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


Invoking factory or static methods

To invoke a COBOL factory method or Java static method in a COBOL method or client program, code the class-name as the first operand of the INVOKE statement.

For example, a client program could invoke one of the overloaded CheckingAccount factory methods called createCheckingAccount to create a checking account with account number 777777 and an opening balance of $300 by coding this statement:

Invoke CheckingAccount “createCheckingAccount”
  using by value 777777 300
  returning aCheckingAccount

To invoke a factory method from within the same class in which you define the factory method, you also use the class-name as the first operand in the INVOKE statement.

Code the name of the method to be invoked either as a literal or as an identifier whose value at run time is the method-name. The method-name must be an alphanumeric or national literal or a category alphabetic, alphanumeric, or national data item, and is interpreted in a case-sensitive manner.

If an invoked method is not supported in the class that you name in the INVOKE statement, a severe error condition is raised at run time unless you code the ON EXCEPTION phrase in the INVOKE statement.

The conformance requirements for passing arguments to a COBOL factory method or Java static method in the USING phrase, and receiving a return value in the RETURNING phrase, are the same as those for invoking instance methods.

Example: defining a factory (with methods)

related tasks
Invoking methods (INVOKE)
Using national data (Unicode) in COBOL
Coding interoperable data types in COBOL and Java

related references
INVOKE statement (COBOL for Windows Language Reference)


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