries for line-sequential files 175 class test 46, 79
about 425 entries for QSAM files 119 INSPECT statement 95
compiling 426 entries for VSAM files 149 intrinsic functions 99
creating 425 INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION 7 exception condition 213
creating for OO 258 instance method 495 exception handling
for Java interoperability 258 items present in, program with Java 528
in OO COBOL applications 434 initialization code 346 EXCEPTION XML event 456
linking 427 signature bytes 346 EXCEPTION/ERROR declarative
prelinking 429 subclass 512 description 207
search order for in HFS 430 environment variables file status key 209
using CALL indentifer with 429 _BPX_SHAREAS 387 line-sequential error processing 180
using with C/C++ programs 434 _CEE_ENVFILE 263, 385 QSAM error processing 133
using with dynamic calls 430 _CEE_RUNOPTS 383, 385 VSAM error processing 164
using with Java interoperability 259 _IGZ_SYSOUT 385 EXEC control statement 548
using with OO 259 and copybooks 318 EXIT compiler option
CLASSPATH 260, 262, 385 considerations for SQL and CICS
COBJVMINITOPTIONS 260, 385 statements 644
E COBOPT 249
defining files, example 10
description 283
using 635
E-level error message 247, 328
defining line-sequential files 177 with the DUMP compiler option 269

Index 759
exit modules figurative constants (continued) file status code (continued)
called for SYSADATA data set 642 national characters as 106 49 162
error messages generated 644 file access mode 90 128
loading and invoking 637 dynamic 153 92 386
used in place of library-name 638 example 154 using 203
used in place of SYSLIB 638 for indexed files (KSDS) 153 file status key
used in place of SYSPRINT 641 for relative files (RRDS) 153 checking for successful OPEN 208,
EXIT PROGRAM statement for sequential files (ESDS) 153 209
in subprogram 394 performance considerations 171 importance of in VSAM 164
with multithreading 394 random 153 set for error handling 118, 323
expanded IF statement 75 sequential 153 to check for I/O errors 208
explicit scope terminator 21 summary table of 115, 149 used with VSAM return code 209
exponentiation file allocation 117 file-name
evaluated in fixed-point file availability specification 14
arithmetic 606 VSAM files under z/OS 165 FILEDEF command
evaluated in floating-point file conversion ASCII tape files 144
arithmetic 611 with millennium language files
performance tips 582 extensions 558 associating program files to external
EXPORTALL compiler option file description (FD) entry 14 files 7
description 283 file extensions COBOL coding
multioption interaction 269 for error messages listing 246 DATA DIVISION entries 120, 154,
extended mode 37, 603 file name 176
external class-name 491, 503 change 11 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
EXTERNAL clause file organization entries 119, 149, 175
example for files 421, 422 comparison of ESDS, KSDS, input/output statements 129, 155,
for data items 420 RRDS 148 177
for files 13 indexed 113, 150 overview 116
used for input/output 421 line-sequential 175 defining to operating system 10
external code page overview 113 describing 13
definition 463 QSAM 119 description of optional 130, 158
external data relative 113 identifying to z/OS 134, 135, 166,
obtaining storage for 35 relative-record 151 177
sharing 420 sequential 113, 150 improving sort performance 193
storage location of 35 summary table of 115 labels 145
external decimal data item 40 VSAM 148 overview 114
external file 13, 421 file position indicator (CRP) 157, 160 processing
external floating-point data item 40 FILE SECTION line-sequential 175
BLOCK CONTAINS clause 14 QSAM 119
CODE-SET clause 14 VSAM 147
F DATA RECORDS clause 14
description 13
usage explanation 11
used interchangeably for data set 7
F format record 121
EXTERNAL clause 13 with multithreading 440
factoring expressions 580
FD entry 14 finding
factory data
GLOBAL clause 13 date of compilation 102
defining 515
LABEL RECORDS clause 14 largest or smallest data item 99
definition of 485
LINAGE clause 14 length of data items 101
making it accessible 515
OMITTED 14 fixed century window 556
private 515
RECORD CONTAINS clause 14 fixed-length records
factory definition, coding 514
record description 13 format 154
factory methods
RECORD IS VARYING 14 QSAM 121
defining 516
RECORDING MODE clause 14 VSAM 148, 154
definition of 485
VALUE OF 14 fixed-point arithmetic
hiding 517
FILE STATUS clause comparisons 54
invoking 517
description 118 evaluation 53
using to wrap procedural
line-sequential error processing 180 example evaluations 55
programs 523
NOFASTSRT error processing 195 exponentiation 606
FACTORY paragraph
QSAM error processing 133 fixed-point data
factory data 515
using 208 binary 41
factory methods 516
VSAM error processing 164 conversions between fixed- and
factory section, defining 514
VSAM file loading 159 floating-point data 44
FASTSRT compiler option
with VSAM return code 209 external decimal 40
description 284
file status code intermediate results 605
improving sort performance 193, 589
02 161 packed-decimal 42
information message 193
05 158 planning use of 581
requirements 193
35 158 FLAG compiler option
FD (file description) entry 14
37 129 compiler output 328
figurative constants
39 130, 137, 140, 158 description 284
definition 25

