Rational Developer for System z
COBOL for Windows, Version 7.5, Language Reference


MAX

The MAX function returns the content of the argument that contains the maximum value.

The function type depends on the argument type, as follows:

Argument type Function type
Alphabetic Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric Alphanumeric
National National
All arguments integer
(includes integer arguments of usage NATIONAL)
Integer
Numeric (some arguments can be integer)
(includes numeric arguments of usage NATIONAL)
Numeric

Format
Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagram                    .------------.     
                    V            |     
>>-FUNCTION MAX--(----argument-1-+--)--------------------------><
 
argument-1
Must be class alphabetic, alphanumeric, national, or numeric.

All arguments must be of the same class, except that a combination of alphabetic and alphanumeric arguments is allowed.

The returned value is the content of argument-1 having the greatest value. The comparisons used to determine the greatest value are made according to the rules for simple conditions. For more information, see Conditional expressions.

If more than one argument-1 has the same greatest value, the leftmost argument-1 having that value is returned.

If the type of the function is alphanumeric or national, the size of the returned value is the size of the selected argument-1.


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