4.2.3.1 "COBOL Language Reference" IBM Library Server

4.2.3.1 OS/390 and VM Syntax

assignment-name-1

Can be specified as a user-defined word or a nonnumeric literal. Any assignment-name after the first is syntax checked, but it has no effect on the execution of the program.

Assignment-name-1 has the following formats:


    ___ Format--QSAM File __________________________________________________ 
   |                                                                        |
   | >>__ _________ __ _____ __name______________________________________>< |
   |     |_label- _|  |_S- _|                                               |
   |                                                                        |
   |________________________________________________________________________|


    ___ Format--VSAM Sequential File _______________________________________ 
   |                                                                        |
   | >>__ _________ __AS- __name_________________________________________>< |
   |     |_label- _|                                                        |
   |                                                                        |
   |________________________________________________________________________|


    ___ Format--VSAM Indexed or Relative File ______________________________ 
   |                                                                        |
   | >>__ _________ __name_______________________________________________>< |
   |     |_label- _|                                                        |
   |                                                                        |
   |________________________________________________________________________|

label-

Documents the device and device class to which a file is assigned. If specified, it must end with a hyphen.

S-

For QSAM files, the S- (organization) field can be omitted.

AS-

For VSAM sequential files, the AS- (organization) field must be specified.

For VSAM indexed and relative files, the organization field must be omitted.

name

A required field that specifies the external name for this file. Under OS/390 it must be the name specified in the DD statement for this file.

The name must conform to the following rules of formation:

If assignment-name-1 is a user-defined word:
- The name can contain from 1 - 8 characters.
- The name can contain the characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9.
- The leading character must be alphabetic.
If assignment-name-1 is a literal:
- The name can contain from 1 - 8 characters.
- The name can contain the characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9, @, #, $.
- The leading character must be alphabetic.

For both user-defined words and literals, the compiler folds name to upper case to form the DD name for the file.

In a sort or merge file, name is treated as a comment.

If the file connector referenced by file-name-1 in the SELECT clause is an external file connector, all file control entries in the run unit that reference this file connector must have a consistent specification for assignment-name-1 in the ASSIGN clause. For QSAM files and VSAM indexed and relative files, the name specified on the first assignment-name-1 must be identical. For VSAM sequential files, it must be specified as AS-name.

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4.2.3.1 OS/390 and VM Syntax

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