Mainframe King: Cobol Data types

Cobol Data types

Data types

Standard COBOL provides the following data types:

Data type	Sample declaration	Notes
Character	`PIC X(20) PIC A(4)9(5)X(7)`	Alphanumeric and alphabetic-only Single-byte character set (SBCS)
Edited character	`PIC X99BAXX`	Formatted and inserted characters
Numeric fixed-point binary	`PIC S999V99 [USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL` or `BINARY`	Binary 16, 32, or 64 bits (2, 4, or 8 bytes) Signed or unsigned. Conforming compilers limit the maximum value of variables based on the picture clause and not the number of bits reserved for storage.
Numeric fixed-point packed decimal	`PIC S999V99 PACKED-DECIMAL`	1 to 18 decimal digits (1 to 10 bytes) Signed or unsigned
Numeric fixed-point zoned decimal	`PIC S999V99 [USAGE DISPLAY]`	1 to 18 decimal digits (1 to 18 bytes) Signed or unsigned Leading or trailing sign, overpunch or separate
Numeric floating-point	`PIC S9V999ES99`	Binary floating-point
Edited numeric	`PIC +Z,ZZ9.99 PIC $*,9.99CR`	Formatted characters and digits
Group (record)	`01 CUST-NAME. 05 CUST-LAST PIC X(20). 05 CUST-FIRST PIC X(20).`	Aggregated elements
Table (array)	`OCCURS 12 TIMES`	Fixed-size array, row-major order Up to 7 dimensions
Variable-length table	`OCCURS 0 to 12 TIMES DEPENDING ON CUST-COUNT`	Variable-sized array, row-major order Up to 7 dimensions
Renames (variant or union data)	`66 RAW-RECORD RENAMES CUST-RECORD`	Character data overlaying other variables
Condition name	`88 IS-RETIRED-AGE VALUES 65 THRU 150`	Boolean value dependent upon another variable
Array index	`[USAGE] INDEX`	Array subscript

Most vendors provide additional types, such as:

Data type	Sample declaration	Notes
Numeric floating-point single precision	`PIC S9V9999999ES99` `[USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-1`	Binary floating-point (32 bits, 7+ digits) (IBM extension)
Numeric floating-point double precision	`PIC S9V999ES99` `[USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-2`	Binary floating-point (64 bits, 16+ digits) (IBM extension)
Numeric fixed-point packed decimal	`PIC S9V999` `[USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-3`	same as PACKED DECIMAL (IBM extension)
Numeric fixed-point binary	`PIC S999V99 [USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-4`	same as COMPUTATIONAL or BINARY (IBM extension)
Numeric fixed-point binary (native binary)	`PIC S999V99 [USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-5`	Binary 16, 32, or 64 bits (2, 4, or 8 bytes) Signed or unsigned. The maximum value of variables based on the number of bits reserved for storage and not on the picture clause. (IBM extension)
Numeric fixed-point binary in native byte order	`PIC S999V99 [USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-4`	Binary 16, 32, or 64 bits (2, 4, or 8 bytes) Signed or unsigned
Numeric fixed-point binary in big-endian byte order	`PIC S999V99 [USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-5`	Binary 16, 32, or 64 bits (2, 4, or 8 bytes) Signed or unsigned
Wide character	`PIC G(20)`	Alphanumeric Double-byte character set (DBCS)
Edited wide character	`PIC G99BGGG`	Formatted and inserted wide characters
Edited floating-point	`PIC +9.9(6)E+99`	Formatted characters, decimal digits, and exponent
Data pointer	`[USAGE] POINTER`	Data memory address
Code pointer	`[USAGE] PROCEDURE-POINTER`	Code memory address
Bit field	`PIC 1(n) [USAGE] COMPUTATIONAL-5`	n can be from 1 to 64, defining an n-bit integer Signed or unsigned
Index	`[USAGE] INDEX`	Binary value corresponding to an occurrence of a table element May be linked to a specific table using `INDEXED BY`