This section contains definitions of the terms used to describe the COBOL language in this manual. These terms do not necessarily have the same meaning for other programming languages.
The definitions are brief summaries of basic characteristics. For detailed explanations and syntax rules consult the later chapters of this manual.
Access mode
The manner in which records are to be operated upon within a file.
Activated runtime element
A program or method that is identified in a CALL or INVOKE statement and forms a run unit with the calling division at runtime.
Activating runtime element
A program or method that contains the calling statement.
Actual decimal point
The physical representation, using either of the decimal point characters period (.) or comma (,), of the decimal point position in a data item.
Address
Addresses can apply to data or programs.
Alphabetic character
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z and space.
Alphabet-name
A user-defined name, in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the Environment Division, that assigns a name to a specific character set and/or collating sequence.
Alphanumeric character
A character represented with the EBCDIC character set, irrespective of whether it has pictorial representation.
Alphanumeric group item
Every group item with the exception of national or strongly typed group items.
Alternate record key
A key, other than the prime record key, whose contents identify a record within an indexed file.
Argument
An identifier, a literal, or an arithmetic expression that specifies a value to be used in the evaluation of a function.
Arithmetic expression
An arithmetic expression can be:
an identifier for a numeric elementary item
a numeric literal
two arithmetic expressions separated by an arithmetic operator
an arithmetic expression enclosed in parentheses.
Arithmetic operator
A single character or a fixed two-character combination which belongs to the following set:
Character | Meaning |
+ | Addition |
- | Subtraction |
* | Multiplication |
/ | Division |
** | Exponentiation |
Ascending key
A key upon the values of which data is ordered starting with the lowest value of key up to the highest value of key in accordance with the rules for comparing data items.
Assumed decimal point
A decimal point position which does not involve the existence of an actual character in a data item. The assumed decimal point has logical meaning but no physical representation.
At end condition
An at end condition may occur:
During execution of a sequential READ statement for a file.
During execution of a RETURN statement whenever there is no logical record for the sort or merge file.
During execution of a SEARCH statement whenever the search terminates before any of the WHEN conditions have been satisfied.
Binary search
A method of searching a table in ascending or descending order for a particular element. The search takes place by a process of halving the searched area. At each stage of the search, the middle element is compared to see whether it is greater than, less than, or equal to the element being sought. This process of halving and comparing continues until the checked element is identical to the element being sought.
Block
A physical unit of data that is normally composed of one or more logical records or a portion of a logical record. The size of a block has no direct relationship to the size of the file within which the block is contained or to the size of the logical record(s) that are either contained within the block or that overlap the block. The term is synonymous with physical record.
Body group
Generic name for a report group, control heading or control footing.
Character
The basic indivisible unit of the language.
Character-string
A sequence of contiguous characters which form a COBOL word, a literal, a PICTURE character-string, or a comment-entry.
Class (object-oriented)
A a set of objects with their attributes and methods, as described by the class definition.
Class condition
The class condition establishes whether the contents of a data item are
completely numeric,
completely alphabetic,
completely uppercase,
completely lowercase, or
completely made up of characters defined by means of the class-name specified in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
Class definition (object-oriented)
A compilation unit that defines a class of objects.
Class-name (object-oriented)
A user-defined word that identifies a class.
Class-name
A user-defined word specified in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and naming a character set defined by the user. The class-name is entered in the class condition for purposes of checking whether a data item consists entirely of characters from this character set.
Clause
A clause is an ordered set of consecutive COBOL character strings whose purpose is to specify an attribute of an entry.
COBOL character set
The set of characters with which the syntax of a COBOL compilation group can be written, with the exception of comments and the content of non-hexadecimal alphanumeric and non-hexadecimal national literals.
COBOL word
see "Word"
Collating sequence
The sequence in which the characters that are acceptable in a computer are ordered for purposes of sorting, merging and comparing.
Column
A character position within a print line. The columns are numbered from 1, starting at the leftmost character position of the print line and extending to the rightmost position of the print line.
Combined condition
A condition that is the result of connecting two or more conditions with the "AND" or the "OR" logical operator.
Common program
A contained program in a nested source unit, whose name is provided with the COMMON attribute. Such a program can be called by the directly superordinate program and also by any "sibling program" or its "descendants".
Compilation group
A set of compilation units that are compiled together.
