Rational Developer for System z
COBOL for Windows, Version 7.5, Programming Guide


FILE SECTION entries

The entries that you can use in the FILE SECTION are summarized in the table below.

Table 1. FILE SECTION entries
Clause To define
FD The file-name to be referred to in PROCEDURE DIVISION input-output statements (OPEN, CLOSE, READ, START, and DELETE). Must match file-name in the SELECT clause. file-name is associated with the system file through the assignment-name.
RECORD CONTAINS n Size of logical records (fixed length). Integer size indicates the number of bytes in a record regardless of the USAGE of the data items in the record.
RECORD IS VARYING Size of logical records (variable length). If integer size or sizes are specified, they indicate the number of bytes in a record regardless of the USAGE of the data items in the record.
RECORD CONTAINS n TO m Size of logical records (variable length). The integer sizes indicate the number of bytes in a record regardless of the USAGE of the data items in the record.
VALUE OF An item in the label records associated with file. Comments only.
DATA RECORDS Names of records associated with file. Comments only.
RECORDING MODE Record type for sequential files

related references
File section (COBOL for Windows Language Reference)


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