In a COBOL application, you need to maintain a record of sales transactions for multiple products and store them efficiently. Which type of COBOL data structure would be most suitable for this scenario, and why?
- Array
- Both Array and Table
- Neither Array nor Table
- Table
A table in COBOL would be the preferred choice for maintaining sales transactions for multiple products. A table allows for easy expansion to accommodate new products without requiring modifications to the program structure, providing a scalable and efficient solution.
You are developing a COBOL application to read and process data from a CSV file. Which COBOL Procedure Division statement(s) would be essential in this scenario?
- ACCEPT statement
- OPEN INPUT/OUTPUT
- PARSE statement
- READ...AT END
The PARSE statement in COBOL is essential for processing CSV files. It allows you to break down a delimited input record into individual fields, making it suitable for handling comma-separated values in the context of reading and processing CSV files.
In COBOL, the ____________ operation can be used to efficiently merge and process large sorted files.
- Add
- Merge
- Merge-Sort
- SORT
The SORT verb in COBOL is used for sorting files. It efficiently merges and processes large sorted files, ensuring data integrity and facilitating various operations like merging, copying, and rearranging records.
When using the MOVE statement in COBOL, what happens if the source field is larger than the receiving field?
- An error is generated, and the program terminates
- The MOVE statement automatically resizes the receiving field to match the source field
- The MOVE statement ignores the excess characters in the source field
- Truncation occurs, and only the leftmost characters that fit in the receiving field are moved
In COBOL, if the source field is larger than the receiving field during the MOVE statement, truncation occurs. Only the leftmost characters that fit in the receiving field will be moved, and the excess characters are ignored. It's essential to ensure field sizes match or handle truncation appropriately.
In COBOL, can you nest multiple "IF" statements within each other?
- Nesting "IF" statements is allowed, but only with "EVALUATE" statements
- Nesting "IF" statements is possible, but only with the use of "ELSE" clauses
- No, COBOL does not support nested "IF" statements
- Yes, "IF" statements can be nested to create more complex conditional structures
Yes, in COBOL, "IF" statements can be nested within each other to create more complex conditional structures. This allows for handling intricate logic by nesting conditions based on specific requirements.
You are developing a COBOL program for an online banking system. What type of exception handling approach would you use to ensure that transactions are rolled back in case of errors during fund transfers?
- Implementing a nested IF statement
- Utilizing the declarative exception handling with the USE AFTER option
- Employing the EXIT PROGRAM statement
- Using the COBOL ON EXCEPTION clause
In this scenario, declarative exception handling with the USE AFTER option is appropriate. It allows you to define a set of statements that execute after a specific exception occurs, ensuring proper rollback of transactions in case of errors during fund transfers.
In a multi-user environment, you need to ensure that only one user can update a specific record in an ISAM file at a time. How would you implement file locking for this purpose?
- Apply a system-level lock using operating system utilities
- Implement record-level locking using a separate lock file
- Use the COBOL LOCK clause for exclusive access
- Utilize COBOL SYNC clause for synchronization
To ensure exclusive access to a record in an ISAM file, using the COBOL LOCK clause for exclusive access is a common approach. It prevents other users from updating the same record simultaneously, avoiding data inconsistency.
You are tasked with implementing a COBOL program to track employee working hours for a large organization. How would you use arrays or tables to handle this task effectively?
- Both Array and Table
- Neither Array nor Table
- Use a table
- Use an array
For tracking employee working hours in a large organization, a table in COBOL would be more effective. A table allows for dynamic storage allocation based on the number of employees, facilitating efficient management of variable-sized data sets. Arrays might limit flexibility and could be less practical in handling a dynamic workforce.
The "ON EXCEPTION" phrase can be used to specify the _____ that should be taken when a specific exception condition is encountered.
- Action or actions
- Condition code
- Procedure division
- State transition
The "ON EXCEPTION" phrase in COBOL allows you to specify the action or actions to be taken when a specific exception condition is encountered during program execution. This facilitates the handling of errors and exceptions in a structured manner.
In a relative file, records are identified by their _____, which is an integer value.
- Index Key
- Prime Key
- Record Key
- Relative Key
In a relative file, records are identified by their Relative Key, which is an integer value assigned to each record. This key is used to directly access records based on their relative position in the file.