ILE COBOL Language Reference
In the following description, brackets enclose each separator.
Anywhere a space is used as a separator, or as part of a separator, more than
one space may be used.
- A space [ ]
- A space can immediately precede or follow any separator except:
- The opening pseudo-text delimiter (where the preceding space is
required).
- Within quotation marks (or apostrophes if the APOST option is in
effect). Spaces between quotation marks are considered part of the
nonnumeric literal; they are not considered separators.
- Period [. ],
Comma [, ], Semicolon [; ]
- A separator period, comma, or semicolon is composed of a period,
comma, or semicolon followed by a space. The separator period must be
used only to indicate the end of a sentence, or as shown in formats.
The separator comma and separator semicolon may be used anywhere the separator
space is used.
- In the Identification Division, separator commas and separator
semicolons can be used in the comment-entries.
Each paragraph must end with a separator period.
- In the Environment Division, separator commas or separator
semicolons may separate clauses and
operands within clauses. The SOURCE-COMPUTER, OBJECT-COMPUTER,
SPECIAL-NAMES, and I-O-CONTROL paragraphs must each end with a separator
period. In the FILE-CONTROL paragraph, each File-Control entry must end
with a separator period.
- In the Data Division, separator commas or separator semicolons
may separate clauses and operands
within clauses. File (FD), Sort/Merge file (SD), and data description
entries must each end with a separator period.
- In the Procedure Division, separator commas or separator
semicolons may separate statements within a
sentence, and operands within a statement. Each sentence and each
procedure must end with a separator period.
- Parentheses [ ( ] .
. . [ ) ]
- Except in pseudo-text, they must appear as balanced pairs of left
and right parentheses. They delimit subscripts, a list of function
arguments, reference modification, arithmetic expressions, and
conditions.
- Quotation marks
[ "] . . . [" ]
- An opening quotation mark must be immediately preceded by a space or
a left parenthesis. A closing quotation mark must be immediately
followed by a separator (space, comma, semicolon, period, or right
parenthesis). Quotation marks must appear as balanced pairs.
They delimit nonnumeric literals, except when the literal is continued (see Continuation Lines).
+-------------------------------IBM Extension--------------------------------+
Under the *APOST compiler option, or the APOST PROCESS option, an
apostrophe can be used in place of a quotation mark.
+----------------------------End of IBM Extension----------------------------+
- Pseudo-text delimiters
[ ==]... literal-2 [== ]
- An opening pseudo-text delimiter must be immediately preceded by a
space. A closing pseudo-text delimiter must be immediately followed by
a separator (space, comma, semicolon, or period). Pseudo-text
delimiters must appear as balanced pairs. They delimit
pseudo-text. (See COPY Statement and REPLACING Phrase.)
- Colon [ : ]
- The colon is a separator, and is required when shown in general
formats.
+-------------------------------IBM Extension--------------------------------+
B" is
a separator when used to describe a Boolean literal. The B must
immediately precede the quotation mark.
X" is a separator when used
to describe a hexadecimal nonnumeric literal. The X must immediately
precede the quotation mark.
G" is a separator when used
to describe a DBCS literal. The G must immediately precede the
quotation mark.
N" is a separator when used
to describe a DBCS literal. The N must immediately precede the
quotation mark.
NX" is a separator when used to describe a national
hexadecimal literal. The NX must immediately precede the quotation
mark.
Z" is a separator when used to describe a
null-terminated nonnumeric literal. The Z must immediately precede the
quotation mark.
+----------------------------End of IBM Extension----------------------------+
- Note:
- Any punctuation character included in a PICTURE character-string, a comment
character-string, or a nonnumeric literal is not considered as a punctuation
character, but rather as part of the character-string or literal.
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