760 Programming Guide

FLAG compiler option (continued) hiding factory methods 517 indexed file organization 113, 150
using 328 hierarchical file system (HFS) indexing
flags and switches 80 compiler data sets 220 example 67
FLAGSTD compiler option 285 defining file with environment preferred to subscripting 583
floating-point arithmetic variable 117 tables 63
comparisons 54 processing files with QSAM 140 INEXIT suboption of EXIT option 635,
evaluation 53 reading file with ACCEPT 29 637
example evaluations 55 search order for DLLs in 430 inheritance hierarchy, definition of 487
exponentiation 611 writing file with DISPLAY 31 INITIAL attribute 6, 395, 398
floating-point data hierarchy of compiler options under INITIALIZE statement
conversions between fixed- and z/OS 238 examples 26
floating-point data 44 loading table values 64
external floating point 40 using for debugging 323
intermediate results 610
internal 42
I initializing
a table 64
I-level error message 247, 328
planning use of 581 instance data 508
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
format of record inline PERFORM 83
class 490
fixed-length 121, 154 input
CLASS-ID paragraph 490, 511
for QSAM ASCII tape 144 coding for line-sequential files 177
client 502
format D 122, 123, 144 coding for QSAM files 129
coding 5
format F 121, 144 coding for VSAM files 155
DATE-COMPILED paragraph 5
format S 125 coding in CICS 360
errors 5
format U 126, 144 from files 113
listing header example 7
format V 122, 123, 144 to compiler, under z/OS 233
method 494
spanned 125 input procedure
PROGRAM-ID paragraph 5
undefined 126 coding 184
required paragraphs 5
variable-length 122, 123, 155 FASTSRT option not effective 193
subclass 511
formatted dump 201 requires RELEASE or RELEASE
TITLE statement 7
freeing object instances 509 FROM 184
IF statement
full date field expansion restrictions 187
coding 75
advantages 556 INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION 7
nested 76
function-pointer data item input/output
with null branch 75
addressing JNI services 649 checking for errors 208
IGZBRDGE macro
CALL statement 408 coding overview 116
with multithreading 443
calling DLL program controlling with FASTSRT option 284
IGZCA2D service routine 619
example 432 logic flow after error 203
IGZCD2A service routine 622
SET function-pointer 407 overview 113
igzcjava.x
versus procedure-pointer 408 processing errors
binding with 262
line-sequential files 180
example 263
QSAM files 133, 203
linking with 258
G example 259
VSAM files 164, 203
input/output coding
garbage collection 510 IGZEOPT module
AT END (end-of-file) phrase 206
generating XML output 471 with multithreading 443
checking for successful operation 208
get and set methods 499 IGZETUN module
checking VSAM return codes 209
GETMAIN, saving address of 636 with multithreading 443
detecting faulty index key 212
GLOBAL clause for files 13, 17 IGZSRTCD data set 197
error handling techniques 203
global names 406 imperative statement, list 19
EXCEPTION/ERROR
GO TO MORE-LABELS 142 implicit scope terminator 21
declaratives 207
GOBACK statement IMS
INSERT statement 317
in main program 394 COBOL-Java interoperability
INSPECT statement 95
in subprogram 394 accessing databases 380
inspecting data 95
with multithreading 394 calling a COBOL method from a
instance
group item Java application 378
creating 508
comparing to national 111 calling a Java method from a
definition of 485
variably located 614 COBOL application 379
deleting 509
grouping data 415 coding programs under 7, 377
instance data
coding restrictions 377
defining 492, 512
performance considerations 593
definition of 485
H recommended compiler options 377
incompatible data 46
making it accessible 499
header on listing 7 private 492
incrementing addresses 417
HEAP run-time option instance methods
index
influencing data location 35 defining 493, 513
data item 63
multioption interaction 34 definition of 485
key, detecting faulty 212
hexadecimal literal invoking overridden 507
range checking 327
as currency sign 56 overloading 498
table 62
national 106 overriding 497
index-name subscripting 63

Index 761
INTDATE compiler option 287 intrinsic functions (continued) Java (continued)
INTEGER intrinsic function 95 numeric functions (continued) global references 530
INTEGER-OF-DATE intrinsic nested 49 JNI services 531
function 52 special registers as arguments 49 managing 530
integrated CICS translator 364 table elements as arguments 49 object 530
interactive program, example 709 type of integer, floating-point, passing 530
Interactive System Productivity Facility mixed 48 int array 532
(ISPF) 709 uses for 48 int type 532
interlanguage communication processing table elements 73 interoperability 527
and PL/I tasking 393 simplifying coding 595 interoperable data types, coding 532
between COBOL and Java 527 UNDATE 571 jstring class 531
subprograms 393 INVALID KEY phrase 212 local references 530
under CICS 361 INVOKE statement deleting 530
with multithreading 393 use with PROCEDURE DIVISION freeing 530
interlanguage communication (ILC) 393 RETURNING 419 JNI services 531
intermediate results 603 using to create objects 508 managing 530
internal bridges using to invoke methods 506 object 530
advantages 556 with ON EXCEPTION 506, 518 passing 530
example 558 invoking per multithreading 530
for date processing 557 COBOL UNIX programs 383 saving 530
internal floating-point data factory or static methods 517 long array 532
bytes required 42 instance methods 506 long type 532
defining 42 Language Environment callable methods
uses for 42 services 599 access control 531
interoperable data types 532 ISAM data set 147 object array 532
intrinsic functions ISPF (Interactive System Productivity record class 531
as reference modifier 95 Facility) 709 running with COBOL 259, 263
converting character data items 97 sharing data with 531
DATEVAL 571 short array 532
evaluating data items 99
example of
J short type 532
string array 533
J2EE client
ANNUITY 52 strings
example 539
CHAR 99 declaring 532
running 260
CURRENT-DATE 52 manipulating 536
Java
DISPLAY-OF 109 Java virtual machine
and COBOL 527
INTEGER 95 exceptions 529
binding 262
INTEGER-OF-DATE 52 initializing 260
compiling under UNIX 257
LENGTH 51, 100, 101 object references 530
compiling using JCL or
LOG 53 java.lang.Object
TSO/E 261
LOWER-CASE 97 referring to as Base 490
linking 258
MAX 51, 74, 100 javac command 257
running 259, 263
MEAN 53 JAVAERR data set 263
structuring applications 524
MEDIAN 53, 74 JAVAIN data set 263
array classes 531
MIN 95 JAVAOUT data set 263
arrays
NATIONAL-OF 109 JCL
declaring 532
NUMVAL 97 ASCII tape files 144
example 535
NUMVAL-C 51, 97 cataloged procedures 218
manipulating 534
ORD 99 checkpoint/restart sample 551
boolean array 532
ORD-MAX 74, 100 FASTSRT requirement 193
boolean type 532
PRESENT-VALUE 52 for compiling 217
byte array 532
RANGE 53, 74 for compiling with HFS 220
byte type 532
REM 53 for line-sequential files 177
char array 532
REVERSE 97 for OO applications 261
char type 532
SQRT 53 example 263
class types 532
SUM 74 for QSAM files 135
double array 533
UPPER-CASE 97 for Sort 187
double type 532
WHEN-COMPILED 102 for VSAM data sets 169
example
intermediate results 608, 611 JNI
exception handling 529
introduction to 32 accessing services 527
J2EE client 539
nesting 33 comparing object references 505
processing an array 535
numeric functions converting local references to
exception
differences from Language global 508
catching 529
Environment callable EBCDIC services 537
example 529
services 50 environment structure 527
handling 528
equivalent Language Environment addressability for 528
throwing 529
callable services 49 exception handling services 528
float array 533
examples of 49 Java array services 534
float type 532

