COBOL - Sort File

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Describe the sort file to be used for sorting or merging. You need SELECT clauses and SD entries even if you are sorting or merging data items only from WORKING-STORAGE or LOCAL-STORAGE.

Code as follows:

• Write one or more SELECT clauses in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to name a sort file. For example:
  
  

  ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION. FILE-CONTROL. SELECT Sort-Work-1 ASSIGN TO SortFile.

  
  Sort-Work-1 is the name of the file in your program. Use this name to refer to the file.
  
  
• Describe the sort file in an SD entry in the FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION. Every SD entry must contain a record description. For example:
  
  

  DATA DIVISION. FILE SECTION. SD Sort-Work-1 RECORD CONTAINS 100 CHARACTERS. 01 SORT-WORK-1-AREA. 05 SORT-KEY-1 PIC X(10). 05 SORT-KEY-2 PIC X(10). 05 FILLER PIC X(80).

  
  The file described in an SD entry is the working file used for a sort or merge operation. You cannot perform any input or output operations on this file and you do not need to provide a ddname definition for it.

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