Ile Cobol Docs

ILE COBOL Language Skill

Overview

IBM ILE COBOL (Integrated Language Environment COBOL) is a programming language available on IBM i systems. It is based on the ANSI COBOL standard with IBM extensions. ILE COBOL provides structured programming capabilities, file handling, database access, interlanguage communication, and integration with the IBM i operating system.

This skill covers IBM ILE COBOL for IBM i 7.4 (also applicable to 7.5). Source: IBM ILE COBOL Language Reference and ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide.

Key Concepts

• COBOL Source Program: A syntactically correct set of COBOL statements organized into four divisions
• Nesting: COBOL programs may contain other COBOL programs (nested programs); contained programs can reference resources of their containing program
• Run Unit: A set of one or more programs functioning as a unit at run time; in ILE, composed of program objects and service programs in a single ILE activation group
• ILE Architecture: Module creation, binding, message handling, exception handling, and debugging across multiple languages
• Reference Format: 80-character source line with specific column areas (Sequence, Indicator, Area A, Area B, Comment)

Source Program Structure

A COBOL source program consists of four divisions, written in this order:

1. Identification Division (required) - Names the program and provides documentary information
2. Environment Division (optional) - Describes computer environment, files, and I/O configuration
3. Data Division (optional) - Describes all data to be processed
4. Procedure Division (optional) - Contains the executable logic

The end of a COBOL source program is indicated by the END PROGRAM header or by the absence of additional source lines.

Example Program

       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
       PROGRAM-ID.     IDSAMPLE.
       AUTHOR.         PROGRAMMER NAME.
       INSTALLATION.   COBOL DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
       DATE-WRITTEN.   12/02/94.
       DATE-COMPILED.  12/09/94 12:57:53.
       SECURITY.       NON-CONFIDENTIAL.

       ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
       CONFIGURATION SECTION.
       SOURCE-COMPUTER. IBM-ISERIES.
       OBJECT-COMPUTER. IBM-ISERIES.
       INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION.
       FILE-CONTROL.
           SELECT FILE-1 ASSIGN TO DISK-SAMPLE.

       DATA DIVISION.
       FILE SECTION.
       FD  FILE-1
           LABEL RECORDS ARE STANDARD.
       01  RECORD-1.
           05 NAME-FIELD      PIC X(20).
           05 NO-OF-DEP       PIC 9(2).

       WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
       01 WORK-RECORD.
           05 NAME-FIELD      PIC X(20).
           05 NO-OF-DEPENDENTS PIC 9(2).
           05 RECORD-NO       PIC 9(4).
       77 KOUNT               PIC 9(2) VALUE 0.

       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
       STEP-1.
           OPEN OUTPUT FILE-1.
           MOVE ZERO TO KOUNT.
       STEP-2.
           ADD 1 TO KOUNT.
           MOVE "SAMPLE NAME" TO NAME-FIELD.
           WRITE RECORD-1 FROM WORK-RECORD.
       STEP-3.
           CLOSE FILE-1.
           STOP RUN.

Language Structure Hierarchy

• Division > Section > Paragraph > Entry > Clause > Phrase
• Identification Division: Paragraphs > Entries > Clauses
• Environment Division: Sections > Paragraphs > Entries > Clauses > Phrases
• Data Division: Sections > Entries > Clauses > Phrases
• Procedure Division: Sections > Paragraphs > Sentences > Statements > Phrases

Character Set

COBOL characters include:

• Letters A-Z, a-z
• Digits 0-9
• Special characters: + - * / = $ , . ; " ' ( ) : and space
• IBM extensions: apostrophe (') and underscore (_)
• DBCS (Double-Byte Character Set) characters valid in certain character-strings
• # and @ valid in IBM i system names

Reference Format (80-column source line)

| Area | Columns | Purpose | |------|---------|---------| | Sequence Number | 1-6 | Optional sequence numbering | | Indicator Area | 7 | Comment (*), continuation (-), etc. | | Area A | 8-11 | Division headers, section names, paragraph names | | Area B | 12-72 | Statements, clauses, entries | | Comment Area | 73-80 | Ignored by compiler |

Skill File Index

• language.md - Language structure, characters, reference format, data references, figurative constants, special registers, expressions, intrinsic functions
• divisions.md - Four divisions detailed: Identification, Environment, Data, Procedure; all clauses and statements
• programming.md - Programmer's guide: compiling, running, debugging, I/O, file handling, error handling, ILE concepts

IBM i References

• ILE COBOL Language Reference: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.4.0?topic=cobol-ile-language-reference
• ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.4.0?topic=cobol-ile-programmers-guide
• ILE Concepts: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5.0?topic=languages-ile-concepts

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: pledgeandgrow
• Source: pledgeandgrow/pledge-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.