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

Table 7 Valid Indicator Area Characters (Tandem Reference Format) (continued)
Meaning and Topic NameCharacter NameCharacter
Debugging Line (D or d)Lowercase dd
Continuation Line (-)Hyphen-
Text LineSpace
Compiler Directive (?)
A compiler directive has a question mark (?) in the indicator area. A compiler directive is an
instruction to the compiler (for more information on compiler directives, see Compiler Directives
(page 533)).
The compiler interprets any line that has a question mark in column 1 as a compiler directive. (This
is true even when a program uses ANSI format, in which case the compiler handles the line as if
it began with the indicator area. For details on ANSI format, see Chapter 16: ANSI Reference
Format (page 702).)
Ordinary Comment (*)
An ordinary comment has an asterisk (*) in the indicator area. A comment can appear anywhere
in a program. The compiler ignores it.
Comment for Top of Next Page (/)
A comment to be printed at the top of the next page has a slash (/) in the indicator area. Like an
ordinary comment, this comment can appear anywhere in a program. The compiler advances to
the top of the next page and prints the comment at the top of that page.
Debugging Line (D or d)
A debugging line has the letter D or d in the indicator area. If the program includes a DEBUGGING
MODE clause, the debugging line is part of the program; otherwise, it is a comment. A debugging
line cannot contain embedded SQL/MP or SQL/MX statements. For information on DEBUGGING
MODE, see SOURCE-COMPUTER Paragraph (page 102).
Continuation Line (-)
A continuation line has a hyphen (-) in the indicator area. It is a continuation of the previous line.
Always leave area A of a continuation line blank.
In an HP COBOL source program, you can put a blank line between a continued line and its
continuation line. Such a blank line has no effect on the continued line or its continuation (see Text
Line).
You can continue any word or literal. If you continue a numeric literal, a reserved word, or a
user-defined word, the compiler ignores the trailing spaces of the previous line and initial spaces
of the continuation line.
The rules for continuing a nonnumeric literal in Tandem reference format are:
• The nonnumeric literal does not contain the trailing spaces of the previous line.
• The first nonblank character in area B of the continuation line must be a quotation mark. The
continuation begins with the character immediately following that quotation mark.
The rules for continuing a national literal in Tandem reference format are:
• The national literal does not contain the trailing spaces of the previous line.
• The first nonblank character in area B of the continuation line must be the letter N followed
by a quotation mark. The continuation begins with the character immediately following the
quotation mark.
Reference Format for Source Program Lines 45