1 – arithmetic-expressions
An arithmetic expression can be one of the following:
1) An identifier (including function-identifier)
of a numeric elementary item
2) A numeric literal
3) Two or more of the above choices separated by arithmetic
operators (+, -, *, /, **)
4) Two or more arithmetic expressions separated by an arithmetic
operator (+, -, *, /, **)
5) An arithmetic expression enclosed in parentheses
A unary operator (a sign) can precede any arithmetic expression.
The identifiers and literals in an arithmetic expression must represent
either: (1) numeric elementary items (including functions),
or (2) numeric literals on which arithmetic can be performed.
2 – conditional_expressions
A conditional expression specifies a condition the program must evaluate to determine the path of program flow.
2.1 – abbreviated
When you combine simple or negated simple conditions in a consecutive
sequence, you can abbreviate any of the relation conditions except
the first. You can do this by either:
1) Omitting the subject of the relation condition
2) Omitting both the subject and the relational operator of the
condition
A relation condition in the consecutive sequence must contain a
subject (or subject and relational operator) that is common with the
preceding relation condition. There must be no parentheses in the
consecutive sequence.
Format -
relation-condition { { AND } [NOT] [relational-operator] object } ...
{ { OR } }
2.2 – class
The class condition tests whether the contents of an operand are
numeric or alphabetic. It also determines if an alphabetic operand
contains only uppercase or only lowercase characters or if the
operand is a class-name.
Format -
{ NUMERIC }
identifier-1 IS [ NOT ] { ALPHABETIC }
{ ALPHABETIC-LOWER }
{ ALPHABETIC-UPPER }
{ class-name }
2.2.1 – identifier-1
Identifier-1 must reference a data item whose usage is explicitly or implicitly DISPLAY. If identifier-1 is a function-identifier, it must reference an alphanumeric function.
2.2.2 – class-name
is the user-defined word for a class. It always possesses the global attribute
2.3 – combined_and_negated_combined
A combined condition results from connecting conditions with one of
the logical operators AND or OR.
Format -
condition { { AND } condition } ...
{ { OR } }
condition
can be
1) A simple condition
2) A negated simple condition
3) A combined condition
4) A negated combined condition
5) Valid combinations of the preceding conditions
2.4 – condition-name
The condition-name condition determines if a data item contains a value assigned to one of that item's condition-names. The term conditional variable refers to the data item. Condition-name refers to a level 88 entry associated with that item. Format - condition-name
2.5 – database_key_condition
Database conditions allow alternate paths of control depending on the
truth value of a test involving conditions peculiar to the database
environment. The database conditions are the tenancy, member, and
database key conditions.
The database key condition determines whether: (1) two database key
values identify the same database record, (2) a database key value
is null, or (3) a database key value is identical to any database
key value in a keeplist.
Format -
{ ALSO database-key }
database-key IS [ NOT ] { NULL }
{ WITHIN keeplist-name }
database-key
references a currency indicator or a keeplist entry in the
Sub-Schema Section.
2.6 – member_database_condition
Database conditions allow alternate paths of control depending on the truth value of a test involving conditions peculiar to the database environment. The database conditions are the tenancy, member, and database key conditions. The member condition determines whether member records are present in one or more sets. Only member record types defined in the Sub-Schema Section are considered in determining the truth value of the condition. Format - [ set-name IS ] [ NOT ] EMPTY set-name is a subschema set name.
2.7 – negated_simple
The logical operator NOT negates a simple condition. The truth value of a negated simple condition is the opposite of the simple condition's truth value. Thus, the truth value of a negated simple condition is true only if the simple condition's truth value is false. It is false only if the simple condition's truth value is true. Format - NOT simple-condition
2.8 – relation
A relation condition states a relation between two operands. The
program compares the operands to determine whether the stated
relation is true or false. The first operand is called the
condition's subject. The second operand is called its object.
Either operand can be: (1) an identifier, (2) a literal, or (3) the
value of an arithmetic expression. The set of words that specifies
the type of comparison is called the relational operator.
Format -
{IS [NOT] GREATER THAN }
{IS [NOT] > }
{IS [NOT] LESS THAN }
{identifier-1 } {IS [NOT] < } {identifier-2 }
{literal-1 } {IS [NOT] EQUAL TO } {literal-2 }
{arith-express-1} {IS [NOT] = } {arith-express-2}
{IS GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO}
{IS >= }
{IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO }
{IS <= }
2.9 – sign
The sign condition determines if the algebraic value of an arithmetic
expression is less than, greater than, or equal to zero.
