VMS Help
COBOL, ENVIRONMENT_DIVISION, FILE-CONTROL, clauses
*Conan The Librarian
|
The ASSIGN clause associates a file with a partial or a complete
file specification.
Format -
ASSIGN TO file-spec
1.1 - file-spec
is a nonnumeric literal or a COBOL word formed according to the
rules for user-defined names. It represents a partial or complete
file specification.
The BLOCK CONTAINS clause specifies the size of a physical record.
Format -
BLOCK CONTAINS [smallest-block TO] blocksize { RECORDS }
{ CHARACTERS }
2.1 - smallest-block
is an integer literal. It specifies the minimum physical record
size.
2.2 - blocksize
is an integer literal. It specifies the exact or maximum physical
record size.
The CODE-SET clause specifies the representation of data on external
media.
Format -
CODE-SET IS alphabet-name
3.1 - alphabet-name
is the name of a character set defined in the SPECIAL-NAMES
paragraph. It cannot be described with literals in the ALPHABET
clause.
The LOCK MODE clause specifies a locking technique to use for a
file. LOCK MODE is part of the X/Open COBOL standard.
Format -
[ { MANUAL WITH LOCK ON MULTIPLE RECORDS } ]
[LOCK MODE IS { AUTOMATIC [WITH LOCK ON RECORD] } ]
[ { EXCLUSIVE } ]
The ORGANIZATION clause specifies a file's logical structure.
Format -
{ SEQUENTIAL }
[ ORGANIZATION IS ] { LINE SEQUENTIAL }
{ RELATIVE }
{ INDEXED }
The PADDING CHARACTER clause specifies the character to be used to
pad blocks in sequential files.
Format -
PADDING CHARACTER IS pad-char
6.1 - pad-char
is a one-character nonnumeric literal or the data-name of a
one-character data item. The data-name can be qualified.
The RECORD DELIMITER clause indicates the method of determining the
length of a variable record on the external medium. It is for
documentation only.
Format -
RECORD DELIMITER IS STANDARD-1
The RESERVE clause specifies the number of input-output buffers for
a file.
Format -
RESERVE reserve-num [ AREA ]
[ AREAS ]
8.1 - reserve-num
is an integer literal from 1 through 127. It specifies the number
of input-output areas for the file.