Compilation unit
A source unit that is not nested within other source units (program prototype, program definition, class definition and interface definition). These units form the elements of a compilation group and can be compiled separately.
Compile time
The time taken by the compiler to compile a compilation unit.
Compiler directing statement
A statement, beginning with a compiler directing verb, that causes the compiler to take a specific action during compilation. The compiler directing statements are COPY, REPLACE and USE.
Complex condition
A condition in which one or more logical operators act upon one or more conditions.
Computer-name
A system-name that identifies the computer upon which the program is to be compiled or run.
Condition
A status of a program at run time for which a truth value can be determined. In this manual, the term "condition" (condition-1, condition-2, ...) represents either a simple condition or a combined condition consisting of the syntactically correct combination of simple conditions, logical operators, and parentheses, for which a truth value can be determined.
Condition-name
A user-defined word assigned to a specific value, set of values, or range of values, within the complete set of values that a conditional variable may possess; or the user-defined word assigned to a status of a task switch or a user switch.
Condition-name condition
Causes a conditional variable to be tested to see whether its value matches any of the values belonging to a condition-name.
Conditional expression
A simple condition or a complex condition specified in an IF, PERFORM, EVALUATE or SEARCH statement.
Conditional statement
A conditional statement specifies that the truth value of a condition is to be determined and that the subsequent action of the object program is dependent on this truth value.
Conditional variable
A data item whose value or values is or are assigned a condition name.
Conformance
for objects:
A feature that enables an object with a given interface A to also be used where an object with some other interface B is expected. The conformance between the interfaces ensures that every operation of interface B is also supported by the conforming interface A.
for parameters:
The requirements for current and corresponding formal parameters as well as returning parameters in calling and called run units.
Connective
A reserved word that is used to:
associate a data-name, paragraph-name, condition-name, or text-name with its qualifier
link two or more operands written in a series
form conditions (logical connectives); see "Logical operator"
Contiguous items
Items that are described by consecutive entries in the Data Division, and that bear a definite hierarchic relationship to each other.
Control break
A change in the value of a data item that is referenced in the CONTROL clause.
More generally, a change in the value of a data item that is used to control the hierarchical structure of a report.
Control break level
The relative position within a control hierarchy at which the most major control break occurred.
Control data item
A data item, a change in whose contents may produce a control break.
Control data-name
A data-name that appears in a CONTROL clause and refers to a control data item.
Control footing
A report group that is presented at the end of the control group of which it is a member.
Control group
A contiguous set of data assigned to a control data item within the control hierarchy.
For a given control data item, the control group consists of the entire sequence of control headings, control footings, and their associated report groups.
Control heading
A report group that is presented at the beginning of the control group of which it is a member.
Control hierarchy
A designated sequence of report subdivisions defined by the positional order of FINAL and the data-names within a CONTROL clause.
Conversion
The implicit transformation of numeric values from one format to another, or of index values into table element numbers and vice versa.
In the case of index values (binary numbers) and table element occurrence numbers, transformation occurs according to the formula:
index value = (occurrence number - 1) * length of table elementHence, conversion depends on the table used.
In cases where USAGEs vary from one numeric data item to another.
Counter
A data item used for storing numbers or number representations in a manner that permits these numbers to be increased or decreased by the value of another number, or to be changed or reset to zero or to an arbitrary positive or negative value.
Currency symbol
The character defined by the CURRENCY SIGN clause in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. If no CURRENCY SIGN clause is present in a COBOL compilation unit, the currency symbol is identical to the currency sign ($).
Current record
The record which is available in the record area of a file.
Current record pointer
A pointer that is used in the selection of the next record.
Data-address
A data address is a conceptual data unit that identifies the storage location of an item of data. A data address can be stored in a data pointer.
Data clause
A clause that appears in a data description entry in the Data Division and provides information describing a particular attribute of a data item.
Data description entry
An entry in the Data Division that is composed of a level-number followed by a data-name, if required, and then followed by a set of data clauses, as required.
Data item
A unit of data (excluding literals) defined by a COBOL program or by the rules for function evaluation.
Data-name
A user-defined word that names a data item described in a data description entry in the Data Division. When used in the general formats, "data-name" represents a word which cannot be subscripted, indexed or qualified unless specifically permitted by the rules for that format.
Data pointer
A data pointer is a data element in which a data address is stored.