Format -
{ POSITIVE }
arithmetic-expression IS [ NOT ] { NEGATIVE }
{ ZERO }
2.10 – success-failure
This condition tests the return status codes of COBOL and non-COBOL
procedures for success or failure conditions.
Format -
status-code-id IS { SUCCESS }
{ FAILURE }
status-code-id
must be a word or longword COMP integer as represented by
PIC S9(1 to 9) COMP.
2.11 – switch-status
The switch-status condition tests the "on" or "off" setting of an external logical program switch. Format - condition-name
2.12 – tenancy_database_condition
Database conditions allow alternate paths of control depending on the
truth value of a test involving conditions peculiar to the database
environment. The database conditions are the tenancy, member, and
database key conditions.
The tenancy conditions determine whether a record in the database is
an owner, or member, or a tenant in one or more sets.
Format -
{ OWNER }
[ NOT ] [ set-name ] { MEMBER }
{ TENANT }
set-name is a subschema set name.
3 – database_key_identifiers
Database key identifiers are in Record Selection Expressions.
If a database exception condition occurs during the execution of a
FETCH or FIND statement, the Database Control System (DBCS) places a
database exception condition code in the special register
DB-CONDITION. This code identifies the condition. The DBCS also
places the record name of database-record in the special register
DB-CURRENT-RECORD-NAME and its UID in DB-CURRENT-RECORD-ID.
Format 1 - Currency Indicator Access
[ { record-name } ]
CURRENT [ WITHIN { set-name } ]
[ { realm-name } ]
Format 2 - Keeplist Access
{ OFFSET integer-exp }
{ FIRST } WITHIN keeplist-name
{ LAST }
4 – declaratives
Declaratives specify procedures to be executed only when certain
conditions occur. You must write declarative procedures at the
beginning of the Procedure Division in consecutive sections. The key
word DECLARATIVES begins the declaratives part of the Procedure
Division; the pair of key words END DECLARATIVES ends it. Each of
these reserved word phrases must: (1) be on a line by itself, starting
in Area A; and (2) be followed by a separator period.
When you use declarative procedures, you must divide the remainder of
the Procedure Division into sections.
Format -
[ DECLARATIVES.
{ section-name SECTION [ segment-number ] . declarative-sentence
[ paragraph-name. [sentence] ... ] ... } ...
END DECLARATIVES. ]
5 – I-O status
If a file description entry has a FILE STATUS clause, a value is placed in the two-character FILE STATUS data item during execution of a CLOSE, DELETE, OPEN, READ, REWRITE, START, UNLOCK, or WRITE statement. Two "keys" combine to form this value. Status Key 1 occupies the leftmost character position in the item and Status Key 2 occupies the rightmost position. In combination, the keys indicate the status of the input-output operation.
6 – identifiers
In Procedure Division rules, the term identifier means the
complete specification of a data item. The term refers to
all words required to make your reference to the item
unique. To reference a data item that is a function, a
function-identifier is used.
Format 1 -
data-name [qualification] [subscripting] [reference modification]
Format 2 -
data-name [qualification] [indexing] [reference modification]
Format 3 -
FUNCTION function-name [ ({argument}...) ] [reference modification]
7 – functions
A function (synonymous with intrinsic function) is a temporary data
item that represents a value to be determined at the time the
function is referenced during the execution of a statement. The
value can be alphanumeric, numeric, or integer.
A function-identifier is a syntactically correct combination of
character strings and separators that uniquely references the data
item resulting from the evaluation of a function. Functions are
treated as elementary data items, but cannot be receiving operands. A
function-identifier that references an alphanumeric function can be
specified wherever an identifier is permitted and where a reference to
a function is not specifically prohibited by general-format rules. An
integer or numeric function can be used anywhere an arithmetic
expression can be used, subject to certain restrictions.
The general format of a function-identifier is as follows:
FUNCTION function-name [({argument}... )] [reference-modifier]
A function-name is one of the names listed below. Most function-names
are key words but not reserved words (the exceptions are LENGTH,
RANDOM, and SUM, which are reserved words, as is FUNCTION), and can
be used in a program outside the context of a function.
An argument is an identifier (including a function-identifier), a
literal an arithmetic expression, or a table that complies with the
specific rules governing the number, class, and category of arguments
for the function. The arguments in an argument list may be separated
by a comma; they are evaluated individually, from left to right.
