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

Period Separators
Do not put anything other than spaces after the period separator that follows one of these reserved
word sequences:
• DIVISION
• DECLARATIVES
• END DECLARATIVES
Do not put anything other than spaces or a USE statement after the period separator that follow
the reserved word SECTION.
Embedded SQL/MP or SQL/MX Statements
When COBOL statements and embedded SQL/MP or SQL/MX statements appear on the same
line, these restrictions apply:
• The COBOL statements cannot be COPY or REPLACE statements.
• The COBOL statements must follow the embedded SQL/MP or SQL/MX statement terminator.
Comment-Entry
The restrictions on the comment-entry are:
• Following a comment-entry, the first keyword in the ensuing text (such as ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION or another comment-entry) must begin on a program text line that has a space in
the indicator area. This keyword must start in area A, and only space characters can precede
the keyword.
• You cannot continue a comment-entry with the hyphen convention; however, you can implicitly
continue it onto additional program text lines, provided that area A in such lines contains only
space characters.
Standard COBOL Practice
Observe these restrictions to conform to standard COBOL practice (HP COBOL does not enforce
them).
• Verify that the special constructs DECLARATIVES and END DECLARATIVES (along with each
one’s terminating period separator) are completely contained in a single program text line
with a space character in the indicator area. Start them in area A and precede them only by
space characters.
• Start each of these in area A of a program text line that has a space in its indicator area:
The keyword or user-defined word naming a division, section, or paragraph◦
◦ The initial keyword of an END PROGRAM statement
Any characters preceding these words must be space characters.
• Start the level-numbers 01 and 77 and all level indicators (FD and SD) in area A of a program
text line with a space character in the indicator area and precede them only by space
characters. Other level-numbers can start in either area A or area B.
• When a lexical element that starts in area A of a program text line is followed by a separator,
you can start the next element (if any) on that line at any point after the separator; otherwise,
start all lexical elements other than those mentioned in the preceding rules in area B. Always
start continuations of lexical elements in area B.
• Verify that both of the characters that comprise the pseudo-text separator, ==, appear on the
same program text line.
Reference Format for Source Program Lines 47