Nassau Community College: Nancy Stern Hofstra University Robert A. Stern

Structured COBOL
Programming
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Nancy Stern reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond

that permitted in Section 117 of the 1976 United States
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Nassau Community
College 9th Edition
PowerPoint Presentation:
Richard H. Baum, Ph.D.
DeVry Institute of Technology
CHAPTER 4
Coding Complete COBOL
Programs
A Closer Look at the
PROCEDURE DIVISION
and the PERFORM
Statement
OBJECTIVES
• To familiarize you with the

methods used to:
1. Access input and output files.
2. Read data from an input file.
3. Perform simple move
operations.
Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

ition
OBJECTIVES
4. Write information onto an
output file.
5. Accomplish end-of-job
operations.
6. Execute paragraphs from a main
module and then return control to
that main module.

ition
CONTENTS
• A REVIEW OF THE FIRST THREE DIVISIONS
• THE FORMAT OF THE PROCEDURE
DIVISION
– Paragraphs that Serve as Modules
– Statements within Paragraphs
– The Sequence of Instructions in a Program
– The Top-Down Approach for Coding Paragraphs

ition
CONTENTS
• STATEMENTS TYPICALLY CODED IN
THE MAIN MODULE OF BATCH
PROGRAMS:
OPEN Statement
• PERFORM UNTIL ... END-PERFORM

Statement:
A Structured Programming Technique

ition
CONTENTS
• READ Statement
• More on PERFORM Statements
• End-of-Job Processing:
– The CLOSE and STOP RUN Statements

ition
CONTENTS
• STATEMENTS TYPICALLY CODED FOR
PROCESSING INPUT RECORDS AND
PRODUCING OUTPUT RECORDS
Simplified MOVE Statement
WRITE Statement
• Looking Ahead
• Review of Comments in COBOL
• Year 2000-Compliant Date Fields

ition
A REVIEW OF THE FIRST
THREE DIVISIONS
• The IDENTIFICATION and ENVIRONMENT
DIVISIONs supply information about the
nature of the program and the specific
equipment and files.
• The FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION
defines the input and output records.

ition
A REVIEW OF THE FIRST
THREE DIVISIONS
• The WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of the
DATA DIVISION is used for defining any
areas not part of input and output files.
• The instructions in the PROCEDURE
DIVISION read and process the data and
produce the output information.

ition
THE FORMAT OF THE
PROCEDURE DIVISION
PARAGRAPHS THAT SERVE AS MODULES
• The PROCEDURE DIVISION is divided into
paragraphs.
• Each paragraph is an independent
module or routine that includes a series of
instructions designed to perform a
specific set of operations.

ition
THE FORMAT OF THE
PROCEDURE DIVISION
• Paragraph-names, like the PROCEDURE
DIVISION entry itself, are coded in Area
A.
– All other entries in the PROCEDURE
DIVISION are coded in Area B.
• Paragraph-names, like the PROCEDURE

DIVISION entry, end with a period.

ition
THE FORMAT OF THE
PROCEDURE DIVISION
PARAGRAPHS THAT SERVE AS MODULES
• Rules for forming paragraph-names are the
same as rules for forming data-names except
that a paragraph-name may have all digits.
• Paragraph-names must be unique, meaning
that two paragraphs may not have the same
name.
• Similarly, a data-name cannot also serve as a
paragraph-name.

ition
Paragraphs That Serve as Modules
• We will use descriptive paragraph-names

along with a numeric prefix such as 200-
PROCESS-RTN to identify the type of
paragraph.
• A paragraph with a prefix of 200- is
located after paragraph 100--XXX and
before paragraph 300-- YYY.

ition
Statements within Paragraphs
• Each paragraph in a COBOL program
consists of statements, where a statement
begins with a verb such as READ, MOVE, or
WRITE, or a condition such as IF A = B ....
• As noted, all COBOL statements are coded
in Area B whereas paragraph-names are
coded in Area A.
– Statements that end with a period are called
sentences.

ition
Statements within Paragraphs
• With COBOL 85 only the last statement in a

paragraph ends with a period.
– With COBOL 74, each statement typically ends
with a period.
• Although statements can be written across

the coding sheet in paragraph form, we
recommend that each statement be coded on
an individual line.
– This makes programs much easier to read and
debug.