A reference-modifier can be specified only for alphanumeric functions.
It specifies the beginning character position and optionally the
length of the resulting data item.
The functions are listed below. For a complete description of the
functions, including their formats, see the chapter on Intrinsic
Functions in the COBOL Reference Manual.
ACOS LENGTH ORD-MIN*
ANNUITY LOG PRESENT-VALUE*
ARGCOUNT LOG10 RANDOM
ASIN LOWER-CASE RANGE*
ATAN MAX* REM
CHAR MEAN* REVERSE
COS MEDIAN* SIN
CURRENT-DATE MIDRANGE* SQRT
DATE-OF-INTEGER MIN* STANDARD-DEVIATION*
DAY-OF-INTEGER MOD SUM*
FACTORIAL NUMVAL TAN
INTEGER NUMVAL-C UPPER-CASE
INTEGER-OF-DATE ORD VARIANCE*
INTEGER-OF-DAY ORD-MAX* WHEN-COMPILED
INTEGER-PART
*Functions which permit a variable number of arguments which may
include occurring items subscripted by "ALL" for one or more of
its dimensions.
In addition, five new Y2K functions are documented in the release notes:
YEAR-TO-YYYY
DATE-TO-YYYYMMDD
DAY-TO-YYYYDDD
TEST-DATE-YYYYMMDD
TEST-DAY-YYYYMMDD
8 – indexing
Indexing is a special subscripting procedure. In indexing, you use the
INDEXED BY phrase of the OCCURS clause to assign an index-name to each
table level. You then refer to a table element using the index-name as
a subscript.
Format -
{ data-name } ( { , index-name [ { + } literal-2 ] } )
{ condition-name } ( { [ { - } ] } ... )
( { , literal-1 } )
9 – phrases
9.1 – AT_END
The AT END phrase specifies the action your program takes when the AT END condition occurs. Format - AT END stment
9.2 – AT_END-OF-PAGE
The AT END-OF-PAGE phrase specifies the action your program takes when the AT END-OF-PAGE condition occurs. Format - AT END-OF-PAGE stment
9.3 – CORRESPONDING
The CORRESPONDING option allows you to specify group items as operands in order to use their corresponding subordinate items in an operation.
9.4 – FROM
Format 1 -
record-name FROM identifier
Format 2 -
FROM { keeplist-name } ...
Keeplist-name refers to a user-defined keeplist in the Sub-Schema
Section.
Record-name and identifier must not refer to the same storage area.
After statement execution ends, the data in the area referenced by
identifier is available to the program. The data is not available in
the area referenced by record-name, unless there is an applicable
SAME clause.
9.5 – INTO
The INTO phrase implicitly moves a current record from the record storage area into an identifier. Format - file-name INTO identifier
9.6 – INVALID_KEY
The INVALID KEY phrase specifies the action your program takes when an invalid key condition is detected for the file being processed. Format - INVALID KEY stment
9.7 – NOT_AT_END
The NOT AT END phrase specifies the action your program takes when the AT END condition does not occur. Format - NOT AT END stment
9.8 – NOT_AT_END-OF-PAGE
The NOT AT END-OF-PAGE phrase specifies the action your program takes when the AT END-OF-PAGE condition does not occur. Format - NOT AT END-OF-PAGE stment
9.9 – NOT_INVALID_KEY
The NOT INVALID KEY phrase specifies the action your program takes when an invalid key condition is not detected for the file being processed. Format - NOT INVALID KEY stment
9.10 – NOT ON ERROR database
The database on error exception condition occurs when the Database Control System (DBCS) encounters any database exception condition for any Data Manipulation Language (DML) statement. The NOT ON ERROR phrase in a DML statement allows the selection of an imperative statement sequence when any database exception condition does not occur. Format - NOT ON ERROR stment
9.11 – NOT_ON_EXCEPTION
The NOT ON EXCEPTION phrase allows execution of an imperative statement when an exception (or error) condition does not occur. Format - NOT ON EXCEPTION stment
9.12 – NOT_ON_OVERFLOW
The NOT ON OVERFLOW phrase allows you to specify an action for your program to take when an overflow condition does not exist. Format - NOT ON OVERFLOW stment
9.13 – NOT_ON_SIZE_ERROR
The NOT ON SIZE ERROR phrase allows you to specify an action for your program to take when a size error condition does not exist. Format - NOT ON SIZE ERROR stment
9.14 – ON ERROR database
The database on error exception condition occurs when the Database Control System (DBCS) encounters any database exception condition for any Data Manipulation Language (DML) statement. The ON ERROR phrase in a DML statement allows the selection of an imperative statement sequence when any database exception condition occurs. Format - ON ERROR stment
9.15 – ON_EXCEPTION
The ON EXCEPTION phrase allows execution of an imperative statement when an exception (or error) condition occurs. The ON EXCEPTION option of the CALL statement prevents control transfer of the CALL and triggers the execution of the imperative statement related to the CALL. The ON EXCEPTION option of the ACCEPT statement allows you to handle data entry errors when ACCEPTing into a numeric data field WITH CONVERSION. Format - ON EXCEPTION stment
9.16 – ON_OVERFLOW
The ON OVERFLOW phrase allows you to specify an action for your program to take when an overflow condition exists. Format - ON OVERFLOW stment
9.17 – ON_SIZE_ERROR
The ON SIZE ERROR phrase allows you to specify an action for your program to take when a size error condition exists. Format - ON SIZE ERROR stment
9.18 – RETAINING
The RETAINING clause specifies which currency indicators are not
updated during the execution of the CONNECT, FETCH, FIND, MODIFY,
RECONNECT, and STORE statements.
