Basic Verbs in COBOL

Introduction

  • Verbs in COBOL are used for processing the data in the procedure division.
  • A statement always begins with the COBOL verb.

Various Verbs in COBOL

1. Input / Output Verbs
These verbs are used to get data from the user i.e input and shows the output of the COBOL program.

Two verbs are used for this process:

i. Accept Verb
  • Accept verb is used to get the data like date, time and day from the user or operating system.
  • The data is required to pass via JCL when it accepts from the user.
  • It includes the FROM option while getting data from the operating system.
For example:
ACCEPT WS-EMPLOYEE-NAME.
ACCEPT WS-DATE FROM SYSTEM-DATE.

ii. Display Verb
The output of a COBOL program is shown using display verb.

For example:
DISPLAY WS-EMPLOYEE-NAME.
DISPLAY “System date is : “ WS-DATE.

2. Initialize Verb
  • Initialize verb is used for initializing the group or elementary item.
  • It cannot initialize the data names with RENAME clause.
  • It replaces the numeric data items by ZERO(0).
  • It replaces alphabetic or alphanumeric data items by SPACE.

Example : Demonstration of initialize verb using REPLACING term

IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. IN-VERB.

DATA DIVISION.
   WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
   01 WS-EMP-NAME PIC A(30) VALUE 'UVWXYZ'.
   01 WS-EMP-ID PIC 9(7).
   01 WS-EMP-ADDRESS.
   05 WS-STREET-NUMBER PIC 9(2).
   05 WS-STATE PIC X(15).
   05 WS-PIN-CODE PIC 9(5) VALUE 67993.

PROCEDURE DIVISION.
   A000-FIRST-PARA.
   INITIALIZE WS-EMP-NAME, WS-EMP-ADDRESS.
   INITIALIZE WS-EMP-ID REPLACING NUMERIC DATA BY 258791.
   DISPLAY "EMP name is   : "WS-EMP-NAME.
   DISPLAY "EMP ID is     : "WS-EMP-ID.
   DISPLAY "Address       : "WS-EMP-ADDRESS.
   DISPLAY "Street Number : "WS-STREET-NUMBER.
   DISPLAY "State         : "WS-STATE.
   DISPLAY "Pin-code      : "WS-PIN-CODE.

STOP RUN.


Output:
EMP name is   :                               
EMP ID is     : 0258791
Address       : 00               00000
Street Number : 00
State         :                
Pin-code      : 00000
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