COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs

Data Division
HP COBOL Manual for TNS and TNS/R Programs—522555-006
7-97
Descriptions of Condition-Names for Values
(Level 88)
As the syntax presentation shows, the only clause permitted in a condition-name
entry is the VALUE clause containing the value, values, or range of values
associated with the condition-name; therefore, the characteristics of the condition-
name are implicitly those of the condition variable.
•
Setting a Condition-Name to TRUE
You can set the value of a condition-name to TRUE with the SET TO statement.
See Nonpointer Data Items.
•
Numeric data items
If an item is in the numeric category, all literals in the VALUE clause must be
numeric literals or figurative constants ZERO, ZEROS, or ZEROES (the keyword
ALL cannot appear in this context), and they must be in the range of values set by
the PICTURE character-string of the conditional variable. A signed numeric literal
only applies to a signed numeric conditional variable.
A numeric literal must not have a value that would require the truncation of
nonzero digits; therefore, the number of significant fraction digits in the numeric
literal cannot exceed the number of fraction digits in the data item, and the number
of significant integral digits in the numeric literal cannot exceed the number of
integral digits in the data item.
•
Nonnumeric data items
If an item is not in the numeric category, all literals of VALUE must be nonnumeric
literals or figurative constants (the ALL form of figurative constant is legal in this
context), and must not exceed the size of the conditional variable.
•
Multiple Values
More than one value or a range of values can be given for a condition-name entry.
Whenever THROUGH is used, the left-hand literal must be less than the right-hand
literal.
•
Overlap
The values of different condition-names associated with the same conditional
variable are permitted to overlap; therefore, it is possible to construct sets of
condition names associated with one conditional variable in which more than one
condition-name has the same truth value.