Liant Software Corporation

RM/COBOL

Syntax Summary
First Edition

This document provides complete syntax for all RM/COBOL commands, divisions, entries, statements, and other
general formats. Use this pamphlet in conjunction with the RM/COBOL Language Reference Manual and the
RM/COBOL User's Guide.
The RM/COBOL Syntax Summary has been prepared for all implementations of RM/COBOL. Consult the
RM/COBOL User's Guide for all appropriate operating system rules and conventions (such as command line
invocation).
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Liant
Software Corporation.
The information in this document is subject to change without prior notice. Liant Software Corporation assumes no
responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. Liant reserves the right to make improvements and/or
changes in the products and programs described in this guide at any time without notice. Companies, names, and data
used in examples herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted.
The software described in this document is furnished to the user under a license for a specific number of uses and
may be copied (with inclusion of the copyright notice) only in accordance with the terms of such license.
Copyright 1985-2005 by Liant Software Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

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Documentation Release History for the RM/COBOL Syntax Summary:

Edition
Number

Document
Part Number

Applies To
Product Version

Publication
Date

401225

RM/COBOL version 9 and later

January 2005

Contents

Contents
Compile Command............................................................................................................. 1
Runtime Command............................................................................................................. 3
Debug Commands .............................................................................................................. 4
Source Program General Format ........................................................................................ 6
Identification Division General Format.............................................................................. 6
Environment Division General Format .............................................................................. 7
File Control Entry General Formats .......................................................................... 10
Data Division General Format.......................................................................................... 12
file-description-entry................................................................................................. 13
sort-merge-file-description-entry .............................................................................. 13
record-description-entry ............................................................................................ 14
77-level-description-entry ......................................................................................... 14
data-description-entry................................................................................................ 14
communication-description-entry.............................................................................. 16
screen-description-entry ............................................................................................ 17
Procedure Division General Formats ............................................................................... 21
General Formats for COBOL Statements......................................................................... 22
ACCEPT Statement................................................................................................... 22
ADD Statement ......................................................................................................... 24
ALTER Statement ..................................................................................................... 25
CALL Statement ....................................................................................................... 25
CALL PROGRAM Statement................................................................................... 26
CANCEL Statement.................................................................................................. 26
CLOSE Statement ..................................................................................................... 26
COMPUTE Statement............................................................................................... 27
CONTINUE Statement.............................................................................................. 27
DELETE Statement................................................................................................... 27
DELETE FILE Statement ......................................................................................... 27
DISABLE Statement ................................................................................................. 27
DISPLAY Statement ................................................................................................. 28
DIVIDE Statement .................................................................................................... 29
ENABLE Statement .................................................................................................. 30
ENTER Statement ..................................................................................................... 30
EVALUATE Statement............................................................................................. 31
EXIT Statement......................................................................................................... 32
GOBACK Statement ................................................................................................. 32
GO TO Statement...................................................................................................... 32

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Contents

IF Statement .............................................................................................................. 33
INITIALIZE Statement ............................................................................................. 33
INSPECT Statement.................................................................................................. 33
MERGE Statement.................................................................................................... 34
MOVE Statement ...................................................................................................... 35
MULTIPLY Statement.............................................................................................. 35
OPEN Statement ....................................................................................................... 36
PERFORM Statement ............................................................................................... 36
PURGE Statement..................................................................................................... 37
READ Statement ....................................................................................................... 37
RECEIVE Statement ................................................................................................. 38
RELEASE Statement ................................................................................................ 38
RETURN Statement.................................................................................................. 38
REWRITE Statement ................................................................................................ 39
SEARCH Statement .................................................................................................. 39
SEND Statement ....................................................................................................... 40
SET Statement........................................................................................................... 40
SORT Statement........................................................................................................ 41
START Statement ..................................................................................................... 42
STOP Statement ........................................................................................................ 42
STRING Statement ................................................................................................... 43
SUBTRACT Statement ............................................................................................. 43
UNLOCK Statement ................................................................................................. 44
UNSTRING Statement.............................................................................................. 44
USE Statement .......................................................................................................... 44
WRITE Statement ..................................................................................................... 45
General Format for END PROGRAM Header ................................................................. 46
General Formats for COPY and REPLACE Statements .................................................. 46
General Formats for Conditions ....................................................................................... 47
Relation Condition .................................................................................................... 47
LIKE Condition (Special Case of a Relation Condition) .......................................... 47
Class Condition ......................................................................................................... 47
Sign Condition........................................................................................................... 48
Condition-Name Condition ....................................................................................... 48
Switch-Status Condition............................................................................................ 48
Negated Condition..................................................................................................... 48
Combined Condition ................................................................................................. 48
Abbreviated Combined Relation Condition .............................................................. 48
General Formats for Qualification.................................................................................... 49
Miscellaneous Formats..................................................................................................... 50
Sentence .................................................................................................................... 50
Statement Sequence................................................................................................... 50
Subscripting............................................................................................................... 50
Reference Modification............................................................................................. 50

vi

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Contents

Identifier.................................................................................................................... 50
Special Registers ....................................................................................................... 51
Figurative-Constants ................................................................................................. 52
Concatenation Expression ......................................................................................... 52
Constant-Expression.................................................................................................. 52
General Format for Nested Source Programs ................................................................... 53
General Format for nested-source-program..................................................................... 53
General Format for a Sequence of Source Programs........................................................ 54
PICTURE Clause ............................................................................................................. 55
PICTURE Character-Strings ..................................................................................... 55
PICTURE Symbols ................................................................................................... 56
Reserved Words ............................................................................................................... 60
Context-Sensitive Words.................................................................................................. 65
Nonreserved System-Names............................................................................................. 67
Code-Names .............................................................................................................. 67
(Color-Integer) Color-Names .................................................................................... 67
Computer-Names ...................................................................................................... 67
Delimiter-Names ....................................................................................................... 67
Device-Names ........................................................................................................... 67
Feature-Names .......................................................................................................... 68
Label-Names ............................................................................................................. 68
Language-Names....................................................................................................... 68
Low-Volume-I-O-Names .......................................................................................... 68
Rerun-Names............................................................................................................. 68
Switch-Names ........................................................................................................... 68

List of Tables
Table 1: PICTURE Symbol Precedence.......................................................................... 59
Table 2: Context-Sensitive Words................................................................................... 65

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

vii

Contents

viii

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Compile Command

Compile Command
The format of the Compile Command is as follows:
rmcobol filename [[(] [[~]option] ... [)comment]]

filename is the name of the source file to be compiled.

option specifies a compiler option, described below. A tilde (~) preceding the option
character negates the option. Options may be specified in either uppercase or lowercase
letters. If an option is repeated in a command, the last occurrence of the option is used. Each
option may be preceded by a hyphen. If any option is preceded by a hyphen, then a leading
hyphen must precede all options. When assigning a value to an option, the equal sign is
optional if leading hyphens are used.
comment is used to annotate the command.
Option

Description

Direct the compiler to generate the allocation map in the listing.

Define as binary sequential those sequential files not explicitly

declared to be line sequential in their file control entries.

Suppress the inclusion of copied text in the listing.

Direct RM/COBOL to compile all source programs as if the WITH

DEBUGGING MODE clause appeared in each compiled program.

Suppress the inclusion of the source program component in the

listing except for lines associated with diagnostic messages.

F={(keyword-list)|keyword}

Direct the compiler to flag occurrences of these language elements:

COM1
COM2
EXTENSION
HIGH

INTERMEDIATE
OBSOLETE
SEG1
SEG2

If leading hyphens are used, the parentheses are optional.

G=path

Designate a file to be used as the compiler configuration.

H=path

Designate a file as a supplement to the compiler configuration.

Suppress the banner message and the terminal error listing.

L[=path]

Direct the compiler to produce a listing file and optionally specify

the directory in which to place the listing file.

Direct the compiler to suppress automatic input conversion for

Format 1 and 3 ACCEPT statements with numeric operands and to
suppress right justification of justified operands. Direct the
compiler to suppress automatic output conversion for numeric fields
of Format 3 DISPLAY statements.

Suppress the generation of an object program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Compile Command

Option

Description

O=path

Specify the directory pathname where the object file will be placed.

Direct the compiler to write a copy of the listing to the printer.

Direct the compiler to eliminate debugging information from

generated object programs.

Direct the compiler to generate a sequential number in the first six

columns of source records as they appear on the listing.

Direct the compiler to assume a separate sign when the SIGN clause
is not specified for a DISPLAY usage, signed numeric data item
(that is, for a data item whose character-string within a PICTURE
clause begins with S).

Direct the compiler to write a copy of the listing to the standard

output device.

U[={B|D|P}]

Direct the compiler to assume an alternative usage for data items

described as COMP or COMPUTATIONAL.
The U Option specified alone or as U=B directs the compiler to
assume BINARY usage for data items described as COMP or
COMPUTATIONAL.
The U=D Option directs the compiler to assume DISPLAY usage
for items described as COMP or COMPUTATIONAL.
The U=P Option directs the compiler to assume PACKEDDECIMAL usage for items described as COMP or
COMPUTATIONAL.

Define as line sequential those sequential files not explicitly

declared to be binary sequential in their file control entries.

W=n

Specify the amount of memory (in kilobytes) that the compiler

should use for its internal table storage. n can be a decimal number
from 32 to 16384.

Direct the compiler to generate a cross reference map in the listing.

Y=n

Direct the compiler to output the symbol table and debug line table
to the object program file. n can be 0 to 3.

Z=version

Indicate the version of the RM/COBOL runtime you want to use.

version can be 7 through 11.

Direct the compiler to accept source programs created for the

RM/COBOL 2.n compiler.

Specify the semantic rules under which the program is to be

compiled as conforming to the American National Standard
COBOL 1974.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Runtime Command

Runtime Command
The format of the Runtime Command is as follows:
runcobol filename [option] ...

filename is the name of the main program of the run unit.

option specifies a runtime system option, described below. Options may be specified in either
uppercase or lowercase letters. Each option may be preceded by a hyphen. If any option is
preceded by a hyphen, then a leading hyphen must precede all options. When assigning a
value to an option, the equal sign is optional if leading hyphens are used.
Option

Description

A=[delim] [string] [delim]

Pass an argument to the main program. The delimiter characters are

optional if string does not contain spaces.

