COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs

HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs—522555-006
16-1
16 ANSI Reference Format
In ANSI reference format, each line has 80 characters (columns). Five margins divide
each line into five areas.
To ensure that each line has 80 characters, the COBOL compiler truncates lines that
are too long and space-pads lines that are too short. The topics of this section explain
the five areas that Figure 16-1 shows, which are:
•
Sequence Number Area
•
Indicator Area
•
Area A
•
Area B
•
Identification Field
Sequence Number Area
The Sequence Number Area begins at Margin L and uses columns 1 through 6. It can
be empty, or it can contain a line number (up to six digits) or a line label (a combination
of letters and numbers).
No sequence number area exists for compiler directive lines.
Figure 16-1. ANSI Reference Format
Column:
Margin:
Area BArea A
87 9 10 11 12 72 73 ... 80
Line
Indicator Field
CA B R
...
Identification Field
123456
L
Sequence
Number
Area
VST524.vsd