762 Programming Guide

JNI (continued) LENGTH intrinsic function (continued) LINKAGE SECTION (continued)
Java string services 536 variable-length results 100 run unit 17
obtaining class object reference 528 versus LENGTH OF special with recursive calls 17
restrictions when using 528 register 101 with the THREAD option 17
Unicode services 536 with national data 101 linker
JNI.cpy length of data items, finding 101 CICS 364
for compiling 257 LENGTH OF special register passing information to 253
for JNINativeInterface 527 passing 412 linking OO applications
listing 649 using 101 under UNIX 258
JNIEnvPtr special register 527 level definition 336 example 259
JNINativeInterface level-88 item using JCL or TSO/E 262
environment structure 527 conditional expressions 79 example 263
JNI.cpy 527 for windowed date fields 563 LIST compiler option
job resubmission 551 restriction 563 assembler code for source
job stream 393 switches and flags 80 program 340
jstring Java class 531 LIB compiler option compiler output 341, 343
description and syntax 288 conflict with OFFSET option 331
LIBEXIT suboption of EXIT option 635, description 289
K 638
libjvm.x
DSA memory map 340, 351
getting output 331
keyboard navigation xv
binding with 262 location and size of
KSDS (key-sequenced data sets)
example 263 WORKING-STORAGE 352
file access mode 153
linking with 258 multioption interaction 269
organization 150
example 259 reading output 340
with EBCDIC services 538 symbols used in output 338
LIBPATH environment variable 260, 262, TGT memory map 340
L 385 list of resources 751
LABEL declarative library listings
description 317 BASIS 235 assembler expansion of PROCEDURE
GO TO MORE-LABELS 142 COPY 235 DIVISION 340
handling user labels 142 defining 235 data and procedure name
LABEL RECORDS clause directory entry 231 cross-reference 329
FILE SECTION entry 14 specifying path for 317 embedded error messages 328
LABEL= 144 library-name generating a short listing 331
labels alternative if not specified 253 line numbers, user-supplied 332
ASCII file 145 when not used 638 sorted cross-reference of program
format, standard 143 library-name environment variable 250 names 353
processing, QSAM files 141 limits of the compiler 12 terms used in MAP output 338
standard user 143 LINAGE clause 14 literals 24
LANGUAGE compiler option 287 line number 335 little-endian 105
Language Environment callable services line-sequential files loading a table dynamically 64
condition handling 597 adding records to 179 local names 406
corresponding intrinsic functions 50 allowable control characters 176 local references, converting to global 508
date and time computations 597 blocking 13 LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION
differences from intrinsic closing 179 client 504
functions 50 closing to prevent reopening 178 comparison with
dynamic storage services 597 DATA DIVISION entries 176 WORKING-STORAGE 15, 504
equivalent intrinsic functions 49 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION determining location 35
example of using 600 entries 175 LOG intrinsic function 53
feedback code 599 input/output error processing 180 logical record
for date and time computations 49 input/output statements for 177 description 113
for mathematics 49 opening 178 fixed-length format 121, 154
invoking with a CALL statement 599 processing files 175 QSAM 120
mathematics 597 reading from 178 variable-length format 122, 123, 155
message handling 597 reading records from 178 LONGMIXED suboption of
national language support 597 sort and merge 181 PGMNAME 298
overview 597 under z/OS LONGUPPER suboption of
return code 599 creating files 177 PGMNAME 298
RETURN-CODE special register 599 DD statement for 177 loops
sample list of 598 defining 177 coding 83
types of 597 environment variable for 177 conditional 84
language features for debugging job control language (JCL) 177 do 84
DISPLAY statements 322 writing to 178 in a table 85
large block interface 128 LINECOUNT compiler option 289 performed a definite number of
last-used state 395 LINK macro 231 times 84
LENGTH intrinsic function 99 LINKAGE SECTION LOWER-CASE intrinsic function 97
example 51, 101 description 414 lst extension with cob2 254

Index 763
LST file extension 246 methods (continued) multithreading (continued)
invoking superclass 507 preinitializing 440
Java access control 531 preparing COBOL programs for 437
M obtaining passed arguments 497
overloading 498
recursion 439
recursive requirement 442
main program
overriding 497, 517 reentrancy 442
and subprograms 394
PROCEDURE DIVISION reentrancy requirement 442
dynamic CALL 397
RETURNING 420 run-time restrictions 443
parameter list in UNIX 388
returning a value from 497 STOP RUN statement 394
main storage, allocating to buffers 273
signature 494 synchronizing access to
MAP compiler option
millennium language extensions resources 442
data items and relative addresses 239
assumed century window 564 terminology 438
description 290
compatible dates 561 THREAD compiler option
embedded MAP summary 331
concepts 554 restrictions under 309
example 336, 340
date windowing 553 when to choose 439
nested program map 331
DATEPROC compiler option 278 UPSI switches 443
example 340
nondates 565 with PL/I tasks 393
symbols used in output 338
objectives 555
terms used in output 338
principles 554
using 330, 331
mapping of DATA DIVISION items 331
YEARWINDOW compiler option 315
MIN intrinsic function 95, 100
N
mathematics NAME compiler option
mixed DBCS/EBCDIC literal
intrinsic functions 49, 53 description 291
alphanumeric to DBCS
Language Environment callable using 5
conversion 619
services 50, 597 name declaration
DBCS to alphanumeric
MAX intrinsic function searching for 406
conversion 622
example 51, 74 naming
MLE 554
using 100 files 10
mnemonic-name
MEAN intrinsic function 53, 74 programs 5
SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph 7
MEDIAN intrinsic function 53, 74 national
modules, exit
memory map literal 106
loading and invoking 637
DSA 340 national comparison 79
MOVE statement
TGT 340 national data
using 27
memory map, TGT comparing to alphabetic or
with national items 28, 107
example 350 alphanumeric 111
MSGFILE run-time option 296
merge comparing to groups 111
multiple currency signs
concepts 182 comparing to numeric 111
example 56
description 181 converting 107
using 55
files, describing 183 Chinese GB 18030 110
multiple inheritance, not permitted 488,
line-sequential files 181 example 109
511
pass control statements to 197 exceptions 108
multiple thread environment, running
storage use 197 UTF-8 109
in 309
successful 192 DISPLAY-OF intrinsic 108
multitasking
with multitasking 181 in conditional expression 111
merge under 181
MERGE statement in XML document 462
sort under 181
description 182 input with ACCEPT 30
multithreading
message handling, Language joining 87
AMODE setting 443
Environment callable services 597 LENGTH intrinsic function 101
asynchronous signals 443
messages LENGTH OF special register 101
choosing data section 437
compile-time error MOVE statement 28
in an OO client 504
choosing severity to be NATIONAL-OF intrinsic 108
closing QSAM files 133
flagged 328 output with DISPLAY 30
closing VSAM files 163
embedding in source listing 328 reference modification 93
COBOL programs 437
compiler error specifying 106
coding file I/O 440
sending to terminal 236 spliting 89
control transfer issues 439
compiler-directed 246 tallying and replacing 95
example of file I/O usage 441
determining what severity level to national language support
EXIT PROGRAM statement 394
produce 284 LANGUAGE compiler option 287
GOBACK statement 394
from exit modules 644 national languages
I/O error declaratives 207
generating a list of 246 run-time use 103
IGZBRDGE 443
severity levels 247 NATIONAL-OF intrinsic function
IGZEOPT 443
METHOD-ID paragraph 494 using 108
IGZETUN 443
methods with XML document 464
interlanguage communication 393
constructor 516 nested COPY statement 595, 639
limitations on COBOL 442
factory 516 nested delimited scope statements 21
nested programs 442
hiding factory 517 nested IF statement
older compilers 443
instance 493, 513 coding 76
overview 437
invoking 506, 517 CONTINUE statement 76

