Rules for separators
In the following
description, {} (curly braces) enclose each separator, and b represents
a space. Anywhere a space is used as a separator or as part of a separator, more
than one space can be used.
- Space {b}
- A space can immediately precede or follow any separator except:
- The opening pseudo-text delimiter, where the preceding space is
required.
- Within quotation marks. Spaces between quotation marks are considered
part of the alphanumeric literal; they are not considered separators.
- Period {.b}, Comma {,b},
Semicolon {;b}
- A separator comma is composed of a comma followed by a space. A separator
period is composed of a period followed by a space. A separator semicolon is
composed of a 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 can be
used anywhere the separator space is used.
- In the identification division, each paragraph must end with a
separator period.
- In the environment division, 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, 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
can 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, parentheses can appear only in balanced pairs of left and
right parentheses. They delimit subscripts, a list of function arguments,
reference-modifiers, arithmetic expressions, or conditions.
-
Colon { : }
- The colon is a separator and is required when shown in general formats.
- 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, right parenthesis, or pseudo-text
delimiter. Quotation marks must appear as balanced pairs. They delimit
alphanumeric literals, except when the literal is continued (see Continuation lines).
- Apostrophes {'} ... {'}
- An opening apostrophe must be immediately preceded by a space or a left
parenthesis. A closing apostrophe must be immediately followed by a
separator space, comma, semicolon, period, right parenthesis, or pseudo-text
delimiter. Apostrophes must appear as balanced pairs. They delimit
alphanumeric literals, except when the literal is continued (see Continuation lines).
- Null-terminated literal delimiters {Z“} ... {”},
{Z'} ... {'}
- The opening delimiter must be immediately preceded by a space or a left
parenthesis. The closing delimiter must be immediately followed by a
separator space, comma, semicolon, period, right parenthesis, or pseudo-text
delimiter.
- DBCS literal delimiters {G“} ... {”},
{G'} ... {'}, {N“} ... {”},
{N'} ... {'}
- The opening delimiter must be immediately preceded by a space or a left
parenthesis. The closing delimiter must be immediately followed by a
separator space, comma, semicolon, period, right parenthesis, or pseudo-text
delimiter. N“ and N' are DBCS literal delimiters when the NSYMBOL(DBCS)
compiler option is in effect.
- National literal delimiters {N”} ... {“},
{N'} ... {'}, {NX”} ... {“},
{NX'} ... {'}
- The opening delimiter must be immediately preceded by a space or a left
parenthesis. The closing delimiter must be immediately followed by a
separator space, comma, semicolon, period, right parenthesis, or pseudo-text
delimiter. N” and N' are DBCS literal delimiters when the NSYMBOL(DBCS)
compiler option is in effect.
-
Pseudo-text
delimiters {b==} ... {==b}
- 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.)
Any punctuation character included in a PICTURE character-string, a comment
character-string, or an alphanumeric literal is not considered a punctuation
character, but is part of the character-string or literal.
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