B=n

Specify a maximum buffer size for use with the ACCEPT and
DISPLAY statements.

C=pathname

Designate a file to be used as the runtime configuration file.

Invoke the RM/COBOL Interactive Debugger.

F=<fill-char>

Fill read-write memory with fill characters when loading programs.

Collect RM/COBOL program instrumentation data.

Suppress the banner message and the STOP RUN message.

L=pathname

Designate RM/COBOL non-COBOL subprogram libraries.

Direct that level 2 ANSI semantics are to be used for Format 1

ACCEPT and DISPLAY statements.

S=n . . . n

Set (or reset) the initial value of switches in the RM/COBOL

program.

T=n

Specify the amount of memory (n bytes) to be used for a sort

operation.

Direct that a trace of support modules loaded by the RM/COBOL

runtime system be displayed.

X=pathname

Designate a file as a supplement to the runtime configuration.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Debug Commands

Debug Commands
The Debug commands are as follows.
Command

Description

Set breakpoints and resume program execution from the current location.
A [ line [ + intraline ] [ , [ prog-name ] [ , [ count ] ] ] ]

Display all currently set breakpoints or set breakpoints at specific procedural

statements.
B [ line [ + intraline ] [ , [ prog-name ] [ , [ count ] ] ] ]

Clear any breakpoints that have been set with the A or B Command.
C [ line [ + intraline] [ , [ prog-name ] ] ]

Display on the screen the value of a specified data item.

Identifier Format
D name-1 [ { IN | OF } name-2 ] [ script ] [ refmod ]
[ , { type | { * | & } [ type ] } ] [ # alias ]
Address-Size Format
D [ base : ] address [ + occur-size * occur-num ] , size ,
[ type ] [ # alias ]
Alias Format
D # alias

End Debug; the currently executing program runs until completion.

E

Specify a line on the monitor screen at which command input echoes and
Debug responses are to be displayed.
L [ line-display ]

Change the value of a specified data item.

Identifier Format
M name-1 [ { IN | OF } name-2 ] [ script ] [ refmod ]
[ , { type | { * | & } [ type ] } ] [ # alias ] , value
Address-Size Format
M [ base : ] address [ + occur-size * occur-num ] , size ,
[ type ] [ # alias ] , value
Alias Format
M # alias , value

Stop program execution.

Q

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Debug Commands

Command

Description

Specify that program execution resume at the current location, or at another

location specified in the command.
R [ statement-address ]

Specify that program execution occur one step at a time.

S [ P | S ][ count ]

Monitor the value of a specified data item, and suspend execution whenever a
change in that value occurs. That is, a data trap.
Identifier Format
T name-1 [ { IN | OF } name-2 ] [ script ] [ refmod ]
[ , { type | { * | & } [ type ] } ] [ # alias ]
Address-Size Format
T [ base : ] address [ + occur-size * occur-num ] , size ,
[ type ] [ # alias ]
Alias Format
T # alias

Clear some or all currently active data traps.

Identifier Format
U name-1 [ { IN | OF } name-2 ] [ script ] [ refmod ]
[ , { type | { * | & } [ type ] } ]
Address-Size Format
U [ base : ] address [ + occur-size * occur-num ] , size , [ type ]
Alias Format
U # alias

Note In the Address-Size formats for the D, M, T, and U commands, base is one of the
following:

U arg-num, for a formal argument and arg-num is the formal argument number.

B item-num, for a based linkage item and item-num is the based linkage item number.

G for the GIVING formal argument.

X ext-num, for an external data item and ext-num is the external item number.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Source Program General Format

Source Program General Format

identification-division

[ environment-division ]
[ data-division ]
[ procedure-division ]
[ nested-source-program ]!
[ end-program-header ]

Identification Division General Format

IDENTIFICATION
ID
DIVISION .

program-name-1
PROGRAM - ID .

literal-1

COMMON
IS
PROGRAM .
INITIAL

[ AUTHOR . [ comment-entry-1 ]! ]
[ INSTALLATION . [ comment-entry-2 ]! ]
[ DATE - WRITTEN . [ comment-entry-3 ]! ]
[ DATE - COMPILED . [ comment-entry-4 ]! ]
[ SECURITY . [ comment-entry-5 ]! ]
[ REMARKS . [ comment-entry-6 ]! ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Environment Division General Format

Environment Division General Format

ENVIRONMENT DIVISION .

CONFIGURATION SECTION .

SOURCE - COMPUTER . computer-name-1

[ WITH

DEBUGGING MODE

].

OBJECT - COMPUTER . computer-name-2

WORDS
MEMORY SIZE integer-1 CHARACTERS

MODULES

[ PROGRAM COLLATING
[ SEGMENT - LIMIT

SPECIAL - NAMES .

SEQUENCE IS alphabet-name-1 ]

IS segment-number-1 ]

ON STATUS IS condition-name-1

IS mnemonic-name-1

OFF STATUS IS condition-name-2

switch-name-1

ON STATUS IS condition-name-1

conditionname-2
OFF
STATUS
IS

feature-name-1 IS mnemonic-name-2

low-volume-I-O-name-1 IS mnemonic-name-3

(continued on next page)

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Environment Division General Format

(continued from previous page)

ALPHABET alphabet-name-1 IS

STANDARD - 1
STANDARD - 2
NATIVE

code-name-1

literal-1 THROUGH literal-2
THRU

THROUGH

literal-4 !
ALSO literal-3 THRU

SYMBOLIC CHARACTER
CHARACTERS

{ integer-1 }!

[ IN

{ symbolic-character-1 }!

IS
ARE

alphabet-name-2 ] !

CLASS class-name-1 IS literal-5 THROUGH literal-6 ! !

THRU

CURRENCY SIGN IS literal-7

DECIMAL - POINT IS COMMA

LEADING

NUMERIC SIGN IS TRAILING

[ SEPARATE

CHARACTER ]

CONSOLE IS CRT

CURSOR IS data-name-1

CRT STATUS IS data-name-2

INPUT - OUTPUT SECTION .

FILE - CONTROL .

{ file-control-entry-1 }!
(continued on next page)

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Environment Division General Format

(continued from previous page)

I - O - CONTROL .

RERUN ON

EVERY

file-name-1

rerun-name-1

REEL
[ END OF ]

UNIT OF file-name-2

integer-1 RECORDS

integer-2 CLOCK - UNITS

condition-name-1

RECORD
SAME SORT

SORT - MERGE

AREA FOR file-name-3

MULTIPLE FILE TAPE CONTAINS

{ file-name-5 [ POSITION

IS integer-3

] }!

{ file-name-4 }!

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Environment Division General Format

File Control Entry General Formats

File Control Entry General Formats

File Control Entry
SELECT

[ [ NOT ]

ASSIGN TO

OPTIONAL

file-name-1

DISPLAY

INPUT

data-name-1
OUTPUT
INPUT - OUTPUT literal-1


RANDOM

TAPE

device-name-1

data-name-1

literal-1

integer-1

RESERVE NO

[ ALTERNATE ]

[ ORGANIZATION IS

BINARY

SEQUENTIAL
LINE

RELATIVE

INDEXED

AREA
AREAS

data-name-2

PADDING CHARACTER IS literal-2

STANDARD - 1
RECORD DELIMITER IS delimiter-name-1

SEQUENTIAL

ACCESS
MODE
IS
RANDOM

DYNAMIC

LOCK MODE IS

MANUAL

AUTOMATIC

EXCLUSIVE

[ RELATIVE

WITH LOCK ON

KEY IS data-name-3 ]

[ MULTIPLE ]

RECORD
RECORDS

(continued on next page)

10

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Environment Division General Format

File Control Entry General Formats

(continued from previous page)

[ CODE - SET

IS alphabet-name-1 ]

[ COLLATING

SEQUENCE IS alphabet-name-2

data-name-4
RECORD KEY IS split-key-name-1 =

[ WITH

DUPLICATES

{ data-name-5 }!

data-name-6
ALTERNATE RECORD KEY IS split-key-name-2 =
[ WITH DUPLICATES ] !

[ FILE

STATUS IS data-name-8

{ data-name-7 }!

].

Sort-Merge File Control Entry

SELECT file-name-1

ASSIGN TO

SORT

SORT - MERGE data-name-1

MERGE
literal-1

device-name-1

data-name-1
literal-1

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

11

Data Division General Format

Data Division General Format

DATA DIVISION .

FILE SECTION .

file-description-entry-1 { record-description-entry-1 }!

sort-merge-file-description-entry-1 { record-description-entry-2 }! !

WORKING - STORAGE SECTION .

77-level-description-entry-1

record-description-entry-3 !

LINKAGE SECTION .

77-level-description-entry-2

record-description-entry-4 !

COMMUNICATION SECTION .

[ communication-description-entry-1 { record-description-entry-5 }! ]!

SCREEN SECTION .

[ screen-description-entry-1 ]!

12

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Data Division General Format

file-description-entry

file-description-entry
FD file-name-1

[ IS

EXTERNAL

[ IS

GLOBAL

BLOCK CONTAINS

RECORD

LABEL

[ integer-1

TO

RECORDS

integer-2

CHARACTERS

CONTAINS [ integer-3 TO ] integer-4 CHARACTERS

IS VARYING IN SIZE

[ [ FROM integer-5 ] [ TO integer-6 ] CHARACTERS

[
DEPENDING ON data-name-1 ]

RECORD IS

RECORDS ARE

RECORD IS

RECORDS ARE

{ data-name-3 }!