764 Programming Guide

nested IF statement (continued) numeric data (continued) OBJECT paragraph
EVALUATE statement preferred 76 packed-decimal (continued) instance data 492, 512
with null branches 76 USAGE IS PACKED- instance methods 493
nested intrinsic functions 49 DECIMAL 42 object references
nested program integration 587 PICTURE clause 37, 38 comparing 505
nested program map storage formats 39 converting from local to global 508
description 331 zoned decimal setting 505
example 340 USAGE IS DISPLAY 40 typed 504
nested programs numeric editing symbol 38 universal 504
calling 403 numeric intrinsic functions OBJECT-COMPUTER paragraph 7
conventions for using 403 differences from Language object-oriented COBOL
description 404 Environment callable services 50 binding 262
map 331, 340 equivalent Language Environment example 263
scope of names 406 callable services 49 compiling
transfer of control 403 example of under UNIX 257
nesting level ANNUITY 52 using JCL or TSO/E 261
program 335, 340 CURRENT-DATE 52 DLLs in 434
statement 335 INTEGER 95 IMS
NOCOMPILE compiler option INTEGER-OF-DATE 52 accessing databases 380
use of to find syntax errors 326 LENGTH 51, 100 calling a COBOL method from a
NODYNAM compiler option LOG 53 Java application 378
under CICS 361 MAX 51, 74, 100 calling a Java method from a
NOFASTSRT compiler option 195, 198 MEAN 53 COBOL application 379
nondates MEDIAN 53, 74 linking 258
with MLE 565 MIN 95 example 259
Notices 725 NUMVAL 97 preparing applications
NSYMBOL compiler option NUMVAL-C 51, 97 under UNIX 258
description 291 ORD 99 using JCL or TSO/E 262
for national data items 106 ORD-MAX 74 restrictions
for national literals 106 PRESENT-VALUE 52 CICS compiler option 485
null branch 76 RANGE 53, 74 DYNAM compiler option 282
null-terminated strings 91, 415 REM 53 EXEC CICS statements 485
NUMBER compiler option SQRT 53 EXEC SQL statements 485
description 292 SUM 74 SQL compiler option 485
for debugging 332 nested 49 running
NUMCLS installation option 46 special registers as arguments 49 under UNIX 259
numeric class test 46 table elements as arguments 49 using JCL or TSO/E 263
numeric comparison 79 types of integer, floating-point, writing OO programs 485
numeric data mixed 48 objectives of millennium language
binary uses for 48 extensions 555
USAGE IS BINARY 41 numeric-edited data item 38 OCCURS clause 59, 584
USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL NUMPROC compiler option OCCURS DEPENDING ON (ODO)
(COMP) 41 affected by NUMCLS 46 clause
USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-4 description 293 complex 613
(COMP-4) 41 effect on sign processing 45 initializing ODO elements 70
USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-5 performance considerations 590 optimization 584
(COMP-5) 41 NUMVAL intrinsic function 97 simple 68
comparing to national 111 NUMVAL-C intrinsic function variable-length records 122, 155
conversions between fixed- and example 51 variable-length tables 68
floating-point data 44 using 97 OFFSET compiler option
defining 37 description 294
editing symbols 38 multioption interaction 269
external decimal
USAGE IS DISPLAY 40
O output 354
OMITTED clause, FILE SECTION 14
o extension with cob2 254
external floating-point OMITTED LE parameters 599
object
USAGE IS DISPLAY 40 OMITTED phrase for omitting
creating 508
format conversions between fixed- arguments 414
definition of 485
and floating-point 43 ON EXCEPTION phrase
deleting 509
internal floating-point INVOKE statement 506, 518
object code
USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-1 ON SIZE ERROR
compilation and listing 239
(COMP-1) 42 with windowed date fields 569
creating 236
USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-2 OPEN operation code 637
generating 275
(COMP-2) 42 OPEN statement
producing in 80-column card 279
packed-decimal file availability 130, 158, 178
OBJECT compiler option
USAGE IS COMPUTATIONAL-3 file status key 208
description 294
(COMP-3) 42 line-sequential files 177
multioption interaction 269
QSAM files 129
object instances, definition of 485

