What does the "IDENTIFICATION DIVISION" in a COBOL program contain?
- Execution logic
- File descriptions
- Program name, author, date written, and other identifying information
- Variable declarations
The "IDENTIFICATION DIVISION" in a COBOL program contains information about the program, including its name, author, date written, and other identification details. It provides metadata about the program.
Your COBOL program must handle different status codes for customer orders. Which COBOL feature would help you define condition names for these status codes?
- CONDITION
- LEVEL NUMBER
- OCCURS
- VALUE OF
The CONDITION name is used in COBOL to represent a condition that can be tested during program execution. It allows you to define symbolic names for specific values, like status codes for customer orders, making the code more readable and maintainable.
You are writing a COBOL program to calculate the total cost of items in a shopping cart. Which type of COBOL variable would you use to store the individual item prices?
- PIC 9(3) DISPLAY
- PIC 9(5)V99 COMP-3
- PIC S9(4) USAGE COMP
- PIC X(10)
For storing monetary values like individual item prices in a COBOL program, PIC 9(5)V99 COMP-3 is suitable. This usage efficiently represents decimal numbers and ensures accurate calculations.
The CONTINUE statement is often used in COBOL error handling to ___________ the program's normal flow.
- Bypass
- Interrupt
- Maintain
- Resume
The CONTINUE statement in COBOL is used to resume the program's normal flow after error handling. It allows the program to continue executing subsequent statements in the same scope.
What is the purpose of the OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause in COBOL tables?
- It allows the number of occurrences for the table to be determined dynamically at runtime
- It defines the maximum number of occurrences for the table
- It indicates that the table is part of a nested structure
- It specifies the initial values for the table elements
The OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause in COBOL tables allows the number of occurrences for the table to be determined dynamically at runtime based on the value of a preceding data item. It provides flexibility in handling varying amounts of data.
The _____ clause in COBOL is used to specify the key structure when defining a VSAM file.
- FILE-CONTROL
- KEY
- RECORD
- SELECT
In COBOL, the KEY clause is used within the FILE-CONTROL section to specify the key structure when defining a VSAM file. It defines the data item or items that make up the primary or alternate key of the file.
When using the WRITE verb in COBOL, what happens if the file is not open in OUTPUT or I-O mode?
- It results in a runtime error
- The WRITE operation is ignored
- The WRITE operation proceeds, and the file is automatically opened in OUTPUT mode
- The compiler generates an error
If the file is not open in OUTPUT or I-O mode when using the WRITE verb, the compiler generates an error. It is essential to ensure that the file is opened in an appropriate mode before performing WRITE operations.
COBOL's support for database connectivity is often achieved through _____.
- ACCEPT statement
- COPY statement
- Embedded SQL
- PROCEDURE DIVISION
COBOL's support for database connectivity is often achieved through Embedded SQL, allowing SQL statements to be included directly in COBOL programs. This integration facilitates efficient interaction with databases for data retrieval, updates, and other operations.
In file handling, what does the term "buffering" refer to?
- Allocating additional storage for files
- Organizing files into buffers
- Storing a block of data in a memory buffer
- Writing data to a file buffer
Buffering in file handling refers to the practice of storing a block of data in a memory buffer. This technique improves performance by reducing the frequency of physical I/O operations between the program and the file.
The _____ verb is used for testing and handling exceptions related to file processing in COBOL.
- EVALUATE
- HANDLE
- INSPECT
- PERFORM
The EVALUATE verb in COBOL is used for testing and handling exceptions related to file processing. It allows for multiple conditions to be tested in a structured manner.