Format -
[ [ {| REALM |} ] ]
[ RETAINING [ {| RECORD |} ] CURRENCY ]
[ [ {| { SET [ set-name ] ... } |} ] ]
[ [ {| { { set-name } ... } |} ] ]
set-name is a subschema set name.
9.19 – ROUNDED
The rounding operation adds 1 to the absolute value of the low-order digit of the resultant identifier if the absolute value of the next least significant (lower-valued) digit of the intermediate data item is greater than or equal to 5. If you do not use the ROUNDED phrase, any excess low-order digits in the arithmetic result are truncated when the result is moved to the resultant identifier(s).
10 – qualification
A reference to a user-defined word is unique if:
1) no other name has the same spelling, including hyphenation,
2) it is a part of a REDEFINES clause (the reference following the
word REDEFINES is unique because of clause placement), or
3) scoping rules make it unique.
A name in a hierarchy of names can occur in more than one place in your
program. Unless you are redefining it, you must refer to this
nonunique name using one or more higher-level names in the hierarchy.
These higher-level names are called qualifiers. Using them to achieve
uniqueness of reference is called qualification.
To make your reference unique, you need not specify all available
qualifiers for a name, only the one(s) necessary to avoid ambiguity.
You cannot use the same data-name as:
1) The name of an external record and as the name of any other
external data item in any program contained within or containing
the program describing the external data record.
2) The name of an item possessing the global attribute and as the
name of any other data item in the program describing the global
data item.
10.1 – 1format_file
Format 1 -
{ { { IN } data-name-2 } ... [ { IN } file-name ] }
{ data-name-1 }{ { { OF } } [ { OF } ] }
{ condition-name }{ { IN } file-name }
{ { OF } }
10.2 – 2format_paragraph
Format 2 -
paragraph-name { IN } section-name
{ OF }
10.3 – 3format_text
Format 3 -
text-name { IN } library-name
{ OF }
10.4 – 4format LINAGE
Format 4 -
LINAGE-COUNTER { IN } file-name
{ OF }
10.5 – 5format PAGE LINE
Format 5 -
{ PAGE-COUNTER } { IN } report-name
{ LINE-COUNTER } { OF }
10.6 – 6format_report
Format 6 -
{ { IN } data-name-4 [ { IN } report-name ] }
data-name-3 { { OF } [ { OF } ] }
{ { IN } report-name }
{ { OF } }
10.7 – 7format_screens
Format 7 -
screen-name-1 { { OF } screen-name-2 } ...
{ { IN } }
10.8 – 8format RMS
Format 8 -
{ RMS-STS } { IN } file-name
{ RMS-STV } { OF }
{ RMS-FILENAME }
11 – record_selection_expressions
A record selection expression is used to select a record in the database. It can be used in a FETCH or FIND statement. The record thus selected becomes the current record of the run unit upon which subsequent statements may operate when accessing the database.
11.1 – 1format_database_key_identifier_access
This format selects a record by a database key value held by the Database Control System (DBCS) in a currency indicator or a keeplist entry. Format 1 - Database Key Identifier Access database-key-identifier
11.1.1 – database-key-identifier
identifies a record according to the rules of Database Key Identifiers.