Debugging line
A debugging line is any line with "D" in its indicator area (column 7 in the COBOL fixed form reference format).
Declaratives
A set of one or more sections, written at the beginning of the Procedure Division, the first of which is preceded by the key word DECLARATIVES and the last of which is followed by the key words END DECLARATIVES. A declarative is composed of a section header, followed by a USE compiler directing sentence, followed by a set of zero, one or more associated paragraphs.
Declarative sentence
A compiler-directing sentence consisting of a single USE statement terminated by the separator period.
De-editing
Ascertaining the numeric value of numeric-edited data.
Delimited scope statement
Any statement which includes its explicit scope terminator.
Delimiter
A character or a sequence of contiguous characters that identify the end of a string of characters and separates that string of characters from the following string of characters. A delimiter is not part of the string of characters that it delimits.
Descending key
A key upon the values of which data is ordered starting with the highest value of key down to the lowest value of key, in accordance with the rules for comparing data items.
Direct indexing
With direct indexing, the index used is in the form of a direct subscript.
see "Direct subscripting"
Direct subscripting
With direct subscripting, the subscript is indicated either as an integral literal or as a data-name described as a numeric elementary item with no character positions to the right of the assumed decimal point.
Division
A set of zero, one, or more sections or paragraphs, called the division body, that are formed and combined in accordance with a specific set of rules. There are four (4) divisions in a COBOL program: Identification, Environment, Data and Procedure.
Division header
A combination of words followed by a period and a space that indicates the beginning of a division. The division headers are:
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
DATA DIVISION.
PROCEDURE DIVISION [USING {dataname-1]...].
Dynamic access
The method of switching between sequential and random access. This method can be specified for relative or indexed files only.
Editing character
A single character or a fixed two-character combination belonging to the following set:
Character | Meaning |
B | Space |
0 | Zero |
+ | Plus |
- | Minus |
CR | Credit |
DB | Debit |
Z | Zero suppress |
* | Check protect |
$ | Currency sign |
, | Comma (decimal point) |
. | Period (decimal point) |
/ | Stroke (virgule, slash) |
Elementary item
A data item with no further logical subdivisions.
Element Position Vector (EPV)
A logical information unit which records which node from the tree presentation of an XML document is assigned to each data item for which an IDENTIFIED clause is specified.
End program header
An entry that indicates the end of a COBOL program. The end program header consists of the keywords END PROGRAM, followed by the program name and a terminating period.
Entry
Any descriptive set of consecutive clauses terminated by a period and written in the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION, ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, or DATA DIVISION of a COBOL compilation unit.
Exception
A situation at runtime which indicates that an error or a deviation from normal execution has occurred.
Exception condition
A triggered exception situation.
Exception name
Word which names an exception condition.
Execution time
The time at which an object program is executed.
Explicit scope terminator
A reserved word which terminates the scope of a particular Procedure Division statement.
Extend mode
The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the EXTEND phrase specified, for that file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for that file.
Extended access
A method of switching to and from sequential and random access. This access method may only be specified for indexed files.
External data item
A data item which is described as part of an external record in one or more programs of a run unit and which itself may be referenced from any program in which it is described.
External data record
A logical record which is described in one or more programs of a run unit and whose constituent data items may be referenced from any program in which they are described.
External repository
An external library containing the interface descriptions of programs, classes and other interfaces.
Factory definition
The source unit that describes a factory object.
Factory object
Every class has only one factory object, which produces all other objects of the class. The factory object is specified by the factory definition of a class.
File
A collection of records.
File clause
A clause that appears as part of any of the following Data Division entries:
File description (FD)
Sort-merge file description (SD)
Report description (RD)
File connector
The storage area which contains information about a file and is used as the linkage between a file-name and a physical file and between a file-name and its associated record area.
File description entry
An entry in the FILE SECTION of the Data Division that is composed of the level indicator FD, followed by a file-name, and then followed by a set of file clauses as required.
File name
A user-defined word that names a file described in a file description entry or a sort-merge file description entry within the FILE SECTION of the Data Division.
File organization
The permanent logical file structure established at the time that a file is created.
File position indicator
A logical unit of information which contains a positional description of the record which is to be accessed on the next READ statement. If no such record exists, the file position indicator informs you of why the record does not exist, i.e. why it is “invalid”. The file position indicator is modified only by the statements CLOSE, OPEN, READ and START.
