COBOL - Program Format

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COBOL programs must be written in the COBOL reference format. The below diagram illustrates the reference format for a COBOL source line.


The following areas are described below in terms of a 72-character line:

Columns 1 through 6 : Sequence Number Area

The sequence number area may be used to label a source statement line. The content of this area may consist of any character in the character set of the computer.

Column 7 : Indicator Area (comments and continuation)

• Any sentence, entry, clause, or phrase that requires more than one line can be continued in Area B of the next line which is not a
  • Comment line
  • Blank line
  
  
• Area A of a continuation line must be blank.
  
  
• If no hyphen (-) in indicator Area.
  
  
• Last character of the preceding line is assumed to be followed by a space.
  
  
• If hyphen is in Indicator Area: First non-blank character of this continuation line immediately follows the last non-blank char of continues line.
  
  
• If the continued line contains a non-numeric literal without a closing quotation mark:
  • All spaces at the end of the continued line (through column 72) are part of the litral.
  • Continuation line must contain a hyphen in the indicator area.
  • First non-blank character must be a quotation mark and Literal.
  • Continues with the character following the quotation mark.

Columns 8 through 11 : Area A

The following items must begin in Area A:

• Division header
• Section header
• Paragraph header or paragraph name
• Level indicator or level-number (01 and 77)
• DECLARATIVES and END DECLARATIVES.
• End program header.

Area B: Columns 12 through 72:

• Entries, sentences, statements, clauses
• Continuation lines.

Program Identification: Columns 73 through 80

• This area was originally designed for entering the program identification on each individual line of code
• Once cards were replaced with disk drives, this area fell into disuse.

Mainframe screen : See left side top- COLS(this represent the column number)

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Video Tutorial: COBOL Progam Structure

We will see in detail about each area and it's statements in upcoming chapters.

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