Written by Colin Wheeler from various sources

These are notes that I have obtained from various sources on how to write the syntax of COBOL programs.  I initially wrote this  for myself but then decided to make this document public. Feel free to re-distribute this but do not alter it. If I find any errors on this page I will post the error and correct it and update the version number  which is why I wrote a version number above so you can keep track of the updates. This page was written with Mozilla Composer v1.1a(Alpha) and is generally the best browser to view this page with because Mozilla supports more web standards than Internet Explorer. If you find anywhere in this document that I have made an error please compose an e-mail to me @ cdwheeler@mac.com with the subject "COBOL Error" and copy the section of this page that has an error and paste it into the e-mail message and then write what the error is then paste the code or section again and correct it. I will attempt to correct any errors on this page as quickly as possible.  I know that i will probably make many errors but for me finding them and correcting them is more important than anything else. If you think that anything needs to be added to this guide please go to the COMING SOON page and check to see if your idea is in the works if it's not then e-mail it to me or if you think that one of my descriptions doesn't aqeately describe the code or section it's refeering to then e-mail me and let me know if there are enough people who have a problem with a section i will revise it.  Please note that this is the very first post of this webpage and it could very well have a hundred errors and will eventually expand, but for now just notify me of anything wrong with the page.

COBOL Bible v1.0.3 Coming Soon! Some of the fixes/new features are:
* Over 30 various spelling and format errors fixed!
* Fixed some various syntax errors present in the COBOL code
* Fixed the code on this page that caused some text to be disproportional in Internet Explorer (still no probs with Mozilla :-) )
* Finally started work to enhance the page for Mozilla/Netscape users (Mozilla 1.0 and above - Netscape 7.0 preview 1 and above)
* Finished Bolding all Procedure Division Statements

What's new in COBOL Bible v1.0.2 ALPHA? (Updated 12:10am Wednesday July 17)
* Completed Procedure Division Statements
* Added Evaluate Statement Syntax (was previously missing from list of commands)
* Corrected Miscelanious Errors on Page
* Corrected Font Code in HTML so the page can be viewed well on Internet Explorer

Index of COBOL Notes:

• Accept / Display
• Add
• Call
• Close
• Compute
• Delete
• Divide
• Evaluate
  
• Examine
• If ... Else ...
• If ... Else ...   If .... Else...
• If  If... Else Else
• Inspect
• Move
• Move Corresponding
• Multiply
• Open
• Perform
• Perform Until
• Perform Varying
• Perform Varying ...After
• Read
• Release
• Return
• Rewrite
• Search
• Sort
• Start
• String
• Subtract
• Transform
• Write

SELECT DISK-FILE
    ASSIGN TO 'C:\Documents and Settings\User\file.dat'
    ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.

In some cases I may show code that is like this...

CARD-FILE
   RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS

01 CARD-RECORD.
   05  CARD-CODE            PIC X(25).
   ...
   ...
   05  CARD-NAME            PIC X(15).

II. Compiler Directives
COBOL uses compiler directives to specify options that affect the way the compiler behaves, what output is produced, what code is actually compiled, and how the compiled code behaves when run. Compiler directives are set by using the "$SET" statement in a Microfocus COBOL program. Microfocus COBOL has default directives that can be overridden with the "$SET" statement. When using the "$SET" statement it should be the first statement in the program.

$SET statement in the Microfocus Environment

$SET OSVS NOFORM CHECKDIV"OSVS"

OSVS - Indicates the COBOL dialect used for compilation. The dialect will be IBM/OS/VS COBOL for most compilations unless the application is directed at a database or CICS environment.

NOFORM - Restricts the inserion of form feed characters into the program listing. Omitting NOFORM causes blank pages to be embedded in the printed program listing.

CHECKDIV"OSVS" - Causes a runtime error to occur if your program tries to divide by Zero in a statemtent  that has no "ON SIZE ERROR" clause encoded.

