What are the steps you go through while creating a COBOL program executable?

Correct Answer: Syntax: SORT file-1 ON ASCENDING/DESCENDING KEY key USING file-2 GIVING file-3 USING can be substituted by INPUT PROCEDURE IS para-1 THRU para-2 GIVING can be substituted by OUTPUT PROCEDURE IS para-1 THRU para-2 file-1 is the sort workfile and must be described using SD entry in FILE SECTION file-2 is the input file for the SORT and must be described using an FD entry in FILE SECTION and SELECT clause in FILE CONTROL file-3 is the outfile from the SORT and must be described using an FD entry in FILE SECTION and SELECT clause in FILE CONTROL file-1, file-2 & file-3 should not be opened explicitly INPUT PROCEDURE is executed before the sort and records must be RELEASEd to the sort work file from the input procedure OUTPUT PROCEDURE is executed after all records have been sorted Records from the sort work file must be RETURNed one at a time to the output procedure

Correct Answer: Open for INPUT, OUTPUT, I-O, EXTEND 1INPUT : for read only purpose 2OUTPUT : for write only purpose 3EXTEND : for appending records 4I-O : for read and write(using EXTEND) purpose

Correct Answer: Use the SORTWK01, SORTWK02, dd names in the step Number of sort datasets depends on the volume of data being sorted, but a minimum of 3 is required

Correct Answer: EXEC CICS READ DATASET('FILENAME') INTO(data-area) RIDFLD(data-area) KEYLENGTH(1) GENERIC LENGTH(WK-LEN) END-EXEC

Correct Answer: EIBRCODE

Correct Answer: Supply the DD cards just as you would for files referred to in the main program

Correct Answer: EVALUATE can be used in place of the nested IF THEN ELSE statements

Correct Answer: IDENTIFICATION DIVISION and PROGRAM-ID paragraph are mandatory for a compilation error free COBOL program

Correct Answer: There are some differences: COBOL II supports structured programming by using in line Performs and explicit scope terminators It introduces new features (EVALUATE, SET TO TRUE, CALL BY CONTEXT, etc) It permits programs to be loaded and addressed above the 16-megabyte line It does not support many old features (READY TRACE, REPORT-WRITER, ISAM, etc) It offers enhanced CICS support

Correct Answer: Following guidelines to be following while writing Cobol program: - Use ? EVALUATE ? statement for constructing cases - Use scope terminators for nesting - Use in-line Perform statement for writing ?do? constructions - Use Test Before and Test After in the Perform statement while writing Do-While statements