COBOL Manual for TNS/E Programs (H06.08+, J06.03+)

Figure 8 Precedence Rules for PICTURE Symbols
• Data Item Size
A data item’s size is determined by the symbols of its PICTURE character-string. Each A, B, N,
X, Z, 9, zero (0), slash (/), comma (,), period (.), plus (+), minus (-), asterisk (*), or currency
symbol (usually the dollar sign ($)) counts as one character position. CR or DB counts as two
character positions. S is one character only if the item is subject to a SIGN clause with a
SEPARATE phrase.
S, V, CR, and DB cannot appear more than once in a single character-string.
A PICTURE character-string (or part of a PICTURE character-string) of the format
symbol (integer)
where symbol is any symbol allowed in a PICTURE character-string except P, is equivalent
to a PICTURE character-string (or substring) of integer consecutive occurrences of symbol.
For example, PICTURE X(4) is equivalent to PICTURE XXXX and PICTURE A(3)0A is equivalent
to PICTURE AAA0A.
Descriptions of Records (Levels 01-49) 195