Syntax

Character Set :-  same as other programming language 

                                        A,b,7,&,* etc

Coding Sheet :-  80 character position-format accepted by compiler

Position	Field	Description
1-6	Column Numbers	Reserved for Line Numbers
7	Indicator	Have *, comment, slash /
8-11	Area A	All COBOL divisions, sections, paragraphs and some special entries begin here
12-72	Area B	All COBOL statements must begin in area B.
73-80	Identification Area	as needed by Programmer

000100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.                                          000100

000200 PROGRAM-ID. HELLO.                                                   000101

000250* THIS IS A COMMENT LINE                                          000102

000300 PROCEDURE DIVISION.                                                000103

000350 A000-FIRST-PARA.                                                           000104

000400     DISPLAY “Coding Sheet”.                                           000105

000500 STOP RUN.                                                                       000106

Character String 

Comment :- does not effect execution of program

000360/ First Para Begins - Documentation Purpose                       000106

        

Literal :- Constant that is hard coded in program

DISPLAY 'Hello World'.   //Hello World is Literal  

Types:-

Alphanumeric Literals :- ‘This is valid’

Numeric Literals :-  100,+10.9, -1.9 etc

COBOL word :- character string that can be reserved or user-defined

Reserved :- file , data, paragraph names etc

Used-Defined :-  ADD,MOVE,+,-, ZEROES,SPACES etc

Figurative Constants :-

HIGH-VALUES , LOW-VALUES , ZERO/ZEROES , SPACES, QUOTES, ALL literal

Division of Cobol

Identification Division :-   mandatory

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.

PROGRAM-ID. HELLO.                 //used to Identify the programs

Environment Division :-   Input and output files used in programs

ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.

CONFIGURATION SECTION.

   SOURCE-COMPUTER. XXX-ZOS.   //System used to compile program

   OBJECT-COMPUTER. XXX-ZOS.    //System used to execute program

INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.

   FILE-CONTROL.                                //Provide information of external dataset used in program

   SELECT FILEN ASSIGN TO DDNAME

   ORGANIZATION IS SEQUENTIAL.

I-O control -  provides info of files used in program  //extra

Data Division :-   define variables used in programs

DATA DIVISION.

   FILE SECTION.               //define record structure of file

   FD FILEN

   01 NAME PIC A(25).

   

   WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.  //define temporary variables used in programs

   01 WS-STUDENT PIC A(30).

   01 WS-ID PIC 9(5).

LOCAL-STORAGE SECTION. // same as working storage -variable allocated everytime 

   01 LS-CLASS PIC 9(3).           //when program execution start

   

   LINKAGE SECTION.    //describe the data name received from external programs

   01 LS-ID PIC 9(5).

Procedure Division :- Include logic of programs

PROCEDURE DIVISION.

   A000-FIRST-PARA.

   DISPLAY 'Hello World'.

   MOVE 'TutorialsPoint' TO WS-NAME.

   DISPLAY "My name is : "WS-NAME.

   DISPLAY "My ID is : "WS-ID.

STOP RUN.

Basics of Cobol

Simple Cobol Code :-

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.

PROGRAM-ID. HELLO.

PROCEDURE DIVISION.

   DISPLAY 'Hello World'.

STOP RUN.

Program Structure :-

Programs

Division

Sections

Paragraphs

Sentences

Statements

Characters

PROCEDURE DIVISION.

A0000-FIRST-PARA SECTION.

FIRST-PARAGRAPH.

ACCEPT WS-ID            - Statement-1  -----|

MOVE '10' TO WS-ID      - Statement-2       |-- Sentence - 1

DISPLAY WS-ID           - Statement-3  -----|

.