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.