AT Phrase

The AT phrase indicates the absolute address on the screen at which the ACCEPT operation is to start. If the AT phrase is not specified, the ACCEPT operation starts at line 1, column 2. It does not indicate the starting position of the leading attribute.

The LINE phrase specifies the line at which the screen item starts on the screen.

The COLUMN phrase specifies the column at which the screen item starts on the screen.

COL is an abbreviation for COLUMN.

The LINE and COLUMN phrases can appear in any order.
identifier-2, integer-1
Identifier-2 and integer-1 must be an unsigned numeric integer with a value greater than or equal to zero and less than 9 digits. If the value for LINE or COLUMN is negative, the absolute value is taken. Identifier-2 or integer-1 is moved into a PIC 9(3) number.

Identifier-2 cannot be an internal or external floating-point data item.

Certain combinations of line and column numbers have special meaning:
  • Until the column comes within range, out of range column values are reduced by the line length and the line value is incremented. A column number may cause the line number to be incremented several times.
  • Out of range line values cause the screen to scroll up one line. The effect is the same as if the line number of the bottom line had been specified. The screen is never scrolled more than one line up regardless of the line specified.
  • If column and line numbers are both out of range, out of range columns are handled first followed by out of range lines (according to rules above).
  • If the line and column numbers given are both zero, the ACCEPT starts at the position following that where the preceding ACCEPT operation finished. Column 1 of each line is considered to follow the last column of the previous line.
  • If the line number is zero, but a non-zero column number is specified, the ACCEPT starts at the specified column, on the line following that where the preceding display operation finished.
  • If the column number is zero, but a non-zero line number is specified, the ACCEPT starts on the specified line, at the column following that where the preceding display operation finished.
identifier-3, integer-2
Identifier-3 must be a PIC 9(4) or a PIC 9(6) field. Identifier-3 cannot be an internal or external floating-point data item.

Integer-2 must be a 4- or 6-byte numeric field.

If identifier-3 or integer-2 is 4 digits long, the first 2 digits specify the line, and the second 2 digits specify the column. If identifier-3 or integer-2 is 6 digits long, the first 3 digits specify the line, the second 3 digits specify the column.