The present manual is aimed at programmers and training personnel. It is intended as a guide to the writing and maintenance of COBOL programs and as a complement to training manuals. It is neither a COBOL textbook nor a user guide.
Readers are assumed to have a sound general knowledge of programming and some basic knowledge of COBOL.
The operation of the compiler and the creation of an executable COBOL program are described in the "COBOL2000 User Guide" [1].
The manual includes all language elements which may be used when creating COBOL programs, organized according to function, format, syntax rules, general rules, and examples:
The function section offers a concise, general description of the individual language elements. If several formats are involved, the functional differences between them are explained in brief.
The format section defines the specific arrangement of character strings and separators required for a valid clause, statement, or compound structure. The occurrence of specific strings and separators and their order of appearance as shown in the format section are decisive.
The specific notation used for describing the formats is explained under the heading "General format".
Where more than one specific arrangement is permitted, the various formats are designated as "Format 1, Format 2" etc.
The syntax rules section describes the particular requirements and restrictions for a given function and offers additional explanations and application guidelines.
General rules describe the use of the language structure within the program context; that is, as a function of previous and subsequent as well as superior and subordinate structures and in conjunction with references and cross-references from other language elements which, strictly speaking, are independent of the described structure. Restrictions on the order of effects at program runtime are discussed. Generally speaking, all these considerations are concerned with those elements which do not appear directly in the format section.
Under Example you will find a concrete example of the language element that has just been described.
The structure is analogous to that used for the standard COBOL document.
Certain language elements are qualified by a colors, as follows:
Bluish green print | COBOL2000 compiler extensions to the 1985 COBOL language standard. These include:
|
Orange print | Language elements to be avoided in new programs, since they will not be supported by future COBOL standards (obsolete elements). It is advisable to remove them from old programs. |
The "Contents" table gives an overview of the general structure and organization of the manual.
The "Index" enables rapid access to desired information.
The most important terms and concepts used in this manual are defined in alphabetical order in the "Glossary".
Other manuals are referred to in the text by their abbreviated titles. The full title of each publication mentioned is given at the back of the manual under "Related publications".
The "Glossary" and "Index" sections have been excluded from the color qualification system.