Index 765
OPEN statement (continued) output procedure (continued) PERFORM statement (continued)
VSAM files 155 requires RETURN or RETURN INTO TEST AFTER 84
opening files statement 185 TEST BEFORE 84
line-sequential 178 restrictions 187 TIMES 84
multithreading serialization 440 using 185 UNTIL 84
QSAM 130 overflow condition 202, 213 VARYING 85
VSAM 158 overloading instance methods 498 VARYING WITH TEST AFTER 85
optimization overriding WITH TEST AFTER . . . UNTIL 84
avoid ALTER statement 580 factory methods 517 WITH TEST BEFORE . . . UNTIL 84
avoid backward branches 580 instance methods 497 performance
BINARY data items 581 AIXBLD run-time option 593
consistent data 582 and debugging 307
constant computations 580
constant data items 580
P APPLY WRITE-ONLY clause 12
arithmetic expressions 582
PACKED-DECIMAL
contained program integration 587 blocking QSAM files 127
synonym 39
duplicate computations 581 CBLPSHPOP run-time option 367
packed-decimal data item
effect of compiler options on 588 CICS environment 592
date fields, potential problems 574
effect on parameter passing 413 coding 579
description 42
effect on performance 579 coding tables 583
using efficiently 42, 582
factor expressions 580 compiler option
page
index computations 584 AWO 589
control 132
indexing 583 DYNAM 589
depth 14
nested program integration 587 FASTSRT 589
header 334
OCCURS DEPENDING ON 584 NUMPROC 45, 589
customized 334, 335
out-of-line PERFORM 580 OPTIMIZE 586, 589
paragraph
packed-decimal data items 582 RENT 589
grouping 85
performance implications 584 RMODE 589
introduction 19
procedure integration 587 SSRANGE 589
parameter list
structured programming 579 TEST 589
for ADEXIT 642
subscript computations 584 THREAD 310
for INEXIT 637
subscripting 583 TRUNC 310, 589
for LIBEXIT 640
table elements 583 data usage 581
for PRTEXIT 641
top-down programming 580 effect of compiler options on 588
main program in UNIX 388
unreachable code 587 effects of buffer size 273
parameters
unused data items 295, 337 exponentiations 582
describing in called program 413
OPTIMIZE compiler option IMS environment 377, 593
parsing
description 295 OCCURS DEPENDING ON 584
XML documents 447, 449
effect on parameter passing 413 of calls 401
passing data between programs
effect on performance 586 optimizer 586, 588
addresses 416
multioption interaction 269 planning arithmetic evaluations 581
BY CONTENT 411
performance considerations 589 programming style 579
BY REFERENCE 411
using 586 run-time considerations 367, 579
BY VALUE 411
optimizer 586, 588 table handling 584
called program 413
optional files 130, 158 tape, QSAM 128
calling program 413
ORD intrinsic function 99 variable subscript data format 62
EXTERNAL data 420
ORD-MAX intrinsic function 74, 100 VSAM file considerations 171
JNI services 528
ORD-MIN intrinsic function 100 worksheet 592
language used 413
order of evaluation period, as scope terminator 21
OMITTED arguments 414
arithmetic operators 48, 605 PGMNAME compiler option 297
options considerations 35
compiler options 269 physical
with Java 531
out-of-line PERFORM 83 block 113
password
OUTDD compiler option record 14, 113
alternate index 165
DD not allocated 31 PICTURE clause
example 165
description 296 determining symbol used 276
VSAM files 164
interaction with DISPLAY 31 numeric data 37
PASSWORD clause 164
output PL/I tasking
PATH environment variable 262, 385
coding for line-sequential files 177 POSIX run-time option 442
path name
coding for QSAM files 129 with COBOL 393
for copybook search 253, 317
coding for VSAM files 155 pointer data item
PERFORM statement
coding in CICS 360 description 33
. . .THRU 85
data set 236 incrementing addresses with 417
coding loops 83
from compiler, under z/OS 233 NULL value 416
for a table 66
to files 113 used to pass addresses 416
indexing 63
output file with cob2 254 used to process chained list 416, 417
inline 83
output procedure porting your program 38
out-of-line 83
FASTSRT option not effective 193 POSIX
performed a definite number of
calling APIs 386
times 84

766 Programming Guide

POSIX (continued) program QSAM files (continued)
threads 442 attribute codes 340 replacing records 131
POSIX run-time option compiling under UNIX 249 retrieving 136
affect on DLL search order 430 compiling under z/OS 217 striped extended-format 139
use in OO applications 263 compiling using cob2 251 tape performance 128
potential problems with date fields 574 examples 252 under z/OS
precedence decisions creating files 134, 135
arithmetic operators 48, 605 EVALUATE statement 76 DD statement for 134, 135
compiler options under z/OS 238 IF statement 75 defining 134, 135
preferred sign 45 loops 84 environment variable for 134
preinitializing PERFORM statement 84 file availability 130
with multithreading 440 switches and flags 80 job control language (JCL) 135
prelinking cataloged procedure developing for UNIX 383 updating files 131
compile, prelink, link-edit 223 diagnostics 334 writing to a printer 131
compile, prelink, link-edit, run 224 initialization code 341 QUOTE compiler option 299
compile, prelink, load, run 226 limitations 579
prelink and link-edit 226 main 394
PRESENT-VALUE intrinsic function 52
preserving original sequence in a
nesting level 335
reentrant 409
R
random numbers, generating 50
sort 191 restarting 548
RANGE intrinsic function 53, 74
priority numbers, segmentation 589 signature information bytes 343
RD parameter 548
procedure and data name cross-reference, statistics 334
READ INTO. . . 155
description 329 structure 5
READ NEXT statement 155
PROCEDURE DIVISION subprogram 394
READ statement
additional information 348 PROGRAM COLLATING SEQUENCE
line-sequential files 177
client 502 clause 8
multithreading serialization 440
description 18 program names
QSAM 129
in subprograms 415 handling of case 297
VSAM 155
instance method 496 specifying 5
reading records
RETURNING 18 program processing table 361
a block 127
signature bytes 346, 348 program termination
to line-sequential files 178
statements actions taken in main and
reading records from VSAM files
compiler-directing 20 subprogram 394
dynamically 160
conditional 19 statements 394
randomly 160
delimited scope 19 PROGRAM-ID paragraph
sequentially 160
imperative 19 coding 5
receiving field 89
terminology 18 COMMON attribute 6
record
USING 18 INITIAL attribute 6
description 13
verbs present in 346 program-name cross-reference 353
format 113
PROCEDURE DIVISION RETURNING protecting VSAM files 164
fixed-length 121, 154
methods, use of 420 PRTEXIT suboption of EXIT option 636,
format D 122, 123, 144
procedure integration 587 641
format F 121, 144
procedure-pointer data item
format S 125
entry address for entry point 407
format U 126, 144
passing parameters to callable
services 407
Q format V 122, 123, 144
QSAM files QSAM ASCII tape 144
SET procedure-pointer 407
adding records to 131 spanned 125
versus function-pointer 408
ASCII tape file 144 undefined 126
with DLLs 431
ASSIGN clause 120 variable-length 122, 123, 155
PROCESS (CBL) statement
BLOCK CONTAINS clause 127 RECORD CONTAINS clause
batch compiling 242
block size 127 FILE SECTION entry 14
conflicting options in 269
blocking enhances performance 127 RECORDING MODE clause
precedence 238
blocking records 127, 140 fixed-length records, QSAM 121
PROCESS statement 238
closing 132 QSAM files 14
processes 438
closing to prevent reopening 130 to specify record format 120
processing
DATA DIVISION entries 120 variable-length records, QSAM 122,
chained list 416, 417
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION 123
labels for QSAM files 141
entries 119 recursive calls
tables 66
input/output error processing 133, and the LINKAGE SECTION 17
using indexing 67
203 coding 407
using subscripting 66
input/output statements for 129 identifying 6
PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-DATA
label processing 141 reentrant programs 409
XML event 454
obtaining buffers for 140 reference modification
PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-TARGET
opening 130 example 94
XML event 453
processing 119 national data 93
producing XML output 471
processing files in reverse order 130 out-of-range values 93
processing HFS files 140 tables 62, 93