Format
A specific arrangement of character-strings and separators within a statement or clause.
Function
A temporary data item whose value is determined by invoking a mechanism provided by the implementor at the time the function is referenced during the execution of a statement.
Global name
A name that is declared in only one program but which can be referenced by any program contained directly or indirectly in this program. Global names can be: condition-names, data-names, file-names, record-names, report-names, type-names as well as certain special registers.
Hexadecimal digit
Character from the range of values 0..9, A..F and a..f
High order end
The leftmost character of a string of characters.
I-O mode
The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the I-O specified, for that file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for that file.
I-O status
A value moved to a two-character data item to inform the COBOL program of the status of an input-output operation. This value is only moved if the FILE STATUS clause is specified in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph.
Identifier
A syntactically correct combination of character-strings and separators that names a data item, i.e. a combination of a data-name, with the appropriate qualifiers, subscripts, and reference modifiers, as required for uniqueness of reference. Identifiers of (intrinsic) functions are described separately under the term "Function-identifier".
Imperative statement
A statement that either begins with an imperative verb and specifies an unconditional action to be taken or is a conditional statement that is delimited by its explicit scope terminator (delimited scope statement). An imperative statement may consist of a sequence of imperative statements.
Implementor-name
A name taken from the following list:
CONSOLE*) | Literal |
*) = "reserved words" within the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
Index
A computer storage area or register, the contents of which represent the identification of a particular element in a table.
Index data item
A data item in which the value associated with an index-name can be stored.
Index-name
A user-defined word that names an index associated with a specific table.
Indexed data-name
An identifier that is composed of a data-name, followed by one or more index-names enclosed in parentheses.
Indexed file
A file with indexed organization.
Indexed organization
The permanent logical file structure in which each record is identified by the value of one or more keys within that record.
Indicator area
Column 7 in the COBOL reference format.
Inheritance
for classes:
A mechanism by which the interface and implementation (code) of one or more classes can be used as a basis for another class. This subclass inherits from one or more superclasses. The interface of an inheriting class conforms to the interface of the inherited classes.
for interfaces:
A mechanism by which the specification of one or more interfaces serves as the basis for another interface. An inheriting interface conforms to the inherited interface.
Initial program
A program that is in the initial state whenever it is called within a run unit.
Initial state
The state of a program when it is first called within a run unit.
Input file
A file that is opened in the input mode.
Input mode
The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the INPUT phrase specified, for that file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for that file.
Input-output file
A file that is opened in the I-O mode.
Input procedure
A set of statements that is executed each time a record is released to the sort file.
Integer
A numeric literal or a numeric data item that does not include any character positions to the right of the assumed decimal point.
Where the term "integer" appears in general formats, "integer" must be a numeric literal which is an integer, and it must be neither signed nor zero unless explicitly allowed by the rules for that format.
Integer function
A function whose category is numeric and whose return value to the right of the decimal point is always simply the digit 0 irrespectively of the value.
Interface (for method or program)
The information needed to call a method or a program, i.e., the name of the method or program, the defined order of the parameters with the associated definition and passing technique, and the returning parameter (if any) and its description.
Interface (language construct)
See interface
Interface definition
The source unit that defines an interface.
Internal data
The data that is described in a program, excluding all external data items and external files. Data-items that are defined in the LINKAGE SECTION of a program are treated as internal data.
Internal data item
A data item that is described in a program of a run unit. An internal data item can have a global name.
Internal file
A file that can only be accessed by a program of the run unit.
Invalid key condition
A condition occurring at the time of program execution when a particular value for a key of a relative or indexed file is invalid.
Key
A data item which identifies the location of one or more data items which serve to identify the ordering of data.
Key of reference
The key, either prime or alternate, currently being used to access records within an indexed file.
Key word
A reserved word or function-name whose presence is required when the format in which the word appears is used in a compilation unit.
Last exception status
The last exception status triggered in a run unit. This can also be the status "no exception status triggered".
Level indicator
Two alphabetic characters (FD, RD, SD, DB) that identify a specific type of file.
Level-numbers
A one or two digit number which, in the range 1 through 49, indicates the position of a data item in the hierarchical structure of a logical record or which, in the case of level-numbers 66, 77 and 88, identifies special properties of a data description entry.
Library-name
A user-defined word that identifies a compilation unit library, which may contain more than one COBOL text with various names.