The VSE and OS COBOL evironment also has default directives that can be overridden or added to with a COBOL option statemtent called a "CBL" statement. It must be coded as the first source statement in a VSE or OS COBOL program.

III. SELECT Statements
Line Sequential disk file

SELECT DISK-FILE
    ASSIGN TO '/students/testdata/testfile.dat'
    ORGANIZATION IS LINE SEQUENTIAL.

SELECT DESK-FILE
    ASSIGN TO '/students/testdata/prtfile.prt'
    ORGANIZATION IS RECORD SEQUENTIAL.

SELECT DISK-FILE
    ASSIGN TO '/students/testdata/indxfile.dat'
    ORGANIZATION IS INDEXED
    ACCESS MODE IS DYNAMIC
    RECORD KEY IS INDEX-KEY
    FILE STATUS IS RESPONSE-CODE.

FD  CARD-FILE
    LABEL RECORD IS OMITTED
    DATA RECORD IS CARD-RECORD CARD-REC
    RECORD CONTAINS 80 CHARACTERS.

  01    CARD-RECORD.
        05 CARD-CODE                PIC X.
        ...                         ...
            10  CARD-HOUSE-NUM      PIC X(25).
            ...                     ...

FD  PRT-FILE
    LABEL RECORD IS OMITTED
    DATA RECORD IS PRT-RECORD
    RECORD CONTAINS 132 CHARACTERS.
  
  01  PRT-RECORD                   PIC X(132).
 

01 FLD1                    PICTURE IS X.
01 FLD2                    PIC X    USAGE IS DISPLAY.

** Note ** The PICTURE clause is normally abbreviated to PIC and the USAGE clause is normally omitted since the default usage
is DISPLAY.

01  H1.
    05                     PIC X  VALUE SPACES. (There is no name here because this part of the line is blank
    ...                    ...     ...
    ...                    ...     ...
    05                     PIC X(12) VALUE "REPORT TITLE".
**Note** The number of characters on each line must equal the amount on the printer file

01  PERSONELL-REC.
    05 PERS-NUM            PIC 999.
    05 PERS-NAME           PIC X(25).
    ...                    ...

01  EMPLOYEE-RECORD.
    05 EMPLOYEE-LNAME       PIC X(26).
    05 EMPLOYEE-FNAME       PIC X(26).
    05 EMPLOYEE-BIRTH-DATE.
       10 EMPLOYEE-BIRTH-DAY   PIC 99.
       10 EMPLOYEE-BIRTH-MON   PIC 99.
    66 EMPLOYEE-FULL-NAME RENAMES
           EMPLOYEE-LNAME THRU EMPLOYEE-FNAME.

77  IO-STATUS              PIC XX  VALUE SPACES.
77  IO-LITERAL             PIC X(29) VALUE "TOTALS FOR SECTION".

01 WOR-REC.
    05 WK-GRADE            PIC 99.
        88  K6             VALUE 1 THRU 6.
        88  MIDSCHL        VALUE 7 8.
        88  HIGH-SCHOOL    VALUE 9 THRU 12.
        88  GRADE-ERROR    VALUE 00 13 THRU 99.

All Procedure Division Statements must begin in column 12 or higher although in the new version of COBOL coming out shortly the column requirements will go away and you will have the freedom to code wherever you want.  Currently paragraph names should begin in column 8 and should be segnificant. Each paragraph must begin with the level number of the paragraph (ex "1000-MAINLINE".) If a EXIT statement is necessary it should look like such " 1000-X. EXIT." 

Procedure Division Statements:

ACCEPT WORK-DATE FROM DATE.

**Note** : "WORK-DATE" should be defined in the working storage and DATE is supplied by the operating system you are using ( Mac OS X, Windows XP, etc.) ACCEPT causes the program to 'stop' and allows you to enter data on console and will not continue with the execution of the program until the user presses the Enter key. This allows you to communicate with the terminal (user) and enter data into the program.

ACCEPT FILENAME FROM CONSOLE.