Index 767
reference modifier return code (continued) run-time options (continued)
arithmetic expression as 94 when control returns to operating TRAP
intrinsic function as 95 system 419 closing files in line-sequential 179
variables as 93 RETURN INTO statement 185 closing files in QSAM 132
register 15 and CICS 362 RETURN statement 185 closing files in VSAM 163
registers, affected by EXIT compiler RETURN-CODE special register ON SIZE ERROR 203
option 637 considerations for DB2 373 running OO applications
relation condition 79 not set by INVOKE 507 under UNIX 259
relative file organization 113 value after call to Language using JCL or TSO/E 263
RELEASE FROM statement Environment service 599
compared to RELEASE 184 when control returns to operating
example 184
RELEASE statement
system 419
RETURNING phrase
S
S format record 125
compared to RELEASE FROM 184 INVOKE statement 507
S-level error message 247, 328
with SORT 184 methods, use of 420
sample programs 705
REM intrinsic function 53 PROCEDURE DIVISION header 497
scope of names 406
RENT compiler option REVERSE intrinsic function 97
scope terminator
description 299 reverse order of tape files 130
aids in debugging 322
for Java interoperability 257, 261 reversing characters 97
explicit 19, 21
for OO COBOL 257, 261 REWRITE statement
implicit 21
influencing addressability 35 multithreading serialization 440
SEARCH ALL statement
multioption interaction 34 QSAM 129
binary search 72
performance considerations 589 VSAM 155
indexing 63, 71
when passing data 35 RLS parameter 170
ordered table 72
REPLACE statement 317 RMODE
search order
replacing assigned for EXIT modules 637
DLLs in the HFS 430
data items 95 description 34
SEARCH statement
records in QSAM file 131 RMODE compiler option
examples 71
records in VSAM file 162 description 300
indexing 63
REPOSITORY paragraph influencing addressability 34
nesting 71
class 490 multioption interaction 34
serial search 71
client 503 performance considerations 589
searching a table 71
coding 7 when passing data 35
searching for name declarations 406
subclass 512 Rotational Position Sensing feature 129
section
representation ROUNDED phrase 604
declarative 22
data 46 rows in tables 60
description of 18
sign 45 RRDS (relative-record data sets)
grouping 85
RERUN clause file access mode 153
segmentation 589
checkpoint/restart 198 fixed-length records 148
SELECT clause
reserved-word table organization 150, 151
ASSIGN clause 10
alternate, CICS 314, 366 performance considerations 171
naming files 10
residency mode 34 simulating variable-length
vary input-output file 11
restart records 152
SELECT OPTIONAL 130, 158
automatic 549 variable-length records 148
SELF 505
deferred 549 run time
sending field 89
routine 545 changing file-name 11
sentence 19
restarting a program 548 multithreading restrictions 443
separate digit sign 38
restrictions performance considerations 579
SEQUENCE compiler option 301, 327
CICS coding 7 run unit
sequential file organization 113
coding programs for CICS 359 description 393
sequential storage device 114
coding programs for IMS 377 role in multithreading 438
serial search 71
IMS coding 7, 362 run-time options
serialization
input/output procedures 187 affecting DATA compiler option 35
of files with multithreading 440
OO programs 485 AIXBLD 593
SERVICE LABEL statement 317
subscripting 62 ALL31 399
SET condition-name TO TRUE statement
using EXEC SQL under IMS 380 CBLPSHPOP 367
example 84, 85
resubmitting a job 551 CHECK(OFF) 589
switches and flags 81
return code COBOL 85 Standard
SET statement
compiler 247 conformance 269
for function-pointer data items 408
feedback code from Language ENVAR 263
for procedure-pointer data items 408
Environment services 599 MSGFILE 296
handling of programs name in 297
from CICS ECI 362 POSIX
setting object references 505
from DB2 373 DLL search order 430
using for debugging 323
RETURN-CODE special register 419, use in OO applications 263
setting
599 SIMVRD 152
switches and flags 81
VSAM files 209 specifying under UNIX 383
sharing
data 406, 420

