1.5.1.10 "COBOL Language Reference" IBM Library Server

1.5.1.10 Function-Identifier

A function-identifier is a syntactically correct sequence of character strings and separators that uniquely references the data item resulting from the evaluation of a function.


    ___ Format _____________________________________________________________ 
   |                                                                        |
   | >>__FUNCTION__function-name-1__ ______________________ ______________> |
   |                                |    <____________     |                |
   |                                |_(____argument-1_|__)_|                |
   |                                                                        |
   | >__ ____________________ ___________________________________________>< |
   |    |_reference-modifier_|                                              |
   |                                                                        |
   |________________________________________________________________________|

argument-1

Must be an identifier, literal (other than a figurative constant), or arithmetic expression.

For more information, see "Intrinsic Functions" in topic 7.1.

function-name-1

Function-name-1 must be one of the Intrinsic Function names.

reference-modifier

May be specified only for functions of the category alphanumeric

A function-identifier that makes reference to an alphanumeric function may be specified anywhere that an identifier is permitted and where references to functions are not specifically prohibited, except as follows:

As a receiving operand of any statement
Where a data item is required to have particular characteristics (such as class and category, size, sign, and permissible values) and the evaluation of the function according to its definition and the particular arguments specified would not have these characteristics.

A function-identifier that makes reference to an integer or numeric function may be used wherever an arithmetic expression is allowed.

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1.5.1.10 Function-Identifier

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