LINAGE IS data-name-4 LINES

integer-7

IS alphabet-name-1 ]

data-name-5
WITH FOOTING AT integer-8

data-name-6

LINES AT TOP integer-9

[ CODE - SET

STANDARD

OMITTED

LABEL

data-name-2
VALUE OF
!
IS

label-name-1

literal-1

DATA

data-name-7
LINES AT BOTTOM integer-10

sort-merge-file-description-entry
SD file-name-1

RECORD

CONTAINS [ integer-3 TO ] integer-4 CHARACTERS

IS VARYING IN SIZE

[ [ FROM integer-5 ] [ TO integer-6 ] CHARACTERS

[ DEPENDING ON data-name-1 ]

RECORD IS

DATA RECORDS ARE

{ data-name-3 }! .

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

13

Data Division General Format

record-description-entry

record-description-entry
{ data-description-entry-1 }!

77-level-description-entry
data-description-entry-2

data-description-entry
Format 1: Data-Name Full Declaration
data-name-1
level-number-1

FILLER

[ REDEFINES

data-name-2

[ IS

EXTERNAL

[ IS

GLOBAL

PICTURE

IS character-string-1
PIC

[ USAGE IS

BINARY [ ( integer-3 ) ]

COMPUTATIONAL

COMP

COMPUTATIONAL - 1

COMP - 1

COMPUTATIONAL - 3

COMP - 3

COMPUTATIONAL - 4 [ ( integer-3 ) ]

COMP - 4 [ ( integer-3 ) ]

COMPUTATIONAL - 5 [ ( integer-3 ) ]

COMP - 5 [ ( integer-3 ) ]

COMPUTATIO
NAL
6

COMP - 6

DISPLAY

INDEX

PACKED - DECIMAL

POINTER

(continued on next page)

14

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Data Division General Format

data-description-entry

(continued from previous page)

LEADING
[ SIGN IS ] TRAILING

[ SEPARATE

CHARACTER ]

OCCURS integer-2 TIMES

[
]
integer-1
TO
integer-2
TIMES
DEPENDING
ON
data-name3

ASCENDING
KEY IS

DESCENDING

{ data-name-4 }! !

[ INDEXED BY { index-name-1 }! ]

SYNCHRONIZED LEFT
RIGHT
SYNC

JUSTIFIED

RIGHT
JUST

[ BLANK

WHEN ZERO ]

[ VALUE IS

literal-1 ] .

Format 2: Data-Name Renames

66 data-name-1
RENAMES data-name-2

THROUGH

data-name-3
THRU

Format 3: Condition-Name Declaration

88 condition-name-1

THROUGH
literal-1
literal-2
THRU

VALUE IS

VALUES ARE

relational-operator literal-1

[ WHEN

SET TO FALSE IS literal-3

].

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

15

Data Division General Format

communication-description-entry

Format 4: Constant-Name Declaration

78 constant-name-1
literal-1

VALUE IS

constant-expression-1

communication-description-entry
Format 1: Input CD
CD cd-name-1 FOR [ INITIAL ] INPUT

SYMBOLIC QUEUE IS data-name-1

SYMBOLIC SUB - QUEUE - 1 IS data-name-2
SYMBOLIC SUB - QUEUE - 2 IS data-name-3
SYMBOLIC SUB - QUEUE - 3 IS data-name-4
MESSAGE DATE IS data-name-5
MESSAGE TIME IS data-name-6
SYMBOLIC SOURCE IS data-name-7
TEXT LENGTH IS data-name-8
END KEY IS data-name-9
STATUS KEY IS data-name-10
MESSAGE COUNT IS data-name-11

data-name-1 data-name-2 data-name-3 data-name-4

data-name-5 data-name-6 data-name-7 data-name-8

data-name-9 data-name-10 data-name-11

Format 2: Output CD
CD cd-name-1 FOR OUTPUT
[ DESTINATION COUNT IS data-name-1 ]

[ TEXT LENGTH IS data-name-2 ]

[ STATUS KEY IS data-name-3 ]

DESTINATION TABLE OCCURS integer-1 TIMES

[ INDEXED BY { index-name-1 }! ]

[ ERROR KEY IS data-name-4 ]

[ SYMBOLIC DESTINATION IS data-name-5 ] .

16

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Data Division General Format

screen-description-entry

Format 3: Input-Output CD
CD cd-name-1 FOR [ INITIAL ] I - O

MESSAGE DATE IS data-name-1

MESSAGE TIME IS data-name-2
SYMBOLIC TERMINAL IS data-name-3
TEXT LENGTH IS data-name-4
END KEY IS data-name-5
STATUS KEY IS data-name-6

data-name-1 data-name-2 data-name-3 data-name-4

data-name-5 data-name-6

screen-description-entry
Format 1: Screen Group
screen-name-1
level-number-1

FILLER
BACKGROUND IS color-name-1

BACKGROUND - COLOR IS integer-1

FOREGROUND IS color-name-2

FOREGROUND - COLOR IS integer-2

[ [ USAGE

IS

] DISPLAY ]

[ SIGN IS

] LEADING
[ SEPARATE
TRAILING

CHARACTER ]

AUTO

AUTO - SKIP

[ SECURE ]

[ REQUIRED ]
[ FULL ] .
{ screen-description-entry-1 }!

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

17

Data Division General Format

screen-description-entry

Format 2: Screen Literal

screen-name-1
level-number-1

FILLER
BELL
BEEP

BLANK

SCREEN

LINE
REMAINDER

[ BLINK ]

ERASE

EOS

EOL

SCREEN

[ NO ] HIGHLIGHT
LOWLIGHT

REVERSE
REVERSED
REVERSE - VIDEO

[ UNDERLINE ]
BACKGROUND IS color-name-1

BACKGROUND - COLOR IS integer-1

FOREGROUND IS color-name-2

FOREGROUND - COLOR IS integer-2

LINE

PLUS

integer-3
NUMBER IS +

identifier-1

COLUMN

COL

PLUS
NUMBER IS +
integer-4

identifier-2

[ [ VALUE IS ] literal-1 ] .

18

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Data Division General Format

screen-description-entry

Format 3: Screen Field

screen-name-1
level-number-1

FILLER
BELL
BEEP

BLANK

SCREEN

LINE
REMAINDER

[ BLINK ]

ERASE

EOS

EOL

SCREEN

[ NO ] HIGHLIGHT
LOWLIGHT

REVERSE
REVERSED
REVERSE - VIDEO

[ UNDERLINE ]
BACKGROUND IS color-name-1

BACKGROUND - COLOR IS integer-1

FOREGROUND IS color-name-2

FOREGROUND - COLOR IS integer-2

LINE

PLUS

integer-3
NUMBER IS +

identifier-1

COLUMN

COL

PLUS
NUMBER IS +
integer-4

identifier-2

identifier-7
FROM

PICTURE
literal-1

IS character-string-1
PIC

TO identifier-8

USING identifier-9

[ [ USAGE IS ] DISPLAY ]
[ BLANK

WHEN ZERO ]

(continued on next page)

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

19

Data Division General Format

screen-description-entry

(continued from previous page)

JUSTIFIED

RIGHT
JUST

[ SIGN IS

] LEADING
[ SEPARATE
TRAILING

AUTO

AUTO - SKIP

[ SECURE ]

[ REQUIRED ]
[ FULL ] .

20

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

CHARACTER ]

Procedure Division General Formats

Procedure Division General Formats

Format 1: Declaratives or Sections
USING { data-name-1 }!

PROCEDURE DIVISION

GIVING

RETURNING data-name-2

GIVING

data-name2
RETURNING

DECLARATIVES .

{ section-name-1

SECTION

[ segment-number-1 ] .

USE-statement-1 .

paragraph-name-1 .

[ sentence-1 ]! ]! }!

END DECLARATIVES .

{ section-name-2

SECTION

[ segment-number-2 ].

paragraph-name-2 .

[ sentence-2 ] ! ] ! }!

Format 2: Paragraphs

PROCEDURE DIVISION

USING

{ data-name-1 }!

paragraph-name-3 .

[ sentence-3 ]! }!

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

21

General Formats for COBOL Statements

ACCEPT Statement

General Formats for COBOL Statements

The following sections describe the formats for COBOL statements.

ACCEPT Statement
Format 1: Accept From System-Name

mnemonic-name-3
ACCEPT identifier-1 FROM

low-volume
-I-O-name1

[ END - ACCEPT ]

Format 2: Accept From Implicit Definition

ACCEPT identifier-2

22

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

FROM

CENTURY - DATE
CENTURY - DAY

DATE [ YYYYMMDD ]

DATE - AND - TIME

DATE - COMPILED

DAY [ YYYYDDD ]
DAY - AND - TIME

DAY - OF - WEEK
ESCAPE KEY

EXCEPTION STATUS
TIME

[ END - ACCEPT ]

General Formats for COBOL Statements

ACCEPT Statement

Format 3: Accept Terminal I-O

identifier-2

ACCEPT identifier-1 UNIT

WITH
literal-1

ON EXCEPTION

ESCAPE

[ identifier-9 ]

BLINK

identifier-4
CONTROL

literal-3

CONVERT

identifier-5

CURSOR

literal-4

ECHO

EOL

ERASE

EOS

HIGH

HIGHLIGHT

LOW

LOWLIGHT

SECURE

OFF

identifier-6
LINE

literal-5

AT COLUMN

identifier
-3

COL

literal-2

POSITION

MODE IS BLOCK

CHARACTER IS identifier-10
PROMPT

CHARACTER IS literal-6

REVERSE

REVERSED

REVERSE - VIDEO

identifier-7

SIZE

literal-7

TAB

identifier-8

BEFORE TIME

literal-8

UPDATE

AUTO

AUTO - SKIP

BEEP
NO

BELL

imperative-statement-1

NEXT SENTENCE

EXCEPTION
NOT ON
imperative-statement-2
ESCAPE

[ END - ACCEPT ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

23

General Formats for COBOL Statements

ADD Statement

Format 4: Accept Input CD Message Count

ACCEPT cd-name-1 MESSAGE COUNT

[ END - ACCEPT ]

Format 5: Accept Screen-Name

identifier-1

LINE NUMBER integer-1

ACCEPT screen-name-1 AT

COLUMN
identifier-2

COL
NUMBER integer-2

EXCEPTION
imperative-statement-1
ON ESCAPE

EXCEPTION
imperative-statement-2
NOT ON ESCAPE

[ END - ACCEPT ]

ADD Statement
Format 1: AddTo

identifier-1
ADD
! TO
literal-1

[ ON

{ identifier-2 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - ADD ]
Format 2: AddGiving
identifier-1
identifier-2
ADD
! TO literal-2
!
literal-1

GIVING

[ ON

{ identifier-3 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - ADD ]

24

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

General Formats for COBOL Statements

ALTER Statement

Format 3: Add Corresponding

CORRESPONDING
ADD
identifier-1 TO identifier-2
CORR

[ ON

[ ROUNDED ]

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - ADD ]

ALTER Statement
ALTER

{ procedure-name-1

TO

[ PROCEED

TO

procedure-name-2 } !

