Regrading Redefine Clause: what will be the output

a69356 · New User Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Gurgaon

Hi all,

Please let me know

what will happen if we code

05 Var1 PIC A(9) VALUE ' ABCDEFGHI'.

05 var2 REDEFINES VAR1 PIC 9(9).

Thanks

murmohk1 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:04 pm

You will not get any error.

a69356 · New User Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Gurgaon

Can you please explain this, why this one didnot hit any Error as first Var1 is for storing Alphabets and var2 for digits...

Thanks !

murmohk1 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:24 pm

Ashish,

Use QW option in Mainframes, it is explained clearly there.

a69356 · New User Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Gurgaon

Murali ,Thanks a lot for your response as i don't have access to

Mainframe so i am not able to see this option..

can you please give me the provide me the details.

so that i can clear my doubt...

murmohk1 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:45 pm

Asish,

Example given in quick reference

a69356 · New User Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Gurgaon

Hi Murali,
what I understand from the above quote is that the compiler will treat each of the description in redefine clause as separate description and treat them as each of them will occupy separate stoeage areas...

so

05 var2 REDEFINE var1 PIC 9(9)

is treated by the compiler as if var2 with pic 9(9) contains 'ABCDEFGHI'

but how this is possible a variable with numeric type contains a string of

alphabets .

please let me know if the below code works fine or not and what is its

output.

WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
.
.
.
05 A PIC 9(9) VALUE 'ABCDEFGHI'
.
.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
.
.
DISPLAY A.
.
.
.

Please let me know if I am on the right track or not...

Thanks !!

earsha · New User Joined: 16 Mar 2007 Posts: 17 Location: Pune

Ashish,

if you code in the following way

05 Var1 PIC A(9) VALUE ' ABCDEFGHI'.
05 var2 REDEFINES VAR1 PIC 9(9).

The above code will not give you any error because The REDEFINES clause allows you to use different data description entries to describe the same computer storage area.
but you code like
05 A PIC 9(9) VALUE 'ABCDEFGHI'
.
.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
.
.
DISPLAY A.

it will deninately gives you an error.because here you are assiging the non-numeric data to numeric variables.

i hope you are clear with the redefines clause concept.

Phrzby Phil · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:18 pm

In short - you must try to do something with the variable before you get an error - e.g., add it or add to it. The compiler is not running your program.

It would be possible to code the program to overwrite the field with numerics before using the numeric variable - in that case there would be no error - a poorly written program, but no error.

a69356 · New User Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 21 Location: Gurgaon

I got the Point that In Redefine we can use the different data description entries to describe the same computer storage area. but the thing which still bothering me is that how a variable with numeric datatype will refers to variable with Alphabetic datatype...

when the same is not possible in

05 A PIC 9(9) VALUE 'ABCDEFGHI'
.
.
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
.
.
DISPLAY A.

TG Murphy · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:17 pm

Although the initial value of your field is ABCEDFGHI, the compiler has no way of knowing that your program may have a requirement - at some point in the logic - to move the value 123456789 into your field.

The compiler does not want to prevent you from doing this so it doesn't generate a compile error. In other words, the compiler trusts that the programmer will handle the situation correctly but is willing to let you shoot yourself in the foot from time to time for the sake of being flexible.

dick scherrer · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:39 pm

Hello,

The redefines provides a way to assign multiple names (and PICtures) to the same physical address within the program. There is no consideration of content, only length. The compiler will tell you if you try to redefine a 10-byte field with a 15-byte-field.

It is completely up to the programmer to ensure that the contents of a redefined field are valid for the operation to be performed. One of the few good reasons (IMHO) to redefine a "pic x" with a "pic 9" is to check if the picx is numeric and if so, use the pic9 in a number operation - if picx not numeric (and it should be), raise a "not numeric" error.