768 Programming Guide

sharing (continued) SOURCE and NUMBER output, statement (continued)
with Java 531 example 335 imperative 19
files 13, 406, 421 source code implicit scope terminator 21
sharing data 17 compiler data set (z/OS) 235 nesting level 335
short listing, example 332 line number 335, 336, 340 static call statement 397
sign condition 79, 567 listing, description 331 static data areas, allocating storage 35
sign representation 45 program listing 239 static data, definition of 485
signature SOURCE compiler option 302, 331 static methods
definition of 494 SOURCE-COMPUTER paragraph 7 definition of 485
must be unique 494 SPACE compiler option 303 invoking 517
signature bytes spanned record format 125 statistics
compiler options in effect 343 spanned records 125 intrinsic functions 53
DATA DIVISION 345 special feature specification 7 stderr
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION 346 special register directing DISPLAY 31
PROCEDURE DIVISION 346, 348 ADDRESS 412 setting DISPLAY to 385
SIMVRD run-time option 152 arguments in intrinsic functions 49 stdin
SIZE compiler option 302 JNIEnvPtr 527 reading with ACCEPT 29
size of printed page, control 132 LENGTH OF 101, 412 stdout
skip a block of records 127 SORT-RETURN 192 directing DISPLAY 31
sliding century window 556 WHEN-COMPILED 102 setting DISPLAY to 385
sort XML-CODE 456 STEPLIB environment variable 251, 385
alternate collating sequence 190 XML-EVENT 456 STOP RUN statement
checkpoint/restart 198 XML-NTEXT 457 in main program 394
completion code 192 XML-TEXT 456 in subprogram 394
concepts 182 SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph with multithreading 394
controlling behavior of 195 coding 7 storage
criteria 188 QSAM files 144 device
data sets needed, z/OS 187 splitting data items 89 direct-access 114
DD statements, defining z/OS data SQL compiler option sequential 114
sets 187 description 303 management, Language Environment
description 181 multioption interaction 269 callable services 597
FASTSRT compiler option 193 restriction in OO programs 485 mapping 331
files, describing 183 using 373 use during sort 197
input procedures 184 SQL INCLUDE statement 371 STRING statement
line-sequential files 181 SQL statements example of 88
more than one 182 EXIT compiler option and 644 overflow condition 202
NOFASTSRT compiler option 195 use for DB2 services 371 using 87
output procedures 185 SQLCA 371 with DBCS data 619
pass control statements to 197 SQLCODE 373 strings
performance 193 SQLSTATE 373 Java 532
preserving original sequence 191 SQRT intrinsic function 53 manipulating 536
restrictions on input/output SSRANGE compiler option null-terminated 415
procedures 187 CHECK(OFF) run-time option 589 striped extended-format QSAM file 139
special registers 195 description 304 structured programming 580
storage use 197 performance considerations 589 structuring OO applications 524
successful 192 using 327 subclass
terminating 192 STACK run-time option definition of 510
under CICS 199 influencing data location 35 instance data 512
under z/OS 187 multioption interaction 34 subprogram
variable-length records 188 STANDALONE-DECLARATION XML and main program 394
windowed date fields 191 event 451 description 394
with multitasking 181 STANDARD clause, FD entry 14 linkage 393, 401
workspace 198 standard label format 143 common data items 413
Sort File Description (SD) entry standard label, QSAM 145 PROCEDURE DIVISION in 415
example 183 START statement termination
SORT statement multithreading serialization 440 effects 394
description 188 VSAM 155 subscript
restrictions for CICS applications 199 START-OF-CDATA-SECTION XML computations 584
under CICS 199 event 455 range checking 327
SORT-CONTROL special register 196 START-OF-DOCUMENT XML event 451 subscripting
SORT-CORE-SIZE special register 196 START-OF-ELEMENT XML event 452 example of processing a table 66
SORT-FILE-SIZE special register 196 statement index-names 63
SORT-MESSAGE special register 196 compiler-directing 20 literal 61
SORT-MODE-SIZE special register 196 conditional 19 reference modification 62
SORT-RETURN special register 192, 196 definition 19 relative 62
SORTCKPT DD statement 198 delimited scope 19 restrictions 62
explicit scope terminator 21 variable 61

Index 769
substrings table (continued) TRAP run-time option
reference modification 93 dynamically loading 64 closing line-sequential files 179
referencing table items 93 efficient coding 583, 584 closing QSAM files 132
SUM intrinsic function 74 handling 59 closing VSAM files 163
SUPER 508 identical element specifications 583 ON SIZE ERROR 203
surrogate values 110 index 62 TRUNC compiler option
switch-status condition 79 initialize 64 description 310
switches and flags intrinsic functions 73 performance considerations 589
defining 80 loading values in 64 TSO
description 80 looping through 85 ALLOCATE command 229
resetting 81 making reference 61 CALL command 229
SYMBOLIC CHARACTERS clause 10 one-dimensional 59 compiling under 229
symbolic constant 580 reference modification 62 SYSTERM for compiler messages 236
syntax errors referencing table entry substrings 93 tuning considerations, performance 588,
finding with NOCOMPILE compiler rows 60 589
option 326 searching 71 typed object references 504
SYSADATA subscripts 61
output 271 three-dimensional 60
records, exit module 642
SYSADATA data set 237
two-dimensional 60
variable-length 68
U
U format record 126
SYSADATA file TALLYING option 96
U-level error message 247, 328
example 657 tape files
UNDATE intrinsic function 571
file contents 655 performance 128
undefined record format
record descriptions 658 reverse order 130
description 126
record types 656 TERMINAL compiler option 305
layout 126
SYSDEBUG data set terminal, sending messages to 305
QSAM 144
defining 237 termination 394
requesting 126
use of 307 terminology
unfilled tracks 129
SYSIN data set VSAM 147
Unicode
defining 235 terms used in MAP output 338
description 105
description 233 test
encoding 107
user exit error message 644 conditions 84
JNI services 536
SYSJAVA data set 237 data 79
run-time support 103
SYSLIB data set numeric operand 79
using with DB2 372
defining 235 UPSI switch 79
universal object references 504
description 233 TEST AFTER 84
UNIX
when not used 638 TEST BEFORE 84
accessing environment variables 384
SYSLIB environment variable 250, 257 TEST compiler option
example 385
SYSLIN data set 236 description 306
accessing main parms 388
SYSPRINT data set for full advantage of Debug Tool 355
example 388
defining 236 multioption interaction 269
calling APIs 386
description 233 performance considerations 589
compiler environment variables 249
when not used 641 text-name environment variable 250
compiling from script 255
SYSPUNCH data set TGT memory map
compiling OO applications 257
description 233, 236 description 340
example 259
requirements for DECK compiler example 350
compiling under 249
option 279 THREAD compiler option
copybook search order 250, 253, 318
system date and the LINKAGE SECTION 17
copybooks 318
under CICS 360 description 309
developing programs 383
system dump 202 for Java interoperability 257, 261
execution environments 383
system-determined block size 127, 235 for OO COBOL 257, 261
linking OO applications 258
system-name 7 threading consideration 383
example 259
SYSTERM data set TITLE statement
preparing OO applications 258
defining 236 controlling header on listing 7
example 259
description 233 top-down programming
running OO applications 259
sending messages to 305 constructs to avoid 580
running programs 383
SYSUT data set 233 TRACK OVERFLOW option 129
setting environment variables 384
trademarks 726
example 385
transferring control
sort and merge 181
T between COBOL and non-COBOL
programs 393
specifying compiler options 250
table UNIX APIs
between COBOL programs 396, 403
assigning values 65 calling 386
called program 394
columns 59 UNKNOWN-REFERENCE-IN-
calling program 394
compare to array 33 ATTRIBUTE XML event 455
main and subprograms 394
defining 59 UNKNOWN-REFERENCE-IN-CONTENT
nested programs 404
depth 60 XML event 455
transforming COBOL data to XML 471
description 33 unreachable code 587