CALL Statement
Format 1: CallOn Overflow

identifier-1
CALL

literal-1

[ ON

identifier-2
[ BY REFERENCE ] OMITTED !

identifier-2

!
USING BY CONTENT literal-2

!
OMITTED

identifier
-2

literal-2

!
OMITTED

GIVING

RETURNING identifier-3

OVERFLOW imperative-statement-1 ]

[ END - CALL ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

25

General Formats for COBOL Statements

CALL PROGRAM Statement

Format 2: CallOn Exception

identifier-1
CALL

literal-1

[ ON

identifier-2
[ BY REFERENCE ] OMITTED !

identifier-2

USING BY CONTENT literal-2

!
!
OMITTED

identifier-2

literal-2

!
OMITTED

GIVING

RETURNING identifier-3

EXCEPTION imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

EXCEPTION imperative-statement-2

[ END - CALL ]

CALL PROGRAM Statement

identifier-1
CALL PROGRAM

literal-1

[ ON

USING

identifier-2

literal-2
OMITTED

EXCEPTION imperative-statement-1 ]

[ END - CALL ]

CANCEL Statement
identifier-1
CANCEL
!
literal-1

CLOSE Statement

CLOSE file-name-1

26

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

REEL WITH NO REWIND

UNIT FOR REMOVAL

!

NO REWIND
WITH

LOCK

General Formats for COBOL Statements

COMPUTE Statement

COMPUTE Statement
{ identifier-1 [ ROUNDED ] } !

COMPUTE

[ ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1

[ NOT ON

arithmetic-expression-1

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - COMPUTE ]

CONTINUE Statement
CONTINUE

DELETE Statement
DELETE file-name-1 RECORD

[ INVALID

[ NOT

KEY imperative-statement-1 ]

INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2

[ END - DELETE ]

DELETE FILE Statement

DELETE FILE

{ file-name-2 }!

[ END - DELETE ]

DISABLE Statement

DISABLE

INPUT [ TERMINAL ]
I - O TERMINAL
OUTPUT
TERMINAL

identifier-1
cd-name-1 WITH KEY literal-1

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

27

General Formats for COBOL Statements

DISPLAY Statement

DISPLAY Statement
Format 1: Display Upon System-Name
identifier-1
DISPLAY
!

literal-1

[ WITH

mnemonic-name-3
UPON low-volume-I-O-name-1

NO ADVANCING

Format 2: Display Terminal I-O

DISPLAY

identifier-2
identifier-1

UNIT
WITH
literal-2
literal-1

BEEP

BELL
BLINK
identifier-4
CONTROL

literal-4
CONVERT
EOL
ERASE

EOS
HIGH

HIGHLIGHT

LOW

LOWLIGHT

identifier-5
LINE

literal-5

AT COLUMN
identifier-3
COL

literal-3
POSITION

MODE IS BLOCK
REVERSE

REVERSED

REVERSE - VIDEO

identifier-6
SIZE

literal-6

Format 3: Display Screen-Name

DISPLAY screen-name-1

28

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

identifier-1

LINE NUMBER integer-1

AT
!

COLUMN
identifier-2

COL
NUMBER integer-2

General Formats for COBOL Statements

DIVIDE Statement

DIVIDE Statement
Format 1: DivideInto
identifier-1
DIVIDE
INTO
literal-1

[ ON

{ identifier-2 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - DIVIDE ]
Format 2: DivideIntoGiving
identifier-1
identifier-2
DIVIDE
INTO literal-2

literal-1

GIVING

[ ON

{ identifier-3 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - DIVIDE ]
Format 3: DivideByGiving
identifier-2
DIVIDE
BY
literal-2

GIVING

[ ON

identifier-1
literal-1

{ identifier-3 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - DIVIDE ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

29

General Formats for COBOL Statements

ENABLE Statement

Format 4: DivideIntoGivingRemainder
identifier-1
identifier-2
DIVIDE
INTO literal-2

literal-1

GIVING identifier-3

[ ON

[ ROUNDED ]

REMAINDER identifier-4

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - DIVIDE ]
Format 5: DivideByGivingRemainder
identifier-2
DIVIDE
BY
literal-2

GIVING identifier-3

[ ON

identifier-1
literal-1

[ ROUNDED ]

REMAINDER identifier-4

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - DIVIDE ]

ENABLE Statement

ENABLE

INPUT [ TERMINAL ]
I - O TERMINAL
OUTPUT
TERMINAL

identifier-1
cd-name-1 WITH KEY

literal-1

ENTER Statement
ENTER language-name-1

30

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

[ routine-name-1 ]

General Formats for COBOL Statements

EVALUATE Statement

EVALUATE Statement
identifier-1
literal-1

EVALUATE expression-1
TRUE
FALSE

identifier-2

literal-2

ALSO
expression-2

TRUE

FALSE

ANY

condition-1

TRUE

WHEN FALSE

identifier-3

[ NOT ] literal-3

arithmetic-expression-1

ANY

condition-2

TRUE
ALSO
FALSE

identifier-5

[ NOT ] literal-5

arithmetic-expression-3

THROUGH

THRU

THROUGH

THRU

identifier-4

literal-4
arithmetic-expression-2

! !

identifier-6

literal-6

arithmetic-expression-4

imperative-statement-1 !

[ WHEN

OTHER imperative-statement-2

[ END - EVALUATE ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

31

General Formats for COBOL Statements

EXIT Statement

EXIT Statement
Format 1: Exit Paragraph
EXIT

Format 2: Exit Program

EXIT PROGRAM

Format 3: Exit In-Line Perform

EXIT PERFORM

[ CYCLE ]

Format 4: Exit Paragraph or Section

PARAGRAPH
EXIT

SECTION

GOBACK Statement
GOBACK

GO TO Statement
Format 1: Go To (Alterable)
GO TO

[ procedure-name-1 ]

Format 2: Go To (Non-Alterable)
GO TO procedure-name-1

Format 3: Go ToDepending On
GO TO

32

{ procedure-name-1 }!

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

DEPENDING ON identifier-1

General Formats for COBOL Statements

IF Statement

IF Statement
statement-1

IF condition-1 THEN

NEXT SENTENCE

statement-2

ELSE NEXT SENTENCE

[ END - IF ]

INITIALIZE Statement
INITIALIZE

{ identifier-1 }! [ WITH FILLER ]

ALL

category-name TO VALUE

identifier-2
!
THEN REPLACING category-name DATA BY literal-1

[ THEN

TO DEFAULT

where category name is:

ALPHABETIC
ALPHANUMERIC
ALPHANUMERIC - EDITED
DATA - POINTER
NUMERIC
NUMERIC - EDITED

INSPECT Statement
Format 1: InspectTallying
INSPECT identifier-1 TALLYING

BEFORE
identifier-4

INITIAL
CHARACTERS

AFTER
literal-2

identifier-2 FOR
identifier-3 BEFORE
identifier-4

ALL

LEADING literal-1 AFTER INITIAL literal-2

!!

! !

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

33

General Formats for COBOL Statements

MERGE Statement

Format 2: InspectReplacing
INSPECT identifier-1 REPLACING

identifier-5 BEFORE
identifier-4
CHARACTERS BY
AFTER INITIAL literal-2
literal-3

ALL

LEADING identifier-3 BY identifier-5 BEFORE INITIAL identifier-4

literal-1
literal-3 AFTER
literal-2

FIRST

! !

Format 3: InspectTallyingReplacing
INSPECT identifier-1 TALLYING

BEFORE
identifier-4

CHARACTERS
INITIAL literal-2

AFTER
identifier-2 FOR

ALL
BEFORE
identifier-3

identifier-4

LEADING literal-1 AFTER INITIAL literal-2

! !

! !

REPLACING

identifier-5 BEFORE
identifier-4
CHARACTERS BY

INITIAL literal-2
literal-3 AFTER

ALL

LEADING identifier-3 BY identifier-5 BEFORE INITIAL identifier-4
literal-1
literal-3 AFTER
literal-2

FIRST

! !

Format 4: InspectConverting
INSPECT identifier-1 CONVERTING
identifier-6
identifier-7 BEFORE
identifier-4
literal-4 TO literal-5 AFTER INITIAL literal-2

MERGE Statement

ASCENDING
MERGE file-name-1 ON
KEY
DESCENDING

[ COLLATING

{ data-name-1 }! !

SEQUENCE IS alphabet-name-1 ]

USING file-name-2

{ file-name-3 }!

OUTPUT PROCEDURE IS procedure-name-1

GIVING { file-name-4}!

34

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

THROUGH
procedure-name-2
THRU

General Formats for COBOL Statements

MOVE Statement

MOVE Statement
Format 1: MoveTo
identifier-1
MOVE
TO
literal-1

{ identifier-2 }!

Format 2: Move Corresponding

CORRESPONDING
MOVE
identifier-1 TO
CORR

{ identifier-2 }!

MULTIPLY Statement
Format 1: MultiplyBy
identifier-1
MULTIPLY
BY
literal-1

[ ON

{ identifier-2 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - MULTIPLY ]
Format 2: MultiplyGiving
identifier-1
MULTIPLY
BY
literal-1
GIVING

[ ON

identifier-2
literal-2

{ identifier-3 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - MULTIPLY ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

35

General Formats for COBOL Statements

OPEN Statement

OPEN Statement
OPEN [ EXCLUSIVE ]

REVERSED

INPUT file-name-1 [ WITH LOCK ] WITH NO REWIND !

