COBOL - Sort Input File

Describe the input file or files for sorting or merging by following the procedure below.

Code as follows:

Write one or more SELECT clauses in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the ENVIRONMENT DIVISION to name the input files. For example:
ENVIRONMENT DIVISION. INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION. FILE-CONTROL. SELECT Input-File ASSIGN TO InFile.
Input-File is the name of the file in your program. Use this name to refer to the file.

Describe the input file (or files when merging) in an FD entry in the FILE SECTION of the DATA DIVISION. For example:

DATA DIVISION.
FILE SECTION.
FD  Input-File
    LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD
    BLOCK CONTAINS 0 CHARACTERS
    RECORDING MODE IS F
    RECORD CONTAINS 100 CHARACTERS.
01  Input-Record   PIC X(100).

Example: Let see an example oof COBOL code below,

ID Division.
Program-ID. SmplSort.
Environment Division.
Input-Output Section.
File-Control.
*
* Assign name for a working file is treated as documentation.
*
    Select Sort-Work-1 Assign To SortFile.
    Select Sort-Work-2 Assign To SortFile.
    Select Input-File  Assign To InFile.
. . .
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).

SD  Sort-Work-2
    Record Contains 30 Characters.
01  Sort-Work-2-Area.
    05  Sort-Key      Pic  X(5).
    05  Filler        Pic  X(25).

FD  Input-File
    Label Records Are Standard
    Block Contains 0 Characters
    Recording Mode is F
    Record Contains 100 Characters.
01  Input-Record      Pic  X(100).
. . .
Working-Storage Section.
01  EOS-Sw            Pic  X.
01  Filler.
    05  Table-Entry Occurs 100 Times
            Indexed By X1    Pic X(30).
    . . .

If you have any doubts or queries related to this chapter, get them clarified from our Mainframe experts on ibmmainframer Community!

⇐ Previous ⇑ Back to top Next ⇒

Are you looking for Job Change? Job Portal