1.1.1.6 "COBOL Language Reference" IBM Library Server

1.1.1.6 Reserved Words

A reserved word is a character-string with a predefined meaning in a COBOL source program. IBM COBOL reserved words are listed in Appendix D, "Reserved Words" in topic APPENDIX1.4.

X Information on selecting an alternate reserved word table can be found in
X the IBM COBOL Programming Guide for your platform.

There are six types of reserved words:

Keywords
Optional words
Figurative constants
Special character words
X Special object identifiers
Special registers

Keywords

Keywords are reserved words that are required within a given clause, entry, or statement. Within each format, such words appear in uppercase on the main path.

Optional Words

Optional words are reserved words that can be included in the format of a clause, entry, or statement in order to improve readability. They have no effect on the execution of the program.

Figurative Constants

See "Figurative Constants" in topic 1.1.2.

Special Character Words

There are two types of special characters, which are only recognized as special characters when represented in single-byte.

Arithmetic operators: + - / * **
See "Arithmetic Expressions" in topic 6.1.5.
Relational operators: < > = <= >=
See "Conditional Expressions" in topic 6.1.6.

X Special Object Identifiers

X COBOL provides two special object identifiers, SELF and SUPER, used in
X a method Procedure Division:

X SELF

X A special object identifier you can use in the Procedure Division
X of a method. SELF refers to the object instance used to invoke
X the currently-executing method. You can specify SELF only in
X source program positions that are explicitly listed in the syntax
X diagrams.

X SUPER

X A special object identifier you can use in the Procedure Division
X of a method only as the object identifier in an INVOKE statement.
X When used in this way, SUPER refers to the object instance used to
X invoke the currently-executing method. The resolution of the
X method to be invoked ignores any methods declared in the class
X definition of the currently-executing method and methods defined
X in any class derived from that class. Thus, the method invoked is
X inherited from an ancestor class.

Special Registers

See "Special Registers" in topic 1.1.3.

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1.1.1.6 Reserved Words

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