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

SET NO ALTCREATE
SET ALTFILE ( 0, folks0 )
SET TYPE E
SET REC 357
SET BLOCK 512
CREATE folks
RESET
SET TYPE K
SET KEYLEN 41
SET REC 41
SET BLOCK 512
SET IBLOCK 512
CREATE folks0
Data Dictionary
A data dictionary is a set of files that documents the structure and location of each file in your
database. You can use the DDL compiler to translate DDL source statements into a data dictionary,
and then you can use the DDL compiler to modify the data dictionary and re-create the data
declaration (COPY) library. Alternatively, you can keep the DDL source statements in a disk file,
and when you want to change a data description, you can recompile the data dictionary. The
former procedure is faster (because you are not recompiling the entire data dictionary); the latter
procedure is more straightforward.
For complete information about DDL, see the Data Definition Language (DDL) Reference Manual.
Including Text From a COPY Library
Text from a COPY library is included in an HP COBOL source program with a COPY statement.
Although a COPY statement can appear anywhere in an HP COBOL source program that a
character-string or separator can appear, its most common uses are:
• To copy descriptions of records or data structures into the Data Division
• To copy the same small piece of code into several different programs (where “small” means
too small to merit being a separately compiled program)
• To copy the occurrence number in an OCCURS clause into more than one data description
entry, as if it were a constant
Topics:
• Simple Copying
• Copying With Replacement
• Replacing Substrings
• Copying Into Debugging Lines
• Using Multiple COPY Libraries
• Using COPY Libraries Efficiently
Simple Copying
Simple copying means copying text from a COPY library into a source program. This example
uses simple copying to copy the occurrence number in an OCCURS clause into more than one
data description entry, as if it were a constant.
Suppose that the present number of sales offices is 24, but you expect it to change. Put this text
into a COPY library:
?SECTION OFFICES
24
762 Creating and Compiling HP COBOL Source Programs