Library-text
A sequence of character-strings and/or separators in a COBOL library.
Line
see "Report line"
Line number
An integer that denotes the vertical position of a report line on a page.
Line sequential organization
A sequential file organization derived from the X/Open standard.
Logical operator
One of the reserved words AND, OR, or NOT.
In the formation of a combined condition, AND and OR can be used as logical connectives. NOT can be used for logical negation.
Logical record
A data item at the highest level in the hierarchy (level-number 01) which does not occur in any other record.
Low order end
The rightmost character of a string of characters.
Mass storage
A storage medium on which data may be organized and maintained in both a sequential and nonsequential manner.
Mass storage file
A collection of records that is assigned to a mass storage medium.
Merge file
A collection of records to be merged by a MERGE statement. The merge file is created and can be used only by the merge function.
Method
Executable statements in the Procedure Division of a method definition.
Method definition
The source unit that defines a method.
Method-name
A user-defined word that identifies a method.
Mnemonic-name
A user-defined word that is associated in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION with a specified implementor-name.
National character
A character which is represented with the UTF-16 character set.
Native character set
In accordance with the character sets used to represent characters, there are:
EBCDIC character set for representing alphanumeric characters (in 1 byte)
UTF-16 character set for representing national characters (in 2 bytes)
Native collating sequence
In accordance with the character sets used to represent characters, there are 2 collating sequences:
alphanumeric collating sequence in 1 byte
national collating sequence in 2 bytes
In both cases the sequence is based on the binary representation of the characters.
Negated combined condition
The "NOT" logical operator immediately followed by a parenthesized combined condition.
Negated simple condition
The "NOT" logical operator immediately followed by a simple condition.
Nested source program
A COBOL program that contains other programs which in turn can contain further programs. It accordingly comprises an outer program with one or more programs contained in it.
Next executable sentence
The next sentence to which control will be transferred after execution of the current statement is complete.
Next executable statement
The next statement to which control will be transferred after execution of the current statement is complete.
Next record
The record which logically follows the current record of a file.
Noncontiguous items
Elementary data items, in the WORKING-STORAGE, LOCAL-STORAGE and LINKAGE SECTIONs, which bear no hierarchic relationship to other data items.
Non-numeric item
A alphanumeric or national data item whose description permits its contents to be composed of any combination of characters taken from the computer’s character set. Certain categories of non-numeric items may be formed from more restricted character sets.
Non-numeric literal
An alphanumeric or national literal.
Numeric character
A character that belongs to the following set of digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Numeric function
A function whose class and category are numeric.
Numeric item
A data item whose value is represented by the digits "0" through "9".
Its sign, if required, must be represented by a permitted form of "+" or "-".
Numeric literal
A literal composed of one or more numeric characters that may also contain either a decimal point, or an algebraic sign, or both. The decimal point must not be the rightmost character. The algebraic sign, if present, must be the leftmost character.
Object
An object is defined by a class and consists of a combination of data and methods that act upon that data.
Object definition
The source unit that defines an object.
Object program
The result in machine language of the compilation of a COBOL compilation unit and a linkage run.
Object reference
An implicitly or explicitly defined data item that contains a unique reference to an object.
Object time
The time at which an object program is executed.
Object view
An object view causes the compiler to treat an object reference as if it were defined in the specified form.
Open mode
The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement for that file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for that file.
The precise open mode is specified in the OPEN statement either with INPUT, OUTPUT, I-O or EXTEND.
Operand
In general, an operand may be defined as "that entity which is operated upon". However, in this publication, any lowercase word (or words) that appears in an entry, paragraph, clause or statement format may be considered an operand.
Operational sign
An algebraic sign, associated with a numeric data item or a numeric literal, to indicate whether its value is positive or negative.
Optional file
A file which is declared as being not necessarily present each time the object program is executed. The object program causes an interrogation for the presence or absence of the file.
Optional word
A reserved word that is included in a specific format only to improve the readability of the language and whose presence is optional to the user when the format in which the word appears is used in a compilation unit.
Output file
A file that is opened in either the output mode or extend mode.
Output mode
The state of a file after execution of an OPEN statement, with the OUTPUT or EXTEND phrase specified, for that file and before the execution of a CLOSE statement for that file.
Output procedure
A set of statements to which control is given during execution of a SORT statement after the sort function is completed, or during execution of a MERGE statement after the merge function has selected the next record in merged order.
