6.1.8.4 "COBOL Language Reference" IBM Library Server

6.1.8.4 SIZE ERROR Phrases

A size error condition can occur in four different ways:

When the absolute value of the result of an arithmetic evaluation, after decimal point alignment, exceeds the largest value that can be contained in the result field
When division by zero occurs
X When the result of an arithmetic statement is stored in a windowed
X date field, and the year of the result falls outside the century
X window. For example, given YEARWINDOW(1940), which specifies a
X century window of 1940-2039, the following SUBTRACT statement causes a
X size error:
```
 X              01  WINDOWED-YEAR  DATE FORMAT YY PICTURE 99
 X                                 VALUE IS 50.


 X                  .


 X                  .


 X                  .



 X                  SUBTRACT 20 FROM WINDOWED-YEAR
 X                           ON SIZE ERROR imperative-statement
```
X The size error occurs because the result of the subtraction, a
X windowed date field, has an effective year value of 1930, which falls
X outside the century window. For details on how windowed date fields
X are treated as if they were converted to expanded date format, see
X "Subtraction Involving Date Fields" in topic 6.1.5.2.2.
X For more information on how size errors can occur when using date
X fields, see "Storing Arithmetic Results That Involve Date Fields" in
X topic 6.1.5.2.3.
In an exponential expression, as indicated in the following table:

Size error	Action taken when a SIZE ERROR clause is present	Action taken when a SIZE ERROR clause is not present

Table 34. Exponentiation Size Error Conditions
Zero raised to zero power	The SIZE ERROR imperative is executed.	The value returned is 1, and a message is issued.
Zero raised to a negative number	The SIZE ERROR imperative is executed.	Program is terminated abnormally.
A negative number raised to a fractional power	The SIZE ERROR imperative is executed.	The absolute value of the base is used, and a message is issued.

The size error condition applies only to final results, not to any intermediate results.

If the resultant identifier is defined with USAGE IS BINARY,
X COMPUTATIONAL, or COMPUTATIONAL-4, the largest value that can be contained in it is the maximum value implied by its associated decimal PICTURE character-string.

If the ROUNDED phrase is specified, rounding takes place before size error checking.

When a size error occurs, the subsequent action of the program depends on whether or not the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is specified.

If the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is not specified and a size error condition occurs, truncation rules apply and the value of the affected resultant identifier is computed.

If the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is specified and a size error condition occurs, the value of the resultant identifier affected by the size error is not altered--that is, the error results are not placed in the receiving identifier. After completion of the execution of the arithmetic operation, the imperative statement in the ON SIZE ERROR phrase is executed, control is transferred to the end of the arithmetic statement, and the NOT ON SIZE ERROR phrase, if specified, is ignored.

For ADD CORRESPONDING and SUBTRACT CORRESPONDING statements, if an individual arithmetic operation causes a size error condition, the ON SIZE ERROR imperative statement is not executed until all the individual additions or subtractions have been completed.

If the NOT ON SIZE ERROR phrase has been specified and, after execution of an arithmetic operation, a size error condition does not exist, the NOT ON SIZE ERROR phrase is executed.

When both ON SIZE ERROR and NOT ON SIZE ERROR phrases are specified, and the statement in the phrase that is executed does not contain any explicit transfer of control, then, if necessary, an implicit transfer of control is made after execution of the phrase to the end of the arithmetic statement.

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6.1.8.4 SIZE ERROR Phrases

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