COBOL Programming

This course gives an introduction to the IBM COBOL programming language and uses the MVS/TSO editor to create and test simple COBOL programs.

No previous knowledge of programming is needed but experience of MVS/TSO and use of the Editor is required.

5 Days

Instructor-led course with practical computer-based exercises.

• Introduction
  • Some terms explained, COBOL, MVS/TSO, JCL, VSAM, Bibliography , Program Structure, Column numbers, Area A and Area B

• The Four Divisions
  • Identification Division, Environment Division, Configuration Section, Input-Output Section, Data Division, File Section, Working-Storage Section, Procedure Division , Display, Stop Run, Compiling the Program, Writing the JCL, Testing the Program, Item Names, Move and Accept

• File Processing
  • File Control, File Section, Group and Item Names, More on Move, File Handling, Open, Read, Write, Close , Example Program

• Flow Control
  • Designing for Testing, If , Calculations, Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide, Compute, Perform Until, Counts and Initialize, Edited Pictures, Evaluate, Condition Names

• Structured Programming
  • Why Structure Programs?, Performing Sections, Printing Reports , More on Edited Pictures, Accepting the System Date, Write After Page, Write After Number

• Indexed (VSAM) Files
  • Random Access, File Status, Dynamic Access, Start, Read Next, Rewrite, Delete, Write

• Table Handling
  • Defining Tables, Redefines and Occurs, Subscripts, Perform Varying, Indexes, Multiply Entry Tables, Tables in Records

• Storing Numeric Data
  • Words, Bytes and Nibbles, Hexadecimal Data, Packed Decimal Data, Binary Data

• Storing Numeric DataMaster/Transaction Update
  • Copy Library, Transaction File Processing, Master File Merge, Creating Large Test Data Files

• Calling Sub-programs
  • Date Validation, Linkage, Exit Program

• The Year 2000
  • The Problem, The Solution, Conversion, Windowing, Encoding

Each student should have access to a PC or mainframe and to MVS/TSO and the COBOL programming environment. For the trainer, a whiteboard, flipchart and pens are required and an overhead projector that can link to a laptop would be a great help.