OUTPUT { file-name-2 [ WITH LOCK ] [ WITH NO REWIND ] }!

!
I - O { file-name-3 [ WITH LOCK ] }!

EXTEND { file-name-4 [ WITH LOCK ] }!

PERFORM Statement
Format 1: Perform (Once)

THROUGH

PERFORM procedure-name-1
procedure-name-2
THRU

[ imperative-statement-1

END - PERFORM ]

Format 2: PerformTimes

THROUGH

PERFORM procedure-name-1
procedure-name-2
THRU

identifier-1
integer-1 TIMES

[ imperative-statement-1

END - PERFORM ]

Format 3: PerformUntil

THROUGH

PERFORM procedure-name-1
procedure-name-2
THRU

BEFORE
WITH TEST AFTER UNTIL condition-1

[ imperative-statement-1

36

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

END - PERFORM ]

General Formats for COBOL Statements

PURGE Statement

Format 4: PerformVarying

THROUGH

PERFORM procedure-name-1
procedure-name-2
THRU

BEFORE
WITH TEST AFTER

identifier-3

identifier-2
VARYING
FROM index-name-2

index-name-1
literal-1

identifier-4
BY literal-2

UNTIL condition-1

identifier-6

identifier-5
AFTER index-name-3 FROM index-name-4

literal-3

identifier-7

BY literal-4

UNTIL condition-2 !

[ imperative-statement-1

END - PERFORM ]

PURGE Statement
PURGE cd-name-1

READ Statement
Format 1: Read Sequential Access
WITH [ NO ] LOCK
NEXT

READ file-name-1
RECORD

PREVIOUS

INTO identifier-1

[ AT

END imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT AT

END imperative-statement-2

[ END - READ ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

37

General Formats for COBOL Statements

RECEIVE Statement

Format 2: Read Random Access

WITH [ NO ] LOCK
READ file-name-1 RECORD

INTO identifier-1

data-name-1

KEY IS split-key-name-1

[ INVALID

[ NOT

KEY imperative-statement-1 ]

INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2

[ END - READ ]

RECEIVE Statement
MESSAGE
RECEIVE cd-name-1
INTO identifier-1
SEGMENT

[ NO

DATA imperative-statement-1 ]

[ WITH

DATA imperative-statement-2

[ END - RECEIVE ]

RELEASE Statement

identifier-1
RELEASE record-name-1 FROM

literal-1

RETURN Statement
RETURN file-name-1 RECORD

[ AT

identifier-1 ]

END imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT AT

END imperative-statement-2

[ END - RETURN ]

38

[ INTO

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

General Formats for COBOL Statements

REWRITE Statement

REWRITE Statement

identifier-1
REWRITE record-name-1 FROM

literal-1

[ INVALID

[ NOT

KEY imperative-statement-1 ]

INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2

[ END - REWRITE ]

SEARCH Statement
Format 1: Search (Serial)

identifier-2
SEARCH identifier-1 VARYING

index-name-1

[ AT

END imperative-statement-1 ]

imperative-statement-2
WHEN condition-1 NEXT SENTENCE !

[ END - SEARCH ]
Format 2: Search All (Binary)
SEARCH ALL identifier-1

[ AT

END imperative-statement-1 ]

identifier-3

data-name-1 IS EQUAL TO literal-1

WHEN
IS
=

arithmetic-expression-1

condition-name-1

identifier-4

data-name-2 IS EQUAL TO literal-2

AND
IS =
arithmetic-expression-2

conditionname-2

imperative-statement-2
NEXT SENTENCE

[ END - SEARCH ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

39

General Formats for COBOL Statements

SEND Statement

SEND Statement
Format 1: Send (Simple)
identifier-1
SEND cd-name-1 FROM

literal-1

Format 2: Send (Advancing/Replacing)

identifier-2
ESI

identifier-1
SEND cd-name-1 FROM
WITH

EMI
literal-1

EGI

identifier-3 LINE

integer-1 LINES

BEFORE

AFTER ADVANCING

mnemonic-name-2

PAGE

[ REPLACING LINE ]

SET Statement
Format 1: Set Index

index-name-2
index-name-1

! TO identifier-2
SET

identifier
-1

integer-1

Format 2: Set Index Up/Down

UP

SET { index-name-3 } !
BY
DOWN

identifier-3
integer-2 !

Format 3: Set Switch On/Off

ON
SET { mnemonic-name-1 } ! TO
!
OFF

40

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

General Formats for COBOL Statements

SORT Statement

Format 4: Set Condition-Name True/False

TRUE
SET { condition-name-1 } ! TO

FALSE

Format 5: Set Pointer

SET

IN
ADDRESS OF identifier-5

IN

data-name-1
ADDRESS

! TO identifier-6
OF
identifier-4

NULL
NULLS

Format 6: Set Pointer Up/Down

identifier-7

IN

data-name-1
ADDRESS

UP

!
integer-3
SET
BY

!
DOWN

OF

identifier-4

IN

LENGTH OF identifier-8

SORT Statement

ASCENDING
SORT file-name-1 ON
KEY
DESCENDING

[ WITH

{ data-name-1 }! !

DUPLICATES IN ORDER ]

[ COLLATING

SEQUENCE IS alphabet-name-1 ]

INPUT PROCEDURE IS procedure-name-1

USING { file-name-2 }!

THROUGH

procedure-name-2
THRU

THROUGH

OUTPUT PROCEDURE IS procedure-name-3

procedure-name-4
THRU

GIVING { file-name-3 }!

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

41

General Formats for COBOL Statements

START Statement

START Statement

START file-name-1

KEY

IS

IS
IS

IS

IS
IS

IS
IS

IS

IS
IS

IS

[ NOT ] LESS THAN

[ NOT ] <

EQUAL TO

[ NOT ] GREATER THAN

data-name-1
[ NOT ] >

GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO split-key-name-1

>=

LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO

<=

FIRST

LAST

identifier-1
WITH SIZE

integer-1

[ INVALID
[ NOT

KEY imperative-statement-1 ]

INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2

[ END - START ]

STOP Statement

identifier-1
RUN

integer-1

STOP

identifier-2
literal-1

42

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

General Formats for COBOL Statements

STRING Statement

STRING Statement

identifier-2
identifier-1

STRING
DELIMITED BY literal-2
!

literal-1

SIZE

INTO identifier-3

[ WITH

POINTER identifier-4

[ ON OVERFLOW
[ NOT

imperative-statement-1 ]

ON OVERFLOW imperative-statement-2 ]

[ END - STRING ]

SUBTRACT Statement
Format 1: SubtractFrom

identifier-1
SUBTRACT
! FROM
literal-1

[ ON

{ identifier-3 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - SUBTRACT ]
Format 2: SubtractGiving
identifier-1
identifier-2
SUBTRACT
! FROM literal-2

literal-1

GIVING

[ ON

{ identifier-3 [ ROUNDED ] }!

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - SUBTRACT ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

43

General Formats for COBOL Statements

UNLOCK Statement

Format 3: Subtract Corresponding

CORRESPONDING
SUBTRACT
identifier-1 FROM identifier-2
CORR

[ ON

[ ROUNDED ]

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

SIZE ERROR imperative-statement-2

[ END - SUBTRACT ]

UNLOCK Statement
RECORD
UNLOCK file-name-1
RECORDS

UNSTRING Statement
UNSTRING identifier-1

DELIMITED BY

INTO

identifier-2
literal-1
OR

{ identifier-4 [ DELIMITER

[ WITH

POINTER identifier-7

[ TALLYING
[ ON

[ ALL ]

IN identifier-8

IN identifier-5

[ ALL ]

] [ COUNT

OVERFLOW imperative-statement-1 ]

[ NOT ON

OVERFLOW imperative-statement-2

[ END - UNSTRING ]

USE Statement
USE

[ GLOBAL ]

EXCEPTION
AFTER STANDARD

ERROR

PROCEDURE ON

44

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

{ file-name-1 }!
INPUT
OUTPUT
I-O
EXTEND

identifier-3
literal-2
!

IN identifier-6

] }!

General Formats for COBOL Statements

WRITE Statement

WRITE Statement
Format 1: Write Sequential File

identifier-1
WRITE record-name-1 FROM

literal-1

identifier-2 LINE

integer-1 LINES

BEFORE

identifier-3
AFTER ADVANCING TO LINE integer-2 [ ON NEXT PAGE ]

mnemonic-name-2

PAGE

END - OF - PAGE
imperative-statement-1
AT EOP

END - OF - PAGE
imperative-statement-2
NOT AT EOP

[ END - WRITE ]
Format 2: Write Relative and Indexed File

identifier-1
WRITE record-name-1 FROM

literal-1

[ INVALID

[ NOT

KEY imperative-statement-1 ]

INVALID KEY imperative-statement-2

[ END - WRITE ]

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

45

General Format for END PROGRAM Header

General Format for END PROGRAM Header

program-name-1
END PROGRAM
.
literal-1

General Formats for COPY and REPLACE

Statements
text-name-1
COPY

literal-1

IN library-name-1

OF literal-2

= = pseudo-text-1 = =

identifier-1

REPLACING

literal-3

word-1

[ SUPPRESS

= = pseudo-text-2 = =

identifier-2
BY

literal-4

word-2

Format 1: Begin or Change Replacement

REPLACE

= = pseudo-text-1 = = BY

Format 2: End Replacement

REPLACE OFF

46

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

PRINTING ]

= = pseudo-text-2 = =

}!