Padding character
An alphanumeric character used to fill the unused character positions of a physical record.
Page
A vertical division of a report representing a physical separation of report data, the separation being based on internal reporting requirements and/or external characteristics of the reporting medium.
Page body
That part of the logical page in which lines can be written and/or spaced.
Page footing
A report group that is presented at the end of a report page and is output prior to a page advance whenever this is caused by a page advance condition.
Page heading
A report group that is presented at the beginning of a report page and is output immediately after page advance whenever this is caused by a page advance condition.
Paragraph
In the PROCEDURE DIVISION: a paragraph-name followed by a period and a space and by zero, one or more sentences.
In the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION and ENVIRONMENT DIVISION: a paragraph header followed by zero, one, or more entries.
Paragraph header
A reserved word placed above the paragraphs in the Identification and Environment Divisions for identification purposes.
The permissible paragraph headers are:
In the IDENTIFICATION DIVISION: CLASS-ID. | In the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION: SOURCE-COMPUTER. |
Paragraph-name
A user-defined word that identifies a paragraph in the Procedure Division.
Phrase
A phrase is an ordered set of one or more consecutive COBOL character-strings that form a portion of a COBOL procedural statement or of a COBOL clause.
Physical record
see "Block"
Pointer
Pointers can point to data or programs.
Predefined object reference
An implicitly-generated data item referenced by one of the identifiers NULL, SELF, or SUPER.
Prime record key
A key whose contents uniquely identify a record within an indexed file.
Printable group
A report group that contains at least one print line.
Printable item
A data item, the extent and contents of which are specified by an elementary report entry. This elementary report entry contains a COLUMN NUMBER clause, a PICTURE clause, and a SOURCE, SUM or VALUE clause.
Procedure
A paragraph or group of logically successive paragraphs, or a section or group of logically successive sections, within the Procedure Division.
Procedure name
A user-defined word which is used to name a paragraph or section in the Procedure Division. It consists of a paragraph-name (which may be qualified) or a section-name.
Program address
A program address identifies the storage location of a program. A program address can be stored in a program pointer.
Program identification area
Columns 73 through 80 in the COBOL fixed form reference format.
Program-name
A user-defined word that identifies a COBOL program.
Program-pointer
A program pointer is a data element in which the address of a program can be stored.
Program-text area
Columns 8 through 72 (inclusive) in the COBOL fixed form reference format.
Prototype
The definition of the interface of a method or program alone, i.e., without executablestatements and only with definitions that are needed in the interface.
Pseudo-text
A sequence of text words, comment lines, or the separator space in a compilation unit or COBOL library bounded by, but not including, pseudo-text delimiters.
Pseudo-text delimiter
Two contiguous equal sign (==) characters used to delimit pseudo-text.
Punctuation character
A character that belongs to the following set:
Character | Meaning |
, | Comma |
; | Semicolon |
. | Period |
: | Colon |
" | Quotation mark |
’ | Apostrophe |
( | Left parenthesis |
) | Right parenthesis |
'BLANK' | Space |
= | Equal sign |
Qualified data-name
An identifier that is composed of a data-name followed by one or more sets of either of the connectives OF and IN followed by a data-name qualifier.
Qualifier
A data-name used in a reference together with another data-name at a lower level in the same hierarchy.
A section-name used in a reference together with a paragraph-name specified in that section.
A library-name used in a reference together with a text-name associated with that library.
Raising of an exception condition
Transition of an exception situation into an exception condition:
a check of the exception situation activated by the TURN directive.
execution of a RAISE statement for this exception situation.
Random access
An access mode in which the program-specified value of a key data item identifies the logical record that is obtained from, deleted from, or placed into a relative or indexed file.
Record
see "Logical record"
Record area
A storage area allocated for the purpose of processing the record described in a record description entry in the FILE SECTION.
Record description entry
The total set of data description entries associated with a particular record.
Record key
A key, either the prime record key or an alternate record key, whose contents identify a record within an indexed file.
Record name
A user-defined word that names a record described in a record description entry in the Data Division.
Record number
The ordinal number of a record in the file whose organization is sequential.
Reference format
Standard method for describing the two possible statement formats in a COBOL compilation unit, namely fixed form reference format and free form reference format, fixed form reference format corresponding to the traditional COBOL reference format.