This statement will receive information into the program and places it into a data-item defined in the program. FILENAME is desined in the working storage section.

DISPLAY 'message here' UPON CONSOLE

** Note that the "UPON CONSOLE" section is not required in this statement **

DISPLAY PAGE-CTR 

(1)ADD SUB-BAL TO TOTAL-BAL.
(2)ADD SUB-BAL SLS-BAL SSLS-BAL TO TOT-BAL
(3)ADD SUB-BAL SLS-BAL SSLS-BAL GIVING TOT-BAL
(4)ADD INPUT-BAL TO TOT-BAL ROUNDED
       ON SIZE ERROR
           MOVE 0 TOT TOT-BAL
           DISPLAY 'ERROR IN ADDITION'.

(1) Adds "SUB-BAL" to "TOTAL-BAL"
(2) Adds "SUB-BAL", "SLS-BAL","SSLS-BAL" to "TOT-BAL"
(3) Adds "SUB-BAL","SLS-BAL","SSLS-BAL" using the fiield defined for "TOT-BAL"
(4) Adds "INPUT-BAL" to "TOT-BAL" rounding the number. If the field is too big  it will give an error

- 3. CALL -

CALL 'PAYCAL' USING PARM1
                    PARM2
                    PARM3.

CLOSE PRT-FILE.
      CARD-FILE.
      INPUT-FILE.

CLOSE PRT-FILE CARD-FILE INPUT-FILE.

(1)COMPUTE BALANCE=(INTRST * MBAL/SBAL)
(2)COMPUTE BALANCE=(INTRST * MBAL/SBAL) / 365.
(3)COMPUTE BALANCE ROUNDED = (INTRST * MPAY)/ INTRST
       ON SIZE ERROR
           MOVE 0 TO BALANCE
           DISPLAY 'ERROR ON COMPUTE'.

- 6 . DELETE -

DELETE TABLE-FILE.

This form of the delete statement has to follow a sucsessful read before the delete statement can be performed. If the read is not performed then the delete statement will not be performed and in an interactive COBOL program you would need to generate an error message.

- 7. DIVIDE -

(1)DIVIDE 100 INTO INT-RATE.
(2)DIVIDE MONTHS INTO INT-RATE GIVING MONTH-RATE.
(3)DIVIDE INTO-RATE BY MONTHS GIVING MONTH-RATE.

EVALUATE YEARS-IN-COLLEGE-IN
    WHEN 1    PERFORM 300-FRESHMAN-RTN
    WHEN 2    PERFORM 400-SOPHMORE-TRN
    WHEN 3    PERFORM 500-JUNIOR-RTN
    WHEN 4    PERFORM 600-SENIOR-RTN
    WHEN OTHER PERFORM 700-ERR-RTN
END EVALUATE

EXAMINE PRT-FLD REPLACING ALL ',' BY '/'.

- 9. IF... ELSE -

(1)IF RATE-CODE EQUAL 'A'
    MOVE '9' TO RATE.
(2)IF RATE-CODE EQUAL 'A'
       MOVE '9' TO RATE.
   ELSE
       MOVE '7' TO RATE.
       WRITE PRT-REC FROM D1
           AT EOP
               PERFORM 4000-HDG.
               GO TO 4000-EXIT.

10. If...Else  If...Else

IF SALES LESS 500
    COMPUTE COMMISSSION = .02 * SALES
ELSE
    IF SALES LESS 5000
         COMPUTE COMISSION = .05 * SALES
    ELSE
         COMPUTE COMISSION = .1 * SALES.

IF SALES GREATER 499.99
    IF SALES GREATER 4999.99
        COMPUTE COMISSION = .1 * SALES
        ...
    ELSE
        COMPUTE COMISSION = .05 * SALES
        ...
ELSE
    COMPUTE COMISSION = .05 * SALES

-INSPECT FLD3 TALLYING CTR1 FOR ALL ','.
-INSPECT FLD3 REPLACING ALL ',' BY '/'.

