What is the significance of using the CURRENT-DATE special register in COBOL?
- It is a placeholder for future date and time calculations
- It is used to declare variables for date and time storage
- It retrieves the system date and time during program execution
- It stores the current date and time when the program is compiled
The CURRENT-DATE special register in COBOL is used to retrieve the current system date and time during program execution. It provides a standardized way to access real-time information for various date-related operations.
What is the purpose of exception handling in COBOL file processing?
- To ignore errors and continue file processing
- To manage and respond to unexpected situations or errors that may occur during file operations
- To speed up file processing operations
- To terminate the program in case of any file-related issues
Exception handling in COBOL file processing allows programs to gracefully respond to unexpected situations or errors, ensuring a more robust and reliable file processing mechanism. It involves capturing and responding to errors to prevent program termination.
The MOVE statement in COBOL is primarily used for _____ data between variables.
- Assigning
- Copying
- Initializing
- Transferring
The MOVE statement in COBOL is used for copying data from one variable to another. It doesn't imply any arithmetic or transformation; it simply duplicates the content of one variable into another.
To handle file-related exceptions, you can use the ______ statement to specify alternative actions.
- EXCEPTION-FILE
- FILE CONTROL
- FILE EXCEPTION
- FILE HANDLING
The FILE EXCEPTION statement in COBOL is used to handle file-related exceptions. It allows the programmer to specify alternative actions to be taken when exceptions related to file operations occur.
You are designing a COBOL program to calculate the factorial of a number using a recursive subprogram. Which type of recursion is involved in this scenario?
- Direct Recursion
- Indirect Recursion
- Mutual Recursion
- Tail Recursion
In this scenario, Mutual Recursion is involved when two or more subprograms call each other to calculate the factorial. It creates a cycle of calls among the subprograms.
You are tasked with sorting a large dataset of customer records based on their account balances in ascending order. Which COBOL operation would be most suitable for this task?
- MOVE statement
- READ statement
- SEARCH verb
- SORT verb
The SORT verb in COBOL is specifically designed for sorting data. It allows you to arrange records in ascending or descending order based on specified key fields, making it the most suitable choice for sorting customer records based on account balances.
The OUTPUT PROCEDURE in a COBOL SORT statement is used to process records _____ the sorting process.
- After
- After and Before
- Before
- During
The OUTPUT PROCEDURE in a COBOL SORT statement is used to process records during the sorting process. It allows for custom processing of records as they are being sorted, enabling more flexibility in handling data.
When dealing with VSAM and ISAM files, it's important to implement proper ________ strategies to avoid data inconsistencies.
- Indexing
- Locking
- Merging
- Sorting
Implementing proper Locking strategies is crucial when dealing with VSAM and ISAM files to avoid data inconsistencies caused by concurrent access from multiple users. Locking ensures that only one user can modify a record at a time, preventing conflicts and maintaining data integrity.
When using the REDEFINES clause in COBOL, you can create a different view of the same ________ item.
- Group
- Level
- Memory
- Occurs
The REDEFINES clause in COBOL allows you to create a different view of the same memory space occupied by a group item. It is used for reinterpreting the storage allocated to a data item, providing flexibility in data representation.
In COBOL, what is an embedded SQL statement used for in the context of database connectivity?
- Connecting COBOL programs to multiple databases
- Creating backup copies of COBOL programs
- Executing SQL statements within COBOL programs
- Generating reports from COBOL programs
An embedded SQL statement in COBOL allows the execution of SQL queries, updates, and other database operations directly within COBOL programs. This integration facilitates database connectivity and enables COBOL programs to interact with database systems seamlessly.