What is parameter passing in subprograms, and why is it important?
- Parameter passing is a mechanism to pass data between programs and is important for sharing information
- Parameter passing is not supported in COBOL
- Parameter passing is only applicable to procedures, not functions
- Parameter passing refers to the allocation of storage for variables in a subprogram
Parameter passing in subprograms involves transferring data between the calling program and the called subprogram. It allows the subprogram to receive input values, process them, and potentially return results to the calling program. This mechanism enhances code modularity and facilitates code reuse.
How do you handle exceptions and errors in the COBOL Procedure Division?
- Employing the IGNORE statement
- Implementing the EXCEPTION condition
- Using the EXIT statement
- Utilizing the GOTO statement
Exceptions and errors in the COBOL Procedure Division are handled by implementing the EXCEPTION condition. It allows the programmer to define specific actions to be taken when certain exceptional conditions occur during program execution.
What is the purpose of the "IF" statement in COBOL?
- To conditionally execute a block of code based on a specified condition
- To declare variables in COBOL
- To define a loop in COBOL programs
- To perform arithmetic operations
The "IF" statement in COBOL is used to conditionally execute a block of code based on a specified condition. It allows the program to take different paths depending on whether the condition is true or false.
When working with COBOL structures, the POINTER clause is used to indicate the ___________ of the current element within the structure.
- Address
- Index
- Position
- Size
In COBOL, the POINTER clause is used to indicate the memory address of the current element within the structure. It allows for dynamic memory manipulation and is often used in conjunction with the USAGE IS POINTER clause.
In COBOL, what is the purpose of the ACCESS MODE clause when working with relative files?
- DYNAMIC
- KEY
- RANDOM
- SEQUENTIAL
The ACCESS MODE clause in COBOL specifies how records in a relative file are accessed. RANDOM allows direct access to records based on the record number. This is useful when individual records need to be retrieved without the need to read sequentially through the file.
In a COBOL program, what is the primary use of the VARYING clause within a PERFORM loop?
- To control the flow of execution in nested loops
- To define variables with varying data types
- To execute the loop only if a condition is met
- To iterate over a range of values for a loop variable
The VARYING clause in a PERFORM loop is used to iterate over a range of values for a loop variable, allowing the repeated execution of a block of code with different values during each iteration.
When processing multiple files in a COBOL program, you encounter an exception in one file but want to continue processing the other files without interruption. How can you achieve this?
- Implement exception handling with the EXIT PROGRAM statement
- Set the FILE STATUS to 'OK' manually
- Use the CONTINUE statement after error handling
- Use the NOT ON EXCEPTION clause in the file control entry
To continue processing other files without interruption in case of an exception in one file, you can use the NOT ON EXCEPTION clause in the file control entry. This allows the program to skip the file that has an exception and continue processing the next files.
What is the main entry point of a COBOL program?
- DATA DIVISION
- ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
- IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
- PROCEDURE DIVISION
The "PROCEDURE DIVISION" is the main entry point of a COBOL program. It contains the actual executable statements and is where the program's logic and operations are defined.
What is the purpose of a class in Object-Oriented COBOL?
- To control program execution
- To define a template for creating objects with shared attributes and behaviors
- To define the size and type of data
- To optimize memory usage
In Object-Oriented COBOL, a class serves as a blueprint for creating objects. It defines attributes (data) and behaviors (methods) that the objects instantiated from the class will share. This facilitates code organization and reusability.
In COBOL, what is the significance of the CONTINUE statement in error handling?
- It indicates the end of the program
- It is used to ignore errors and continue with the next statement
- It skips the remaining statements in the current iteration and continues with the next iteration of the loop
- It terminates the program immediately
In error handling, the CONTINUE statement is used to ignore errors and continue with the next statement. It helps in gracefully handling errors without terminating the program abruptly.
The _____ keyword in COBOL is used to pass data from the calling program to the subprogram.
- ACCEPT
- MOVE
- RETURN
- USING
The USING keyword in COBOL is used to pass data from the calling program to the subprogram. It allows for the exchange of data between the calling program and the called subprogram, facilitating communication and data sharing.
In COBOL, how can you format a date in a specific way for displaying to the user or writing to a file?
- FUNCTION CURRENT-DATE
- FUNCTION DATE-ADD
- FUNCTION FORMAT-TIME
- FUNCTION NUMVAL
To format a date in COBOL for display or file output, the FUNCTION FORMAT-TIME is used. It allows programmers to define the desired format for presenting date and time information.