6.2.20 "COBOL Language Reference" IBM Library Server

6.2.20 INITIALIZE Statement

The INITIALIZE statement sets selected categories of data fields to predetermined values. It is functionally equivalent to one or more MOVE statements.

When the REPLACING phrase is not used:

SPACE is the implied sending field for alphabetic, alphanumeric,
X alphanumeric-edited, and DBCS items.
ZERO is the implied sending field for numeric and numeric-edited items.


    ___ Format _____________________________________________________________________________ 
   |                                                                                        |
   |                 <______________                                                        |
   | >>__INITIALIZE____identifier-1_|_____________________________________________________> |
   |                                                                                        |
   | >__ ________________________________________________________________________ _______>< |
   |    |            <_________________________________________________________  |          |
   |    |_REPLACING____ _ALPHABETIC__________ __ ______ __BY__ _identifier-2_ _|_|          |
   |                   |_ALPHANUMERIC________|  |_DATA_|      |_literal-1____|              |
   |                   |_NUMERIC_____________|                                              |
   |                   |_ALPHANUMERIC-EDITED_|                                              |
   |                   |_NUMERIC-EDITED______|                                              |
   |                   |_ DBCS ______________|                                              |
   |                   |_ EGCS ______________|                                              |
   |                                                                                        |
   |________________________________________________________________________________________|

identifier-1

Receiving area(s).

identifier-2, literal-1

Sending area(s).

A subscripted item can be specified for identifier-1. A complete table can be initialized only by specifying identifier-1 as a group that contains the complete table.

The data description entry for identifier-1 or any items subordinate to identifier-1 cannot contain the DEPENDING ON phrase of the OCCURS clause.
X The data description entry for identifier-1 can contain the DEPENDING
X phrase of the OCCURS clause.

X Note: You cannot use the INITIALIZE statement to initialize a variably
X located item or group that follows a DEPENDING ON phrase of the OCCURS
X clause within the same 01 level.

X A floating-point data item or literal can be used anywhere a numeric
X identifier or literal is specified.

X A DBCS data item or literal can be used anywhere an identifier or literal
X is specified.

The data description entry for identifier-1 must not contain a RENAMES clause. An index data item cannot be an operand of INITIALIZE.

Special registers can be specified for identifier-1 and identifier-2 only if they are valid receiving fields or sending fields, respectively, for the implied MOVE statement(s).

Subtopics:

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6.2.20 INITIALIZE Statement

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