11.2 – 2format_set_owner_access
This format selects the record that owns a set. Format 2 - Set Owner Access OWNER WITHIN set-name
11.2.1 – set-name
is a subschema set name. The Database Control System (DBCS) uses the currency indicator for set-name to choose the owner record of that set occurrence. A database exception condition occurs if set-name is a singular set (DB-CONDITION is set to DBM$_SINGTYP) or if the currency indicator for the set type is null (DB-CONDITION is set to DBM$_CSTYP_NULL).
11.3 – 3format_record_search_access
This format selects a record by its position within a collection of
records and optionally by its record type and contents.
Format 3 - Record Search Access
{ FIRST }
{ LAST }
{ NEXT }
{ PRIOR }
{ ANY }
{ DUPLICATE }
{ [ RELATIVE ] int-exp }
[record-name] [ WITHIN { realm-name } ] [ USING { rec-key } ... ]
[ { set-name } ] [ WHERE { bool-expres } ]
11.3.1 – int-exp
is an integer or arithmetic expression resulting in a longword integer value. It cannot be zero.
11.3.2 – realm-name
is a subschema realm name.
11.3.3 – record-name
is a subschema record name.
11.3.4 – set-name
is a subschema set name.
11.3.5 – rec-key
is a key data item within the subschema record occurrence. The same rec-key can appear only once in a given USING phrase.
11.3.6 – bool-expres
is a conditional expression that involves data items of the object
record. It is used to specify additional requirements of a
qualifying record.
bool-expres:
{ bool-alt [ OR bool-alt ] ... }
bool-alt:
{ simp-bool-rel [ AND simp-bool-rel ] ... }
simp-bool-rel:
{ bool-condit }
{ NOT bool-expres }
bool-condit:
{ { {[ NOT ] EQUAL TO } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] = } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] LESS THAN } } }
{ { IS {[ NOT ] < } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] GREATER THAN } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] > } } }
{ { id } { { GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO } } { id } }
{ { lit } { { >= } } { lit } }
{ { { LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO } } }
{ { { <= } } }
{ { DOES {[ NOT ] CONTAIN } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] CONTAINS } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] MATCH } } }
{ { {[ NOT ] MATCHES } } }
11.3.6.1 – bool-alt
is one or more sub-expressions (simp-bool-rel). Pairs of sub-expressions are joined by the logical operator AND.
11.3.6.2 – simp-bool-rel
is a simple-condition (bool-condit), an expression, or the negation of either.
11.3.6.3 – bool-condit
a simple-condition is a relation involving two operands joined by a relational operator. At least one operand in each relation must be an item in the record being found or fetched.
11.4 – 4format_database_key_access
This format selects the record that is referred to by the database
key value contained in the special register DB-KEY.
Format 4 - Database Key Access
DBKEY
12 – reference_modification
Reference modification defines a subset of a data item by specifying
its leftmost character and length.
Format 1 -
data-name ( leftmost-character-position : [ length ] )
Format 2 -
FUNCTION function-name [ ({argument}...) ]
( leftmost-character-position : [ length ] )
13 – segmentation
VSI COBOL programs execute in a virtual memory environment. Therefore, programs need not manage physical memory by overlaying Procedure Division code. In VSI COBOL, segmentation controls the assignment of Procedure Division sections to fixed or independent segments. The optional segment-number in the section header specifies the type of segment. Format - section-name SECTION [ segment-number ] .
13.1 – section-name
names a Procedure Division section.
13.2 – segment-number
must be an integer in the range 0 through 99. If there is no segment-number in a section header, the implied segment-number is 0.
13.3 – fixed_segments
Fixed segments appear to reside in memory at all times. A fixed segment is in its initial state the first time the program calls it. On later calls, the fixed segment is in its last-used state.
13.4 – independent_segments
The state of an independent segment depends on how and when it receives control.
14 – subscripting
Subscripts can appear only in references to individual elements in a
list, or table, of like elements that do not have individual
data-names.
Format 1 -
{ data-name } ( { arithmetic-expression } ... )
{ condition-name }
Format 2 -
{ ALL }
argument ( { integer-1 }
{ data-name [ {+|-} integer-2 ] } ... )
{ index-name [ {+|-} integer-3 ] }
In Format 2, argument is an intrinsic function argument that is
allowed to be repeated a variable number of times. Note that Format
1 may also be used for intrinsic function arguments when ALL sub-
scripts are not specified. In Format 2, when ALL is specified as a
subscript, the effect is as if each table element associated with
that subscript position were specified.