Cobol Program Structure
Divisions
A COBOL program is divided into four main divisions, namely: identification, environment, data, and procedure. The identification division contains important information about the program such as its name, author, and date. The environment division, on the other hand, specifies the hardware and software requirements of the program. The data division defines the variables and constants that will be used in the program, and the procedure division contains the actual instructions for the program to execute.
Sections
Each division is subdivided into several sections. For example, the data division is composed of the file section, working-storage section, and linkage section. The file section defines the files that will be used in the program, the working-storage section defines variables that will be used within the program, and the linkage section defines variables that will be shared with other programs or subprograms.
Paragraphs
Within each section, there are several paragraphs. A paragraph is a group of statements that perform a specific function. For example, a paragraph might be used to read data from a file, perform a mathematical operation, or display output to the user.
Sentences
A sentence is the smallest unit of a COBOL program. It consists of one or more verb commands, which are the actions that the program will perform. For example, a sentence might contain the verb ‘ADD’ to add two numbers together or the verb ‘MOVE’ to assign a value to a variable.
Verb Commands
Finally, let’s talk about verb commands. These are the heart of a COBOL program and are used to perform specific actions such as arithmetic operations, input/output operations, and conditional statements. Some common verb commands include ADD, SUBTRACT, MULTIPLY, DIVIDE, READ, WRITE, PERFORM, and IF/ELSE.
Summary
In conclusion, understanding the program structure of COBOL is crucial to its successful implementation. Knowing the different divisions, sections, paragraphs, sentences, and verb commands will help you in writing high-quality and efficient COBOL programs. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting out, taking the time to learn COBOL and its program structure will pay dividends in the long run. So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring COBOL now and see how it can help you in your business and financial programming needs.
