Cobol Interview Questions 3

21.What are the different forms of EVALUATE statement?

EVALUATE EVALUATE SQLCODE ALSO FILE-STATUS

WHEN A=B AND C=D WHEN 100 ALSO '00'

imperative stmt imperative stmt

WHEN (D+X)/Y = 4 WHEN -305 ALSO '32'

imperative stmt imperative stmt

WHEN OTHER WHEN OTHER

imperative stmt imperative stmt

END-EVALUATE END-EVALUATE

EVALUATE SQLCODE ALSO A=B EVALUATE SQLCODE ALSO TRUE

WHEN 100 ALSO TRUE WHEN 100 ALSO A=B

imperative stmt imperative stmt

WHEN -305 ALSO FALSE WHEN -305 ALSO (A/C=4)

imperative stmt imperative stmt

END-EVALUATE END-EVALUATE

22.How do you come out of an EVALUATE statement?

After the execution of one of the when clauses, the control is automatically passed on to the next sentence after the EVALUATE statement. There is no need of any extra code.

23.In an EVALUATE statement, can I give a complex condition on a when clause?

Yes.

24.What is a scope terminator? Give examples.

Scope terminator is used to mark the end of a verb e.g. EVALUATE, END-EVALUATE; IF, END-IF.

25.How do you do in-line PERFORM?

PERFORM ... ...

END PERFORM

26.When would you use in-line perform?

When the body of the perform will not be used in other paragraphs. If the body of the perform is a generic type of code (used from various other places in the program), it would be better to put the code in a separate para and use PERFORM paraname rather than in-line perform.

27. What is the difference between CONTINUE & NEXT SENTENCE ?

CONTINUE is like a null statement (do nothing) , while NEXT SENTENCE transfers control to the next sentence (!!) (A sentence is terminated by a period)

28.What does EXIT do ?

Does nothing ! If used, must be the only sentence within a paragraph.

29.Can I redefine an X(100) field with a field of X(200)?

Yes. Redefines just causes both fields to start at the same location. For example:

01 WS-TOP PIC X(1)

01 WS-TOP-RED REDEFINES WS-TOP PIC X(2).

If you MOVE '12' to WS-TOP-RED,

DISPLAY WS-TOP will show 1 while

DISPLAY WS-TOP-RED will show 12.

30.Can I redefine an X(200) field with a field of X(100) ?

Yes.