HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP COBOL
Reference Manual

qualified data-name: An identifier that consists of one data-name followed by one or more OF (or IN) phrases containing another data-name.

random access: An access mode in which the program-specified value of a key data item identifies the logical record in a relative or indexed file.

record: See logical record.

record access stream: See access stream.

record area: A storage area allocated to process the sequential, relative, and indexed record described in a record description entry in the File Section.

record key: A key whose contents identify a record in an indexed file. Within an indexed file, record key is either the prime record key or an alternate record key.

reference format: A standard way to describe COBOL source programs.

reference-modifier: A syntactically correct combination of character strings and separators that defines a unique data item; it includes a delimiting left parenthesis separator, the leftmost character position, a colon separator, optionally a length, and a delimiting right parenthesis separator.

relation: See relational operator.

relation character: A character from the following set:

relational operator: In a relation condition, the reserved words used to compare the values of two operands. Valid relational operators are as follows:

relative file: A file with relative organization.

relative key: A key whose contents identify a logical record in a relative file.

relative organization: The permanent logical file structure in which each record is uniquely identified by positive integer value. The integer value specifies the record's logical ordinal position in the file.

repeating group: A group data item whose description contains an OCCURS clause. Also, a group data item subordinate to a data item whose description contains an OCCURS clause.

report clause: A clause in the Report Section of the Data Division that appears in a report description entry or a report group description entry.

report description entry: An entry in the Report Section of the Data Division that is composed of the level indicator RD, followed by a report-name, followed by a set of report clauses, as required.

report file: An output file whose file description entry contains a REPORT clause. The contents of a report file consist of records that are written under control of the Report Writer Control System.

report footing: A report group that is presented only at the end of a report.

report group: In the Report Section of the Data Division, a 01 level-number entry and its subordinate entries.

report group description entry: An entry in the Report Section of the Data Division that is composed of the level-number 01, an optional data-name, a TYPE clause, and an optional set of report clauses.

report heading: A report group that is presented only at the beginning of a report.

report line: A division of a report group representing one row of horizontal character positions. Each character position of a report line is aligned horizontally by the COLUMN clause of the report group description entry. Report lines are numbered from 1, by 1, starting at the top of the logical page.

Report Section: The section of the Data Division that contains one or more report description entries and their associated report group description entries.

Report Writer Control System (RWCS): A run-time control system that produces a report according to the specifications in a program's Report Section.

Report Writer logical record: A record that consists of the Report Writer print line and associated control information necessary for the vertical positioning of the report line.

resource: A facility or service controlled by the operating system that can be used by an executing program.

retrieval lock: An integrity lock that prevents a record from being changed in any way by a concurrent run unit. A concurrent run unit can only read a record that has a retrieval lock.

run unit: One or more object programs linked to form an executable image.

RWCS: See Report Writer Control System.

screen description entry: An entry in the Screen Section of the Data Division that is composed of a level number followed by a screen-name, if required, and then followed by a set of screen clauses, as required.

SCREEN SECTION (Alpha, I64): A Data Division section. The Screen Section contains screen description entries, which describe video forms. <>

section: A set of zero, one, or more paragraphs or entries (called a section body) that follows a section header. Each section consists of the section header and related section body.

segmented key: A record key or alternate record key with up to eight segments, each of which is a data-name of (1) an alphanumeric or numeric item, (2) a group item, or (3) an unsigned numeric display item.

sequential access: An access mode in which logical records are obtained from or placed into a file in consecutive sequence. The order in which records were written to the file determines the predecessor-successor logical record sequence.

sequential file: A file with sequential organization.

sequential organization: The permanent logical file structure in which a record is identified by a predecessor-successor relationship established when it is placed into the file.

shareable image: An image that has all of its internal references resolved, but which must be linked with one or more object modules to produce an executable image. A shareable image file can be used to contain a library of routines. A shareable image can be used by the system manager to create a global section.

sort file: A collection of records to be sorted by a SORT statement. The sort file is created and can be used only by the sort function.

sort key: A data item that identifies the location of a record, or a set of data items that serves to identify the ordering of data.

sort-merge file description entry: An entry in the File Section that consists of the level indicator SD, followed by: (1) a file-name, and (2) a set of file clauses, as required.

source item: An identifier designated by a SOURCE clause that provides the value of a printable item.

special character: A character from the set:

standard arithmetic: A mode of arithmetic in which the techniques used in handling arithmetic expressions, arithmetic statements, the SUM clause, and certain integer and numeric functions are specified in the draft International Standard.

Standard Data Format: A method of describing data as if the data appears on a printed page of infinite length and breadth. It does not relate to the way that data is stored internally or on an external medium.