VMS Help  —  COBOL  ENVIRONMENT_DIVISION, FILE-CONTROL  clauses

1  –  ASSIGN

  The ASSIGN clause associates a file with a partial or a complete
  file specification.

  Format -

   ASSIGN TO file-spec

1.1  –  file-spec

  is a nonnumeric literal or a COBOL word formed according to the
  rules for user-defined names.  It represents a partial or complete
  file specification.

2  –  BLOCK_CONTAINS

  The BLOCK CONTAINS clause specifies the size of a physical record.

  Format -

   BLOCK CONTAINS [smallest-block TO] blocksize { RECORDS    }
                                                { CHARACTERS }

2.1  –  smallest-block

  is an integer literal.  It specifies the minimum physical record
  size.

2.2  –  blocksize

  is an integer literal.  It specifies the exact or maximum physical
  record size.

3  –  CODE-SET

  The CODE-SET clause specifies the representation of data on external
  media.

  Format -

   CODE-SET IS alphabet-name

3.1  –  alphabet-name

  is the name of a character set defined in the SPECIAL-NAMES
  paragraph.  It cannot be described with literals in the ALPHABET
  clause.

4  –  LOCK_MODE

  The LOCK MODE clause specifies a locking technique to use for a
  file. LOCK MODE is part of the X/Open COBOL standard.

  Format -

      [             { MANUAL WITH LOCK ON MULTIPLE RECORDS } ]
      [LOCK MODE IS { AUTOMATIC [WITH LOCK ON RECORD]      } ]
      [             { EXCLUSIVE                            } ]

5  –  ORGANIZATION

  The ORGANIZATION clause specifies a file's logical structure.

  Format -

                       { SEQUENTIAL      }
   [ ORGANIZATION IS ] { LINE SEQUENTIAL }
                       { RELATIVE        }
                       { INDEXED         }

6  –  PADDING_CHARACTER

  The PADDING CHARACTER clause specifies the character to be used to
  pad blocks in sequential files.

  Format -

   PADDING CHARACTER IS pad-char

6.1  –  pad-char

  is a one-character nonnumeric literal or the data-name of a
  one-character data item.  The data-name can be qualified.

7  –  RECORD_DELIMITER

  The RECORD DELIMITER clause indicates the method of determining the
  length of a variable record on the external medium.  It is for
  documentation only.

  Format -

   RECORD DELIMITER IS STANDARD-1

8  –  RESERVE

  The RESERVE clause specifies the number of input-output buffers for
  a file.

  Format -

   RESERVE reserve-num [ AREA  ]
                       [ AREAS ]

8.1  –  reserve-num

  is an integer literal from 1 through 127.  It specifies the number
  of input-output areas for the file.
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