Reference modification
Definition of a data item through specification of the leftmost character position and the length of the data item.
Reference-modifier
A syntactically correct combination of character-strings and separators that defines a unique data item. Reference modifiers consist of a delimiting left parenthesis separator, the leftmost character position at which the data item begins, a colon separator, the length of the data item, and a delimiting right parenthesis separator.
Relation
see "Relational operator"
Relation character
A character that belongs to the following set:
Character | Meaning |
> | Greater than |
< | Less than |
= | Equal to |
>= | Greater than or equal to |
<= | Less than or equal to |
Relation condition
A condition which can yield a truth value. A relation condition causes two operands to be compared. Either of these operands may be an identifier, a literal, or an arithmetic expression.
Relational operator
A reserved word, a relation character, a group of consecutive reserved words, or a group of consecutive reserved words and relation characters used in the construction of a relation condition. The permissible operators and their meaning are:
Character | Meaning |
IS [NOT] GREATER THAN | Greater than or not greater than |
IS [NOT] LESS THAN | Less than or not less than |
IS [NOT] EQUAL TO | Equal to or not equal to |
IS GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO | Greater than or equal to |
IS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO | Less than or equal to |
Relative file
A file with relative organization.
Relative indexing
With relative indexing, the name of the table element is followed by an index in the form (index name +|- integer).
Relative key
A key whose contents identify a logical record in a relative file.
Relative organization
The permanent logical file structure in which each record is uniquely identified by an integer value greater than zero, which specifies the record’s logical ordinal position in the file.
Relative record number
The ordinal number of a record in a file whose organization is relative. This number is treated as a numeric literal which is an integer.
Relative subscripting
With relative subscripting, the name of the table element is followed by a subscript in the form
(data-name + integer) or
(data-name - integer).
Report clause
A clause, in the REPORT SECTION of the Data Division, that appears in a report
description entry or a report group description entry.
Report description entry
An entry in the REPORT SECTION of the Data Division that is composed of the level indicator RD, followed by a report name, followed by a set of report clauses as required.
Report file
An output file whose file description entry contains a report clause. The contents of a report file consist of records that are written under control of the Report Writer Control System.
Report footing
A report group that is presented only at the end of a report.
Report group
In the REPORT SECTION of the Data Division, a 01-level entry and its subordinate entries.
Report group description entry
An entry in the REPORT SECTION of the Data Division that is composed of the
level-number 01, the optional data-name, a TYPE clause, and an optional set of report clauses.
Report heading
A report group that is presented only at the beginning of a report.
Report line
A division of a page representing one row of horizontal character positions.
Report-name
A user-defined word that names a report described in a report description entry within the REPORT SECTION of the Data Division.
Report Writer logical record
A record that consists of the Report Writer print line and associated control information necessary for its selection and vertical positioning.
Reserved word
A COBOL word which is specified in the list of reserved words and which may be used in the COBOL compilation unit in accordance with the formats and rules, but which must not appear in the programs as user-defined words or system names.
Restricted data pointer
A data pointer which is restricted to data of a particular type.
Run unit
A specific set of object programs that function as a unit at execution time.
Section
A section comprises a set of paragraphs or clauses. The contents are preceded by a section header. A section can be empty or contain one or more paragraphs.
Section header
A combination of words followed by a period and a space that indicates the beginning of a section in the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, DATA DIVISION and PROCEDURE DIVISION. In the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION and DATA DIVISION, a section header is composed of reserved words followed by a period and a space.
The permissible section headers are:
In the Environment Division:
CONFIGURATION SECTION. INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
In the Data Division:
FILE SECTION. WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION LINKAGE SECTION. REPORT SECTION. SUB-SCHEMA SECTION.
In the Procedure Division, a section header is composed of a section-name, followed by the reserved word SECTION, followed by a segment-number (optional), followed by a period and a space.
Section-name
A user-defined word which names a section in the PROCEDURE DIVISION.
Segment-number
A user-defined word which classifies sections in the Procedure Division for purposes of segmentation. Segment-numbers may contain only the characters "0", "1", ..., "9". A segment-number may be expressed either as a one or two digit number.
Sentence
A sequence of one or more statements, the last of which is terminated by a period followed by a space.
Separator
A character used to separate character-strings.
Sequence number area
Columns 1 through 6 in the COBOL fixed form reference format.
