COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs

Data Division
HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs—522555-006
7-3
Independent Data Item Description Entries
More information:
Independent Data Item Description Entries
An independent data item description entry is a set of one or more data description
entries. The first entry must have level number 77. Each additional entry has either the
special level number 88 (to define condition-names associated with values of the level-
77 item) or both the level number 77 and the REDEFINES clause (to make it a
redefinition of the preceding level-77 item). Level-77 items are discussed at length in
Descriptions of Noncontiguous Elementary Items (Level 77).
There is no difference between a level-77 item and an elementary level-01 item, and
the latter is preferred.
File Section
The File Section defines the characteristics of the program’s files. Every file name
described as a data file (FD) or a sort-merge file (SD) in the File Section must be
defined as the same type of file in a corresponding file-control entry of the Environment
Division. Conversely, every data file defined in a file-control entry of the Environment
Division must be described exactly once in an file description entry of the File Section,
and every sort-merge file defined in a file-control entry of the Environment Division
must be described exactly once in an sort-merge file description entry of the File
Section.
The storage space in the File Section is limited because it is allocated in the lower
64 KB of user data space.
Record Levels Sources
01-49 Records
66 Descriptions That Rename Items (Level 66)
77 Independent Data Item Description Entries and
Descriptions of Noncontiguous Elementary Items (Level 77)
88 Descriptions of Condition-Names for Values (Level 88)
Example 7-1. Level-77 Description Entries
77 BUFFER PIC X(132).
77 ARTIFACT PIC X(10).
88 CONTAINER VALUES ARE "JAR" "AMPHORA" "CANISTER".
88 WEAPON VALUES ARE "SPEAR" "BOW" "KNIFE" "MISSILE".
77 LOCATION PIC X(30).
77 OFFICE PIC X(25) REDEFINES LOCATION.
88 LOCAL VALUE IS "HEADQUARTERS".
88 NORTHEAST-USA VALUES ARE "ALLENTOWN" "NEW HAVEN"
"CAPE MAY" "WILMINGTON".
88 SOUTHEAST-USA VALUES ARE "ATLANTA" "MYRTLE BEACH".