ition
THE SEQUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONS IN
A PROGRAM
• Instructions are typically executed in
sequence unless a PERFORM statement is
encountered.
• A PERFORM UNTIL ... END-PERFORM is a loop
that repeatedly executes the included
statements until the condition specified in the
UNTIL clause is met.
• A PERFORM paragraph-name is an instruction
that temporarily transfers control to another
paragraph.

ition
The Top-Down Approach for Coding
Paragraphs
• Well-designed programs are written using

a top-down approach.
• This means that the main module is coded
first
– subsequent modules are coded from the major
level to the detail level.
• Endeavor to code the more general

paragraphs first and end with the most
detailed ones.
ition
STATEMENTS TYPICALLY
CODED IN THE MAIN
MODULE OF BATCH
PROGRAMS

ition
OPEN Statement
• The OPEN statement accesses the

files in a program and indicates
which are input and which are
output. It has the following
instruction format:
• Format
OPEN INPUT file-name-1 . . .
OUTPUT file-name-2 . . .

ition
OPEN STATEMENT
• A REVIEW OF INSTRUCTION FORMAT
SPECIFICATIONS
1. Uppercase words are COBOL reserved
words.
2. Underlined words are required in the
statement or option specified.
3. Lowercase entries are user-defined
words.
4. Braces { } denote that one of the
enclosed items is required.

ition
OPEN STATEMENT
• A REVIEW OF INSTRUCTION FORMAT
SPECIFICATIONS
5. Brackets [ ] denote that the enclosed
item is optional.
6. Punctuation, when included in the
format, is required.
7. The use of three dots or ellipses (. . .)
indicates that additional entries of the
same type (a file-name in this case) may
be repeated if desired.

ition
OPEN STATEMENT
• FUNCTIONS OF THE OPEN STATEMENT

1. Indicates which files will be input and
which will be output.
2. Makes the files available for processing.
3. Performs header label routines if label
records are STANDARD.

ition
OPEN STATEMENT
DEBUGGING TIPS: CODING GUIDELINES

2. Indent each line within an OPEN
sentence.
– This makes a program more readable.
• For the OPEN sentence, we typically

indent so that the words INPUT and
OUTPUT are aligned. For other entries
we indent four spaces.
ition
OPEN STATEMENT

AN EXAMPLE:
OPEN INPUT OLD-MASTER-IN

TRANS-FILE
OUTPUT NEW-MASTER-OUT
ERROR-LIST.
ition
OPEN STATEMENT

• For output disk files, the ASSIGN clause
of a SELECT statement often specifies the
name the file is to be saved as:
SELECT SALES-FILE ASSIGN TO DISK
“DATA100”.

ition
PERFORM UNTIL . . . END-PERFORM
Statement: A Structured
Programming Technique
• The basic instruction format of the PERFORM
UNTIL ... END- PERFORM statement is as
follows:
PERFORM
UNTIL condition-1
.
.
.
[END-PERFORM]* COBOL 85 only

ition
READ Statement
• Typically, after an input file has been

opened, the PERFORM ... END-PERFORM
loop, which begins with a READ, is
executed.
• A READ statement transmits data from
the input device, assigned in the
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, to the input
storage area, defined in the FILE
SECTION of the DATA DIVISION.
ition
READ Statement
• The following is a partial instruction
format for a READ statement:
Format
READ file-name-1
AT END statement-1 . . .
[NOT AT END statement-2 . . .]
[END-READ]* COBOL 85 ONLY

ition
READ Statement
• The file-name specified in the READ
statement appears in three previous
places in the program:
1. The SELECT statement, indicating the file-
name and the device or implementor-name
assigned to the file.
• If a file is stored on a disk, for example, a
READ operation transmits data from the disk to
the input area.
2. The FD entry, describing the file and its
format.

ition
READ Statement
3. The OPEN statement, accessing the file
and activating the device.
• The primary function of the READ

statement is to transmit one data
record to the input area reserved for
that file.
– Each time a READ statement is executed,
one record is read into primary storage -
not the entire file.
ition
DEBUGGING TIP
• Code the AT END and NOT AT END

clause on separate lines and indent
them for readability.
– If an error occurs, you will be able to
more easily identify the problem
because the line number of the error is
specified.

ition
QUESTIONS?

ition
SELF-TEST
1. The PROCEDURE DIVISION is

divided into ______ each of which
contains ______ .
Solution: modules, routines or

paragraphs; sentences or
instructions or statements
ition
SELF-TEST
2. Statements are executed in the

order ______ unless a ______
occurs.
Solution: in which they appear;

