ILE COBOL Language Reference
The values returned by some functions are determined by the arguments
specified in the function-identifier when the functions are evaluated.
Some functions require no arguments; others require a fixed number of
arguments; and still others allow a variable number of arguments.
An argument must be one of the following:
- An identifier
- An arithmetic expression
- A function-identifier
- A literal other than a figurative constant
- A special-register
- A mnemonic-name
- A keyword.
The argument to a function can be any function or expression containing a
function, including another evaluation of the same function, whose result
meets the category requirement for the argument.
See Function Definitions for function specific argument specifications.
The types of arguments are:
- Alphabetic
- An elementary data item of the class alphabetic or a nonnumeric literal
containing only alphabetic characters. The content of the argument is
used to determine the value of the function. The length of the argument
can be used to determine the value of the function.
- Alphanumeric
- A data item of the class alphabetic or alphanumeric or a nonnumeric
literal. The content of the argument will be used to determine the
value of the function. The length of the argument can be used to
determine the value of the function.
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- Boolean
- A data item of class boolean, or a boolean literal.
- DBCS
- A data item of the class DBCS or a DBCS literal. The content of the
argument is used to determine the value of the function. The length of
the argument can be used to determine the value of the function.
- National
- A data item of the class NATIONAL or a national hexadecimal
literal. The content of the argument is used to determine the value of
the function. The length of the argument can be used to determine the
value of the function.
- Date-Time
- An data item of the class date-time. The content of the argument is
used to determine the value of the function. The length of the argument
can be used to determine the value of the function.
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- Index
- An index data item. The size associated with the argument may be
used in determining the value of the argument.
- Integer
- An arithmetic expression that always results in an integer value.
The value of this expression, including its sign, is used to determine the
value of the function.
- Numeric
- An arithmetic expression, whose value, including its sign, is used to
determine the value of the function.
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- Keyword
- A keyword should be specified in accordance with the function
definition.
- Mnemonic-Name
- A mnemonic-name defined in the SPECIAL-NAMES paragraph shall be
specified. The feature associated with the mnemonic-name may be used in
determining the value of the function.
- Pointer
- A pointer identifier. The size associated with the argument may be
used in determining the value of the function.
- Type Declaration
- A type-name shall be specified. The size associated with the type
declaration may be used in determining the value of the function.
- Special-Register
- A special-register should be specified in accordance with the function
definition. The information associated with the special-register may be
used in determining the value of the function.
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Some functions place constraints on their arguments, such as the range of
values acceptable. If the values assigned as arguments for a function
do not comply with specified constraints, the returned value is
undefined.
If a nested function is used as an argument, the evaluation of its
arguments will not be affected by the arguments in the outer function.
Only those arguments at the same function level interact with each
other. This interaction occurs in two areas:
- The computation of an arithmetic expression that appears as a function
argument will be affected by other arguments for that function.
- The evaluation of the function takes into consideration the attributes of
all of its arguments.
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Floating-point literals are allowed wherever a numeric
argument is allowed, and in arithmetic expressions that are used in functions
that allow a numeric argument. They are not allowed where an
integer argument is required.
External floating-point items are allowed wherever a numeric argument is
allowed, and in arithmetic expressions that are used in functions that allow a
numeric argument.
External floating-point items are not allowed where an integer
argument is required, or where an argument of alphanumeric class is allowed in
a function identification, such as in the LOWER-CASE, REVERSE, UPPER-CASE,
NUMVAL, and NUMVAL-C functions.
+----------------------------End of IBM Extension----------------------------+
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