COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs

Data Division
HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs—522555-006
7-18
File Description Entries
«contains-phrase-range»
length-min
is an unsigned integer literal that specifies the minimum length, in characters,
of variable-length records. Its value is in the range 0 through 32,767.
No record description entry for the file described with length-min can specify
a number of character positions less than the value of length-min.
When the RECORD clause appears in a data file description entry, no record
key or alternate record key defined for the file can be described as beginning
after or extending beyond the number of characters specified by length-min.
length-max
is an unsigned integer literal that specifies the maximum length, in characters,
of variable-length records. Its value must be greater than or equal to the value
specified by length-min (for the RECORD CONTAINS form of variable-
length specification) or greater than the value specified by length-min (for
the RECORD VARYING form of variable-length specification).
No record description entry for the file described with length-max can specify
a number of character positions greater than the value of length-max.
Note. The 1985 COBOL standard classifies contains-phrase-range as obsolete, so
you are advised not to use it. Instead, use a VARYING phrase of the form:
RECORD IS VARYING FROM length-min TO length-max
TO
length-min
length-max
CONTAINS
CHARACTERS
VST405.vsd