In COBOL, how can you pass data between a calling program and a called subprogram?
- By declaring global variables that can be accessed by both the calling program and the called subprogram.
- By using the ACCEPT and DISPLAY statements.
- By using the CALL statement without any additional clauses.
- By using the LINKAGE SECTION in the called subprogram and the USING clause in the calling program.
Data can be passed between a calling program and a called subprogram in COBOL by defining a LINKAGE SECTION in the called subprogram and using the USING clause in the calling program. This ensures proper communication and sharing of data between the two program units.
In error handling, what does the "CONTINUE" statement typically signify?
- No specific action is taken, and the program continues with the next statement
- The error is logged to a file
- The program rolls back to the previous checkpoint
- The program terminates immediately
In error handling, the "CONTINUE" statement in COBOL signifies that no specific action is taken, and the program continues with the next statement in the normal flow, allowing for graceful handling of errors without disrupting the program execution.
When using the MERGE statement, both input files must be _____ in ascending or descending order based on the merge criteria.
- INDEXED
- RANDOM
- SEQUENTIAL
- SORTED
When using the MERGE statement in COBOL, it is essential that both input files are sorted either in ascending or descending order based on the merge criteria. This ensures the effectiveness of the merging process.
The _____ clause in COBOL allows you to specify an alternative action to be taken when a file operation results in an exception.
- ALTERNATE RECORD
- EXCEPTION HANDLING
- EXCEPTION PROCEDURE
- INVALID KEY
In COBOL, the "INVALID KEY" clause is used to specify an alternative action to be taken when a file operation results in an exception. It provides a way to handle errors and take appropriate measures to ensure smooth program execution.
In COBOL, what is the primary purpose of using VSAM and ISAM files?
- To enhance portability of COBOL programs
- To facilitate easy indexing of records
- To provide direct access to records based on key values
- To store only sequential data efficiently
The primary purpose of using VSAM (Virtual Storage Access Method) and ISAM (Indexed Sequential Access Method) files in COBOL is to provide direct access to records based on key values. This enables efficient retrieval and manipulation of specific records in a file.
The _____ clause in COBOL specifies the maximum number of records that can be in a relative file.
- LIMIT
- MAXIMUM
- OCCURS
- SIZE
In COBOL, the SIZE clause is used to specify the maximum number of records that can be present in a relative file. It helps in managing the size and capacity of the file for optimal performance.
When working with indexed files, how can you prevent the insertion of duplicate keys?
- Use the ADD verb before inserting a new record
- Specify the UNIQUE option in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph
- Include a CHECK verb to validate key uniqueness
- Utilize the OCCURS clause for key fields
To prevent the insertion of duplicate keys in COBOL indexed files, the UNIQUE option should be specified in the FILE-CONTROL paragraph of the program's data division. This ensures that each key value is unique within the indexed file.
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 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.
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, 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.
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.