1. X Method names that are defined for a class must be unique. (The set of
   X methods "defined for a class" includes the methods introduced by the
   X class definition and the methods inherited from parent classes.)
   
   X Note: Method names that differ only in case are not considered
   X unique. For example, naming one method "SAYHELLO" and another method
   X "sayHELLO" is invalid.

2. X Method names are processed by the compiler as follows:
   • X Literal-format methods names are processed in a case-sensitive
     X manner. However, when processing method resolution as part of
     X INVOKE statements or method names that are specified as
     X user-defined words, the compiler ignores any difference in case.

   • X If necessary, the compiler translates method names to conform to
     X CORBA requirements:
     • X Hyphens are translated to zero
     • X If the first character of the name is a digit, it is converted
       X as follows:
       • X 1 through 9 are changed to A through I
       • X 0 is changed to J

3. X If a method in class-name-1 overrides a method in class-name-2, these
   X two methods must satisfy the following conformance rules:
   • X The number of formal parameters on the Procedure Division USING
     X phrase must be the same for both methods.

   • X The presence or absence of the Procedure Division RETURNING phrase
     X must be consistent on the two methods.

   • X Corresponding parameters in the Procedure Division USING phrases
     X must satisfy the following:
     • X If a formal parameter is a COBOL elementary data item not
       X described with USAGE IS OBJECT REFERENCE, then the
       X corresponding parameter must have the same PICTURE, USAGE,
       X SIGN, SYNCHRONIZED, JUSTIFIED, and BLANK WHEN ZERO clauses.
       X Note that periods and commas can be interchanged if using the
       X DECIMAL POINT IS COMMA clause, and the PICTURE clause currency
       X symbols can differ.

     • X If a formal parameter is a COBOL elementary data item
       X described with USAGE IS OBJECT REFERENCE, then the
       X corresponding parameter must be defined with an identical
       X USAGE IS OBJECT REFERENCE clause.

     • X BY VALUE and BY REFERENCE specifications must be consistent.

   • X The identifiers specified on the Procedure Division RETURNING
     X phrases must satisfy the following:
     • X If one of the identifiers is a COBOL elementary data item not
       X described with USAGE IS OBJECT REFERENCE, then the
       X corresponding identifier must have the same PICTURE, USAGE,
       X SIGN, SYNCHRONIZED, JUSTIFIED, and BLANK WHEN ZERO clauses.
       X Note that periods and commas can be interchanged if using the
       X DECIMAL POINT IS COMMA clause, and the PICTURE clause currency
       X symbols can differ.

     • X If the class-name-2 Procedure Division RETURNING identifier is
       X a universal object reference, the class-name-1 Procedure
       X Division RETURNING identifier must be an object reference
       X (either a universal object reference or an object reference
       X typed to a specific class).
       
       X Universal object references are described with USAGE OBJECT
       X REFERENCE and typed object references are described with USAGE
       X OBJECT REFERENCE class-name.

     • X If the class-name-2 Procedure Division RETURNING identifier is
       X an object reference typed to a specific class, the
       X class-name-1 Procedure Division RETURNING identifier must be
       X an object reference typed to the same class or a derived
       X class.

   • X For the purpose of conformance checking, a fixed-length group data
     X item is considered to be equivalent to an elementary alphanumeric
     X data item of the same length.
     
     X A variable-length group conforms only to other variable-length
     X groups that have the same maximum length.

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