OUTPUT PROCEDURE Phrase

This phrase specifies the name of a procedure that is to select or modify output records from the sorting operation.
procedure-name-3
Specifies the first (or only) section or paragraph in the output procedure.
procedure-name-4
Identifies the last section or paragraph in the output procedure.

The output procedure may consist of any procedure needed to select, modify, or copy the records that are made available one at a time by the RETURN statement in sorted order from file-name-1. The range of the output procedure includes all statements that are executed as the result of a transfer of control by CALL, EXIT, GO TO, and PERFORM statements within the output procedure. The range also includes all statements in declarative procedures that are executed as a result of the execution of statements in the range of the output procedure. The range of the output procedure must not include any MERGE, RELEASE, or SORT statement.

If an output procedure is specified, control passes to it after file-name-1 has been sequenced by the SORT statement. The compiler inserts a return mechanism after the last statement in the output procedure, and when control passes that statement, the return mechanism terminates the sort and passes control to the next executable statement after the SORT statement. Before entering the output procedure, the sort procedure reaches a point at which it can select the next record in sorted order when requested. The RETURN statements in the output procedure are the requests for the next record.
Note: The INPUT and OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrases are similar to those for a basic PERFORM statement. For example, if you name a procedure in an OUTPUT PROCEDURE phrase, that procedure is executed during the sorting operation just as if it were named in a PERFORM statement.

As with the PERFORM statement, execution of the procedure ends after the last statement executes. The last statement in an input or output procedure can be the EXIT statement (see EXIT Statement).

IBM Extension

IBM Extension The SORT-RETURN special register contains a return code indicating the success (or lack of) of a SORT operation. See SORT-RETURN Special Register for more information. End of IBM Extension

End of IBM Extension