Sequential access
An access mode in which logical records are obtained from or placed into a file in a consecutive predecessor-to-successor sequence determined by the order of records in the file.
Sequential file
A file with sequential organization.
Sequential organization
A permanent logical file structure in which the records are arranged and read in the same order in which they were created.
Sign condition
The proposition, for which a truth value can be determined, that the algebraic value of a data item or an arithmetic expression is either less than, greater than, or equal to zero.
Simple condition
Any single condition chosen from the set:
Relation condition
Class condition
Condition-name condition
Switch-status condition
Sign condition
Sort file
A collection of records to be sorted by a SORT statement.
The sort file is created and can be used by the sort function only.
Sort-merge file description entry
An entry in the FILE SECTION of the Data Division that is composed of the level indicator SD, followed by a file-name, and then followed by a set of file clauses as required.
Source unit
A sequence of statements that begins with an Identification Division and ends with an associated END entry (may be nested, see also “Compilation unit”).
Special character
A character that belongs to the following set:
Character | Meaning | Character | Meaning |
+ | Plus sign | . | Period (decimal point) |
- | Minus sign | : | Colon |
* | Asterisk | " | Quotation mark |
/ | Stroke (virgule, slash) | ’ | Apostrophe |
= | Equal sign | ( | Left parenthesis |
$ | Currency sign | ) | Right parenthesis |
, | Comma (decimal point) | > | Greater than symbol |
; | Semicolon | < | Less than symbol |
Special-character word
A reserved word which is an arithmetic operator or a relation character.
Special registers
Compiler generated storage areas whose primary use is to store information produced in conjunction with the use of specific COBOL features.
Statement
A syntactically valid combination of words and symbols written in the Procedure Division beginning with a verb.
Strongly typed
The word STRONG is specified in the definition of the associated type.
Subclass
A class that inherits from another class.
Subprogram
A runtime element invoked by a CALL statement.
Subscript
An integer, a data-name or an arithmetic expression whose value identifies a particular element in a table or one of the data items subordinate to this element.
A subscript may be the word ALL when the subscripted identifier is used as a function argument.
Subscripted data-name
An identifier that is composed of a data-name followed by one or more subscripts enclosed in parentheses.
Sum counter
A signed numeric data item established by a SUM clause in the REPORT SECTION of the Data Division. The sum counter is used by the Report Writer in connection with summing operations.
Superclass
A class that is inherited by another class.
Switch-status condition
A condition which indicates whether a user or task switch has been set to "on" or "off". The test is positive if the status of the switch corresponds to the setting given in the condition-name.
Symbolic character
A user-defined word indicating a figurative constant defined by the user.
System name
A COBOL word which is used to communicate with the operating system.
Table
A set of logically consecutive items of data that are defined in the Data Division by means of the OCCURS clause.
Table element
A data item that belongs to the set of repeated items comprising a table.
Text name
A user-defined word which identifies library text.
Text-word
A character or sequence of contiguous characters in the program text area in a COPY library or in a compilation unit. Any of the following are text-words:
Separators, except for: space, pseudo-text delimiters, and the opening and closing literal delimiters. The colon and the opening or closing parenthesis are always treated as separators when used outside alphanumeric or national literals.
Alphanumeric and national literals including their literal delimiters.
Any other sequence of characters delimited by separators, except comments and the word "COPY".
Truth value
The representation of the result of the evaluation of a condition in terms of one of two values, "true" or "false".
Type
A pattern which contains all characteristics of the data description entry and its subordinate data items.
Type name
A user-defined name identifying a type that is described in the data description entry of the DATA DIVISION.
Unary operator
A plus (+) or a minus (-) sign, which precedes a variable or a left parenthesis in an arithmetic expression and which has the effect of multiplying the expression by +1 or -1 respectively.
User-defined word
A COBOL word that must be supplied by the user to satisfy the format of a clause or statement.
Variable
A data item whose value may be changed during execution of the object program. A variable used in an arithmetic expression must be a numeric elementary item.
Verb
A COBOL word that causes an action to be taken by the COBOL compiler and the object program.
Word
A character-string of not more than 31 characters which forms a user-defined word, a system-name, a reserved word, or a function-name.
XML file
A file or a memory area which contains an XML document
Zero-length item
A data item whose minimum permitted length is 0 and whose length at runtime is 0.