MOVE INPUT-BAL TO PRT-BAL.
MOVE ZERO TO REC-CTR LINE-CTR PAGE-CTR
MOVE ZERO TO REC-CTR
             LINE-CTR
             PAGE-CTR.

01 CURR-DATE.
    05  DD           PIC 99.
    05               PIC X.
    05  MM           PIC 99.
    05               PIC X.
    05  YY           PIC 9999.
01 SWT-DATE.
    05 YYYY          PIC 9999.
    05               PIC X.
    05 MM            PIC 99.
    05               PIC X.
    05 DD            PIC 99.

MOVE CORRESPONDING CURR-DATE TO SWT-DATE.
MOVE CORR CURR-DATE TO SWT-DATE.
**Note** If identically named field must be referenced, the group level of the field must be identified with an OF clause
ex:
MOVE DD OF CURR-DATE TO WORK-DD. 

MULTIPLY INPUT-HRS BY INPUT-RATE.

MULTIPLY INPUT-HRS BY INPUT-RATE GIVING GROSS-PAY.

MULTIPLY INPUT-HRS BY INPUT-RATE
    GIVING GROSS-PAY ROUNDED
        ON SIZE ERROR
            MOVE 'Y' TO ERROR-SWT
            DISPLAY 'ERROR ON MULTIPLY'.

OPEN INPUT CARD-FILE OUTPUT PRT-FILE ISAM-FILE.

OPEN INPUT CARD-FILE
           TAPE-FILE
           VSAM-FILE.
OPEN OUTPUT PRT-FILE.

PERFORM 2000-WRITE.

PERFORM 2000-WRITE 4 TIMES.

PERFORM 2000-WRITE THRU 2000-X.

PERFORM 2000-PRT
    UNTIL PAGE-CTR GREATER THAN 100.

PERFORM 2000-PRT THRU 2000-X.
    UNTIL MORE-CARDS EQUAL 'N'.

PERFORM 4100-READ THRU 4100-X
    UNTIL MORE-CARD EQUAL 'N'
        OR CARD-CODE EQUAL 3.

PERFORM 4100-READ THRU 4100-X
    UNTIL MORE-CARD EQUAL 'N'
        OR CARD-CODE EQUAL 3
        OR CARD-CTR GREATER 100.

PERFORM 1100-CLEAR
    VARYING SUB FROM 1 BY 1
        UNTIL SUB GREATER 100.

PERFORM 4100-PRT THRU 4100-X
    VARYING EMP-NO FROM 10 BY -1
        UNTIL LIST(EMP-NO) EQUAL 'ADAMSON'
            OR EMP-NO EQUAL 1.

PERFORM 1100-FIND THRU 1100-X
    VARYING ROW-SUB FROM 1 BY 1
        UNTIL ROW-SUB GREATER 10
    AFTER COL-SUB FROM 1 BY 1
        UNTIL COL-SUB GREATER 3
    AFTER DEPTH-SUB FROM 1 BY 1
        UNTIL DEPTH-SUB GREATER THAN 5.

READ CARD-FILE

READ CARD-FILE INTO EMP-CARD.

READ CARD-FILE INTO EMP-CARD
    AT END
        MOVE 'N' TO MORE-RECS
        GO TO 4100-X.

READ VSAM-FILE INTO EMP-CARD
    INVALID KEY
        MOVE 'Y' TO ERROR-SWT
        DISPLAY 'ERROR ON RANDOM READ'.

READ VSAM-FILE INTO EMP-CARD
    KEY IS VSAM-ALTERNATE-KEY-FIELD
        INVALID KEY
            MOVE 'Y' TO ERROR-SWT
            DISPLAY 'ERROR ON READOM READ'.

RELEASE SORT-RECORD.

RELEASE SORT-RECORD FROM CARD-RECORD.

RETURN SORT-FILE.

RETURN SORT-FILE INTO WK-RECORD.