770 Programming Guide

UNSTRING statement verbs used in program 331 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
example 89 VERSION-INFORMATION XML (continued)
overflow condition 202 event 451 storage location for data 277
using 89 VSAM files workspace
with DBCS data 619 adding records to 162 use during sort 198
updating VSAM records 161 allocating with environment wrapper, definition of 523
UPPER-CASE intrinsic function 97 variable 169 wrapping procedure-oriented
uppercase 97 closing 163 programs 523
UPSI switches coding input/output statements 155 write a block of records 127
with multithreading 443 comparison of file organizations 148 WRITE ADVANCING statement 132
USAGE clause creating alternate indexes 167 WRITE statement
incompatible data 46 DATA DIVISION entries 154 line-sequential files 177
IS INDEX 63 deleting records from 163 multithreading serialization 440
OBJECT REFERENCE 504 dynamically loading 159 QSAM 129
USE . . . LABEL declarative 142 ENVIRONMENT DIVISION VSAM 155
USE AFTER STANDARD LABEL 145 entries 149
USE FOR DEBUGGING declaratives 324 error processing 203
USE statement 317
user label
file position indicator (CRP) 157, 160
file status key 164
X
x extension with cob2 254
exits 145 input/output error processing 164
XML declaration
QSAM 145 loading randomly 159
restriction 449
standard 143 loading records into 158
specifying encoding declaration 465
user-defined condition 79 opening 158
XML document
user-exit work area 636 performance considerations 171
accessing 449
user-label track 142 processing files 147
basic document encoding 463
USING phrase protecting with password 164
code-page-sensitive characters 464
INVOKE statement 507 reading records from 160
coded character sets 463
PROCEDURE DIVISION header 497 replacing records in 162
document encoding declaration 463
UTF-16 return codes 209
encoding 462, 480
encoding for national data 105 under z/OS
enhancing 476
UTF-8 data defining data sets 166
example 477
converting 109 file availability 165
external code page 463
for ASCII invariant characters 105 JCL 169
generating 471
processing 109 RLS mode 170
example 473
updating records 161
handling parsing errors 465
with Access Method Services 159
national language 462
V VSAM terminology
BDAM data set 147
parser 447
V format record 122, 123 parsing 449
comparison to non-VSAM terms 147
valid data example 460
ESDS for QSAM 147
numeric 46 processing 447
KSDS for ISAM 147
VALUE clause specifying code page 464
RRDS for BDAM 147
assigning table values 65 supported EBCDIC code pages 463
data description entry 65 XML declaration 449
large literals with COMP-5 42 XML event
large, with TRUNC(BIN) 311 W ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTER 453
VALUE IS NULL 416 W-level error message 247, 328 ATTRIBUTE-CHARACTERS 452
VALUE OF clause 14 WHEN phrase ATTRIBUTE-NAME 452
variable EVALUATE statement 77 ATTRIBUTE-NATIONAL-
as reference modifier 93 SEARCH statement 71 CHARACTER 453
description 23 WHEN-COMPILED intrinsic function COMMENT 452
variable-length records example 102 CONTENT-CHARACTER 454
OCCURS DEPENDING ON (ODO) versus WHEN-COMPILED special CONTENT-CHARACTERS 454
clause 584 register 102 CONTENT-NATIONAL-
QSAM 122, 123 WHEN-COMPILED special register 102 CHARACTER 454
sorting 188 windowed date fields 191 DOCUMENT-TYPE-
VSAM 148, 155 wlist file 289 DECLARATION 451
variable-length table 68 WORD compiler option 313 ENCODING-DECLARATION 451
variables, environment work data sets 233 END-OF-CDATA-SECTION 455
library-name 317 WORKING-STORAGE SECTION 15 END-OF-DOCUMENT 456
variably located data item 614 client 504 END-OF-ELEMENT 453
variably located group 614 comparison with EXCEPTION 456
VBREF compiler option LOCAL-STORAGE 15, 504 PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-
description 313 factory data 515 DATA 454
output example 355 finding location and size of 352 PROCESSING-INSTRUCTION-
using 331 instance data 492, 512 TARGET 453
verb cross-reference listing instance method 495 STANDALONE-DECLARATION 451
description 331 multithreading considerations 504 START-OF-CDATA-SECTION 455

Index 771
XML event (continued) XML-NTEXT special register (continued)
START-OF-DOCUMENT 451 using 447
START-OF-ELEMENT 452 XML-TEXT special register 456
UNKNOWN-REFERENCE-IN- using 447
ATTRIBUTE 455 XREF compiler option 314, 329
UNKNOWN-REFERENCE-IN- XREF output
CONTENT 455 data-name cross-references 352
VERSION-INFORMATION 451 program-name cross-references 353
XML events
description 447
processing 450
processing procedure 449
Y
year field expansion 558
XML exception codes
year windowing
for generating 481, 633
advantages 556
for parsing
how to control 571
handleable 625
MLE approach 556
not handleable 628
when not supported 562
XML GENERATE statement
year-last date fields 560
COUNT IN 481
YEARWINDOW compiler option
NOT ON EXCEPTION 473
description 315
ON EXCEPTION 480
effect on sort/merge 196
XML generation
counting generated characters 472
description 471
enhancing output 476 Z
example 477 z/OS
example 473 compiling under 217
handling errors 480 zero comparison 567
ignored data items 472 zoned decimal 40
overview 471 ZWB compiler option 316
XML output
encoding 480
enhancing 476
example 477
generating 471
example 473
XML PARSE statement
description 447
NOT ON EXCEPTION 465
ON EXCEPTION 465
using 449
XML parser
conformance 631
description 447
XML parsing
CCSID conflict 469
code-page conflict 469
description 449
overview 447
special registers 456
terminating 468
XML declaration 449
XML processing procedure
example 460
specifying 449
using special registers 456
writing 456
XML-CODE special register
description 456
using in generating 473
using in parsing 447
with generating exceptions 480
with parsing exceptions 465
XML-EVENT special register
description 456
using 447, 450
XML-NTEXT special register 457

772 Programming Guide

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