General Formats for Conditions

Relation Condition

General Formats for Conditions

Relation Condition
identifier-1

literal-1

arithmetic-expression-1 relational-operator

index-name-1

identifier-2

literal-2

arithmetic-expression-2

index-name-2

where the general format for the relational-operator is:

IS
IS

IS

IS
IS

IS

IS
IS

IS

IS

IS

[ NOT ] GREATER THAN

[ NOT ] >
[ NOT ] LESS THAN
[ NOT ] <
[ NOT ] EQUAL TO
[ NOT ] =
GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO
>=
LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO
<=

[ NOT ]

LIKE

RIGHT
TRIMMED

LEFT
CASE - INSENSITIVE

CASE - SENSITIVE

LIKE Condition (Special Case of a Relation Condition)

identifier-1
IS [ NOT ]

literal-1

LIKE

RIGHT
TRIMMED

LEFT

CASE - INSENSITIVE

CASE - SENSITIVE

identifier-2

literal-2

Class Condition
NUMERIC
ALPHABETIC

identifier-1 IS [ NOT ] ALPHABETIC - LOWER

ALPHABETIC - UPPER
class-name-1

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

47

General Formats for Conditions

Sign Condition

Sign Condition
POSITIVE

arithmetic-expression-1 IS [ NOT ] NEGATIVE

ZERO

Condition-Name Condition
condition-name-1

Switch-Status Condition
condition-name-2

Negated Condition
NOT condition-1

Combined Condition
AND

condition-2
condition-3 !
OR

Abbreviated Combined Relation Condition

AND
relation-condition-1
[ NOT ]
OR

48

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

[ relational-operator ]

object-1 !

General Formats for Qualification

General Formats for Qualification

Format 1: Qualification for Data-Names and Condition-Names

data-name-1

condition-name-1

IN file-name-1
IN

OF data-name-2 ! OF cd-name-1

IN file-name-1

OF cd-name-1

Format 2: Qualification for LINAGE-COUNTER

IN
LINAGE - COUNTER
file-name-2
OF

Format 3: Qualification for Screen-Names

IN

screen-name-1
screen-name-2 !
OF

Format 4: Qualification for Split-Key-Names

IN
split-key-name-1
file-name-3
OF

Format 5: Qualification for Paragraph Names

IN
paragraph-name-1
section-name-1
OF

Format 6: Qualification for Text-Names (COPY Statement)

IN
text-name-1
library-name-1
OF

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

49

Miscellaneous Formats
Sentence

Miscellaneous Formats
Sentence
statement-sequence-1

Statement Sequence
{ imperative-statement-1

imperative-statement-2
THEN }!

conditional-statement-1

Subscripting
integer-1
data-name-1

(
condition-name-1 data-name-2 + integer-2

index-name-1

! )

Reference Modification
data-name-1 ( leftmost-character-position-1 :

[ length-1 ]

Identifier
IN

IN file-name-1
data-name-1
data-name-2 ! OF cd-name-1
OF

[ ( { subscript-1 }! ) ] [ (

50

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

leftmost-character-position-1 : [ length-1 ] ) ]

Miscellaneous Formats
Special Registers

Special Registers
IN
ADDRESS
identifier-1
OF
IN
COUNT
data-name-1
OF
IN
data-name-1
COUNT - MAX
OF
IN
COUNT - MIN
data-name-1
OF
IN identifier-1
LENGTH

OF literal-1
IN

LINAGE - COUNTER
file-name-1
OF

PROGRAM - ID

RETURN - CODE

WHEN - COMPILED

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

51

Miscellaneous Formats
Figurative-Constants

Figurative-Constants
[ ALL ] HIGH - VALUE
[ ALL ] HIGH - VALUES
[ ALL ] LOW - VALUE
[ ALL ] LOW - VALUES
[ ALL ] NULL
[ ALL ] NULLS

[ ALL ]
[ ALL ]

QUOTE
QUOTES

[ ALL ] SPACE
[ ALL ] SPACES
[ ALL ] ZERO
[ ALL ] ZEROES
[ ALL ] ZEROS
ALL literal-1

[ ALL ] symbolic-character-1

Concatenation Expression
literal-1 & literal-2

Constant-Expression

[ NOT ]

52

integer-1

NEXT

LENGTH
data-name-4

OF

literal-4

SIZE

START OF data-name-6

DATE
COMPILED

( constant-expression-2 )

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

**
[ NOT

AND

OR

EXCLUSIVE OR

integer-2

NEXT

LENGTH

data-name5

OF

SIZE
literal-5

!
START OF data-name-7

DATE
COMPILED

( constant-expression-3 )

General Format for Nested Source Programs

General Format for Nested Source Programs

IDENTIFICATION
DIVISION .
ID

program-name-1
PROGRAM - ID .
[ IS INITIAL PROGRAM ].
literal-1

[ ENVIRONMENT
[ DATA

DIVISION . data-division-content-1 ]

[ PROCEDURE

DIVISION . environment-division-content-1 ]

DIVISION . procedure-division-content-1 ]

[ nested-source-program-1 ]!
program-name-1
END PROGRAM
.
literal-1

General Format for nested-source-program

IDENTIFICATION
ID
DIVISION .

COMMON
program-name-2
PROGRAM - ID .
IS INITIAL
PROGRAM .
literal-2

[ ENVIRONMENT
[ DATA

DIVISION . environment-division-content-2 ]

DIVISION . data-division-content-2

[ PROCEDURE

DIVISION . procedure-division-content-2 ]

[ nested-source-program-2 ]!
program-name-2
END PROGRAM
.
literal-2

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

53

General Format for a Sequence of Source Programs

General Format for a Sequence of Source Programs

IDENTIFICATION
DIVISION .
ID

program-name-3
PROGRAM - ID .

literal-3

[ ENVIRONMENT
[ DATA

[ IS

DIVISION . environment-division-content-3

DIVISION . data-division-content-3

[ PROCEDURE

INITIAL PROGRAM

].

DIVISION . procedure-division-content-3

[ nested-source-program-3 ]!

program-name-3
END PROGRAM
.

!

literal-3

IDENTIFICATION
DIVISION .
ID

program-name-4
PROGRAM - ID .

literal-4

[ ENVIRONMENT
[ DATA

INITIAL PROGRAM

DIVISION . environment-division-content-4

DIVISION . data-division-content-4

[ PROCEDURE

[ IS

DIVISION . procedure-division-content-4

[ nested-source-program-4 ]!

program-name-4
END PROGRAM literal-4
.

54

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

].

PICTURE Clause
PICTURE Character-Strings

PICTURE Clause
The PICTURE clause describes a data item with a character-string composed of symbols.

PICTURE Character-Strings
The five categories of data that can be described with a PICTURE clause 1 are defined as
follows:

1.

Alphabetic. Its PICTURE character-string can contain only the symbol A. The contents
of an alphabetic data item when represented in standard data format must be one or more
alphabetic characters (a through z, A through Z, and space).

2.

Alphanumeric. Its PICTURE character-string is restricted to certain combinations of the

symbols A, X and 9, and the item is treated as if the character-string contained all
symbols X. The PICTURE character-string must contain at least one symbol X or a
combination of the symbols A and 9. A PICTURE character-string that contains all
symbols A or all symbols 9 does not define an alphanumeric data item, since such
character-strings define an alphabetic or numeric data item, respectively. The contents of
an alphanumeric data item when represented in standard data format must be one or more
characters in the character set of the computer.

3.

Alphanumeric edited. Its PICTURE character-string is restricted to certain

combinations of the following symbols: A, X, 9, B, 0, and slash (/). The PICTURE
character-string must contain at least one symbol A or X and at least one symbol B, 0, or
slash (/). The contents of an alphanumeric edited data item when represented in standard
data format must be two or more characters in the character set of the computer.

4.

Numeric. Its PICTURE character-string can contain only the symbols 9, P, S, and V. Its
PICTURE character-string must contain at least one symbol 9 and not more than thirty
symbols 9. Each symbol 9 specifies a digit position. If unsigned, the contents of a
numeric data item when represented in standard data format must be one or more numeric
characters. If signed, a numeric data item may also contain a +, , or other
representation of an operational sign. The actual in-memory contents of a numeric data
item are not standard data format when the usage is other than DISPLAY as specified by
a USAGE clause applicable to the data description entry or when the data item is signed
and the SEPARATE CHARACTER phrase is not specified in a SIGN clause applicable
to the data description entry.

5.

Numeric edited. Its PICTURE character-string is restricted to certain combinations of

the following symbols: B, slash (/), P, V, Z, 0, 9, comma (,), period (.), asterisk (*),
minus (), plus (+), CR, DB, and the currency symbol (the symbol $ or the symbol
specified in the CURRENCY SIGN clause of the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph). The
allowable combinations are determined from the order of precedence of symbols (see
Table 1 on page 59) and the editing rules. The number of digit positions that can be
represented in the PICTURE character-string must range from one to thirty, inclusive.
The character-string must contain at least one symbol 0, B, slash, Z, asterisk, plus, minus,
comma, period, CR, DB, or the currency symbol. The contents of each of the character
positions in a numeric edited data item must be consistent with the corresponding
PICTURE symbol.

The additional data categories, index data and data pointer, also exist but do not use a PICTURE clause in their data description
entry. An index data item is described with the USAGE IS INDEX clause. A data pointer data item is described with the
USAGE IS POINTER clause.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

55

PICTURE Clause
PICTURE Symbols

PICTURE Symbols
The functions of the symbols used in a PICTURE character-string to describe an elementary
data item are as follows:

56

Each symbol A in the character-string represents a character position that can contain
only an alphabetic character (a through z, A through Z, and space). Each
symbol A is counted in the size of the data item described by the PICTURE
character-string.

Each symbol B in the character-string represents a character position into which the
character space will be inserted when the data item is the receiving item of an
elementary MOVE statement. Each symbol B is counted in the size of the data item
described by the PICTURE character-string.

Each symbol P in the character-string indicates an assumed decimal scaling position

and is used to specify the location of an assumed decimal point when the point is not
within the number that appears in the data item. The scaling position symbol P is not
counted in the size of the data item described by the PICTURE character-string, but
each symbol P is counted in determining the maximum number (30) of digit
positions in numeric and numeric edited data items. The symbol P may appear only
as a contiguous string in the leftmost or rightmost digit positions within a PICTURE
character-string. Since the scaling position symbol P implies an assumed decimal
point (to the left of the symbols P if they are the leftmost digit positions and to the
right of the symbols P if they are the rightmost digit positions), the assumed decimal
point symbol V is redundant either to the left or right of the symbols P, respectively,
within such a PICTURE character-string. The symbol P and the insertion symbol
period (.) cannot both occur in the same PICTURE character-string.