PERFORM
ition
SELF-TEST
3. Before a file may be read, it must be

________ .
Solution: opened
ition
SELF-TEST
4. The PERFORM UNTIL (condition) ...

END- PERFORM executes _____ .
When the condition specified is met,
control returns to the _______ .
Solution: all the instructions within
the PERFORM ... END-PERFORM
loop; statement directly following
the PERFORM ... END-PERFORM loop
ition
SELF-TEST
5. In the statement PERFORM . . . UNTIL
EOF = 1, EOF should be initialized at
_____ .
Write the required WORKING-STORAGE
entries for defining and initializing EOF.
Solution: 0 --- Actually any other value

but 1: WORKING-
STORAGE SECTION.
01 WS-STORED-AREAS.
05 EOF PIC 9 VALUE 0.
ition
SELF-TEST
6. In a COBOL 85 PERFORM UNTIL . . .

END-PERFORM in-line main
processing loop, the first instruction
within the loop is typically a _____
statement.
Solution: READ
ition
SELF-TEST
7. The basic format for a READ within a

PERFORM UNTIL loop for COBOL 85 is
_____ .
Solution: READ . . .
AT END . . .
NOT AT END . . .
END-READ.
ition
SELF-TEST
8. The NOT AT END clause of a READ

statement in COBOL 85 is executed
when _____ .
Solution: a record has been

successfully read
ition
SELF-TEST
9. Typically the NOT AT END clause in

COBOL 85 includes a _____
statement.
Solution: PERFORM

ition
SELF-TEST
10. In COBOL 85, END-PERFORM and

END-READ are called _____ because
they terminate the range of the
PERFORM and READ statements,
respectively.
Solution: scope terminators

ition
End-of-Job Processing: The CLOSE
and STOP RUN Statements
The CLOSE Statement

• Files must be accessed or activated by an
OPEN statement before data may be read
or written.
• Similarly, a CLOSE statement is coded at
the end of the job after all records have
been processed to release these files and
deactivate the devices.
ition
The format of the CLOSE is:

CLOSE file-name-1 . . .

ition
The STOP RUN Statement

• The STOP RUN instruction tells the
computer to terminate the program.
• All programs should include a STOP RUN
statement to end the run.
• The STOP RUN is usually the last
instruction in the main module.

ition
STATEMENTS TYPICALLY
CODED FOR PROCESSING
INPUT RECORDS AND
PRODUCING OUTPUT
RECORDS

ition
Simplified MOVE Statement
• A simple MOVE statement has the
following basic instruction format:
MOVE identifier-1 TO identifier-2
• Fields in main memory may be moved to
other fields with the use of the MOVE
instruction.
• The word ``identifier'' means ``data-
name''.
ition
WRITE Statement
• The WRITE instruction takes data in the
output area defined in the DATA
DIVISION and transmits it to the device
specified in the ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION.
• A simple WRITE statement has the
following format:
WRITE record-name-1

ition
WRITE Statement
Format
WRITE record-name-1
• Note that although files are read, we write

records.
– The record-name appears on the 01 level and is
generally subdivided into fields. The record
description specifies the format of the output.
• With each WRITE instruction, we tell the

computer to write data that is in the output
area.

ition
LOOKING AHEAD: AN
INTRODUCTION TO
ARITHMETIC and
CONDITIONAL verbs

ition
The four basic arithmetic verbs have
the following simple formats::
ADD {identifier-1} {literal-1} TO

identifier-2
SUBTRACT {identifier-1} {literal-1}
FROM identifier-2
MULTIPLY {identifier-1} {literal-1}
BY identifier-2
DIVIDE {identifier-1} {literal-1}
INTO identifier-2
ition
The basic instruction format for a
conditional IF is as follows:
Format
IF condition-1
[THEN] imperative-statement-1. . .
[ELSE
imperative-statement-2 . . .]
[END-IF]
*Note that the ELSE clause is optional.
Numerous statements can follow each IF or
ELSE clause.

ition
The simple conditions that can be
tested are as follows:
(identifier-1)
= (or IS EQUAL TO) identifier-2
< (or IS LESS THAN) literal-1
> (or IS GREATER THAN)

ition
REVIEW OF COMMENTS
IN COBOL

ition
COMMENTS IN COBOL
• An asterisk (*) in column 7 (the

continuation position) of any line
makes the entire line a comment
• Use comments freely to make your
program user-friendly and easier to
understand.

