COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs

Language Elements
HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs—522555-006
3-3
COBOL Character Set
Except in nonnumeric literals, the compiler handles lowercase letters as equivalent to
the corresponding uppercase letters.
You can use characters that are not in the COBOL character set in your COBOL
source programs in these cases:
•
A character other than the dollar sign ($) can represent the currency symbol in
PICTURE clauses (see SPECIAL-NAMES Paragraph)
•
A question mark (?) precedes a compiler directive
(see Indicator Area)
•
Comment-entries, comment lines, and nonnumeric literals can contain any
characters in the computer’s character set (but some control characters adversely
affect the compiler listing)
Table 3-2. Punctuation Characters
Character Name of Character
Space
,Comma
; Semicolon
:Colon
.Period
"
Quotation mark
( Left parenthesis
) Right parenthesis
= Equal sign
Table 3-3. Special Characters
Character Name of Character
+Plus sign
- Hyphen or minus sign
*Asterisk
/ Stroke or slash
$ Currency sign
> Greater than sign
< Less than sign