Working data - Data Elements

This level contains the Data Elements called in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION of the instance. It shows the location of the Data Element in the generated code, its format, and its corresponding data name.

The Data Element call level

The first column shows the Data Element name and the second column shows its label. Both are preceded by the location of the Data Element in the generated code (COBOL position and Line number).

If you expand this level, you can see the Data Element call Attributes and Description which contain the following fields:

COBOL position
You indicate the placement and the sequence in which the lines entered in this tab are to be generated. These characters form the first two characters of a sequencing number, with the value in the line number as the last three digits.

The value that you can enter here changes according to whether it is a COBOL position for a Program or a Screen.

Table 1. Values of the COBOL position for a Program
Value Meaning
AA to ZZ and 0A to 0Z These values cause the lines entered in this tab to be generated at the beginning of the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
These lines are generated:
  • Before the description of the Data Structures whose organization is W: file description in Working and whose code in program matches this prefix or is greater than it,
  • Before the description of the Data Structures whose organization is L: Working with placement, and whose COBOL position matches this prefix or is greater than it.
00 to 09, 1A to 19... 9A to 99 The lines entered in this tab will be generated in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION, after all the Data Structures whose COBOL position is lower than this prefix
Table 2. Values of the COBOL position for a Screen
Value Meaning
AA to 0Z The description is generated in the WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
00 to 99 The description is generated in the LINKAGE SECTION.
AA and 00 These values are used for automatically generated data.
99 With a Line number = 999, this value is used for the PROCEDURE DIVISION statement. Therefore, you can use it to create a line with a sequencing number 99999, which replaces the PROCEDURE DIVISION line automatically generated.
$n This value represents a parameterized value in a Macro.
Line number
This line number, constituted of three digits, is concatenated with the two characters of the COBOL position. The line number can be:
  • 0 to 999: It is advised to number the lines, starting with 10, by intervals of 10, to facilitate any future insertion
  • $n0 to $n9: In a Macro, only the first two characters of the Line number can be parameterized.
Line type
Select which format is to be used for the Data Element call:
  • E: Input format,
  • I: Internal format,
  • S: Output format.
Occurs
You enter this field if the data name (entered in the Comment field if you are viewing a comment call, or in the Text before field if you are viewing a Data Element call) is repeated. You enter the maximum number of occurrences. This value is numeric, on five characters maximum.
An entry in this field causes the generation of the following three indexes (ddss = Segment code):
  • IddssM initialized to the value entered.
  • IddssL initialized to zero. This index can be used to load the table. It tracks the actual table size
  • IddssR initialized to zero. This index can be used for table searches.

In a Macro, you can parameterize it by assigning it a $n value.

Text before
This field is divided into two subfields:
  • The Level or section, constituted of the first 17 positions of the field, In this subfield, you must enter the COBOL level number (01, 05...) or the section name (LINKAGE SECTION,...) in which this line is to be generated.
  • The work area declaration, which starts from position 18, to the end of the field. You must declare the beginning of the data name, which is to be concatenated with the Data Element code to constitute the actual data name.
    So you must enter w-ddss- (without omitting the dashes), where:
    • w = WORKING-STORAGE SECTION prefix (alphabetic or numeric),
    • dd = Data Structure code, including the work area
    • ss = Segment code
    When it is concatenated with the Data Element code, the data name becomes: w-ddss-eeeeee (with eeeeee as the Data Element code).
    Note: When a defined Data Element is called in a work and linkage area, you must enter the beginning of the data name in this field. Otherwise, the generated code is formatted: 03 DDSS-DELCO PICTURE X.
Text after
In this field, you must enter the characters that are to be inserted in the generated code after the data name. Most often, you enter a period (.) but you can also enter other values (for example: VALUE SPACE).

The Data Element level

The Data Element level is nested in the Data Element call level.

The first column shows the Data Element name and the second column shows its label.

If you expand the Data Element level, you can see the Data Element name and label, which are editable here.

Its Attributes level contains the same information as the Definition tab, except the inheritance which cannot be specified in the Design View. The possible values of these Attributes are explained in the link which points to the Data Element Definition tab.


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