ition
Coding Guidelines for PROCEDURE
DIVISION Entries
1. Each clause should be on a separate line

indented for readability. For example:
READ ...
AT END ...
NOT AT END ...
END-READ.

ition
Coding Guidelines for PROCEDURE
DIVISION Entries
2. Each paragraph-name should begin with

a sequence number that helps to pinpoint
the location of the paragraph:
a descriptive name should follow this number
(e.g., 100-MAIN-MODULE, 200-CALC-RTN).
3. The last statement in a paragraph should

always end with a period.

ition
COBOL 2000+ CHANGES
• You will be able to code comments
on a line, even those with
instructions:
*> will be used to add a comment to a
line.
– After *> appears, characters to the end
of the line will not be compiled.

ition
YEAR 2000-COMPLIANT DATE
FIELDS
• Older, legacy programs, using only two-
digit for the year, will no longer
accurately depict the date beginning in
the year 2000.
• Problems associated with dates after this
are referred to as the Year 2000 Problem
or Y2K Problem.

ition
YEAR 2000-COMPLIANT DATE
FIELDS
• Fixes for the Y2K problem are not
all that difficult:
– They are just costly and time-
consuming.
• In addition to program source

changes, all files on which they
operate will also need to be
modified.
ition
CHAPTER SLIDES END HERE
CHAPTER SUMMARY COMES NEXT

ition
CHAPTER SUMMARY
• Most programs illustrated or

assigned as homework in this text
will use the following structure
(lowercase entries are user-defined
names):

ition
CHAPTER SUMMARY
COBOL 85 PROCEDURE
DIVISION. paragraph-name-1.
OPEN INPUT file-
name-1 OUTPUT file-name-2
PERFORM UNTIL ARE-THERE-
MORE-RECORDS = 'NO ’
READ file-name-1 AT END
MOVE 'NO ' TO ARE-
THERE-MORE-RECORDS NOT AT END
PERFORM paragraph-name-2
END-READ
END-PERFORM
CLOSE file-name-1
file-name-2
STOP RUN.

ition
CHAPTER SUMMARY
A. Paragraph-names are coded in Area A and end
with a period.
– Rules for forming paragraph-names are the same as
for data-names except that a paragraph-name can
have all digits.
– We use a prefix such as 100-, 200- , 300-, along with
a descriptive name such as HEADING- RTN or MAIN-
MODULE.
– A paragraph with a prefix of 200- is located after a
paragraph with prefix 100- and before a paragraph
with prefix 300-.

ition
CHAPTER SUMMARY
B. All statements are coded in Area B.
– We recommend coding one statement
per line.
C. Instructions are executed in the

order in which they appear unless a
PERFORM statement executes a loop
or transfers control.

ition
CHAPTER SUMMARY
D. When the main module's

PERFORM UNTIL ... END-PERFORM
is encountered, the loop specified is
executed repeatedly until there are
no more input records.

ition

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Structured COBOL

Nancy Stern reserved. Reproduction or translation of this work beyond

Hofstra University should be addressed to the permissions Department , John

• To familiarize you with the

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• PERFORM UNTIL ... END-PERFORM

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• Paragraph-names, like the PROCEDURE

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• We will use descriptive paragraph-names

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• With COBOL 85 only the last statement in a

• Although statements can be written across

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• Well-designed programs are written using

• Endeavor to code the more general

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• The OPEN statement accesses the

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• FUNCTIONS OF THE OPEN STATEMENT

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

DEBUGGING TIPS: CODING GUIDELINES

• For the OPEN sentence, we typically

DEBUGGING TIPS: CODING GUIDELINES

OPEN INPUT OLD-MASTER-IN

DEBUGGING TIPS: CODING GUIDELINES

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

[END-PERFORM]* COBOL 85 only

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• Typically, after an input file has been

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

• The primary function of the READ

• Code the AT END and NOT AT END

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

1. The PROCEDURE DIVISION is

Solution: modules, routines or

2. Statements are executed in the

Solution: in which they appear;

3. Before a file may be read, it must be

4. The PERFORM UNTIL (condition) ...

Solution: 0 --- Actually any other value

6. In a COBOL 85 PERFORM UNTIL . . .

7. The basic format for a READ within a

8. The NOT AT END clause of a READ

Solution: a record has been

9. Typically the NOT AT END clause in

Structured COBOL Programming, Stern & Stern, 9th Ed

10. In COBOL 85, END-PERFORM and

Solution: scope terminators