The symbol S is used in the character-string to indicate the presence, but neither the
representation nor, necessarily, the position of an operational sign. The symbol S
must be written as the leftmost character in the PICTURE character-string. The
symbol S is not counted in determining the size (in terms of standard data format
characters) of the data item described by the PICTURE character-string unless the
entry contains or is subject to a SIGN clause that specifies the SEPARATE
CHARACTER phrase. The symbol S in the PICTURE character-string and the
BLANK WHEN ZERO clause may not occur in the same data description entry.

The symbol V is used in a character-string to indicate the location of the assumed

decimal point and may appear only once in any single PICTURE character-string.
The symbol V does not represent a character position and, therefore, is not counted in
the size of the data item described by the PICTURE character-string. When the
assumed decimal point is to the right of the rightmost symbol in the string
representing a digit position or scaling position, or is to the left of scaling positions
that represent the leftmost digit positions, the symbol V is redundant. The symbol V
and the insertion symbol period (.) cannot both occur in the same PICTURE
character-string.

Each symbol X in the character-string is used to represent a character position that

contains any allowable character from the character set of the computer. Each
symbol X is counted in the size of the data item described by the PICTURE
character-string.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

PICTURE Clause
PICTURE Symbols

Each symbol Z in a character-string may only be used to represent the leftmost

leading numeric character positions that will be replaced by space characters when
the contents of those character positions are leading zeroes and the data item is the
receiving item of an elementary MOVE statement. Each symbol Z is counted in the
size of the item described by the PICTURE character-string and in determining the
maximum number (30) of digit positions allowed in a numeric edited data item. If
the symbol Z is used to the right of the decimal point in a character-string, then
all digit positions in that character-string must be described with the symbol Z.
If the symbol Z represents all the digit-positions in the character-string, then the
described data item is blank when zero, even if the BLANK WHEN ZERO clause
is not specified.

Each symbol 9 in the character-string represents a character position that contains a

numeric character. Each symbol 9 is counted in the size of the item described by the
PICTURE character-string and in determining the maximum number (30) of digit
positions in a numeric or numeric edited data item.

Each symbol 0 in the character-string represents a character position into which the
character zero (0) will be inserted when the data item is the receiving item of an
elementary MOVE statement and removed when a numeric edited data item is the
sending item in an elementary MOVE statement with a numeric or numeric edited
receiving data item. Each symbol 0 is counted in the size of the data item described
by the PICTURE character-string. The symbol 0 does not represent a digit position
in a numeric edited data item.

Each symbol slash (/) in the character-string represents a character position into
which a character slash (/) will be inserted when the data item is the receiving item
of an elementary MOVE statement. Each symbol slash (/) is counted in the size of
the data item described by the PICTURE character-string.

Each symbol comma (,) in the character-string represents a character position into
which a character comma (,) will be inserted when the data item is the receiving
item of an elementary MOVE statement. Each symbol comma (,) is counted in the
size of the data item described by the PICTURE character-string.

When the symbol period (.) appears in the character-string, it is an editing symbol
that represents the decimal point for alignment purposes and, in addition, represents a
character position into which the character period (.) will be inserted. The symbol
period is counted in the size of the data item described by the PICTURE characterstring. The symbols P and V cannot occur with a symbol period (.) in the same
PICTURE character-string.
Note For a given program the functions of the period and comma are exchanged if the
DECIMAL-POINT IS COMMA clause is stated in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. In
this exchange, the rules for the period apply to the comma and the rules for the comma
apply to the period wherever they appear in a PICTURE character-string.

+, , CR, DB
These symbols are used as editing sign control symbols. When used, they represent
the character position into which the editing sign control symbol will be placed. The
symbols are mutually exclusive in any one PICTURE character-string and each
character used in the symbol is counted in determining the size of the data item
described by the PICTURE character-string. If the symbols plus or minus occur
more than once (a floating sign control symbol), then one less than the total number
of these symbols is counted in determining the maximum number (30) of digit
positions allowed in a numeric edited data item. If a floating symbol plus or minus is
used to the right of the decimal point in a character-string, then all digit positions in

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

57

PICTURE Clause
PICTURE Symbols

that character-string must be described with the symbol plus or minus, respectively.
If a floating plus or minus symbol string represents all the digit-positions in the
character-string, then the described data item is blank when zero, even if the BLANK
WHEN ZERO clause is not specified.
*

Each symbol asterisk (*) in the character-string represents a leading numeric

character position into which a character asterisk (*) will be placed when that
position contains a leading zero and the data item is the receiving item of an
elementary MOVE statement. Each symbol asterisk (*) is counted in the size of the
data item described by the PICTURE character-string and in determining the
maximum number (30) of digit positions allowed in a numeric edited data item. If
the symbol asterisk (*) is used to the right of the decimal point in a character-string,
then all digit positions in that character-string must be described with the symbol
asterisk (*). The symbol asterisk in the PICTURE character-string and the BLANK
WHEN ZERO clause may not occur in the same data description entry. If the
symbol asterisk represents all the digit-positions in the character-string, then, when
zero, the described data item is all asterisks (ALL *), except that, if the characterstring contains the symbol period (.), a character period (.) will occur at the
specified location in the data item.

cs The currency symbol in a character-string is represented either by the currency sign

(the symbol $) or by the single character specified in the CURRENCY SIGN clause
in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph. The currency symbol in the character-string
represents a character position into which a currency symbol is to be placed when the
data item is the receiving item of an elementary MOVE statement. Each currency
symbol is counted in the size of the data item described by the PICTURE characterstring. If the currency symbol occurs more than once (a floating currency symbol),
then one less than the total number of currency symbols is counted in determining the
maximum number (30) of digit positions allowed in a numeric edited data item. If
the currency symbol is used to the right of the decimal point in a character-string,
then all digit positions in that character-string must be described with the currency
symbol. If a floating currency symbol string represents all the digit-positions in the
character-string, then the described data item is blank when zero, even if the BLANK
WHEN ZERO clause is not specified.

58

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

PICTURE Clause
PICTURE Symbols

Table 1: PICTURE Symbol Precedence

First
Symbol

Floating
Insertion Symbols

CR
DB

Other Symbols

CS

CS

A
X

CR
DB

CS

z z
* *

CS

Other Symbols

Floating
Insertion Symbols

Second
Symbol

Non-floating
Insertion Symbols

Non-floating
Insertion Symbols

z
*

z
*

CS

CS

A
X

X
X

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

59

Reserved Words

Reserved Words
The DERESERVE keyword of the COMPILER-OPTIONS configuration record, which is
described in Chapter 10: Configuration of the RM/COBOL Users Guide, can be used to
make a reserved word a user-defined word whenever it occurs in the source program, but then
the language feature provided by the construct in which the word appears is not available for
programs compiled with that particular configuration setting.
A
ACCEPT
ACCESS
ADD
ADDRESS 2
ADVANCING
AFTER
ALL
ALPHABET 2
ALPHABETIC
ALPHABETIC-LOWER 2
ALPHABETIC-UPPER 2
ALPHANUMERIC 2
ALPHANUMERIC-EDITED 2
ALSO 2
ALTER
ALTERNATE
AND
ANY 2
ARE
AREA
AREAS
ASCENDING 2
ASSIGN
AT
AUTHOR
B
BEEP
BEFORE
BELL 2
BINARY
BLANK
BLINK
BLOCK
BOTTOM 2
BY

60

C
CALL
CANCEL
CD 2
CENTURY-DATE 2
CENTURY-DAY 2
CF 2
CH 2
CHARACTER
CHARACTERS
CLASS 2
CLOCK-UNITS 2
CLOSE
COBOL 2
CODE 2
CODE-SET
COL 2
COLLATING
COLUMN 2
COMMA
COMMON 2
COMMUNICATION 2
COMP
COMP-1
COMP-3
COMP-4 2
COMP-5 2
COMP-6
COMPUTATIONAL
COMPUTATIONAL-1
COMPUTATIONAL-3
COMPUTATIONAL-4 2
COMPUTATIONAL-5 2
COMPUTATIONAL-6
COMPUTE
CONFIGURATION
CONTAINS
CONTENT 2

This word is not considered reserved if the RM/COBOL (74) 2.0 compatibility option is present in the Compile Command
(see the RM/COBOL User's Guide for details on this option). In such cases, this word is treated as a user-defined word
whenever it occurs in the source program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Reserved Words

CONTINUE 2
CONTROL 2
CONTROLS 2
CONVERT
CONVERTING 2
COPY
CORR
CORRESPONDING
COUNT 2
COUNT-MAX 2
COUNT-MIN 2
CURRENCY
CURSOR 2
D
DATA
DATA-POINTER 2
DATE
DATE-AND-TIME 2
DATE-COMPILED 2
DATE-WRITTEN
DAY
DAY-AND-TIME 2
DAY-OF-WEEK 2
DE 2
DEBUG-CONTENTS 2
DEBUG-ITEM 2
DEBUG-LINE 2
DEBUG-NAME 2
DEBUG-SUB-1 2
DEBUG-SUB-2 2
DEBUG-SUB-3 2
DEBUGGING 2
DECIMAL-POINT
DECLARATIVES
DEFAULT 2
DELETE
DELIMITED 2
DELIMITER 2
DEPENDING
DESCENDING 2
DESTINATION 2
DETAIL 2
DISABLE 2
DISPLAY
DIVIDE
DIVISION
DOWN
DUPLICATES
DYNAMIC