RETURN SORT-FILE INTO WK-RECORD
    AT END
        MOVE 'N' TO MORE-SORT-RECS
        GO TO 1200-X.

REWRITE VSAM-REC.

REWRITE VSAM-REC FROM WK-REC.

REWRITE VSAM-REC FROM WK-REC
    INVALID KEY
        MOVE 'Y' TO ERROR-SWT
        DISPLAY 'ERROR ON REWRITE'.

01 GRADE-AREA.
    05  GRADE-TABLE OCCURS 25 TIMES INDEXED BY INDX.
        10  GRADE-NAME           PIC X(10).
        10  GRADE-NUM            PIC 999.

SET INDX TO 1.
SEARCH GRADE-TABLE
    AT END
        MOVE 'DONE' TO SEARCH-STATUS
    WHEN WK-NAME GREATER GRADE-NAME(INDX)
        MOVE 'FOUND' TO SEARCH-NAME-SWT.

SET INDX TO 1.
SEARCH GRADE-TABLE
    AT END
        MOVE 'DONE' TO SEARCH-STATUS
    WHEN WK-NAME GREATER GRADE-NAME(INDX)
        MOVE 'FOUND' TO SEARCH-NAME-SWT
    WHEN WK-NUM EQUAL GRADE-NUM(INDX)
        MOVE 'FOUND' TO SEARCH-NUM-SWT.

SORT SORT-FILE ASCENDING KEY SORT-SSN
                             SORT-LNAME
                             SORT-FNAME
    USING INPUT-FILE
    GIVING OUTPUT-FILE.

SORT SORT-FILE ASCENDING KEY SORT-SSN
                             SORT-LNAME
                             SORT-FNAME
            DESCENDING KEY SORT-ACT-BAL
            ASCENDING KEY SORT-TRAN-DATE
    INPUT PROCEDURE IS 4100-READ THRU 4100-X
    OUTPUT PROCEDURE IS 4200-PRT THRU 4200-X.

START VSAM-FILE
    INVALID KEY
        DISPLAY 'NO RECORD FOUND WITH MATCHING KEY'

START VSAM-FILE
    KEY GREATER THAN EMP-NAME
    INVALID KEY
        DISPLAY 'NO RECORD FOUND WITH REQUESTED KEY'.

STRING 'A' 'B' 'C' DELMITED BY SIZE
    INTO REC-FLD.

STRING FNAME DELMITED BY ' '
    SPACE DELMITED BY SIZE 
    LNAME DELMITED BY SPACE
        INTO PRT-NAME.

STRING FNAME
    MNAME
    SPACE DELMITED BY SIZE
    LNAME DELMITED BY SPACE
        INTO PRT-NAME
            WITH POINTER BEGIN-POSITION
                ON OVERFLOW
                    DISPLAY 'STRUNG TOO MUCH'.

SUBTRACT INPUT-BAL FROM TOT-BAL.

SUBTRACT INPUT-BAL INPUT-DEP INPUT-INT FROM TOT-BAL.

SUBTRACT INPUT-BAL FROM TOT-BAL ROUNDED
    ON SIZE ERROR
        MOVE 0 TO TOT-BAL
        DISPLAY 'ERROR IN SUBTRACTION'.

TRANSFORM FLD3 CHARACTERS FROM ',' TO '-'

WRITE PRT-REC
    AFTER ADVANCING 2 LINES.

WRITE PRT-REC FROM H1
    AFTER AVDANCING PAGE.

WRITE PRT-REC
    AT EOP
        PERFORM 4100-HDGS.

WRITE PRT-REC
    AFTER ADVANCING 4 LINES
        AT EOP
            PERFORM 4100-HDGS.

WRITE SEQ-DISK-REC FROM WK-REC
    INVALID KEY
        PERFORM 4300-ERR
        GO TO 2000-X.

WRITE INDX-SEQ-DISK-REC FROM WK-REC
    INVALID KEY
        PERFORM 4300-ERR
        GO TO 2000-X.