Basic Syntax in COBOL Language

COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language) has a unique syntax that resembles natural language, making it highly readable for business

-oriented programming. Here’s an overview of some of the basic syntax elements in COBOL:

Program Structure in COBOL Language

• COBOL programs are structured into divisions, sections, paragraphs, and sentences.
• The common divisions include Identification Division, Data Division, Environment Division, and Procedure Division.

Comments:

• COBOL comments are designated by an asterisk (*) or slash (/) in columns 7 or 8 of a line.
• Comments can be used to explain code or provide documentation. Example:

   * This is a COBOL comment.

Keywords:

• COBOL uses specific keywords to define various program elements.
• Keywords are typically in uppercase. Example:

   IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
   PROGRAM-ID. MyProgram.

Variables and Data Types:

• Variables are defined in the Data Division.
• COBOL supports various data types, such as PIC for alphanumeric, numeric, and other data types. Example:

   DATA DIVISION.
   WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
   01 Name PIC X(20).
   01 Age PIC 9(3).

Arithmetic Operations:

• COBOL supports common arithmetic operations, such as addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), and division (/).
• Arithmetic expressions are evaluated from left to right. Example:

   COMPUTE Total = Price * Quantity.

Conditional Statements:

• COBOL uses conditionals like IF, ELSE, and END-IF to control program flow.
• Conditionals are typically followed by a condition and a condition name. Example:

   IF Age > 18
       Display 'You are an adult.'.
   ELSE
       Display 'You are a minor.'.
   END-IF.

Loops:

• COBOL supports loops with the PERFORM statement.
• PERFORM loops can be controlled by various conditions, and they can include sections or paragraphs. Example:

   PERFORM 10-Times
       Display 'This is iteration ', Iteration-Counter.

Display and Input:

• The DISPLAY statement is used to show output to the user.
• The ACCEPT statement is used to take input from the user. Example:

   Display 'Enter your name: '.
   ACCEPT Name.

File Handling:

• COBOL provides FILE-CONTROL statements for working with files, such as opening, reading, writing, and closing files. Example:

   FILE-CONTROL.
       SELECT MyFile ASSIGN TO 'data.txt'.

Paragraphs and Sections:

• Code is organized into paragraphs, which are grouped into sections.
• Paragraphs are executed sequentially, and sections provide logical organization.

Example:

   Process-Order.
       Display 'Processing order...'.