E
ECHO
EGI 2
ELSE
EMI 2
ENABLE 2
END
END-ACCEPT 2
END-ADD 2
END-CALL 2
END-COMPUTE 2
END-DELETE 2
END-DIVIDE 2
END-EVALUATE 2
END-IF 2
END-MULTIPLY 2
END-OF-PAGE 2
END-PERFORM 2
END-READ 2
END-RECEIVE 2
END-RETURN 2
END-REWRITE 2
END-SEARCH 2
END-START 2
END-STRING 2
END-SUBTRACT 2
END-UNSTRING 2
END-WRITE 2
ENTER 2
ENVIRONMENT
EOP 2
EQUAL
ERASE
ERROR
ESCAPE 2
ESI 2
EVALUATE 2
EVERY 2
EXCEPTION
EXCLUSIVE 2
EXIT
EXTEND
EXTERNAL 2
F
FALSE 2
FD
FILE
FILE-CONTROL
FILLER

This word is not considered reserved if the RM/COBOL (74) 2.0 compatibility option is present in the Compile Command
(see the RM/COBOL User's Guide for details on this option). In such cases, this word is treated as a user-defined word
whenever it occurs in the source program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

61

Reserved Words

FINAL 2
FIRST
FIXED 2
FOOTING 2
FOR
FROM
FUNCTION 2
G
GENERATE 2
GIVING
GLOBAL 2
GO
GOBACK 2
GREATER
GROUP 2
H
HEADING 2
HIGH
HIGH-VALUE
HIGH-VALUES
HIGHLIGHT
I
I-O
I-O-CONTROL
ID 2
IDENTIFICATION
IF
IN
INDEX
INDEXED
INDICATE 2
INITIAL
INITIALIZE 2
INITIATE 2
INPUT
INPUT-OUTPUT
INSPECT
INSTALLATION
INTO
INVALID
IS

K
KEY
L
LABEL
LAST 2
LEADING
LEFT
LENGTH 2
LESS
LIKE 2
LIMIT 2
LIMITS 2
LINAGE 2
LINAGE-COUNTER 2
LINE
LINE-COUNTER 2
LINES
LINKAGE
LOCK
LOW
LOWLIGHT 2
LOW-VALUE
LOW-VALUES
M
MEMORY
MERGE 2
MESSAGE 2
MODE
MODULES
MOVE
MULTIPLY
N
NATIVE
NEGATIVE 2
NEXT
NO
NOT
NULL 2
NULLS 2
NUMBER 2
NUMERIC
NUMERIC-EDITED 2

J
JUST
JUSTIFIED

62

This word is not considered reserved if the RM/COBOL (74) 2.0 compatibility option is present in the Compile Command
(see the RM/COBOL User's Guide for details on this option). In such cases, this word is treated as a user-defined word
whenever it occurs in the source program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Reserved Words

O
OBJECT-COMPUTER
OCCURS
OF
OFF
OMITTED
ON
OPEN
OPTIONAL 2
OR
ORDER 2
ORGANIZATION
OTHER 2
OUTPUT
OVERFLOW
P
PACKED-DECIMAL 2
PADDING 2
PAGE
PAGE-COUNTER 2
PERFORM
PF 2
PH 2
PIC
PICTURE
PLUS 2
POINTER 2
POSITION
POSITIVE 2
PRINTING 2
PROCEDURE
PROCEDURES 2
PROCEED
PROGRAM
PROGRAM-ID
PROMPT
PURGE 2
Q
QUEUE 2
QUOTE
QUOTES
R
RANDOM
RD 2
READ
RECEIVE 2
RECORD

RECORDING 2
RECORDS
REDEFINES
REEL
REFERENCE 2
REFERENCES 2
RELATIVE
RELEASE 2
REMAINDER
REMARKS 2
REMOVAL 2
RENAMES
REPLACE 2
REPLACING
REPORT 2
REPORTING 2
REPORTS 2
RERUN 2
RESERVE
RESET 2
RETURN 2
RETURN-CODE 2
RETURNING 2
REVERSE
REVERSE-VIDEO 2
REVERSED 2
REWIND
REWRITE
RF 2
RH 2
RIGHT
ROUNDED
RUN
S
SAME
SCREEN 2
SD 2
SEARCH 2
SECTION
SECURE 2
SECURITY
SEGMENT 2
SEGMENT-LIMIT 2
SELECT
SEND 2
SENTENCE
SEPARATE
SEQUENCE
SEQUENTIAL

This word is not considered reserved if the RM/COBOL (74) 2.0 compatibility option is present in the Compile Command
(see the RM/COBOL User's Guide for details on this option). In such cases, this word is treated as a user-defined word
whenever it occurs in the source program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

63

Reserved Words

64

SET
SIGN
SIZE
SORT 2
SORT-MERGE 2
SOURCE 2
SOURCE-COMPUTER
SPACE
SPACES
SPECIAL-NAMES
STANDARD
STANDARD-1
STANDARD-2 2
START
STATUS
STOP
STRING 2
SUB-QUEUE-1 2
SUB-QUEUE-2 2
SUB-QUEUE-3 2
SUBTRACT
SUM 2
SUPPRESS 2
SYMBOLIC 2
SYNC
SYNCHRONIZED

THRU
TIME
TIMES
TO
TOP 2
TRAILING
TRUE 2
TYPE 2

T
TAB
TABLE 2
TALLYING
TAPE 2
TERMINAL 2
TERMINATE 2
TEST 2
TEXT 2
THAN
THEN 2
THROUGH

W
WHEN
WHEN-COMPILED 2
WITH
WORDS
WORKING-STORAGE
WRITE

U
UNIT
UNLOCK
UNSTRING 2
UNTIL
UP
UPDATE
UPON 2
USAGE
USE
USING
V
VALUE
VALUES
VARIABLE 2
VARYING

Z
ZERO
ZEROES
ZEROS

This word is not considered reserved if the RM/COBOL (74) 2.0 compatibility option is present in the Compile Command
(see the RM/COBOL User's Guide for details on this option). In such cases, this word is treated as a user-defined word
whenever it occurs in the source program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Context-Sensitive Words

Context-Sensitive Words
The words listed in Table 2 are context-sensitive words and are reserved in the specified
language construct or context. If a context-sensitive word is used where the context-sensitive
word is permitted in the general format, the word is treated as a keyword; otherwise, it is
treated as a user-defined word.
Table 2: Context-Sensitive Words
Context-Sensitive Word

AUTO

Language Construct or Context

AUTO-SKIP

screen description entry

3

screen description entry

ACCEPT statement

AUTOMATIC 3

LOCK MODE clause

BACKGROUND 3

screen description entry

BACKGROUND-COLOR

screen description entry

CARD-PUNCH

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

CARD-READER

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

CASE-INSENSITIVE 3
CASE-SENSITIVE

LIKE relational-operator
LIKE relational-operator

CASSETTE

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

CONSOLE

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

CONSOLE IS mnemonic-name clause in Special-Names
paragraph (low-volume-I-O-name)
CONSOLE IS CRT clause in Special-Names paragraph

CRT 3

CONSOLE IS CRT clause in Special-Names paragraph

CRT STATUS clause in Special-Names paragraph

CYCLE 3

EXIT statement (Format 3)

DISC

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

DISK

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

EOL

ERASE clause in screen description entry and

ERASE phrase in ACCEPT and DISPLAY statements

EOS

ERASE clause in screen description entry and

ERASE phrase in ACCEPT and DISPLAY statements

FOREGROUND 3

screen description entry

FOREGROUND-COLOR 3

screen description entry

FULL
3

screen description entry

This word in is not considered to be a context-sensitive word if the RM/COBOL (74) 2.0
compatibility option is present in the Compile Command (see the RM/COBOL Users Guide for
details on this option). When that option is present, this word is treated as a user-defined word
whenever it occurs in the source program.

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

65

Context-Sensitive Words

Table 2: Context-Sensitive Words (Cont.)

Context-Sensitive Word

Language Construct or Context

KEYBOARD

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

LISTING

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

MAGNETIC-TAPE
MANUAL

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

LOCK MODE clause

MULTIPLE

LOCK MODE clause and

I-O-CONTROL paragraph

PARAGRAPH 3
3

PREVIOUS

EXIT statement (Format 4)

READ statement (Format 1)

PRINT

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

PRINTER

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

PRINTER-1

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

3

REQUIRED

screen description entry

SORT-WORK
TRIMMED

ASSIGN clause in file control entry (device-name)

UNDERLINE
YYYYDDD

LIKE relational-operator
3

YYYYMMDD 3

screen description entry

FROM DAY phrase of ACCEPT statement (Format 2)
FROM DATE phrase of ACCEPT statement (Format 2)

The DERESERVE keyword of the COMPILER-OPTIONS configuration record, which is

described in Chapter 10: Configuration of the RM/COBOL Users Guide, can be used to
make a context-sensitive word a user-defined word whenever it occurs in the source program,
but then the language feature provided by the construct in which the word appears is not
available for programs compiled with that particular configuration setting.

66

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

Nonreserved System-Names
Code-Names

Nonreserved System-Names
Code-Names
EBCDIC

(Color-Integer) Color-Names
(0) BLACK
(1) BLUE
(2) GREEN
(3) CYAN
(4) RED
(5) MAGENTA
(6) BROWN
(7) WHITE

Computer-Names
user-defined-word-1

Delimiter-Names
BINARY-SEQUENTIAL
LINE-SEQUENTIAL

Device-Names
CARD-PUNCH
CARD-READER
CASSETTE
CONSOLE
DISC
DISK
KEYBOARD
LISTING
MAGNETIC-TAPE
PRINT
PRINTER
PRINTER-1
SORT-WORK

RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

67

Nonreserved System-Names
Feature-Names

Feature-Names
C01
C02
C03
C04
C05
C06
C07
C08
C09
C10
C11
C12

Label-Names
FILE-ID
user-defined-word-2

Language-Names
user-defined-word-3

Low-Volume-I-O-Names
CONSOLE
SYSIN
SYSOUT

Rerun-Names
user-defined-word-4

Switch-Names
SWITCH-1
SWITCH-2
SWITCH-3
SWITCH-4
SWITCH-5
SWITCH-6
SWITCH-7
SWITCH-8

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RM/COBOL Syntax Summary

First Edition

UPSI-0
UPSI-1
UPSI-2
UPSI-3
UPSI-4
UPSI-5
UPSI-6
UPSI-7