Identifier

In the syntax diagrams, the term identifier refers to a user-defined name that, if not unique in a program, must be followed by a syntactically correct combination of qualifiers, subscripts, or reference modifiers necessary for uniqueness of reference.

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Format 1 - Identifier

                .-------------------------.   
                V                         |   
>>-data-name-1----+---------------------+-+--------------------->
                  '-+-IN-+--data-name-2-'     
                    '-OF-'                    

>--+---------------------+--+---------------------+------------->
   '-+-IN-+--file-name-1-'  |    .-----------.    |   
     '-OF-'                 |    V           |    |   
                            '-(----subscript-+--)-'   

>--+--------------------------------------------------+--------><
   '-(--leftmost-character-position--:--+--------+--)-'   
                                        '-length-'        

data-name-1, data-name-2
Can be a record-name.
file-name-1
Must be identified by an FD or SD entry in the Data Division.

File-name-1 must be uniquely identifiable.

The following rules apply:
  • Duplication of data-names must not occur in those places where the data-name cannot be made unique by qualification.
  • In the same program, where data description entries for any two 01 level-number items have the same data-name, the external clause cannot be applied to either entry.
  • In the same Data Division, the data description entries for any two data items for which the same data-name is specified must not include the GLOBAL clause.

There are two special cases for the identifier: LINAGE-COUNTER and condition-name.